Elemental...

 Fire... Water... Earth... Wind... Metal...

Not necessarily something you would expect to find in an article dealing with vehicle care, wear, damage, service and the need for periodic scheduled maintenance.

Nevertheless, here we are...

Why? Because believe it or not, it seems like the easiest and best way to make the case for regularly scheduled service.

Let's start with Fire.

Fire...

The natural enemy of all things mechanical is thermal damage and heat. If your vehicle is powered by fossil fuels: if it is either diesel powered or powered by an internal combustion engine, it has moving parts and depends upon combustion - an explosion and controlled burn - to generate the energy necessary to power that vehicle down the road.

Regardless of how well lubricated or how efficient the cooling system, the result of both is high temperature: intense heat. Uncontrolled, high temperature is both dangerous and costly

Water...

  

As long as we're talking about Cooling Systems... Most vehicles today are "Water Cooled:" engine temperatures are controlled (reduced) by circulating liquid through passageways in the engine block and cylinder head.

Plain water - even distilled water - is insufficient. Contemporary engine temperatures are far too high, even when operating within normal ranges and the boiling point of water is far too low. To raise boiling points high enough to accommodate contemporary engine designs manufacturers began adding chemicals specifically designed to accomplish that one goal by raising the boiling point of the liquid in the system.

Because of the increased use of dissimilar metals in engines and cooling systems today and the functional properties of a liquid rushing through the engine under pressure (cooling system boiling points are raised approximately 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit for every additional pound of pressure) and at relatively high speed demanded the introduction of a palette of chemical compositions and colors reminiscent of a rainbow. Each is different and many are vehicle or manufacturer specific.

There are all kinds of different chemical additives used in coolant compositions today, but the most important thing you can do is be sure the 'right' coolant finds its way into the right vehicle!

The most important thing for us to recognize is that heat (temperature) and oxygen (air) are the cooling system's mortal enemies and that over time the quality, composition, integrity and performance of the coolant and the cooling system will degrade (We can talk about electrolysis another time).

Earth...

I guess you can translate this any way you want to, but "Earth" to me is synonymous with "dirt" and dirt and engines - or, anything constantly in motion  - don't go well together.

Engines today are clearanced - built to exacting design specifications - to ensure the highest performance, greatest economy and longest service life. That is, of course, if they are 'properly maintained,' which is what this series of Counter-Intuitive articles is all about.

That's a long way around the barn to say they are "tight:" built with just enough clearance to accommodate the lubricants that help reduce friction and prevent the engine from burning itself up. Introduce contaminants into the crankcase and allow them to build up over time and you will find yourself confronted with unnecessary and potentially catastrophic repair bills.

Today's lubricants are highly effective. They have enhanced friction reducing capabilities and film strength enhancing additives to fight the effects of high temperature operation and oxidation. But, they still must be drained and refilled on a regular basis in order to remove contaminants that will inhibit performance, cause premature wear and ultimately cause failure. It’s a simple fix that can and will extend the vehicle’s service life while reducing overall cost of operation.

Wind... (Oxygen)

Oxygenation, in conjunction with temperature and all the other chemicals, minerals, liquids and metals in the engine and cooling system, is a real problem - not necessarily in and of itself – but, in the way it interacts with every other element accelerating performance degradation.

If you're not convinced, take any untreated metal and expose it to the elements - air included - and, watch what happens. Introduce temperature and untreated liquids and the recipe for failure and consequential damage and expense increases exponentially.

Low oil level in the crankcase – too much air, not enough lubricant – can cause a laundry list of problems all related to lack of lubrication. Too much oil in crankcase – not enough air – causes churning, foaming and lack of lubrication.

Too much air drawn into the engine in relation to the amount of fuel – often referred to as a “Lean” Condition – can cause higher temperatures, poor performance, low fuel economy and misfiring. Not enough air – known as a “Rich” Condition – can cause problems of a different sort equally as difficult and challenging.

Too much air in your tires can cause a harsh ride, lack of control and uneven tire wear. Not enough will cause reduced fuel economy, a different kind of uneven tire wear and a host of other problems.

Like all things in life balance is the key!

And, finally…

Metal…

      

It should go without saying that even with the introduction of lightweight, space age plastics, cars and trucks are mostly metal of one kind or another.

It’s the “one kind or another” that gets you!

Dissimilar metals used in conjunction with each other: an aluminum engine block, steel crankshaft; copper and brass used in gaskets, seals and additional components; compound alloys, etc. can lead to all kinds of problems, especially when liquids are involved.

The first battery was made up of two different metals immersed in salt water.

Add the natural occurrence of metal fatigue, wear, oxidation, particulate matter, contamination, and you have the potential for chaos in your driveway.

The answer is care, maintenance and periodic inspection. It’s all the insurance you will ever need provided the vehicle you are driving was engineered intelligently and manufactured carefully.

We will talk more about each one of these elements and the many and different ways they interact and work together as the series continues…

Photo Credits: Bosch, Airtex and Schneider's Automotive

The Battle Between Suggested & Required

They say that information is power and I'm not sure it would be prudent to disagree.

The more you know the less likely it is for anyone to take advantage of what you don't know. That's one of the reasons professionals in the repair community work so hard to ensure you understand not only what needs to be done when they are making a service recommendation, but why it's important to do it... and, why doing it now makes sense: not only for them, but for you as well. 

The benefit of "doing it now" when you're talking about any 'for pay' service on your vehicle is fairly obvious from the service facility's point of view. The critical issue is and will always be, does it make any sense to you.

Because the benefit is so obvious to the service provider the question of motivation is almost certain to raise its ugly head. 

Is the guy behind the service counter trying to 'sell' me some superfluous or unnecessary service to round out a 'good' week or is this something I really should consider doing?

Before I answer that question I'd like to reinforce whatever it is you know about automotive service or maintenance with a bit of information - remember, information is power! I hope you will find useful. It is the difference between Suggested and Required and how these two fundamental principles are almost certain to impact you. 

The first element of automotive service or maintenance to consider whenever it's time for you to bring your vehicle in is Required. It's also the easiest to explain. If the service recommendation can be found in the Owner's Manual and its performance is necessary in order to keep the vehicle in warranty - it's Required.

Sure, you can argue that some of the services are superfluous: but, realistically your argument isn't likely to hold up. The vehicle manufacturer wants desperately for you to believe that the purchase and subsequent ownership of that vehicle was among the best and most intelligent decisions you've ever made because they desperately want you to buy another one when this one is 'used up!' They recognize that in order for that to happen you must feel that ownership is cost effective over the life of the vehicle. 

You can translate that into not spending a penny more than you have to in order to keep that vehicle on the road. Consequently,  it is reasonable to assume there is no service called out in the manual - regardless of what that service may be - that is unnecessary or superfluous.

In other words, if it's in the book it's there for a reason.

Things aren't quite so 'Black & White' when it comes to Suggested. These are services that do not appear in the Owner's Manual, but are recommended by the dealership service department or responsible independent service professionals for a number of different reasons, not the least of which is personal experience. There are services that many of us have come to realize can and will both lower overall cost of ownership while extending the service life of the vehicle. 

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, there are times when spending more will actually cost you less in the long run!

Over the next few weeks I'll be talking about some of the Suggested services most commonly recommended: how and why they make sense...

Until then, stay well and take care... And, remember, if there is something specific you'd like ask or a burning automotive service question you'd like answered, let me know. I promise to do my best to get you an answer that makes sense to you.