VMD_2010-4

A Dr i ver 's Guide to Mainta in ing a Healthy Car

SUMMER DRIVING ISSUE

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MDVehicle®

SPECIAL WINTER CAR CARE ISSUE

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Winter 2010

Store Copy: Please Do Not Remove

From Waiting Area

Sip Gas

Run Forever

Go Green

Be Safe on the Road

Know Your Stuff

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

KEEPING COOL THIS WINTERCLEANING YOUR WAY TO PEACE OF MINDCOOL RUNNINGSSMOOTH & SQUEAK FREE

CHANGING YOUR OIL TO SAVE THE PLANET

15 WINTER DRIVING TIPS STAY SAFE WHEN THE STORM HITS

KNOW YOUR MOTOR OIL C IS FOR CHECK LEARN TO SPEAK “CAR”

HELPING YOU…

MDVehicle®

A Dr i ver 's Guide to Mainta in ing a Healthy Car

www.citgo.comwww.citgo.com

Two great ways to offer a high level of protection, without the high price.CITGO® SUPERGARD® SYNTHETIC is a fully synthetic motor oil at a better price. SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC is a premium quality product designed to provide the ultimate protection for high-performance gasoline engines. Even turbocharged and supercharged models. SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC prolongs engine life by reducing wear and minimizing oil breakdown, and is compatible with all conventional and synthetic motor oils.

For high-mileage engines, there’s CITGO SUPERGARD UltraLife™. Specially formulated for vehicles with 75,000 or more miles, SUPERGARD UltraLife conditions and seals older engines, protecting them against excessive wear, helping to prevent leaks and enabling you to get the most out of your car.

Check out SUPERGARD UltraLife and SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC from CITGO. They couldn’t come more highly recommended.

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High Performance? Or high mileage?

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Tammy [email protected]

As much as I hate to admit it, it’s true—summer is over. That means it’s time to get ready for winter.

One of my favorite winter activities is taking skiing and snowboarding trips with my friends and family. Last winter we were lucky enough to ski and board in Idaho and New Mexico, and hopefully this winter will follow suit.

Recently, I re-learned an important lesson of which I want to remind everyone. What was it? I’ll give you three clues—click, click, click. Yep, that’s the sound my car made when I went to start it. I couldn’t believe it; I was on my lunch hour, in a parking lot and my battery was dead in only a matter of minutes. Luckily, a friend and a pair of booster cables were only a phone call away, while my favorite quick lube was only a block away. We got the car boosted off, and I drove to the quick lube to have them test my battery. Sure enough, its useful life had nearly run out, and it was time for a new one.

I’m telling you, have your battery checked now—before you’re stranded in the freez-ing cold! No matter how awful I was feeling when I turned the key and heard only clicks, I’m very thankful it happened in the vicinity of a technician who could help. It could have instead happened on top of a snowy mountain and put a major damper on an otherwise awesome ski trip.

Batteries aren’t the only items on your car that should be checked out before winter hits. It’s a good idea to have your technician inspect your entire vehicle. For more advice on keep-ing yourself and your care safe this winter, check out our winter safety tips on page 22.

New For YouYou’ll notice a couple new sections in VehicleMD this month: “Ask the Doc” and “Car Rx.” If you have a car question that’s got you stumped, send it to [email protected]. Our auto experts will take a look at it and give a diagnosis. If you’re lucky, your question might get published in an upcoming issue of VehicleMD. The other new section, Car Rx, lives up to its tagline and features fantastic finds for you and your ride. As diverse as the products are, they all have a common theme—cars. There are some great items that we know you just can’t live without (plus, if you’re short on ideas for that hard-to-buy-for person on your gift list, all we can say is, “You’re welcome”).

Steve Hurt, Publisher

Barbara Tinsley, Associate Publisher

Garrett McKinnon, Editor

Tammy Neal, Features Editor

Sheila Beam, Advertising Director

Misty Dolan, Production Director

Eliseo Torres, Sales & Marketing Director

Julie Cain, Advertising Sales

Dominique D’Alise, Advertising Sales

Mai Lee, Circulation Manager

Bethany Hurt, Staff Assistant

4418 74th St. #66Lubbock, TX 79424

800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824Fax: 806.762.4023

E-mail: [email protected]

Winter 2010Volume 2, No. 4ISSN 1948-4674

Published four times a year by NOLN, Inc., 4418 74th St., Ste. 66, Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Postage Paid at Shepherdsville, KY. Post-master: Send address changes to VehicleMD, 4418 74th St., Ste. 66, Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Editorial information: [email protected] © Copyright VehicleMD 2010. Reproduction is allowed only with permission of the editor. Views expressed by columnists and guest writers do not imply VehicleMD endorsement. Every attempt is made to provide accurate and reliable information. VehicleMD will not assume liability for any products or services described or offered herein, nor can VehicleMD verify accuracy of advertising claims made herein. The purpose of VehicleMD is to educate au-tomotive service customers about the maintenance services avail-able to them.Additional copies — Interested parties may purchase additional copies of VehicleMD, including bulk quantities. E-mail Mai Lee for more information: [email protected] — Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Julie Cain ([email protected]) or Dominique D’Alise ([email protected]) for display advertising deadlines and other information.Internet — Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Eliseo Torres at [email protected] for information.

All correspondence and inquiries should be directed to our busi-ness offices:

4418 74th St., Ste. 66Lubbock, TX 79424-2336

Phone: 800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824Fax: 806.762.4023

E-mail: [email protected]

Staff:

MDVehicle®

Goodbye Summer,Get Ready for Winter

Find us on:

4 VehicleMD

MDVehicle®

Keep It RunnIng FoReveR

the BacK page

MaKe YouR caR SIp gaS

go gReen

10 Keeping Cool This WinterMake sure your car’s cooling system is equipped to survive cold weather.

12 Cleaning Your Way to Peace of MindA pour-in fuel system cleaner can help your fuel system perform its best.

14 Cool RunningsProtecting your engine from winter weather could mean giving it a cup of ‘Joe‘.

16 Smooth and Squeak FreeFind out why it’s important to lubricate the latches, locks and hinges on your vehicle.

34 Cars by the NumbersA few of our favorite tidbits of trivia about a subject near and dear to our hearts.

18 Keeping Up With the JonesesFind out how a multi-part fuel system cleaning can more than pay for itself inimproved fuel economy.

WHAT'S INSIDE: WINTER 2010

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

20 Team Green: Changing Your Oil to Save the PlanetA re-refined oil change is exactly the same as your current oil change; only it uses “green-er” oil—re-refined motor oil.

Be SaFe on the Road

22 15 Winter Driving TipsFind ways to keep you—and your car—securely on the road this winter.

24 Stay Safe When the Storm HitsHow a new pair of wiper blades can help you see clearly in winter weather.

Know YouR StuFF

27 Know Your Motor Oil: GM’s New dexosIf you drive a 2011 General Motors vehicle there is—or will be—a new motor oil in your car or truck.

28 C is for Check How to keep your to-do list under control with the “Oil Change” app.

30 Learning to Speak “Car”: Automobiles from A to ZWe explain some of the more common terms you might hear when in an automo-tive service facility.

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Company Name Page No. Phone No. Website Company Name Page No. Phone No. Website

myBeepBeep Media, LLC 29 866.987.9911 www.mybeepbeep.com Penray Companies 11 800.323.6329 www.penray.com Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc. 35 800.669.5740 www.ecopoweroil.com Sea Foam Sales Company 17 800.536.4812 www.seafoamsales.com Shell Oil Company - Quaker State 26 800.416.1600 www.quakerstate.com Smart Blend by Life Automotive Products, Inc. 19 888.422.9099 www.smartblend.com

AOCA 31 800.331.0329 www.aoca.org AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil 5 800.777.8491 www.amsoil.com Castrol 15 888.227.8765 www.castrol.com/us CITGO 2 800.992.4846 www.citgo.com Lubegard by International Lubricants 36 800.333.5823 www.lubegard.com Lucas Oil Products, Inc. 13 800.342.2512 www.lucasoil.com

www.amsoil.com1-800-777-8491

www.amsoil.com

Accept no substitutes.

