Oils and Fluids
AdBlue tips
Whether you own a modern Euro 6 diesel, or you lease/hire one, you will notice that you have to add another fluid to the car, other than petrol and (possibly) oil. AdBlue is a harmless solution, made mainly of pure water and urea. It is injected into the exhaust system to reduce the harmful NOx […]
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Is your antifreeze eating your engine?
As we start to look forward to spring, you may think that antifreeze does not matter any more. Indeed, the coolant within your engine has many properties. Yes, it cools the engine but it also possesses an anti-corrosion property. These additives diminish gradually over time, until either corrosion, or decomposing coolant, causes a blockage and […]
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Brake fluid testers
Technology is a wonderful thing – in many cases, it has made tools that were once solely the preserve of the professionals more accessible to the enthusiastic car owner. A particular example of which is DIY brake fluid tools. Yet, we advise that you must buy with care. The dangers of old brake fluid […]
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Will the new Green E10 petrol cost you dear?
The government consultation (which lasted for fewer than two months) closed on the 16th September. In it, the Department of Transport (DfT) sought public feedback on whether and how to introduce E10 petrol in the UK, in what way to label the new fuel, plus for how long a continued supply of the ‘traditional’ E5 […]
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Level checks – heed the Max
While ensuring correct fluid levels is vital for year-round reliability, a useful reminder to help prevent a ruined summer holiday is to make sure that your car is in good health, prior to venturing on a long journey. Yet, while levels should not be permitted to fall below any ‘minimum’ marks, it is essential to […]
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My toolbox – Gunson Tools One Man Eezibleed kit
While not trying to get too philosophical, everything has a finite life and one of the most useful items in my toolbox has just bitten-the-dust. My Gunson’s one man brake ‘Eezibleed’ kit has been dispatched to landfill after eight years of renewing the fluid from the brake and clutch systems of the ten cars that […]
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Diesel Particulate Filter introduced for petrols
Despite the heavy criticisms that have been directed at diesel engines in the past few years, the fuel still offers advantages. Recently, I liaised with a committee that influences the UK government’s air quality policies, which recommends the diesel scrappage scheme (of which I do not approve, as written here). I queried, if people scrap […]
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Watch out for the expensive refuelling mistake…
Especially at this time of year, most of our minds are focussed on other things. Therefore, it is easy to drift into ‘auto-pilot’, when conducting some of most simple tasks. Refuelling is a case in point. OSV, the vehicle supply professionals, surveyed 500 people and found that, while men were more likely to fill a […]
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Post-winter car checks
Now that spring is in the air and the weather is improving, it is a good idea to reward your car for getting you through winter safely. Not only will your vehicle look and feel better, treating it to a spring clean will also help to enhance its value. 1. PAINT Paint tends to suffer […]
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Your Guide to Automotive Cooling Systems
The cooling system tends to be overlooked until a fault develops and so Rob Marshall explains how to avoid car overheating. As an internal combustion engine wastes so much energy, the cooling system is charged with dissipating large amounts of excess heat. Coolant (a solution of water and antifreeze) is pumped around the engine to […]
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