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Interested in doing my own car maintenance.. Advice?
mouser:
Coolant flush complete.. Pretty time consuming because i was pretty paranoid about bringing coolant up to temperature and then letting it cool before draining, over and over. I did a very thorough flush because i was changing coolant types and i had no idea if it had ever been done over the course of 7 years of prior owner. In future I'll just do a simple drain and replace every year or two.
Very fun. I'll be posting a bunch of car maintenance gadgets I have used in the gadget thread in the upcoming days.
IainB:
car jacking successful, oil change done. super fun!!!!
coolant flush in progress!
-mouser (April 29, 2015, 01:35 PM)
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For your next service, consider stopping throwing the oil away, by installing a parasitic or non-parasitic oil filter bypass system - e.g., Frantz.
- and checking the pH (I think it is that) of the coolant fluid.
I don't usually service my car nowadays, but I was impressed that my garage always check the special coolant fluid at "check/replace coolant" service intervals, because the coolant is expensive and it's not necessary to throw it away and replace it afresh if its anti-corrosive properties have not chemically deteriorated.
MilesAhead:
^^ What a great picture! Inventive mechanics those Cubans. Not careless either - looks like most of them are wearing safety jackets.
-IainB (April 29, 2015, 08:15 PM)
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That amphibious design looks a bit slow. Perhaps it is good on gas though. Especially with auxiliary propulsion using long paddles or a team pulling a rope in Miami. :)
MilesAhead:
Speaking of oil. One project may be to install an electric auxiliary oil pump. You switch it on before starting the car. Avoids dry rings moving in the cylinders. I'm surprised this has never become standard equipment. After all nowadays there is remote car starting for people to let the A/C or heater kick in before leaving the house. Just as easy to program the oil pump on for 20 seconds before hitting the starter.
Avoid dry starts and the beast may run forever. :)
Stoic Joker:
Coolant flush complete.. Pretty time consuming because i was pretty paranoid about bringing coolant up to temperature and then letting it cool before draining, over and over.-mouser (April 29, 2015, 08:16 PM)
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Zoiks!
Open drain on bottom of radiator.
Open radiator cap.
Start engine.
Turn heater on full..
Insert water hose in radiator cap spigot, with a steady running stream (vary to control overflow).
Let water and engine run until drain water clears (~10-15min).
Turn off water and engine.
Close drain, fill, cap, and done.
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