You lead a busy life, and oil changes are a hassle. That’s just one reason more and more people are switching to AMSOIL extended life synthetic motor oils... the convenience of changing oil less often while remaining confident that their engines are being protected.

By changing oil less often you’re also helping reduce packaging waste and creating fewer used lubricants to dispose of, keeping the world greener. You also benefit from a cleaner operating engine and easier cold starts.

Since 1972 AMSOIL has been the leader in synthetic lubricant technology, and there has never been a better time to switch. AMSOIL is good for your car, the environment and your schedule.

Simplify your life. Choose AMSOIL.

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6 VehicleMD

ASK THE DOC

Get more information at: www.vehiclemd.com

Have a car question for theVehicleMD “doctor“?

E-mail it to: [email protected]

VehicleMD On Call

TO THE DOC u My 1990 Buick LeSabre with 88,000 miles rocks a slow bounce when going over mild humps and moderate braking. It’s not at all uncomfortable. Probably struts, though the front struts were replaced at 50,000 miles. Is this a condition that can affect wear/damage to any other parts or systems of the car?

JohnMetairie, LA

THE DOC SAYS u Worn struts can affect a car’s front-end alignment and tire wear, but generally not in a critical manner. Typi-cally, worn struts are seen as a ride quality issue more than as a perfor-mance issue. Many automotive experts recommend the “bounce” test to determine if struts need to be replaced. That is, when you go over a bump, if the vehicle bounces more than once, the struts are likely worn and need to be replaced.

However, the Motorist Assurance Program (MAP), a consumer group, notes in its Uniform Inspection Guidelines that shock or strut replacement should not depend on a vehicle’s mileage or whether the shock absorbers or struts fail a bounce test. Rather, MAP notes, “replacement is required only if a shock or strut piston rod is bent or damaged, if (the shock or strut) has broken, damaged or missing mounting hardware, is binding or seized, is severely corroded to the point where it is weakened (for struts only), is missing, or has oil run-ning down the body.”

Bottom line: If your car still passes the bounce test and the struts don’t appear to have any physical damage, you probably don’t need to replace them for the time being. However, periodically check the front tires to make sure they are wearing evenly, and if you encounter any steering alignment issues (i.e. front-end shimmy), it might be worth the investment to replace the struts.

Hope this info helps!

TO THE DOC u I enjoy reading VehicleMD, as it’s down to earth and reads so that most anyone understands any particular article. I have a problem I’ve tried to figure out myself—as I don’t think it’s going to be hard to remedy—but haven’t been able to determine the actual cause. I thought I’d see if you had any ideas to solve this.

I have a 2005 Chevy 2500, 4x4, four door, short bed, Duramax diesel pickup truck. Only when it’s cold outside (below 30 degrees) and when driving into the wind above 45 miles per hour on the speedometer do I have a crackly rattling sound that seems to be coming from about the center of the right side corner post between the windshield and the passenger side door. The sound resembles hard plastic rubbing against something, or electrical wires shaking against plastic (like inside the plastic over the metal corner post). I’ve had a buddy ride with me and try to figure it out but no luck—only the location of the sound is for sure.

The windshield seems to be tight and sealed in this area, as there aren’t any apparent air leak sounds or leakage from rain or carwashes. The truck has done this the past couple of years only in the winter when it’s cold enough and only into the wind. I never hear anything when it warms up a little, even when driving into the wind.

RonGoodland, IN

THE DOC SAYS u Without being able to hear the sound firsthand, it sounds like the cold temperatures are causing part of the plastic trim around the windshield or the passenger’s side mirror to contract, which possibly allows a crosswind or headwind to get inside the plastic trim and shake either the trim itself or the wiring that controls the power mirror. My dad would probably get out a tube of silicone sealant and go to work, but then again he’s of the opinion that anything can be fixed with enough silicone!

I’d suggest making sure all the plastic trim pieces are securely in place and the factory fittings aren’t broken or missing. If this isn’t a repair you care to try your-self, you might try taking your pickup to a local body shop. They’ll likely have the tools to safely remove the plastic trim and make sure everything is shipshape. They might even be able to identify the problem and fix it permanently.

The advice described above is for informational purposes only. It cannot and should not be used in lieu of an actual, physical inspection and diagnosis by a trained mechanic or automotive technician. The opinions and advice offered herein are not intended to diagnose automotive problems or component failures; they are simply intended to provide information on what could be transpiring. VehicleMD accepts no liability resulting from actions taken as a result of this advice.

your questionsanswerauto experts

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8 VehicleMD

Fantastic Finds for You & Your Ride

Thule Seat Wedge OrganizerThis seat wedge holds your iPod, charger cables, money, sunglasses or anything else you need close by. It’s cool shape slips between your seat and center console, making the most of your space. Plus, the organizer’s non-skid lining and adjustable divider keep everything in its place.

www.thule.com

Duracell Instant Jump Start System

The Duracell Instant Jump Start System is an easy-to-use power solution for dealing with dead battery

emergencies. It’s great because you don’t need a second vehicle to boost

your battery. Also, there’s a built-in emergency light that allows you to see under the hood in the dark and a reverse-polarity indicator to let you know you’ve attached the included jumper cables to the battery terminals correctly.

www.duracellpower.com

PopUp TowelsStorage space in your vehicle is prime property, but PopUp Towels take up minimal space and provide maximum usefulness. They start out about the size of several stacked nickels, but with a few drops of water expand to more than nine by 10 inches. They’re handy to clean up spills in the car or even to check your oil at your next fill up.

www.popuptowels.com

Pennzoil Ultra Motor OilA clean engine is not a want but a need for anyone wanting to maintain engine efficiency and performance. Pennzoil Ultra motor oil was developed molecule-by-molecule to seek out and dissolve contaminants safely into the oil before they form deposits or corrode the engine. The ultra-class synthetic is a top-tier oil formulated with Hyper-Cleansing Technology to help keep engines closer to factory clean and provide maximum wear protection.

www.pennzoil.com

Lucas Deep CleanTo feel confident your fuel system and combustion chamber are clean, try a bottle of Lucas Deep Clean. This special formula is carefully blended to ensure nothing harmful or useless enters your engine. It is also good for the environment—the treatment reduces nitrogen-oxide emissions, eliminates the need for higher-octane fuel, removes carbon deposits, and eliminates knocks and pings in your engine.

www.lucasoil.com

www.vehiclemd.com 9

Heated Windshield WipersThese windshield wiper blades have a heating element inside the rubber squeegee. Once Everblades are wired into the electrical system, the heat can be turned on at the flip of a switch. Heated windshield wiper blades actually melt ice and snow away and help ensure excellent winter driving vision.

www.everblades.com

Parking PalKeeping kids safe is essential in a parking lot, where accidents can happen fast. The Parking Pal does just that. It’s a fun magnet that you stick to the side of your car. After a couple of learning sessions, your child will learn it’s his safe spot. The child simply places his hand on the magnet and waits. This way children know where to go when they get out of the car, and it helps teach them parking lots are no place to play.

www.parkingpalmagnet.com

Mystik Synthetic Motor OilIf you want the latest and greatest for your car, you might want to check out Mystik Lubricant’s new synthetic motor oil with GF-5. GF-5 is the latest motor oil specification, giving drivers better fuel economy, engine cleanliness and emissions systems durability. Mystik’s upgraded synthetic motor oil blends are available in three viscosity grades, so chances are,

there’s one right for your car.www.mystiklubes.com

Lubegard Kool-ItDid you know the number one cause of roadside failure is cooling system related? Kool-It is a coolant treatment that works by enhancing your coolant’s heat transfer capability and reducing operating temperatures. Kool-It helps the environment, too. It helps extend the life of your vehicle’s coolant, thus reducing the amount of antifreeze used and consumed. Lastly, it helps protect your radiator against corrosion, helping it last longer, too.

www.lubegard.com

Smart Blend Diesel Fuel System Cleaner

Diesel engines need special care, and they can get just that with Smart Blend’s Diesel Fuel System Cleaner. This two-step service provides intake and fuel system cleaning for diesel engines by safely and effectively removing deposits and carbon buildup. If you think your engine doesn’t have the power it used to, you’ll be interested to know that this product helps improve lost performance due to new EPA Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel regulations.

www.smartblend.com

10 VehicleMD

Coolant Flush Service

Run Forever With…

KeepingCOOLThis Winter

It’s good to be cool. Everyone who sur-vived high school knows that. But it’s also true for your car. After all, if your car loses

its “cool,” it can mean big trouble.The main function of a car’s cooling system

is, not surprisingly, to remove heat from the engine. If this heat is not removed, the engine will be damaged, potentially even destroyed. The cooling system accomplishes its protec-tive duties by circulating coolant throughout the engine and then back through the radiator, which transfers heat from the coolant into the air that passes through the radiator.

