Critical Fluids Replacement

The fluids in your automobile protect the components from wear and deposit buildup.  The fluids must be replaced periodically in order to not shorten the life of vital engine, transmission, brake, power steering, and cooling system components.

Everyone knows that engine oil keeps the moving parts from wearing and that engine oil gets thin and loses its lubricating properties after about 3,000 miles of driving.  Everyone knows that failure to replace dirty and worn out oil can lead to major engine work or even engine replacement. What few drivers understand is that the other fluids are just as critical to the longevity of their automobiles. 

Anti-Freeze

Anti-freeze should be replaced annually.  While glycerine based anti-freeze is referred to as permanent anti-freeze, it is anything but permanent.  Forty to fifty years ago, alcohol was used as anti-freeze and alcohol evaporates quickly when hot.  Alcohol anti-freeze would work only a short time before it would evaporate and had to be replaced.  When glycerine anti-freeze first came out it was called permanent because it lasted the entire winter without more having to be added.  In other words, permanent means that it won't evaporate out of the system, it doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be replaced.  Cooling systems should be flushed every year and fresh anti-freeze installed, because old anti-freeze turns acidy and gummy with time so that it can carrode and clog radiators and heater cores.  A cooling system that is flushed annually will last almost indefinately.

Brake Fluid

Brake fluid can breakdown and cause corrosion and leaking of brake cylinders and complex components in the newer braking systems.  Do you know that the proper operation of Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS) requires clean and fresh fluid. Yearly replacement of brake fluid is now recommended in all brake systems and is necessary in ABS's.

Transmission Fluid

Transmission Fluid is not contaminated by combustion byproducts as is engine oil, but transmission fluid does break down with use.   Transmission fluid loses viscosity (thickness), loses its lubricating properties, and can become varnishy after 30,000 miles depending on driving conditions.  New transmissions have very thin friction material on the shifting bands (the thickness of construction paper) and will wear out rapidly when the transmission fluid looses it lubricating properties.  The newer transmissions also have many small conduits and parts that get clogged and gummed up by varnish buildup from old fluid.  It may seem expensive to use up to 18 quarts of transmission fluid to do a complete fluid flush and replacement, but the cost of a flush and replacement at 30,000 miles is nothing compared with the cost of having to totally rebuild or replace these newer transmissions.

Power Steering Fluid

Power steering fluid does for power steering systems what transmission fluid does for transmissions.  It provides the pressure and mechanical power to turn the wheels but it also lubricates the power steering pump and all the valves that are actuated when you turn the steering wheel.  The power steering fluid breaks down with time and if not replaced, can cause excessive wear of the power rack-and-pinion steering systems.  The cost of flushing and and replacing a few quarts of power steering fluid is very little compared to the cost of replacing a power steering pump and power rack-and-pinion steering system.

All of the fluids in your automobile perform critical functions but they can only do their jobs when clean and fresh. Call us and let's talk about the recommended fluid replacement schedules and requirements for your particular make and model automobile.

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