Mark Gittelman

Quick Oil Change and the Oil Change Service



Posted: Saturday, April 07, 2007

by
certifiedmastertech.com

When you have a quick oil change service completed at your local oil change service center it is a good idea to make sure that the work was done properly.

The First thing you should check after your oil change service is completed is that all the fluid levels in the engine compartment have been filled. Again, the quick lube center may rush to complete the operation and may skip filling vital fluids. A few things you should check are the windshield washer fluid level, coolant level in reservoir (never open when hot), power steering fluid level, transmission fluid level, engine oil level and brake fluid level.

Instructions for checking these separate fluid levels are included in your vehicles owners’ manual. If you should find that the fluid levels are not to their proper level. I am going to recommend that you return to the quick oil change center and have them fill the fluids for you. The first reason for this is that you paid for a complete service and you should receive a complete service. The second reason for this is you want to make sure that the correct fluids are being installed. The third reason for this is that the fluids will cost you money if you do it on your own and you already paid for this service.

The next thing you want to check after your quick oil change service has been completed. Is the tire pressure on all four tires? This again was supposed to be included in your oil change service. But it is important enough to double check to make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires can reduce fuel economy drastically and can be considered a safety concern.

The federal government has considered this so important that it has mandated that all new vehicles come with a tire pressure monitor system. Chances are your next vehicle will warn you when your tires are under inflated. But if your car does not have this system. It's a good idea to purchase a tire pressure gauge and keep an eye on your pressure. The tire specification can be found usually on the doorjamb of the vehicle on the driver side or also in the owner's manual. Under the tire section.

The next thing you should check after oil change service has been completed is to verify that the oil filter is not leaking. Sometimes when oil change mechanic is performing your oil change service. He may get distracted and forget to tighten the oil filter properly. Also a common mistake is for the oil change technician to forget to remove the old oil filter O-ring gasket that can sometimes get stuck to the oil filter housing. This can cause a major leak and quicly damage the engine.

An oil change service will have to be done quite often on your vehicle. It is a good idea to become familiar with exactly what is included in the oil change service so that you can make sure you get what you paid for.

Mr. Gittelman has more than 24 years experience in the auto repair business. He holds more than 16 ASE certifications and is a Master Technician in cars and heavy-duty trucks. Visit his automotive and car questions website for more valuable do it yourself auto repair information.

This Article has been viewed 525 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.