In days past, water alone served to cool automotive engines. The problem with water, however, is that it freezes. Allow the water in-side your engine and/or radiator to freeze, and it will expand and rupture vital parts. That’s an expensive problem to have. That’s why modern automotive cooling systems mix “antifreeze”— usually a type of alcohol that helps the water/coolant mixture remain liquid in even sub-zero conditions—with water to create the “coolant.”

However, any time you mix liquid and metal, you tend to get corrosion, so coolant also has to be able to treat the cooling system to inhibit corrosion.

Industry experts estimate that about 40 percent of engine downtime is caused by cool-ing system problems, so it’s critically important

for both your schedule and your wallet that the cooling system be maintained, which can be done in a couple of different ways.

“First, a coolant flush takes place when old fluid is flushed from the system, cleaning deposits while ridding the system of corrosion and contaminants. Once a flush is complete, new fluid is placed back in the clean system,” said Sarkis Aroyan, a senior engineer with Penray. “Second, a simple solution is to intro-duce coolant additives to the system. A quality product will prevent corrosion, scale, rust and overheating while maintaining pH levels in the system.”

Not all coolants are created equal, something usually denoted by color.

“Green coolant, a phosphate and silicate formula, is typically considered the traditional fluid present in most vehicles. It is usually recommended to drain, flush and replace green

coolant every two years or 30,000 miles,” Aroyan said. “Orange coolant, a phosphate- and silicate-free formula often referred to as Dex-Cool or organic acid coolant, is consid-ered an extended-life coolant and is found in most GM vehicles. There are an abundance of other colors, like fuchsia, red, blue and yellow, that are variations of different formulas and of-ten designed for specific applications. With all the different colors and chemistries available, it is more important than ever to maintain the cooling system.”

Experts recommend that drivers ask their auto service technician to check the color, clarity, freeze point and chemical protection of their coolant at every maintenance interval. These few simple tests can indicate whether the coolant is providing adequate levels of protec-tion. If it is not, the cooling system can either be flushed and new coolant added, or addi-tives can be mixed with the existing coolant to restore its effectiveness.

“Because the coolant affects so many parts of a vehicle, a properly maintained cooling system significantly decreases the possibility of vehicle downtime,” Aroyan said.

Which is a good thing. After all, what could be more “un-cool” than having a car that’s stuck on the side of the road with a cooling system problem?

by Garrett McKinnonVehicleMD Staff Writer

Make sure your car’scooling system is equippedto survive cold weather

Because the coolant affectsso many parts of a vehicle, a properly maintained coolingsystem significantly decreasesthe possibility of vehicledowntime.” Sarkis Aroyan

Penray

“

www.facebook.com/penraywww.penray.com

www.penray.com

Vehicle MD Nov. Mechanic 3182.indd 1 10/5/10 11:27:18 AM

12 VehicleMD

Pour-In Fuel System Cleaner

Run Forever With…

Cleaning Your Way

PEACE OF

MINDby Tammy Neal

VehicleMD Staff Writer

to

How clean is your car? Sure, it looks pretty spiffy, but when was the last time you really looked to see how clean it is. Are there “crumbies” around the gear shifter? How about

a bag of your little one’s Cheerios floating around? If you’re lucky, there might be a couple dollar bills stuffed between your seats. The truth is, when you look really closely, your car isn’t quite as clean as you thought it was.

Now here’s the next question—how clean is your fuel system?This one is a little tougher. It’s not like you can open your hood and look for grime inside

your fuel system. However, your car does give you some hints about its state of cleanliness—if you listen closely.

An easy way to tell if your fuel system needs cleaning is to assess your car’s symptoms. Is the engine shaky? Does it sound like something in the engine is knocking? Is your car just not performing like it used to?

“If any of these symptoms appear, deposits might have formed in your combustion cham-ber, you might have moisture in your fuel tank or there might be restriction in your fuel injection system,” said Mark Negast, technical director at Lucas Oil. “A pour-in fuel system cleaner can be used to treat any of those issues.”

If you aren’t sure exactly how clean your fuel system is, a pour-in fuel system cleaner can help—either by cleaning it up or keeping it clean.

Not only can you rest assured there’s no grime or “crumbies” in your fuel system, but a pour-in fuel system cleaner offers other benefits, too.

Using one can help limit the corrosion in your gas tank if your vehicle is equipped with a metal one. It also helps improve fuel mileage by cleaning fuel injectors and making them super efficient. Plus, some pour-in fuel system cleaners help reduce greenhouse emissions in-cluding nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, which all contribute to smog.

But maybe most importantly, a pour-in fuel system cleaner can help give you peace of mind. Using one helps increase the life of your engine and, in turn, your vehicle, and it gives you a sense of reliability. After all, there’s nothing worse than a breakdown that could have been avoided with a healthy dose of preventive maintenance.

If you aren't sure exactly how clean your fuel system is, a pour-in fuel system cleaner can help—either by cleaning it up or keeping it clean.

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY WITH THE FULL LINE OF CASTROL MOTOR OILS.

For more information, please call 1.800.CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com

VMD family ad August 2010.pdf 1 7/7/10 11:16 AM

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Lucas_DeepClean_VMD.pdf 1 4/8/2010 10:03:57 AM

14 VehicleMD

Synthetic Motor Oil

Run Forever With…

It is a cold winter morning, and there’s nothing you would rather do than stay in bed under your nice, warm blankets. But as your day beckons, you climb out of bed and make your way to the kitchen for

a cup of coffee. You can’t seem to function without your morning cup of Joe—it helps warm you from the inside out, letting you get your day started.

Believe it or not, your car needs a little “Joe” to get it started in the morning, too. Except your car’s “Joe” is motor oil. Especially in the winter, the motor oil in your car thickens as the temperature drops. Naturally, it takes motor oil a while to warm up and begin flowing as it should.

Unfortunately, during that brief interval your car’s engine is being assailed by friction. Without that protective layer of motor oil, the insides of your car’s engine are essentially rubbing against one another. The people who study such things tell us that as much as 80 percent of the wear your engine will experience will occur as a direct result of cold starts.

Thankfully, there is a solution that can help protect your engine on cold winter mornings (or even afternoons when your car has been sit-ting outside in the cold all day waiting for you to get off work). That solution? Synthetic motor oil.

Engineers create synthetic motor oil by carefully manipulating, or synthesizing, the molecules in a base oil. When blended with a precise mixture of chemical additives, this synthetic motor oil provides superior mechanical and chemical properties compared to conventional motor

oil. In other words, it simply works better.One of the biggest benefits of synthetic motor oil

is its ability to flow at low temperatures. Compared with conventional motor oil, synthetic can start flowing and reach/protect critical areas of your car’s engine much quicker in cold temperatures.

“Synthetic motor oil has superior cold tempera-ture performance,” said Timothy Miranda, a senior engineer with Castrol. “It lets the engine crank eas-ily, and the oil flows quickly to critical parts within the engine.”

This reduces wear, protecting your engine and extending its life. Plus, by allowing easier engine cranking, synthetic motor oil eases the burden on your car’s battery during the cold winter season.

