Car Care Tips

Z-71 · Jul 18th, 2003, 09:12 PM

Driving with a dirty windshield is aggravating, and it can also be a hazard. Here are some window-cleaning tips:

Ordinary household glass cleaner with ammonia is fairly effective at cleaning windshields and car windows. It's good at removing dirt and grease, but it tends to leave streaks. A second application may be necessary to get rid of the streaks. Professional glass cleaners that contain no ammonia are also available. These products are effective but usually more expensive.

Another option is to use car-wash soap, water and a wash mitt. (Dish soap is not recommended, as it may damage your car's paint finish.) To clean up bird droppings, sap and other stubborn substances, let the soapy water sit for a few minutes before wiping the spot with the wash mitt. Use a hose to rinse the soap and dirt away, then dry and polish the windows with clean towels.

Another effective technique is to clean the window with a mild solution of vinegar and water, applied to the glass with a spray bottle, then wipe the glass dry with newspaper. The newsprint ink works as a polishing agent.

To improve the looks of a badly neglected windshield, try glass polish. Apply according to the manufacturer's instructions, much as you would car wax. Let it dry to a haze, then hose it off, and polish the glass with a clean cloth. Use a toothbrush to remove any residue from cracks and crevices.

The inside of the windshield can become hazy from smoke and chemical vapors given off by the vinyl and plastics inside the car. Use spray glass cleaner for the window interiors, spraying a cleaning cloth rather than the glass to prevent spraying surrounding areas. Before cleaning side windows, roll them down partially so it's easier to clean the area along the windows' top edge.
Note: For hard-to-reach spots along the curve of the windshield or rear window, turn your hand palm down and support the towel on the back of your hand. This makes it easier to reach high, curved parts of the window.
Don't forget to clean your rear-view and side mirrors.

Z-71 · Jul 18th, 2003, 09:20 PM

Materials:

Portable vacuum with attachments
Clean cloths or towels
Paintbrush, toothbrush, cotton swabs
Vinyl cleaner/restorer
Optional: foaming upholstery cleaner
Optional: portable deep cleaner

Aside from aesthetics, there are practical reasons for keeping your car's interior clean. Dirt that's ground into the carpet and upholstery will accelerate wear of the fabric.

To clean your car's interior, you'll need a good portable vacuum that has a variety of attachments. Begin by getting rid of any large debris and taking the floormats out of the car. Vacuum the upholstery seat covers and carpets thoroughly. Work from the back of the car to the front and from the top down.

Use the vacuum's crevice tool to clean between seat cushions and in other tight spots such as ashtrays and coin holders and around the gear shift and parking-brake handle.

Now move to the vinyl and plastic parts -- the side panels, center console, seat backs, dashboard, etc. Start by sitting in the back seat and cleaning from the center of the car (e.g., the center console) to the outer areas. Clean with a damp cloth and follow with a dry one. Once all areas are clean, apply a vinyl cleaner and restorer. This will enhance the appearance and help preserve the vinyl. Use a paintbrush or toothbrush to help clean debris out of tight spots. Use a cotton swab dipped in vinyl cleaner to reach into the tightest spots, such as seams, the areas around panel switches and inside air-conditioner vents.

Use a foaming cleaner to remove upholstery stains. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. In most cases, you spray the cleaner directly onto the stain, let it foam, use a sponge to work it into the fabric, and wipe it away with a clean, damp sponge. Vacuum up the residual cleaner.

To thoroughly clean all the upholstery and carpet, consider using a rented portable deep cleaner. Deep cleaners have two fluid containers: one that dispenses a cleaning solution and another that recovers the fluid and dirt. The cleaning spray is dispensed by a trigger, and the vacuum head lifts away dirt and grime.

If the carpet is beyond repair, check with an auto center about ordering molded replacement carpets cut to fit your vehicle. If the dashboard is ruined, custom covers are available. Replacement seat covers may be ordered as well.

