Keep an Old Car Running

Cars have a lot of parts on them, and keeping an old car running means making sure all those parts are well-cared for. Change your oil and oil filter regularly. Check timing belts and hoses for signs of wear and tear. Respond to any unusual noises from your car’s body or engine immediately. The longer you wait, the worse the damage may become.

Steps

Keeping the Oil Flowing

1. Check the oil level frequently. As your car ages, it might develop an oil leak or begin to actually burn oil. Check the dipstick – the long stick that dips into your engine's oil pan – at least once each week by removing it, wiping it off with a napkin or paper towel, then dipping it back into the engine and pulling it out one more time. Ensure the oil is within the acceptable level. Make sure the engine is off, and ideally, cool.
   • Always check the oil when your car is on level ground or the dipstick may not read the oil level accurately.
   • Different cars have different oil requirements. Your dipstick should have a guide on it illustrating whether the level of oil in the car is within the acceptable limit.
   • If your car is not ready for an oil change but does not have enough oil, simply add oil to the automobile.
   • Consult your owner’s manual to determine what sort of oil your automobile needs.
2. Drain the oil. Raise the front or rear of the car using a couple of jack stands or a ramp that allows you to slide beneath it. Let the engine warm up for a few minutes if it is not already warm. This will allow the oil to flow more freely.
   • Slide beneath the car and loosen the oil pan drain plug – a small plug at the bottom of the engine. Place a drain pan beneath the plug before removing it to catch the oil that drains out.
   • Avoid contact with the hot oil. Wear gloves and loosen the plug with a rag between your hand and the plug.
   • When the oil stops flowing from the hole, clean the area around the drain plug and the hole out of which the oil flowed with a clean paper towel. Replace the plug.
   • If you notice the gasket or washer on the plug is worn or broken, replace it.
3. Replace the oil filter. Move the drain pan below the oil filter. If your car is equipped with a disposable oil filter, jam a long-handled screwdriver through it and turn it loose to remove it. Alternately, wrap a strap or chain wrench around the filter and turn it loose. Screw a fresh disposable filter on oil filter hole. Really, there is a cheap tool called an oil filter wrench for this task, only an idiot would bend a good screw driver and risk lacerating himself to remove the filter.
   • If you have a replaceable-element filter, unscrew the bolt that holds it to the engine and remove its sealing ring using a safety pin. Clean the edge of the filter case and slide the spring down the central bolt. Fit the sealing ring over the mounting flange, then fit the locating plate over the spring. Finally, slip a new element over the central bolt and tighten the filter against the mounting base with the bolt you removed from it to gain access initially.
   • The oil filter is usually on the side of your engine crankcase. If you cannot locate your oil filter, consult your user manual.
   • Keep gloves on during this process to avoid getting oil on you.
   • Contact your waste management service to find out if they accept used oil filters.
   • Alternately, contact your local auto repair shop (body shops work on auto bodies, not engines) to see if they will collect both your used oil and filter.
4. Use synthetic oil. Synthetic oil, unlike regular mineral oil, lasts longer, withstands higher temperatures, and flows better in cold temperature. These advantages mean that the engine puts less wear on your engine (really, the engine doesn't put wear on the engine, operating the engine is the cause of wear, and synthetic oils are not appreciably better for older engines). Therefore, synthetic oil is the right choice for older cars, whose innards are already worn and tend to develop sludge buildups more often than newer cars.
   • The only downside to synthetic oil is that it is more expensive than regular oil.

Caring for Hoses

1. Look for signs of a worn heater hose. You’ll know the heater hose (also known as a coolant hose) needs to be replaced when your car’s radiator cap is blown off (why would a worn hose cause a radiator cap to be blown off? Alternately, you might notice, or if you see your heater hose is torn or leaking.
   • Sometimes the radiator cap pops off not because of a hose problem, but because the engine has overheated. Check your hose for a leak or tear that indicates the heater hose need replacing. Why are we talking only about heater hoses? What about the major hoses, ie, the upper and lower radiator hoses? Heater hoses only supply a limited amount of coolant to the heater core, the majority flows through the larger hoses....
   • You’ll also know if your water pump hose is leaking because you’ll see green fluid pooling beneath your car. The fluid will have a sweet smell to it. Well, there technically isn't a water pump hose, and coolants come in three distinct colors, to identify them.
   • Don’t touch the hoses or anything in your engine when the engine is hot.
2. Look for signs of a faulty radiator hose. If your radiator hose makes a crackling sound, it should be replaced soon. Radiator hoses that are stiff and dry, likewise, need to be replaced. Finally, hoses that are oily should also be replaced, since the oil can eat away at the hose.
3. Replace your hoses regularly. Hoses that carry high-pressure fluids can wear out easily. Of course, at 14 PSI, coolant is not considered a high pressure fluid... Even if your hoses appear to be in good working order, replace them on a regular basis. If you don’t feel comfortable evaluating your hoses yourself, you’re your ca to a reputable mechanic for a car checkup.
   • Replace your radiator hose every four to five years, or once every 50,000 miles you drive.
   • Replace the coolant hose after five years or every 75,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Bleeding the Brakes

