Imerge Magazine - Oct2013 | Page 30

Welcome to Under the Hood! Before we get to the down-and-dirty, I would like to clarify that cars are not just “a guy thing.” Sure, it's been a male dominant field since its conception, but car maintenance should know no gender. My goal here is to show that it can be done by anyone (and it should be). Did you know that your car/ truck needs more than just a fillup of gas at the pump? If the answer is no, don't worry, you're not alone. Most people don't, including my wife (before She met me). Fuel is truly the driving force of your vehicle, but if you don't want to end up at the side of the road with a smoking hood, never fear! There are a few ways you can prevent that from happening Check your oil: Oil is a very important fluid in your car. It is responsible for keeping all the moving parts in your engine moving smoothly. There are 2 things to keep in mind here: You want to make sure you have enough oil, and be sure to change the oil when recommended (generally it's before 5,000 miles or every 4-5 months, less if you have a lot of in-town driving). Think of it like cooking oil in a