Z-71 · Jul 18th, 2003, 09:26 PM

Materials:

Bucket
Hose with sprayer
Car-wash soap
Wash mitt
Paste-type car wax; prewax cleaner
Clean cotton towels
Optional: chamois
Optional: toothbrushes and paintbrushes

When it comes to cleaning a car's exterior, perhaps the best advice is, don't use dish soap. It will strip away wax as well as dirt. Car-wash soap and a good cloth mitt are much safer and will remove dirt without disturbing the wax finish. Here are a few additional suggestions:

Look for a wash mitt made from a blend of wool and polyester. Pure polyester is more abrasive and can leave tiny scratches in the paint.

Wash the car in the shade to reduce spotting from quick drying.

Start from the top of the car and work down.

Concentrate on one section at a time.

Rinse your mitt frequently, and change the soap and water a couple of times to avoid reintroducing dirt and grit to the finish.

Don't forget to wash the glass as well as the painted surfaces.

For tight spaces where the mitt won't reach, consider using a paintbrush. This is especially effective along side-mirror edges, grilles, moldings and seams and around headlights. For even tighter spaces and on small rubber parts, try a toothbrush. It's also effective for removing bugs from tight crevices. While you work, keep your mitt and brushes in your bucket to avoid picking up dirt and gravel.

Long-handled nonscratch brushes are helpful for hard-to-reach areas such as the top of an SUV.
Note: If you use a paintbrush, wrap tape around the metal band at the base of the bristles to prevent scratching or chipping the vehicle's paint.

Most car-wash soaps dry spot free, but water spots may still be a problem if your water is hard. Drying your car after washing is important, as it helps minimize spotting and the potential for rusting. Clean cotton towels are the most common tool for drying a car. (Use one towel to remove most of the water, and follow up with a second to dry it completely.) Pros prefer genuine chamois, the safest material for paint finishes. Soft rubber squeegees specially designed for removing water from a car's surface are also available. It's also a good idea to take your car for a drive immediately after washing it to let the wind and engine heat dry any residual water.

Waxing protects your car's paint from the elements and brings out the color and shine. Apply wax according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Apply wax in an area away from direct sunlight, preferably inside a garage.

Use a prewax cleaner to remove old oxidized wax from the surface before applying a new coat of wax. Apply the cleaner just as you would the wax itself, using circular motions and letting the cleaner dry to a haze before buffing it with a soft, clean towel.

For longer-lasting shine and protection, use paste wax rather than a one-step liquid type.

Z-71 · Jul 18th, 2003, 09:32 PM

Wheels come in many styles, including clear-coated aluminum, polished aluminum, chromed steel, painted steel and spoked. No matter what variety you have, brake dust and road grime make them difficult to clean. You may want to try a concentrated wheel cleaner, available at auto centers, but the old standby tools are a hose, a sprayer attachment, a bucket of soapy water, a wheel brush and an old mitt.

If your wheels have plastic covers or hubcaps, remove them before you begin cleaning. Rinse the wheel and clean it thoroughly with soapy water. Use a brush to remove stubborn dirt and an old toothbrush to reach into tight spots and intricate designs. Use the sprayer attachment to rinse off the soap and dirt.

If your vehicle has aluminum or chrome-plated wheels, apply wheel polish after cleaning the wheels, then buff to bring out the shine.

Apply a light coat of car wax to painted or clear-coated steel wheels, and buff it with a towel.

Wire wheels are striking in appearance but difficult to care for. Use a toothbrush to apply polish in tight areas; a rag pulled behind each spoke is handy for cleaning and polishing.

Now that your wheels are sparkling clean, clean the tires with soapy water and a mitt. A small, stiff brush is good for removing dirt from raised lettering on the sidewalls. Rinse with water. Once the tires are dry, you may want to apply a tire dressing to give a detailed look and help preserve the rubber. Spray the dressing directly on the tire and wipe off the excess.

