Missionary Motors Resources

BASE (Brett's ASE) Notes

I am a Master Certified Technician
with the L1 Advanced Engine
Performance certification
There are eight test areas for Master Certification:

Engine Repair (A1)
Automatic Transmission/Transaxle (A2)
Manual Drive Train and Axles (A3)
Suspension and Steering (A4)
Brakes (A5)
Electrical/Elecrtonic Systems (A6)
Heating and Air Conditioning (A7)
Engine Performance (A8)

I have created study
BASE notes that others may find helpful
as they study for ASE certification.
Click on the test and view my notes.

Here are some links to automotive web sites that may be helpful to you.

Some interesting tips and trivia.
http://alldata.com/vehicle_owner/index.html#

Free vehicle specific repair information.
http://www1.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/repair_info/repair_info.jsp

Find out if your car has a recall or technical service bulletin (TSB).
http://www.alldata.com/recalls/index.html

I have found this site to be pretty accurate.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

Question:

How often should I change my oil?

Answer:

Vehicle manufacturers have long classified two types
of driving, "Normal" and "Severe".

The reality is there are very few people who have driving habits
that would fit in "Normal".
Normal = No stop and go traffic, drive at least 15 miles for
all trips, all freeway speeds, no extensive idling.

So, the vast majority of us need to change our oil and filter
every 3,000 miles or 3 months (if your car gets occasional use).

Question:

Rotating Tires - do I really need to do this and why?

Answer:

Tires are one of the most expensive wearable items on your car.

Rotating them properly will get the most years and
miles from them possible.

If you have a full sized spare rotate this way:
Right front to spare
Spare to left rear
Left Rear to left front
Left front to right rear
Right rear to right front

If your spare is one of those "space saver" spares then rotate this way:
Right front to left rear
Left Rear to left front
Left front to right rear
Right rear to right front

Many years back some radial tires could not handle being swapped
from side to side, newer tire technology has eliminated that concern.

There are some high performance tires that are designed to only
turn in one direction but they are clearly marked on the tire sidewall.
Then you can only rotate front to rear on one side.

Question:

My tires look like …. What does that mean?

Answer:

Reading your tires is the best way to find out what is going on with
many of the steering and suspension components of your car.

Any uneven tire wear is telling you things are not right.
The most common causes are low tire pressure or a tire out of balance
but it could also be alerting you to alignment problems or
worn shocks, steering or suspension components.

This chart might be helpful as well.
Beware of tire wear

If in doubt - check it out.

Question:

Which brake fluid should I use, DOT3, DOT4 or DOT5?

Answer:

The best rule of thumb is to use what your car came with
(Go to www.autozone.com in the specification section if
you are not sure which your car came with).

You may mix DOT3 and DOT4 but you will not gain anything by doing so.

DOT4 is designed for higher temperature 4 wheel disc braking systems
but does not absorb as much water as DOT3 which protects the inside
of your braking system from corrosion.

Never mix DOT5 with any other fluid.

Question:

My FWD car clicks when I go around turns - should I worry?

Answer:

This is a very common symptom of one of the CV (Constant Velocity)
joints going out on the axle half shaft.

If it just started making noise I would not be fearful
but it will need repair attention soon.

If left alone it could eventually come apart stranding you or
damaging other components in your front end.

Question:

How do I know when to change my belts and hoses?

Answer:

Belts will sometimes "tell" you when they need changing by making
squealing noises under certain conditions.

They should not look shiny where they run on the pulleys or have
missing portions. If they have either you are running on borrowed time.

Hoses are sneakier than belts and will only let you know when it's
too late (unless you are checking them periodically).

Cooling system breakdowns are the most common thing to leave you
stranded on the road and hoses are the most common cause.

Hoses that are spongy, seeping or hard, are signs of aging and
increased risk of bursting under full load.

It is best to check your belts and hoses at every oil change and
replace them every four years.

Question:

My car came with long life antifreeze, do I have to use it?

Answer:

You may use the old Ethelyne Glycol (EG) antifreeze
(the regular green stuff) in place of the new long life designs.

Once you mix them in your cooling system though,
you will need to use the shortest life of what you put
in to plan your maintenance cycles.

Question:

How do I tell if I need to change my air filter?

Answer:

A vehicle air filter is just like your furnace/air conditioning
filter in your home.

If there is enough dirt to slow or restrict the flow of air you will
be robbed of gas mileage and performance.

It's best to check it every oil change and replace it
every year or 12,000 miles.