Is there a difference between summer oil and winter oil for your car or truck? The answer is a little more complicated than simply yes or no. Which oil you should put in your motor depends on the manufacturer specifications, how much stress you put on your vehicle and where you drive. That being said, the seasons can play into each of those factors, so let’s take a look at three tips that will keep your engine healthy throughout the summer months. 1. Use a Multi Viscosity Oil

The English language can be perplexing, and much of this has to do with the way words are spelled. In many cases, spelling is phonetic, and you can figure out how to spell a word simply by listening to how it’s pronounced. But that’s certainly not always the case. Many common car parts, for example, are spelled differently from how they’re enunciated, causing them to be frequently misspelled or mislabeled. If you’re looking for a car part online, and you’ve spelled it incorre

Blowing a cylinder head gasket is a common mechanical emergency, but it’s not worth losing your own head over. Blown head gaskets are easy to prevent with regular check-ups. It’s all about keeping cool under pressure. And, that’s sound advice for both the car and its driver. What does a cylinder head gasket do? The cylinder head gasket seals the combustion chamber of your engine block to prevent hot exhaust gases from escaping and oil or coolant from entering. But, because co

Breaking your car trailer out of storage for the summer means taking care of any and all maintenance to ensure that towing season goes as smoothly as possible. Regardless of whether you’re hauling a compact sports car or a classic behemoth, your trailer needs to be in tip-top shape to avoid putting yourself — or anyone else — in danger on the road. Fortunately, trailer maintenance is simple to do. Check out these three tips for taking care of your rolling stock. 1. Tires It m

Not all tire damage takes the form of punctures that result in easily visible flats. Sometimes, a tire can take abuse that isn’t as simple to spot, due to wear, an impact out on the road or heat. Regularly inspecting your tires both visually and with a tire gauge — at least once a month — is a great way to make sure that you aren’t at the limits of safety by riding around on rubber that needs to be replaced. Check out these three common types of damage that can signal the end

Brakes are often overlooked and taken for granted until you have a significant problem on your hands. When it comes to the most important safety mechanism on your vehicle, letting problems go until that system no longer functions properly is a recipe for disaster. Don’t ignore the warning signs of impending brake failure, keep your braking system functioning at its peak performance. The following is a list of the top ten warning signs that you are in need of brake service. Sp

Motorcycles can provide quick rides around town, easier navigation on crowded roads and breathtaking adventures. But if you’ve never owned one, the idea might seem a bit daunting. The fact is, while motorcycles are one of the more dangerous forms of transportation, it’s possible to greatly reduce that risk and enjoy the benefits of motorcycle ownership with a little bit of responsible maintenance, precaution and preparation. Ride or Die? Getting into the world of motorcycles

Low engine coolant might not seem like a critical condition under the hood of your car, especially if your reservoir tank is showing just a bit under what’s recommended by the manufacturer. Ignore it for too long, however, and you could end up creating serious problems inside your engine. Your antifreeze reservoir needs to stay consistently at the proper level, and if it doesn’t, it can indicate an issue with your vehicle that needs to be addressed, in addition to causing tro

More often than not, batteries die at the most inopportune times. Sometimes you get the usual warning signs for a weak car battery, like an engine that’s slow to turn over or an illuminated check engine light. Sometimes, though, you get no signs at all, so it’s always a good idea to have your battery frequently tested, and it also may help to have a jump-starter on hand as an extra precaution. If your battery is older than 3 years, then it might not be a surprise when it’s ti

Dealing with fiberglass repair is no fun, but unfortunately it is a necessary part of owning a fiberglass-bodied car, especially a classic like a C2 Corvette. The C2 was built from 1963 through 1967 and is considered by many to be the ultimate in Corvettes. The problem is that the very nature of fiberglass is that it never stops shrinking. Combine this with years of hard road use, and there are bound to be stress fractures. While working on a 1966 Corvette coupe, we found a f