Z-71 · Jul 18th, 2003, 09:38 PM

Consider the following items for your car emergency kit:

Flashlight and extra batteries
Cellular phone
First-aid kit
High-visibility cones or safety flares
High-visibility vest or rain poncho
Small fire extinguisher
Wheel chocks
Basic tools: screwdrivers, pliers, an adjustable wrench, a multitool or pocket knife
Hose-repair kit
Jumper cables or portable battery booster
Portable air compressor for inflating tires
Nonflammable aerosol tire sealer
Funnel
Extra fuses
Bottled fuel additive (can be used to drive a short distance if you run out of gas)
Bunjee cords
Duct tape
Clean towels
Work gloves, jacket or raincoat, boots
Safety glasses
Bottled water
You may want to consider purchasing a tool kit and then supplementing its contents with items from the list above.

Winter kit additions:

Ice scraper
Coolant
Traction aids: sand, cat litter, asphalt roofing-shingle strips
Shovel
Tow chain or tow strap
Blankets, candles

Z-71 · Jul 22nd, 2003, 07:59 PM

Most newer cars have the color code on a panel right inside the door or glove compartment.

If you don't find it there, by all means, don't resort to guesswork! Call the dealer or local auto parts store and give them the year, make and model of your vehicle. From this information, they'll be able to locate your color code so you can be sure of an exact match on your touch-up.

Before painting a scratch, you'll need to do some prep work. For a minor scratch, all you'll need do is wash the area with a rag dipped in warm, soapy water. Using a circular motion, rub over the scratch firmly but gently to remove any dirt or grit trapped in the groove of the scratch.

Then just rinse and allow to sit long enough so the area has dried completely before painting the scratch.

If you need to remove a small area of rust from the scratch, use a product called a rust converter. Simply follow the manufacturer's directions on the can.

Once the scratch is clean and rust-free, you're ready to paint. Shake up the bottle of paint thoroughly, then remove the lid with the brush attachment from the bottle.

For thin scratches use a toothpick or a special applicator tip. (Applicator tips are available in auto supply stores.) Dab the tip or toothpick into the paint to get just a small amount on the end. Then carefully fill in along the length of the scratch, working in one direction; don't rub back and forth.

After you've allowed the paint to dry completely, you'll want to top off the area with a clear coat.

To fill larger scratches, you'll need to first sand the entire area with heavy- grit sandpaper. Follow this with a fine-grit sandpaper until there's a "feathered" edge all around the damaged area that helps it blend back into the surrounding surface.

Use a rag to wipe off any residue, then mix up some body filler, following the directions on the container. Using a small rubber paddle (these are also available in auto parts stores), apply the filler to the damaged area in very thin coats. Finally, sand with heavy-grit sandpaper, again followed by a fine-grit sanding.
Tip: Don't try to use a heavier application with fewer coats -- you risk over-applying and won't be able to sand the filler flat with the surface if it dries too thick.

When you're ready to prime and paint, tape off the surrounding area with newspaper and masking tape. This will prevent paint from darkening non-damaged areas. If you have difficulty keeping the aerosol paint in just the affected areas, try protecting the area with a more closely matched size of cover.

Z-71 · Jul 22nd, 2003, 08:12 PM

Disc brakes bring a vehicle to a stop when pressure is applied to both sides of disc-shaped rotors at either end of the axle. A caliper, housing two brake pads, is situated on top of the rotor. When the brake is applied, pistons inside the caliper squeeze the pads against both sides of the rotor to slow and stop the vehicle.

Brakes should be serviced about every 10,000 miles or so. Servicing disc-style brakes generally involves replacing brake pads and checking the rotors to see whether they are in need of resurfacing (or replacement, if they are severely damaged). If there are deep scratches, grooves or scoring on the rotor it should be resurfaced. Resurfacing is something that should generally be done by a brake technician since it requires a brake lathe -- a highly specialized piece of equipment.

A dial indicator is used to check the rotors to make certain that they are not warped or out of round. With the dial indicator set to zero, the disc is rotated. If the disc is still even and is not warped, the dial indicator will remain close enough to the zero setting to indicate it is within proper, specified limits.