Your car is one of the largest investments you’ll ever make. So, it makes sense to spend a little bit more to give it the best protection possible—especially during the winter, when cold temperatures put ad-ditional stress on your car’s engine.

by Tammy NealVehicleMD Staff Writer

COOL RUNNINGS Protecting Your Engine in Winter Weather

Synthetic motor oil has superior cold temperature performance.

Timothy MirandaCastrol

www.castrol.com

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY WITH THE FULL LINE OF CASTROL MOTOR OILS.

For more information, please call 1.800.CASTROL or visit www.castrol.com

VMD family ad August 2010.pdf 1 7/7/10 11:16 AM

www.vehiclemd.com 16

&Hinge and Latch Lubrication

Run Forever With…

by Tammy Neal

VehicleMD Staff Writer

F free

or a moment picture a bunglesome vehicle that has seen its share of miles. Maybe it’s a circa-1960 VW bug, a Pontiac sedan from the 1980s, or in my case, a 1970-something Ford farm truck. Now, put yourself in the driver’s seat of this vehicle—open the door, get in, roll down the window and start the ignition. If your experience is anything like mine, you had a heck of a time getting the door open, and the window squealed and squeaked as you rolled it down. Plus, when you went to start the ignition, there was nothing—so you popped the hood, which might as well have been rusted shut.

Now, zap yourself into your current vehicle. It’s time for a lubrication checkup. Sure, you’re diligent about changing your oil because you know your engine needs lubrication, but what about the other parts of your vehicle—parts on the outside of your vehicle.

Believe it or not, parts such as your hood latch, door hinges, door locks and trunk latch need lubrication, too.

If you’re planning on keeping your vehicle for many years to come, don’t you want to be able to open the door and pop the hood with-out much difficulty? It’s for this reason that it’s important to lubricate the latches, locks and hinges on your vehicle.

The good news is that most automotive service centers perform a multi-point inspec-

tion when changing your oil and during the inspection technicians usually lubricate your door hinges and the other moving parts on the outside of your vehicle. But it never hurts to double check. Plus, if there’s an annoying little squeak somewhere, mention it to your technician; he might know the magic trick to help it go away.

Jim Davis, technical service manager for Sea Foam Sales, said in his days as a mechanic he replaced countless door hinges because the pins wore out due to lack of lubrication. There are bushings and pins inside door hinges (which are what the door actually rotates on). These are the parts that crucially need lubrication. If they don’t have it, they’re simply metal grinding against metal each time you open or close your door. Davis said if the wear gets too bad, the hinge assembly may need to be replaced, and that’s a pricey problem that could have been pre-vented. Plus, door latches and door locks can actually get rusty and freeze up. Lubrication will take care of that problem, as well.

Remember the squeaky window? Well, a little lubrication can fix that, too.

“You can spray a penetrating oil right in the window run strip and lubricate it, so the

window will glide up and down easier,” Davis said. “Especially in rural areas where people drive on dirt roads a lot, dirt can get into these mechanisms and cause the windows to not operate smoothly.”

Davis offered another great tip, especially going into winter. If you’re in an area that sees freezing rain or sleet, you’re probably no stranger to a door that is frozen shut—or worse yet, its latch is frozen and it won’t shut.

Take comfort in knowing you don’t have to be the person who’s driving with one hand and holding the door shut with the other. Because some penetrating oils also remove

moisture, they can be helpful to de-ice that frozen door. By simply spraying the penetrating oil around the frozen latch, it removes the moisture and thaws the latch, enabling your door to operate smoothly once again, Davis said.

Each time you get your oil changed, remember the other parts of your vehicle—from the hood to the doors to the trunk—that need lubrication, too. Doing so will help your vehicle last longer and keep you rolling down the road smoothly and squeak-free.

You can spray a penetrating oil

right in the window run strip

and lubricate it, so the window

will glide up and down easier.

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18 VehicleMD

Multi-Part Fuel System Cleaning

Sip Gas With…

he phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses” has been part of Amer-ican culture for nearly 100 years. Did you know the phrase was popularized by a comic strip of the same name that debuted in 1916 in the New York World? Here’s an interesting fact: The

“Joneses” of the title were neighbors of the strip’s main characters and were spoken of but never actually seen in person.

But would you believe keeping up with the Joneses could help increase your fuel economy?

This ideal Jones family probably has the fanciest house with the best yard and the nicest car in your neighborhood. However, with a multi-stage fuel system cleaner, you can help your car get better fuel mileage. Your fuel economy might even surpass the Joneses’, and that’s something to be proud of.

A total multi-part fuel system cleaning chemically scours several parts of your engine and fuel system, including your fuel injectors, removing harmful fuel mileage-robbing deposits.

“If even one injector is clogged and not working at full capacity, other engine components must work harder and less efficiently,” said Steve Farr, vice president of Smart Blend Synthetics. “Engines and fuel systems are more complex than ever before. They are engineered to work in conjunction with each other in an effort to achieve peak performance and vehicle operation.”

The treatment is called a multi-part fuel system cleaning because it is made up of just that—multiple parts.

Stage one contains a highly efficient cleaning solution that is intro-duced directly into the fuel intake system where it reacts to the heat of

a running engine. It then attacks carbon buildup on metal surfaces and dissolves it. The carbon buildup (which can decrease your fuel mileage) is then burned away in the engine’s combustion chamber, leaving you with a cleaner, more efficient engine.

But that’s not all. In stage two, another cleaner is added to the fuel tank. It cleans at a slower rate as the fuel in the tank is burned.

These two stages work together, much like a broom and a mop work together to give you a sparkling clean floor. Step one is an aerosol cleaner that is delivered into the fuel intake system through a positive vacuum port. Step two, as stated before, is poured in through the fuel tank. It

rides with the fuel on its journey through your ve-hicle’s fuel system, cleaning as it goes.

Even though the second part is added through the gas tank, a multi-part fuel system cleaning does differ from a pour-in fuel system cleaning.

“The intake system cleaner reacts when it comes into contact with carbon on metal and other surfaces and dissolves the carbon on contact,” Farr said. “On the other hand, pour-in cleaners and other fuel tank additives work over time when they are mixed with

fuel in the tank and clean the fuel pump, fuel lines and injectors.”A total multi-part fuel system cleaning, won’t put you behind on your

quest to keep up with the Joneses. It only takes about five minutes to per-form, from start to finish. One fuel system cleaning every 15,000 miles can more than pay for itself in improved fuel economy, Farr said.

The next time you get the urge to keep up with the Joneses, spend your money wisely on a multi-part fuel system cleaner, and your car will thank you.

JonesesT

Indulge the Urge to UpgradeYour Fuel Economy

ab

KEEPING UP WITH THE

“If even one injector is clogged and not working at full capacity, other engine components must work harder and less efficiently.”

Steve FarrSmart Blend Synthetics


www.smartblend.com

Re-Refined Motor Oil

Go Green With...

TEAM GREENChanging Your Oil to Save the Planet

20 VehicleMD


We are right in the middle of football season. When football is part of the equation, you’re probably going to hear a lot of cheering going

on—whether you’re in the stands at your son’s football game or watching your favorite team on Monday night. This time of year, the cheerleader can sneak out in all of us (even if you are just yelling at the TV). Take this “cheerleader” state of mind with you to your next oil change and cheer for “Team Green.”

Wait! What is Team Green? Well, in the oil change world, it’s a re-refined oil change.

A re-refined oil change is exactly the same as your cur-rent oil change; only it uses “greener” oil—re-refined oil. Re-refined oil was recruited for Team Green because it is actually made from existing motor oil.

“Re-refining used oil conserves natural non-renewable resources and has the potential to reduce dependence on foreign oil,” said Eric Zimmer, executive vice president of Sales and Marketing at Safety-Kleen Systems. “Re-refining is energy efficient and is an eco-friendly way to manage used oil.”

The re-refining process also keeps millions of gallons of oil from being disposed of improperly. For instance, the oil from one oil change (about a gallon) can con-taminate one million gallons of drinking water. That’s a year’s supply of water for 50 people!

According to federal reports, oil that is not collected and re-refined accounts for more than 40 percent of the total oil pollution of our nation’s harbors and waterways.

