Knowing how to check on your car's most important fluids can be a huge help when it comes to keeping your car in great shape. To learn how to do this, check out the tips in this post.

How to Check Your Car's Fluids

When it comes to learning new skills that involve your car's wellbeing, it can feel pretty intimidating. If you're not a car person, something as simple as learning how to check your car's oil can sound like a huge challenge. Luckily, it really isn't hard at all. To learn how to check on your motor oil and other essential fluids in your car, use these tips.

Learn to Check Your Oil

Your motor oil is one of the most important fluids running through your car. Because of this, you want to be sure you know how to check on it and detect when it has an issue. To do this, first make sure your car is parked on a level surface where there is no incline since this can affect your oil reading. Next, pop open the hood of your car and locate your oil dipstick. Once you've located it, pull it out of its reservoir, clean it off with a clean washcloth, stick it back in its place, and pull it out once more. This time, take a look at the level of your oil. To make it easy to understand how much oil your car has, the oil dipstick has two markers on it. Ideally, your oil level should fall somewhere between these two lines. If your oil is running low, your oil won't reach beyond the first marker. This, of course, is an issue that needs addressing. Your car may have an oil leak or your car may be burning off your oil. Either way, get your car checked out by a professional and get this fixed before it causes issues for your car. After checking the level of your oil, take some time to check on the condition of it. To do this, use your index finger and thumb to rub some of the oil together. Oil that is still in good condition will be at least slightly translucent, slick, and a lighter shade. If your oil is no longer good, it will be dark, opaque, thick, gritty, and may even have a burnt smell. If this is the case, your car is ready for an oil change. If you notice that your oil looks slightly milky, this means your coolant is leaking into your oil. Get this check out as soon as you can to reduce future issues. Keep your car running at its best with the help of a synthetic oil change in Hagerstown. To find great products for your next oil change, contact the friendly oil pros at ALF Marketing. They will be happy to recommend great products like AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil. For even more great products like this, check out their online shop. You can also give them a call (301) 416-0575 to learn more or to make a purchase.

How to Check Your Coolant

Next up is checking your car's coolant. This fluid helps keep temperatures under the hood at a reasonable level so that your engine doesn't overheat and suffer damages. This fluid is also super easy to check on, so you have nothing to worry about. To get started, make sure your car is completely cool. If you just got home from a long drive, wait until things have cooled down because hot coolant can cause serious burns. Once things are completely cool, pop open your hood and locate your coolant reservoir. Checking the level of it can be super easy since many cars have coolant reservoirs that are at least slightly translucent and that include indicator marks on the side. If your coolant is running low, you can top it off using the same type of coolant or coolant mix already in your car. If, however, your car is constantly running low, this can be a sign of a leak, so definitely get this checked out. To check on your coolant's condition you may want to open up the reservoir and take a look inside. Try to remember what color your coolant was the last time you flushed and replaced it. Most coolant will be a bright yellow, green, blue, or red color, so if the color has significantly changed, looks rusty, or has lost its color, then your car a ready for new coolant.

Get a Synthetic Oil Change in Hagerstown

To keep your engine at its best, give your car a synthetic oil change in Hagerstown. The oil pros at ALF Marketing can help you find the perfect products for your vehicle. Give them a call at (301) 416-0575 for the personalized assistance you need.