After checking the rotor with the dial indicator, the caliper is removed to gain access to the pads and rotor. The caliper is held in place by retaining bolts that are easily removed. Once the bolts have been removed, the caliper remains attached to the brake lines. Letting the heavy caliper hang suspended by the brake line could damage the brake line, so electrician's wire can be used to suspend the caliper so that it's free of the rotor and out of the way.

Once the rotor has been removed, its exact thickness needs to be measured. Since resurfacing is accomplished by removing a thin layer from the rotor's outer walls, it's necessary to ascertain that the amount being removed won't reduce the thickness of the rotor below proper and safe operating specifications. Minimum-thickness specifications (in millimeters) are usually stamped right into the metal rotors. A micrometer or a digital slide caliper is used to measure the thickness of the rotors to see how much useful life they have left in them.

Once the rotors have been measured and it has been determined that there is enough thickness left to allow resurfacing, the rotors are turned on a brake lathe. The lathe has hardened carbide blades that shave off tiny amounts of metal from both surfaces of the rotor as it turns. Precision controls allow the lathe operator to dial in and determine in thousandths of an inch exactly how much metal is to be removed.

Once the rotor has been resurfaced and reinstalled, new brake pads are seated and installed in the caliper, and an antisqueal lubricant may be applied. Before finishing the job, it's a good idea to clean the rotor and the area around it with brake cleaner.

When you're servicing disc brakes, it's also a good time to check and repack the wheel bearings and seals. The bearings serve to cushion the contact between the wheel and the spindle it sits on at the end of the axle. They are packed with grease to reduce wear from friction as the wheel rotates. Since the wheels on your vehicle may turn as many times as 900 times per mile, it's easy to see why these parts are so important. Since the grease used to pack the bearings picks up dirt and other contaminants, it's best to replace it about once a year to help extend the life of the bearings -- about the same interval as that for servicing brakes.

Repacking bearings on disc brakes requires removing the wheel-bearing nut and the wheel hub. The wheel bearing can then be removed from the center of the hub by prying it loose with a screwdriver. The bearing, hub center and end of the spindle are then cleaned with parts solvent, inspected for damage and allowed to dry. Provided that the bearings are not so worn that they need to be replaced, they can be repacked by rolling the bearing in a mound of bearing grease in the palm of your hand -- a very messy job. Consult your vehicle's service manual before attempting to remove, repack, and reinstall bearings. Some vehicles have sealed bearings that do not require maintenance.

Z-71 · Jul 22nd, 2003, 08:21 PM

The main components of drum brakes are the brake drum, brake shoes, brake linings and wheel cylinders. The drum itself is the hollow metal cylinder situated at either end of the axle, immediately behind the wheel. The drum houses the brake shoes -- curved pieces of metal that push against the inner surface of the drum when the brakes are applied. The contact of the shoes to the drums is what causes your car to stop when you press on the brake pedal. On each brake, the two shoes are connected by an adjusting return-spring that pull them back away from the inner-drum surface when the brake is released. The shoes are covered by a brake lining, a durable heat-resistant covering that actually contacts the drum's inner surface. The wheel cylinder, part of the hydraulic system that causes the brake mechanisms to activate when the brakes are engaged, controls the process. Pistons in the wheel cylinder, activated by pressure in the brake-fluid system, press outward on the brake shoes so that they press against the drum, causing the wheels to stop.

When drum brakes have become worn, the drums need to be removed to facilitate inspection of the inner surface. If the surface has become glazed or damaged, braking is compromised. If this is the case, the drums need to be either resurfaced (a.k.a., "turned") or replaced. Resurfacing is something that should generally be done by a brake technician since it requires a brake lathe -- a highly specialized piece of equipment. Brake shoes should be replaced every 30,000 miles or so as part of routine maintenance.