Team Green dominates in other ways, too. Re-refining motor oil results in 99.5 percent fewer heavy metal emis-sions and 85 percent less greenhouse gases than if used motor oil were used as fuel. It also saves more than one million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which is equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road every year.

Most of the motor oil found in engines today is made from crude petroleum that is carefully “refined” into base lubricating oil. Later in the manufacturing process, a combination of additives are added, giving motor oil the special properties that set it apart from other petroleum

products like tar or gasoline. These additives, however, wear out over time, which is why you must change your oil at regular intervals. The base oil—what we call the oil that doesn’t have additives added to it yet—actually never wears out. It just becomes dirty as it works to do its lubricating job.

Re-refined oil is made from this “dirty” oil drained out of engines. When the oil is drained from your engine, your service center collects it in a used-oil tank. Then, a re-refining company collects the oil and takes it to the refinery. The used oil can be conventional, synthetic, high-mileage or any of the several other motor oil types found across the country; the type of oil doesn’t matter when it’s being re-refined.

At the refinery, the used oil goes through a process that cleans up the oil by removing the additives and contami-nants. This makes it just as good as oil derived from vir-

gin crude. In fact, re-refined oil may be even better because it takes 85 percent less energy to re-refine motor oil than to produce it from crude. Then, additives are added to the newly re-refined oil, making it ready to use in your engine once again.

The great thing is, since the petro-leum molecules never wear out, this

process can be repeated over and over again. How do you know re-refined motor oil is safe for

your engine? The motor oil currently in your vehicle is certified by the American Petroleum Institute. This is the association that tests all motor oils on the market to make sure they meet minimum performance require-ments. You can tell that an oil is API-certified because it bears the “donut” symbol on the front of its package. If re-refined oil has been certified by API, you can rest assured it’s safe for your engine.

Also, major car and engine manufacturers have ap-proved the use of re-refined oil. So, as long as the re-re-fined oil you choose meets the same standards called for in your owners manual, it will not void your warranty.

Next time you’re due for auto maintenance, consider “Team Green.” You’ll get an oil change that’s good for your engine and the planet, too.

TEAM GREENby Tammy Neal

VehicleMD Staff WriterChanging Your Oil to Save the Planet

Z

A re-refined motor oil change is exactly the same as your current oil change; only it uses “greener” oil—re-refined oil.

Z

Winter Driving Tips

Be Safe With...

Snowy, wintry weather. It’s a fact of life for many of us in this country. In fact, try this little exercise: Find a map of the United States and, begin-ning in Norfolk, Virginia, draw a line west through Nashville, Tennessee

continuing on through Fayetteville, Arkansas and Oklahoma City. Now veer southwest through Lubbock, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico before head-ing back northwest through Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. Finally, swoop over to Fresno, California and then north to Eureka, California. Got it? Now imagine this: Every place north of that line (barring a few places on the Oregon and Washington coast) receives, on average, more than eight inches of snowfall each year. That’s right, more than two-thirds of the country deals with its fair share of snow each year. True, if you live in Florida or Southern Califor-nia you’re largely immune from winter’s wrath, but even places like Galveston, Texas (with an average of nearly half an inch of frozen precipitation each year) have to deal with winter weather from time to time.

That’s why it’s important to make sure you—and your car—are ready to face whatever Mother Nature throws your way. Hence, these 15 tips we’ve prepared to get you ready for the coming winter months.

1. Have Your Lights CheckedWith fewer daylight hours in the winter, it’s critical to make sure others can see your car.

“As the days get shorter, your vehicle’s lighting system becomes more im-portant to the safety of you and your passengers,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. “From the driver’s seat you may not notice a light that isn’t working, so be sure to inspect your car’s lights at every oil change.”

Lights are normal wear items that require periodic inspection and replace-ment. In addition to replacing dimming, rapidly blinking and non-functioning lights, it’s also important to keep headlights, taillights and signal lights clean (as external dirt and debris can dim operational lights from being seen by others) and to make sure your headlights are properly aimed (miss-aimed headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road).

2. Store Your Winter Emergency KitPrepare an “emergency” kit and store it in your trunk—just in case the unexpected happens. Experts recommend keeping on hand: a blanket, extra boots and gloves, an extra set of warm clothes, extra water and food, an ice scraper, a small shovel, a flash-light, windshield washer fluid, spare windshield wipers, jumper cables, a tool kit, a first-aid kit and a bag of abrasive material such as sand, salt or non-clump-ing kitty litter that can provide additional traction if a tire gets stuck in snow.

3. Steer Into the SkidYou’ve probably heard it before, but it bears repeating: Steer into the skid. If your front tires lose traction when you’re trying to turn (a condition called understeer), turn the steering wheel slightly in the direction in which you’re skidding until the front tires reestablish traction. Trying to fight a skid by turn-ing against it will usually just make things worse.

If your rear tires lose traction when you’re trying to turn (also called under-steer), ease off the gas and turn the wheel in the same direction the rear tires are

LET IT

15 Ways to Keep You—And Your

Car—Safe This Winter


22 VehicleMD

Not only is washer fluid good for rinsing bugs off your windshield, but modern washer fluid is gener-ally mixed with a de-icer that can help melt snow and ice off your windshield, keeping your vision clear.

trying to go. This can keep you from spinning out of control. (Though if you’re like me you used to practice this in empty parking lots during snowy weather just for fun!)

4. Change Your OilBelieve it or not, your car’s motor oil is affected by winter, too. In cold weather, the oil thickens, meaning it takes longer to lubricate critical engine parts on those bitter winter mornings. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to head into winter with fresh motor oil, or consider using a synthetic motor oil if you live in an area of the country that endures more than its share of very cold weather. (For more about synthetic motor oil’s ability to function in cold weather, see article on page 14.)

5. Save Some GasOne bit of wisdom I’ve picked up over the years is to always leave at least a quarter of a tank of gas in your car during cold winter months. Not only will the extra gas help keep your car’s fuel lines from freezing, it can also help keep you warm in the event the unthinkable happens and you find yourself stranded. (Just remember to never run the engine if the car’s exhaust is obstructed by snow or other debris.)

6. Test Your BatteryThere’s a common saying: “Batteries die in summer and are buried in winter.” Before you hear that awful “click, click, click” when you try to start your car one cold day, have your battery tested. (Most auto service facilities can do this for free or a minimal charge.) The test is quick and easy, and the results can tell you if it is time to replace the battery, something you’ll want to find out before you find yourself stuck out in the cold.

7. Fill the Washer FluidNot only is washer fluid good for rinsing bugs off your windshield, but modern washer fluid is generally mixed with a de-icer that can help melt snow and ice off your windshield, keeping your vision clear. Most auto service facilities will top off your washer fluid for free as part of any multipoint inspection, but if you’re uncertain about your washer fluid level, don’t hesitate to ask your auto service technician to inspect it and top it off, if necessary.

8. Replace Your WipersBecause most windshield wipers are made of rubber, they can become brittle and inflexible as they age. This condition only worsens in cold weather, which can cause your wipers to leave streaks or not wipe at all. Consider putting fresh wiper blades on your car. And, if you live in a particularly snowy part of the country, ask your auto service technician about “winter” wiper blades, wipers specially designed to battle heavy snow and ice.

9. Test the AntifreezeOne of the most important systems in your car is its cooling system, but this mixture of water and “coolant” (also called antifreeze) can become diluted over time. When this happens, the “freeze point” (or tempera-ture at which the coolant mixture can freeze) will rise. If the antifreeze is

too diluted, a cold snap might even freeze the coolant mixture, expand-ing and rupturing expensive components like your radiator. Have your antifreeze tested to see if the freeze point is low enough to protect your car this winter.

10. Consider Fuel De-IcerBefore the brunt of winter gets here, many experts recommend pour-ing a bottle of fuel de-icer in your gas tank. This special chemical will absorb any residual moisture in your car’s fuel lines, keeping them from

freezing. (I honeymooned in Canada in winter and believe me, fuel lines do freeze!)

