Car Advice - For those that are either new to cars or may need some advice.

[c-no]

After having a PM conversation with @Bassomatic over some car problem I had, I thought of making this thread (unless it's too similar to the Post Cars thread @Ntwadumela made).

To try and start this off: be sure to check your temp gauge now and then while driving. I failed to do that a couple days ago and my engine started to make a bit of smoke as I neared the college I attend. Also, know the year and make of your car because certain radiator fluids works for certain vehicles (though I could just be too stupid to fall for marketing gimmicks).

 

[Bassomatic]

There is a reasoning for the rad fluid, some things use different coolants and the hoses might not play well with the other kind. Ask anyone who's filled a GM with out dexcool the fun they had.

It's all part of car companies trying to slowly drive the users insane, it works rather well. Also as I posted in the thread yes temp gauge keep an eye on here and there, for most cars it's also a "loose" gauge it shows you ok, cold, and we fucked now fam. The reason they do this, all those little error lights you have are called "idiot lights" because it used to be every gauge worked and you needed to just know to use a car safely. If you didn't know what it mean when your car's water was 190F well too bad, now it shows you with a light. Back to the temp gauge, the water temp of the car moves around a lot normally and safely, the needles would bounce around and bother/distract/confuse owners. So they loosened the tolerances of the gauges up to keep it just kinda chilling unless something goes wrong or it's far off.

Now oil temp gauges won't see in most commuter cars but trucks will have them those are normal reads and for good reason.

I want to state I'm not a professional mechanic just a back yard wrencher and I've been taught by some very talented people who literally built race cars for a living as well as other hobbiests. So please while I am happy to educate and share what I can, do always consult a real mechanic and I do struggle to diagnose with out being there in person but I'll do best I can.

 

[Lachlan Hunter McIntyre]

After having a PM conversation with @Bassomatic over some car problem I had, I thought of making this thread (unless it's too similar to the Post Cars thread @Ntwadumela made).

To try and start this off: be sure to check your temp gauge now and then while driving. I failed to do that a couple days ago and my engine started to make a bit of smoke as I neared the college I attend. Also, know the year and make of your car because certain radiator fluids works for certain vehicles (though I could just be too stupid to fall for marketing gimmicks).

Especially with cars with aluminium blocks with iron liners, or iron blocks with aluminium heads. Iron and aluminium expand and contract at different rates and different temperatures, so a lot of stress will be put on them if you overheat them. Especially with the liners, cause those bastards will slip and hello new engine block. For instance, the 3.9/4.0 litre versions of the Rover V8 is notorious for slipping liners if you overheat them for even a minute or two. Speaking from personal experience.

Thankfully with older cars, just water or generic green water/antifreeze mix will keep them from going supernova. That or buy something aircooled, never have to worry about overheating again.