1. Remove old brake fluid. Jack the vehicle up and remove its wheels. Use a turkey baster to suck all the brake fluid out of the master cylinder in your engine. IF you find a master cylinder IN your engine, post a picture. They are located on the firewall in most instances, so they can be serviced.. On the other hand, why are we suggesting changing the fluid without explanation of whether it needs to be done?. If possible, use a rag to wipe out the inside of the master cylinder. Fill the master cylinder up with new brake fluid.
2. Loosen the bleeder valves behind each wheel hub. Using a box wrench, turn each bleeder valve slightly in a counterclockwise direction. You might want to coat the valve with some penetrating oil first to help it come loose. If you get a single drop of the lubricant on the break drum, don't expect to stop when you apply your brakes...
   • Do not open the valves entirely. Just loosen them so that they can turn later when needed.
3. Fit the bleeder valves with clear plastic tubing. Using aquarium tubing or a similar type of clear tubing, place one end over the bleeder bolt. Fill an empty milk jug or large cola bottle with two inches (four centimeters) of brake fluid. Place the other end of the tube in the liquid you just added to the empty jug.
4. Bleed the brakes. Bleeding the brakes refers to the practice of flushing air out of the brake system. Have a friend or family member sit in the driver’s seat and depress the brake pedal, holding their foot on it. Once they do so, turn the bleeder bolt ninety degrees.
   • This is important because when air builds up in the brake fluid (the brake lines, not actually IN the fluid), it will cause a soft spongy response when the brakes are depressed, rather than the firm and response your car should have. Plus, brake fluid can get contaminated over time with dirt and metal particles. So, how is dirt and metal particles getting into the sealed brake system> wiping the master cylinder with rags, not cleaning the cap when opening it, and siphoning from a dirty milk jug or soda bottle when bleeding the brakes?
5. Look for clear brake fluid. Have your partner remove their foot from the brakes. If you let them remove their foot from the pedal with the bleeder open, you blew it. When the trickle of brake fluid stops, have them press their foot down on it again. Turn the bleeder valve another ninety degrees. When you see clear brake fluid, tighten the bleeder bolt and reattach the tire. Repeat for the other tires.
   • You may have to add more brake fluid to the master cylinder as you proceed with the process to avoid getting even more air sucked into the brake lines.
   • If, when draining your brake fluid, you see bits of rust and rubber, you’ll need to take your car to get all-new brake lines installed.
6. Check your timing belt. The timing belt keeps the camshafts spinning in time with the crankshaft. To check the timing belt, look for contaminants like oil that could cause it to decay. Discoloration and cracks in the belt. If you see any, replace the belt. After checking the outer (smooth) side, check the inside of the belt where the grooved teeth are. If you see any broken or missing teeth, replace the timing belt.
   • Pull the belt taut and press a finger into it. If it stretches more than one centimeter (half an inch), it has lost tension and should be replaced.
   • The timing belt is normally located at the end of the engine beneath a small cover of plastic or metal. You may need to unscrew the cover to access it.
   • Generally, timing belts need to be replaced every 60,000 miles.
   • Note that most older cars have timing chains and gears, not belts, and that those with belts require a good level of skill to remove the cover for the above referenced inspection...pulling the harmonic balancer, etc.

Diagnosing Symptoms

1. Listen for signs of a bad CV joint. CV (constant velocity) joints allow your drive shaft to operate properly. Snapping, clicking, or popping could indicate your CV joints are going bad. Knocking or clunking, likewise, could indicate bad CV joints.
   • If your car has a bad CV joint, get the joints replaced.
2. Monitor for potential wheel problems. If your wheels are damaged or worn, you might experience a wobble or slight vibration when driving. If you hear grinding, your wheel system could have a problem (likely a bad bearing). If your tires have uneven wear on them, check to make sure they are filled to the appropriate pressure.
   • If filling your tires to the proper level doesn’t help your problem, try changing them for new tires. Of course, these will wear out quickly, since you haven't checked the vehicle's tire alignment, why blow a few hundred bucks to experiment?
   • Use a tire gauge to determine if your tire tread is worn. Change your tires before their treads are worn to 2/32 inches (1.5 millimeters).
3. Look for signs of suspension issues. If your tires have uneven wear (for instance, if your tires on the right side are very worn but those on the left are not), it could be due to damaged or worn suspension components or a misalignment of your suspension. If your car shudders or vibrates when you reach a certain speed, it is likely due to a damaged suspension.
   • Take your old car to a mechanic to get its suspension fixed if necessary.

References

See also

• Get Rid of a Car That Doesn't Run
• Repair a Dent on a Car Using a Stud Welder Gun
• Know That Car Needs a Professional Mechanic
• Do an Oil Change for a Toyota Camry (2001 to 2011)
• Reset Gas Gauge Needle
• Replace a Cabin Air Filter on a 2012 2018 Ford Focus
• Flip Cars for a Profit
• Choose a Mobile Mechanic
• Deal With a Bad Repair
• Install a New Belt Tensioner With Pulley for Serpentine Belt on Plymouth Voyager V6 Mid 1990 Early 2000 Years

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