11. Switch to Snow TiresSure, if you live in Miami you probably don’t need to worry about snow tires, but in areas of the country that receive several feet of snow each year, many auto experts recommend installing a dedicated set of snow tires. Believe it or not, snow tires can generate much more traction on snow and ice than regular all-season tires.

12. Keep Your Car WashedYou might not be thinking about keeping your car clean when it’s below freezing outside, but the first semi-pretty day you see this winter take the opportunity to run your car through the carwash. Many states and municipalities use highly corrosive salt compounds to melt snow and ice on streets and roads, and removing this salt from your car should be a top priority. After all, drivers in this country spend an estimated $24 billion per year repairing corrosion damage on their vehicles, and that’s money you would certainly rather have in your pocket.

13. Don’t Spin Your WheelsIf you do find yourself driving in deep snow or on a thick sheen of ice, the thing to remember is that traction is everything. Try to avoid making your wheels spin or slip by accelerating and decelerating slowly, planning stops well in advance and using inertia to get you up hills rather than stomping on the gas. However, if you do find yourself spin-ning your wheels in deep snow, try this…

14. Use Your Floor MatsIf you forgot your sand or kitty litter, there is one handy item in your car that can help your tires get traction in deep snow. That’s your floor mats. Sounds crazy, I know, but if you’re not stuck too deeply in the snow you can place your floor mats rubber side down in front of your drive wheels (the ones that are spinning) and, with careful application of the gas pedal, give your tires just enough traction to climb out of the hole they’ve dug themselves into. Your floor mats might be in need of a good wash when it’s all said and done, but it beats being stranded.

15. Take It SlowFinally, and above all else, if you do find yourself driving in slippery weather, remember to take it slow. Remember, traction is your friend, and speed is the enemy of traction. (And for those of you with four- or all-wheel-drive vehicles remember this: those four wheels are working to get you going, not to help you stop!)


Try to avoid making your wheels spin or slip by accelerating and decelerating slowly, planning stops well in advance and using inertia to get you up hills rather than stomping on the gas.

24 VehicleMD

New Windshield Wipers

Be Safe With...

he days of summer are behind us. Fall and winter lie in our path, and with the change of the seasons comes drizzly days and winter flurries. Can you imagine anything worse than a cloudburst that leaves you practically blind? You know the feel-

ing; you turn on your wipers, and they chatter and smear, leaving you with a slightly less appealing situation than those hundreds of raindrops previously on your windshield.

Now is the time to check your wiper blades so you won’t be frenzied when the next storm hits. Wiper blades play a major role in safe driv-ing, and the chances for an accident increase if you can’t see. It’s been reported that 80 percent of accidents are due to poor visibility.

It’s a fact that drivers rely on visual cues to help them decipher their surroundings and make the necessary decisions. The purpose of wiper blades is simple—and something we all probably know—to keep exces-sive water, snow or dirt from building up on the windshield and keep-ing the driver’s line of sight clear.

The majority of wiper blades are constructed with a rubber wiping element, which provides optimum friction to clear glass of water.

Because rubber is a natural compound, it breaks down for a variety of reasons:

• If you live in high-traffic urban and suburban areas, your windshield wipers may be exposed to a higher concentration of ozone in the atmo-sphere. This gas can oxidize the rubber and create cracks in its surface; as these cracks grow, they will allow water to pass through, creating streaks on the windshield. The more streaks that occur, the less visual clarity a driver will have through the windshield.

• Summer’s heat can destroy wiper blades. The windshield of a vehicle can reach temperatures up to 145° F, which slowly “bakes” the rubber wiper blades until they lose their flexibility and crack. This too will cause streaking or “chattering.”

• Cold temperatures also contribute to a wiper’s demise: as the rubber gets harder in cold temperatures and loses its flexibility, it allows water to leak under the rubber surface, “smearing” the surface of the wind-shield instead of wiping it clean.

Most wiper manufacturers recommend replacing blades every six to 12 months; however, this timeframe can vary depending on where you live. In northern climates that have harsh winters, accumulations of ice

Stay

When theStorm Hits


SAFEA fresh pair of wiper blades can help

you see clearly in winter weather

T

Wiper blades play a major role in safe driving, and the chances for an accident increase if you can’t see. It’s been reported that 80 percent of accidents are due to poor visibility.


and snow can damage wiper blades, meaning they may need to be replaced more frequently. Conversely, extreme heat can also increase the deterioration of wiper blades. Also, for vehicles that spend a lot of time on the road and rack up quite a few miles, it is recommended that wip-ers not go more than 12 months without replacement. After all, even a tiny streak during a test can become a major impairment to your vision during a rainstorm—or this time of year, a snowstorm.

What’s New in Wipers?Most drivers are familiar with traditional frame-style wipers. These use a metal frame to stretch a piece of rubber across the windshield, a design largely unchanged since the early 1900s. The last decade, however, has seen the advent of “beam” or “flat” wipers, the first revolutionary change in wiper blade design in more than a century.

Flat blades are made from a single piece of curved plastic that sus-

pends the rubber wiping element. The benefit?Flat blades provide more uniform pressure distribution across a

windshield, giving you superior wiping ability. They are also smaller and more streamlined than traditional wipers, making them more aestheti-cally pleasing to many drivers and generating less wind noise. Many models are also designed with a built-in “spoiler” that keeps the blade in close contact with the windshield even at highway speeds. Plus, because they are constructed in one piece, snow does not build up on these blades. That means you won’t have the snow and ice that can sometimes get trapped inside a traditional wiper’s metal frame to worry about.

If you drive a newer model vehicle, flat blades might have been installed at the factory. If this is the case, it is suggested that after they are worn, they be replaced with beam blades to ensure wipe quality. If your car didn’t come with beam blades installed, don’t worry. Thanks to adapters found in many blade sets, even vehicles without factory-equipped flat blades can be retrofitted with them.

Have your technician inspect your wiper blades now, before bad weather arrives. You might choose to opt for the latest wiper technology to ensure you won’t be straining your eyes to see through the streaks on your windshield when the next storm hits.

Flat blades provide more uniform pressure distribution across a windshield, giving you superior wiping ability.

© 2010 Hendrick Motorsports, LLC. The likeness of Dale Earnhardt Jr., the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet car, and other related trademarks and copyrights are used with the permission of Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports.

* As measured in ASTM Sequence IVA test, using SAE 5W-30 engine oil.

No leading synthetic motor oil provides better protection from friction-related wear than Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™.*

The official motor oil of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports.

The only thing as tough as race day traffic could be your every day Traffic

The only thing as tough as race day traffic could be your every day Traffic

To receive your rebate of up to $20 back by mail:1. Purchase one of the following qualifying oil change services (please check one) ❏ Purchase a Quaker State® Ultimate Durability™ Full Synthetic motor oil change and

receive a $20 rebate.❏ Purchase a Quaker State® Enhanced Durability™ Synthetic Blend motor oil change

and receive a $15 rebate.2. Complete and print this form.3. Include your original installer identified and dated cash register receipt showing the

required purchase between November 1, 2010 and January 31, 2011. Receipt must specify Quaker State® motor oil was purchased (brand and type required). Mail completed rebate from and original receipt to mailing address below.

_________________________________________________________________________

FIRST NAME* MI LAST NAME*

_________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS* APT. #

_________________________________________________________________________

CITY* STATE* ZIP*

_________________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS (optional)

_________________________________________________________________________

OIL CHANGE LOCATION

❏ Yes, please keep me updated on Quaker State® offers, news and information via e-mail. View the Quaker State® privacy policy here.

