If you think I’ve lost my mind I haven’t. You should turn your AC on at least a couple of times in the winter to prevent your AC compressor from seizing. Also, when the refrigerant circles it helps to keep all the hoses soft and healthy.
Maintaining Your Car Battery
It’s important for your car battery to be in tip top shape, and for this to happen it should have regular maintenance. Maintaining your car battery isn’t that difficult.
- It begins with keeping your battery clean. Wipe with damp rag using a mild dish detergent.
- Clean the batter posts or terminals – first remove the negative cable, then the positive cable. Black = negative, Red = positive. Dip a brass wire battery brush into a baking soda and water mix. Just a few tablespoons of baking soda added to a little bit of water and you’ll have the right mix.
- Check for cracks on the battery itself. Also watch for bulging. These are signs the battery needs to be replaced.
- Reinstall your battery cables starting with the positive.
If a battery has a vent cap you’ll want to remove it and check the electrolyte level. It needs to cover the battery’s top plates by at least a ½” or 13mm. You should not use tap water because it can contain minerals that may be damaging to your battery. Instead use distilled water.
How to Seal a Leaky Radiator
If you have a radiator that is leaking there are a number of radiator sealant that come in a powder or liquid form. The products circulate through the radiator and when they get to the hole the product comes in contact with air and forms a seal.
Dilute the Coolant
Your cooling system must include water and coolant-antifreeze. You do not use coolant undiluted. Generally the mix is a 50-50 ratio. You should also never use straight water in your radiator. Check your coolant-antifreeze at least a couple of times a month and during cold weather make sure you have adequate coverage to ensure your radiator does not freeze.
You Must Flush Coolant
Coolant-antifreeze loses its strength and becomes contaminated. You need to flush your system every two years for some coolants and every five years for other coolants. Read your coolant label for detailed directions. If you do not do a flush regularly you risk damaging your radiator, and clogging the heater core. You can also have the thermostat and water pump fail.
Never Mix Your Coolants
You must never mix coolants of different colors. If your coolant is green then don’t add pink coolant, because if you do you will land up with a thick solution of goop that can’t do its job.
Checking Power Steering Fluid
Every month you should check your power steering fluid once the car has warmed up. If the level is low you should have the pump and hoses inspected for any type of leak. If the power steering fluid is low you can damage the power steering pump.