Checking your fluids is a must if you want to keep your car in great shape. If you don't what fluids to check on or how to even check them, this post can help you out.

Tips to Make Checking Your Car's Fluids Easier

Keeping your car in good shape doesn't have to be hard. One of the easiest things you can learn to do that will help your car run smoothly for longer is to check on its essential fluids. From the motor oil to the brake fluid, you can check these yourself and prevent issues that may arise from undetected leaks and worn down fluids. To learn to do it yourself, check out this important information.

Easily Check Your Motor Oil

Your car's motor oil performs plenty of tasks that keep your car running smoothly. Because of how much your car relies on this fluid, checking on it is a must. Luckily, this isn't hard at all. Keep in mind that your car's engine will have to be cool to get the most accurate reading, so don't do this right after a long drive. Start by identifying the oil dipstick under your hood. Pull this out, clean it off with a clean washcloth, stick it back in its slot, and pull it back out to get a clear reading. Your oil level should fall somewhere in between the markers on the dipstick. If it's running low, simply top it off. Of course, if you notice that it's often running low, you may have an issue. This can be caused by leaking oil or even your car burning off oil. Either way, get this taken care of as soon as you can to prevent further problems. To check the condition of your oil, use your thumb and index finger to feel the oil. If it's a light color, slick, and translucent, it's fine for now. If it's thick, gritty, dark, and opaque, your car is ready for an oil change. If it's a milky color, this is because your coolant is leaking into your engine. To give your engine the best protection, give it a synthetic oil change in Wichita. AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil can help keep your engine running smoother for longer. To find even more products like this, contact the friendly oil pros at Hartmans Inc. at (316) 686-1069. To check out even more great AMSOIL Oil products, stop by their online shop.

How to Check Your Brake Fluid

It's pretty obvious that having fully functioning brakes is essential when driving. Because of this, it's important that you learn to check on your brake fluid and learn to identify any issues it may be signaling. If you've already noticed a delay when stepping on your brake or a weird feeling when engaging your brakes, definitely make time to check your brake fluid. To do this, locate the brake fluid reservoir under your hood. It's very common for the reservoir holding your brake fluid to be a bit translucent so you can check your level of brake fluid without having to open anything. If it's running low, this is a clear sign of an issue because brake fluid shouldn't disappear. If you have a leak, this can become dangerous. Take it into the shop as soon as you can to get this fixed. Another thing to look out for is the color of your brake fluid. If it's murky or you can't see through it, it's definitely time to get it replaced.

Check Your Transmission Fluid

To check on your transmission fluid you'll need to have your engine running and your car in either park or neutral. Locate the transmission fluid dipstick, remove it, clean it off with a clean washcloth, stick back in, and pull it back out. The dipstick should have two indicator lines that make it easier to assess how much fluid is left. Ideally, your level should fall somewhere in between these two markers, making it easier for you to identify when it needs to be topped off. Your transmission fluid should be a reddish shade, so if it's black and smells burnt, it's definitely time to replace it. At this point, it won't be able to lubricate your gear system properly, causing gear shifts to be harder and can even cause surging and strange noises in the gearbox. It's worth mentioning that checking this isn't this easy in all cars and some models will even require professional help to get this simple check taken care of.

Extend Oil Change Intervals With a Synthetic Oil Change in Wichita

Giving your car a synthetic oil change in Wichita can positively affect your engine's lifespan. For help finding the perfect products for your next oil change, contact Hartmans Inc. at (316) 686-1069. They will be happy to recommend the best products for your engine.