❏ I have read and understand the terms and conditions of this offer.*

*Required Fields

MAIL TO: Quaker State® Vehicle MD Motor Oil rebate #O236, P.O. Box 809004, Houston, TX 77280-9921. If you do not receive your rebate after 8 weeks, please call 866-707-6737 or visit us at www.ShellRebateCenter.com/quaker_state. Only ONE customer submission per stamped envelope. NOTE: Offer expires January 31, 2011. Purchase must be made between November 1, 2010 – January 31, 2011. Requests must be postmarked by February 15, 2011, and received by February 28, 2011. Limit one rebate per person, household or address. (Rebate offer not available to residents of Rhode Island.) This rebate form and proof-of-purchase submissions may not be mechanically reproduced. An original installer identified and dated cash register receipt showing the required purchase between November 1, 2010 – January 31, 2011, must accompany all forms. Rebate will expire 60 days after issue date. Use of fictitious names, multiple addresses or P.O. boxes to fraudulently obtain additional rebates is a violation of federal law, and may result in prosecution and a term of imprisonment, fine or both. Trading or selling proofs-of-purchase is strictly prohibited. This offer may not be published in any publication without written permission from SOPUS Products. SOPUS Products may cancel, rescind or extend this offer at any time. No rebate will be honored for any club, group, organization or legal entity. Not responsible for lost, late, damaged or postage-due mail. Incomplete or illegible rebate requests will not be honored. All requests will become property of SOPUS Products and will not be returned. Offer valid only in U.S.A. (except for residents of Rhode Island), Puerto Rico and U.S. Military Bases. Cannot be combined with any other Quaker State® offer. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for mailing of your rebate. Void where prohibited by law. ©2010 SOPUS Products. All rights reserved.

Get up to $20 Back by mail with a Qualifying Quaker State® purchase

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Quaker State Ad VMD 11-10.pdf 10/15/10 9:53:42 AM


dexos Motor Oil Specification

Know Your Stuff

If you drive a 2011 General Motors vehicle (and if you buy a GM vehicle in coming years), there is or will be a new motor oil in your car or truck. In October of this year, General Motors be-

gan licensing motor oil that meets a new proprietary (i.e. GM-only) specification, trademarking that specification/license as “dexos” (the lowercase is, oddly enough, correct).

So what does that mean for you, the driver?“First of all, dexos is a motor oil specification, not a recipe,” noted

Eric Johnson, senior project engineer with GM Powertrain-North America’s Fuels & Lubricants division. “It’s the first common en-gine oil specification General Motors has ever developed that will encompass all our companies in all our markets.”

While the specification might not be a recipe, it is stringent enough that virtually all motor oil blenders have responded by creating dexos-spec products that are made of synthetic motor oil. That’s right. When it comes time to change your oil, you’ll need to use a synthetic motor oil.

That means, for starters, that your oil changes will likely be more expensive than in the past. But it also means you’ll be getting the ul-timate in protection, a motor oil that can last the duration of the ex-tended oil change intervals recommended by your Engine Oil Life System (EOLS), the little reminder in your car that tells you when it’s time to change the oil. The dexos specification was first conceived in 2006 and developed in 2007. Motor oil blenders were apprised of the specifics in 2008 and 2009, and informed that in order to meet factory warranty requirements, products meeting the dexos spec would

need to be licensed by GM beginning this year. (There are actually two dexos specifications: dexos-1 for gasoline engines and dexos-2 for diesel engines. For 2011 vehicles, only dexos-1 is being installed at the factory.)

According to Johnson, GM had several goals in developing the specification. In addition to creating a common specification that would work across all brands in all markets, GM also wanted a product with improved fuel economy and fuel economy retention when compared with existing products. The dexos spec was also designed so the motor oil can function as a hydraulic fluid, an increasingly common design element in GM engines that use variable valve timing. And, the company hopes to further “op-timize” drain intervals by increasing motor oil robustness through the dexos spec.

“When used with the EOLS, we will be able to increase drain in-tervals and reduce the amount of oil used during the lifetime of a vehicle,” Johnson said. “The EOLS will take into account the better quality of dexos products.”

So, the long and short of it is your new GM vehicle will, for war-ranty purposes, require a new, high-tech synthetic motor oil that will protect your new baby better than ever before. Plus, you’ll likely be able to drive it even further between routine oil changes if you follow the EOLS. True, you might have to pay a little more for your oil change, but in the long run that sounds like a fair trade to us.


KNOW YOURMOTOR OIL: GM’s New dexos

FACT BOX

? WHAT IS dexos? If you own a 2011 or newer General Motors vehicle, you’ll notice your owners manual calls for dexos, a special motor oil specification created by GM.

2011 GMC Acadia Denali

28 VehicleMD

"Oil Change" iPhone App

Know Your Stuff

It sure feels great to get one of those nagging to-do items crossed off your never-ending list. Of course, it never fails; every couple of months, getting your oil changed makes itself to the top of your list.

That’s when you get the call that your daughter’s basketball practice is running 45 minutes late…now what to do? Easy. Reach for your iPhone and get your oil changed.

With the “Oil Change” app, you can get your checklist back under control and make use of your extra time. Don’t believe me? How about someone who’s been there and done that?

“What I personally found exciting about the app is the idea of it fitting into my life,” said user Chris Roberts of Seattle. “Say I’m going to meet a client and the client calls me to say he’s going to be an hour late, then I have an extra hour of free time. I figure I can do some of the things on my list. One of the things on my list just happens to be getting my oil changed. With this app, it knows where I am, and tells me the closest places (to get an oil change) with the prices. I can call the shop and see what the wait is like. Then, I can go over there, get my oil changed and check—that’s crossed off my list.”

Oil Change allows you to find an automotive service center right from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad without having to drive all over town, make a dozen phone calls or visit website after website.

Roberts said the thing he likes best about Oil Change is how easy it is to use. When the app loads, it maps your current location and shows you service centers in your vicinity. This means whether you’re in your usual stomping grounds, completely across town or on the other side of the country, it’s easy to find an automotive service facility near you.

“My girlfriend and I recently drove down to Portland in her car,” Roberts said. “While on our way, if the light came on that we needed an oil change, we would have been able to find a service center in the area. Since I have Oil Change on my phone, I can always find a maintenance shop. It just makes you so knowl-edgeable, no matter where you are.”

The app not only helps make you knowledgeable, but it can also help save you money, as you are able to see instant coupons, deals and incentives from shops in your area. Plus, the data is updated by the shops in real-time. You’ll never miss another 20-minute special again!

If you’re like Roberts, working and texting on your iPhone, when you suddenly remember you need an oil change—just visit the app store and search for it. That’s where Roberts found Oil Change.

“I figured I would just search for an app that could help me with my list,” Roberts said. “I found Oil Change, and it was free. So why not try something that’s free? It has re-ally helped me take care of my car.”

Do you need to cross an oil change off your to-do list? As the Apple ads say, “There’s an app for that!”


Keep Your To-Do ListUnder Control With

an “Oil Change”

When the app loads, it maps your currentlocation and shows you service centersin your vicinity.

C is for Check

www.mybeepbeep.com

So should finding the best deal. Introducing the Oil ChangeTM app.

Getting your oil changed should be simple.

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Use the Oil ChangeTM app on your iPhone to easily find the best deals near you on oil changes and other quality car care services.

30 VehicleMD

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Automotive Jargon

Know Your Stuff

Beam Blade – A new type of wiper blade that uses a pre-formed plastic frame instead of a metal frame to stretch a wiper blade across a windshield. Beam blades provide uniform wiping pressure and a generally supe-rior wiping action than conven-tional wiper blades. Many also feature built-in airfoils designed to keep the wiper blades flush with the windshield at highway speeds.

Cabin Air Filter – A type of filter that removes dust, smog and other airborne contaminants from the air entering your car’s passenger compartment. Gener-ally require replacement every 15,000 miles. Note that some upscale cabin air filters come with a layer of activated charcoal that can even remove odors from the air coming into your car.

Differential – A device that transfers torque (rotational ener-gy) from the engine to the drive wheels. The differential allows each wheel to turn at a unique speed (crucial when the car is turning) while still supplying equal torque. Most differentials use dedicated gear oil that is heavier than motor oil, and most differentials will require at least one fluid change during a ve-hicle’s life span. Also known as a final drive unit or colloquially as a “gearbox.” Tip: It is very important to have the differential oil changed if your car has been driven through deep water, as even a little water that finds its way into the differential can cause lasting damage.

