What are you feeding your car?

CARS are like babies. They need to be fed, cleaned and cared for properly, or they will start making noises. The difference is that while a baby will stop crying once you make it comfortable again, your car’s strange noises usually signal an expensive problem. Just as you would not give your baby bad formula, you want to ensure that you don’t feed your car anything that will upset how it functions in the long run.

So what are you feeding your car? Automechanic Humphrey Dempster says many car problems can be avoided if owners used the right products to prevent them in the first place. He breaks down the most common fluids that you feed to your car, and what you should know about them.

Fuel

This is the product that you feed into your car most frequently, and your baby literally cannot go without it. But apart from the price differences that you see at the pump, what’s the difference between the types of gas on the gas station’s menu?

Dempster explains: “Unleaded gas, the one we refer to as 87 fuel, is the most commonly used gasoline. It does not contain any lead, so it is better for the environment and less dangerous to humans. The number 87 is in reference to the fuel’s octane rating, which is basically its ability to handle combustion. Premium (90 or higher) gas therefore is better able to withstand combustion since it has a higher octane rating. This is why it is more expensive.”

Dempster pointed out, however, that regular unleaded (87) gas burns faster than premium, so it is better for engines that have low compression and therefore don’t need to push a lot of power. “Ninety gas is best for high compression engines,” he said.

Engine oil

Also called motor oil, this fluid is used to reduce friction between moving parts of the car’s engine, and to clean the heart of your car from gunk which helps it to last longer.

“Engine oil also helps to cool the engine by moving away some heat from the parts,” Dempster said.

Transmission oil

“Your car’s transmission also needs lubrication to keep it running smoothly,” Dempster pointed out. “This also behaves like a coolant. The type of transmission in your car will determine the kind of fluid you can use. Some are automatic, and have a special fluid, while manual transmissions can use various types of oils.”

Brake fluid

Brake fluid is not only good for your car, but it is critical to how it functions, Dempster said. “Brake fluid is also called hydraulic fluid. Without it your car will not stop when you touch the brakes,” he warned.

Just like choosing the right type of fuel for your car, choosing the right type of brake fluid is also important. “Some fluids are glycol based and those are better for cars with an anti-lock brake system (ABS). The other types of brake fluids are silicone-based. Those are for vehicles without ABS. It is important to be sure which type is better to your vehicle because switching from one type of base to the other can be dangerous for your vehicle,” he said.

Windshield washer fluid

As tempting as it is to just pour some tap water into the windshield washer reservoir, Dempster warns that this is not sufficient to clean the windshield and may lead to long-term problems when the residue builds up, or changes due to the climate.

“Water tends to lead to build-up of calcium deposits and it may cause mould and bacteria to grow because of our warm temperature,” he stated. “It is best to refill with a solution made just for this purpose so you don’t damage your car.”