The first step is to remove the drum itself. Since there is likely to be an abundance of loose brake dust behind the drum, it's a good idea to wear a particle mask while performing this part of the process. With the wheel lugs removed, carefully lift the drum free of the lug-bolts. Wiggling the drum gently from side to side on the mounting hub may help to loosen it from the bolts.

With the drum removed, inspect the interior surface for signs of abrasion or glazing. While the drum is off, the inside of the drum is cleaned with brake-cleaner spray. Brake cleaner is also used on the parts housed inside the drum, including the shoes, linings, and surrounding area.

The second major part of the rear brake job is replacing the brake shoes. The movement of the shoes is controlled by a return spring. When the brakes are engaged, the shoes are pushed outward against the inside wall of the drum. When the brakes are disengaged, the return spring brings the shoes back to their resting position, away from the drum surface. In order to change the shoes, the return spring must be removed.

In addition to the return spring, there are retaining springs and clips at the front and rear of the brake that hold the shoes secure. These must be released, using a specialized tool, before the shoes can be removed.

Once the springs and brake shoes have been removed, the parking-brake assembly is loosened and lowered out of the way.

The wheel cylinder should be checked for wear, damage or signs of leakage.To replace the cylinder, loosen the retaining bolt from behind the backing plate of the brake assembly.

The newly resurfaced drum will provide improved stopping ability once it's reinstalled on the brake system. Before reinstalling the drum, however, secure the new shoes in place, using the appropriate fasteners or mounting hardware.

Once the shoes are in place and the retaining and return springs have been put back on, the resurfaced drum can be mounted and the wheel reinstalled on the vehicle.

Z-71 · Aug 4th, 2003, 07:09 PM

Whether you're car is new or used, it's always wise to keep track of the maintenance and repair work that's done throughout the life of your car, or at least as long as you own it. A logical way to do this is with an auto maintenance log. Here are some suggestions:

Purchas a notebook that's small enough to fit in your glove compartment.

Record pertinent facts and information in your log pertaining to service that's done.

Include the dates on which work is performed, and the mileage on the vehicle at the time of the work. Also include dates and mileage for routine maintenance and parts replacement -- such as oil changes, tire replacement, wheel balancing and tire rotation.

Note the kind of oil and fluids that your car takes (information from your owner's manual), the recommended tire pressure, etc.

If you do your own maintenance, you may not have receipts indicating all the work that's done on your vehicle. In that case, the book is especially valuable.

A thorough maintenance record may make your vehicle more desirable to a potential buyer when you decide to sell it.

Keep your logbook in your glove compartment so your maintenance record is always in reach.

Z-71 · Aug 4th, 2003, 07:15 PM

If unpleasant odors are present in the vehicle interior -- either from mothballs used to deter pests or simply because the interior has developed a stale, musty smell during storage -- you'll want to roll down the windows and let the vehicle air out. You can also use cedar chips stuffed in a cotton sock to help mask and eliminate the odors, and you can augment the cedar with other naturally scented materials such as cinnamon sticks or cloves.

Flooder · Oct 8th, 2003, 02:15 PM

What to use to remove hard glue like? kinda like an epoxy stuff from the dash board? I thought about using GOO.. something? Any good stuff out there without being tooo harsh on my dash board? Thanks!

ReVerm · Oct 8th, 2003, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flooder
What to use to remove hard glue like? kinda like an epoxy stuff from the dash board? I thought about using GOO.. something? Any good stuff out there without being tooo harsh on my dash board? Thanks!

Goo gone is what you're looking for. It's pretty harmless, as long as you don't dump the entire bottle on one spot and leave it there for an hour.

Z-71 · Oct 8th, 2003, 09:37 PM

Yeah, Glue be-gone, sounds good. It should clean it without damaging your dashboard.

Flooder · Nov 6th, 2003, 02:25 PM

GOO-B-GONE (not sure the about the name?). It works...it removed hard and sticky glue on my dash. It melted off like butter, no residue...just a very clean and dry dash. I will have to armor-al it again soon. Later!