Emissions – The exhaust gas that comes from your vehicle. Many states require emissions testing to ensure vehicles meet clean air

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AATF – Automatic transmission fluid. The fluid that is used in modern automatic transmissions. Acts as a lubricant, a hy-draulic fluid and a coolant. Most vehicles will require at least one ATF service during their lifetime. Check your owners manual for the correct interval.

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Estandards. Fuel Injector – A device that sprays a measured amount of fuel into a vehicle’s engine. Most cars on the road today have individual injectors for each engine cylinder. Injectors can, over time, become clogged, restricting the spray pattern and hampering engine performance. Many automotive service facilities can perform a fuel injector cleaning service that will restore performance.

Learning to Speak “Car”:Automobiles from


TO

It’s a fact that any industry develops its own jargon, words and phrases that often seem incoherent to the layperson unfamiliar with them. The same is true of the automotive service industry, whose helpful technicians and service writers often, thoughusually unintentionally, revert to speaking “car” to customers, using terms most drivers will have never heard.

Following is an “A to Z” of some of the more common terms you might hear bandied about in an automotive service facility, along with what they mean.

www.aoca.org“I don’t care what the manufacturers are saying about how you can now drive longer between oil changes.I am sticking with 3,000 mile oil changes because I know it works and my truck is living proof.”

Bob Hackler Dallas, Texas

Bob Hackler and his 2004 Toyota Tacoma

Stay the course...stick with 3,000 mile oil change intervals.

Changing my oil every 3,000 miles has given me 400,000 miles!

Find a member near you

www.AOCA.org800.331.0329

AOCA_Sept&NovVehicleMD_9.25x11.125.indd 1 10/6/10 3:18:57 PM

32 VehicleMD

Oil Pan – A thin-walled container at the bottom of an engine where oil is stored before being filtered and pumped back inside the engine. Most oil is drained from the oil pan by removing the drain plug.

Nitrogen Tire Inflation – The increasingly common practice of

inflating vehicle tires with pure nitrogen. Used by the heavy-

duty trucking industry for years, nitrogen does not leak from a tire as rapidly as regular compressed air. In addition, by removing oxygen from the inside of

the tire, oxidation of steel, aluminum, rubber, etc. is

reduced, increasing tire life.

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Automotive A to Z

Know Your Stuff

Interval – The mileage- or date-based requirement at which a maintenance service should be performed. Maintenance intervals vary by manufacturer, model and vehicle usage. Most automakers recommend a rou-tine oil change every few thou-sand miles or several months. Check your owners manual for the correct maintenance inter-vals for your vehicle.

GHeadlight Restoration – A service offered by many au-tomotive repair and mainte-nance facilities that can help drivers see better at night. Over time, sunlight, atmo-spheric ozone and road grit can combine to oxidize the plastic headlight lenses used on most cars. This service removes that yellow haze, improving not only the ve-hicle’s appearance, but also the headlights’ effectiveness.

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Knock – The premature detonation of the fuel/air mixture in an engine’s cylinder, generally caused by using gasoline whose octane level is too low for the engine. Most vehicles today use anti-knock sensors to control the phenomenon. Tip: If your car calls for “premium” gasoline, don’t skimp by buying regular. The lower octane rating can make your engine knock or decrease its power.

LOF – Automotive maintenance industry jargon for “lube, oil and filter.” Essentially a basic oil change.

Multipoint Inspection – A comprehensive inspection of a vehicle’s main systems. Most automotive maintenance facilities perform these inspections, which can cover anywhere from a dozen to several dozen components and fluid levels, as part of a full-service oil change. Many times, technicians conducting a multipoint inspection can find problems early, allowing customers to take corrective action before a very expensive repair is needed.

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Jounce – The action of bouncing, specifically the compression stroke of a shock absorber. It is the opposite of “rebound.”

Grease – A thick lubricant that is applied to many components on a car, including wheel bearings, steer-ing shaft, drive shaft and suspension components. Many older vehicles had numerous grease fittings that required fresh grease at every oil change, but most newer vehicles only require grease at one or two spots, if at all.

PCV Valve – Positive crankcase ventilation valve. A one-way valve that ensures gases are evacuated from inside a vehicle’s engine crankcase and fed back into the air entering the engine, reducing emissions from the vehicle. A plugged or malfunctioning PCV system will eventually damage an engine, which is why many automakers recommend periodic replacement of the PCV valve. Check your owners manual for the correct interval.

Automotive Jargon

Know Your Stuff


?TPMS – Tire Pressure Monitoring System. A

government-mandated safety system that

constantly monitors the tire pressure on late-

model vehicles and alerts drivers if tire pressure falls

below a safe threshold. The TPMS usually has to

be reset with a special tool or procedure after a

vehicle’s tires are removed for service.

Quadrant – The gearshift selector indicator of an automatic transmission, usually marked “PRNDL”.

Radiator Flush – A service offered by many automotive maintenance and repair facilities that uses a machine to

forcefully extract, or flush, old coolant from a vehicle’s engine and radiator. New coolant is then forced throughout the system, ensuring that most old, spent coolant will be replaced. Also called a coolant flush.

Serpentine Belt – A rubber or composite belt that wraps around the various accessories on a vehicle’s engine (i.e. power steering pump, air conditioner compressor, alternator, etc.) and uses engine torque to power these components. Most serpentine belts will require replacement at least once during a vehicle’s life span.

U-Joint – A flexible U-shaped connector that ties two shafts together but allows the shafts to change angles. Most often used to tie a driveshaft to a differential or drive wheels. Short for “universal joint.”

Variable Valve Timing – Also known as VVT. A system that uses a computer to automatically alter the valve timing (i.e. the rate at which the valves open and close) of an engine to produce maximum efficiency.

Water-Repellent Glass Treatment – A service that applies a thin coat of water-repellent chemical to a vehicle’s windshield, allowing water to more easily be wiped or blown away and improving vision.

Zerk – A grease fitting where grease is added to a vehicle.

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T ?Y-Connector – A connector in the shape of a “Y” that usually splits one line (i.e. a windshield washer fluid line) into two.Y

SX – You didn’t really think we’d be able to come up with something for this, did you?

U

34 VehicleMD

1905 – year the windshield wiper was patented—by a woman named Mary Anderson

15 – percent of vehicles on the road that need new license plate lights*

$3,000 – what a new Buick Le Sabre cost in 1960

$28,500 – average price of a new car in 2010

29 – number of weeks an American family has to work to earn enough to afford a new car

1902 – year the first speeding ticket was issued (early on cities used police officers on bicycles to chase speeding motorists)

90 – percent of car own-ers who admit to singing while behind the wheel

1959 – year the toll roads on the The Garden State Parkway in New Jersey were supposed to have been paid off and the toll booths taken down

4 – number of registered automo-biles in the United States in 1895

254.4 million – number of registered passenger vehicles in the United States in 2007

10 – percent of vehicles on the road with an illuminated “Check Engine” light*

330 – number of original Volks-wagen Beetles sold in the U.S. its first year

26.4 – seconds that elapse be-tween car thefts in the United States, on average

1897 – year the first auto insurance policy was purchased (in Westfield, Massachusetts)

27 – percent of vehicles on the road with low, overfull or dirty motor oil*

$5,000 – upper range for whata new vehicle engine can cost

$34 – what an average oil change costs

40 – number of milliseconds it takes for an airbag to inflate afteran accident

9 – percent of vehicles on the road that need new tires*

$2.21 million – price of the most expensive car in 2010 (the Koenig-segg Trevita limited edition super-car)

1,445.7 – miles driven in a Ford Fusion Hybrid on a single 17-gal-lon tank of gas by a team of eco-drivers in 2009 (an average of 81.5 mpg)

2.8 million – miles driven by Irv Gordon in a

1966 Volvo1800S, a world record

for highest mileage in one vehicle (Irv has owned the car since new and never had to replace

the engine, crediting frequent maintenance!)

238,857 – average distance in miles between the Earth and Moon (meaning Irv Gordon has driven a distance equivalent to nearly six round trips to the Moon!)

46 – average speed in miles per hour of the winning driver in the first “Grand Prix” auto race, held in 1901

*According to the Car Care Council

NUMBERSCARS

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