<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Car Care]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Car Care]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/car care http://jalopnik.com/tag/car care <![CDATA[VW Owner Asks How To Check Blinker Fluid]]> An insightful VW Vortex forum member wondered about changing their blinker fluid. Many Good-ish Samaritans offered their advice on which brands to buy, breaking in new fluid and blinker balancing. You'll also need a round tuit. (H/T to Rocketcooper!) [VWVortex.com] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5612062&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Biggest Douche In Universe Shows Why You Never Load A Car On A U-Haul]]> U-Haul's are designed for furniture and junk. They're not designed to transport Honda Civics. That didn't stop these brain surgeons from setting up a ramp and trying to make it happen. NSFW language. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5593280&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Subaru Engine Destruction]]> From the always have a fire extinguisher around department comes this Subaru mill being sacrificed to the oil change gods. We're not sure if this is an educational video showing why not to run an engine with no oil in the crankcase, or was produced solely for entertainment purposes. Either way the Subaru engine fights hard before it breathes its last. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=314649&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Install New Windshield Glass]]> We've all heard the argument of the do-it-yourselfer. Doing the job on your own can bring a sense of satisfaction and save money. When things don't go right the results may not be so warming or economical. Thirteen beers or three fried alternators into a pile of sheared bolts and bruised knuckles can result in a job costing far more than planned. Sometimes the financial outlay in tools, materials, and time, don't add up to any savings for the do-it-yourselfer. Worse still is a job done wrong can be potentially dangerous. Replacing a cracked or old front windshield glass is one of these times. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=297517&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rebuild Your Carburetor]]> Back in the days of carbureted and plentiful used Plymouth Satellites, B-52's frontman Fred sang of the devil in his car. Beehive sporting singer Kate did Fred one better by wailing that she had the devil in her CAR-buretor! Having Beelzebub in the float bowl and demons clogging the jets is not a good thing at all. A carburetor rebuild can help exorcise evil spirits. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=295601&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[How Often Do You Detail Your Car?]]> Today's Question comes to us via sabbophile2, and judging by the multiple layers of Las Vegas filth and desert dust covering my poor ride, this one is wholly appropriate. To wit:
Car detailing: how much, how often, with what? Me: Zaino the whole car, once per year, occasional touch-free wash. Someday, with a garage, I'll do more.
Sadly, I'm so rough on my cars that I never bother with detailing until I'm ready to sell. Even then, I usually don't bother. However, I do get my engine detailed every 30,000 miles. Because I care. You? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=290511&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Replace Spark Plugs]]> Along with swapping out the air filter and changing the oil, replacing the spark plugs is one of the few things left that require service on a modern gasoline engine. Some newer than the twenty-year old junk classics in our garage have negated even this task with spark plugs made of space-age materials that can live with their head stuck in a combustion chamber for 100K miles or more. The first and most obvious task of the spark plug is to light the gasoline and air mixture aflame when the piston reaches the top of its compression stroke. The resulting burn pushes the piston back down in the cylinder. So it goes. The second and less obvious function of a spark plug is equally important. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=288268&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Weekend Projects Roundup]]> With the weekend nearly here, it's time to pop open the hood and take a trip down the trail of parts. Those battery terminals and posts that look like a high school science experiment gone wrong need to be cleaned. As long as you're there, find the right dipstick and check the oil. If it looks as if it could be bubbling up from the La Brea Tar Pits, then bust out the ramps or jack and jack stands and change the oil and filter. If the oil was that filthy, then checking and swapping out the air filter might not be a bad idea. After all that it will certainly be time to wash those microscopic contaminants and grubby hand prints off the car so you can look good while driving to get a Coney Island. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=285755&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Replace Axle and Oil Seals]]> The automobile contains a number of fluids that should all stay where they're supposed to be. Oil spots, coolant leaks, mystery drips, and other tell tale signs of fluids leaving their rightful place in the automobile are a sign to take heed of maintenance. Denying the existence of the ever-growing number of oil spots on the driveway is not going to make them go away. The source of the leak needs to be fixed. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=283237&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Finding Repair and Service Manuals]]> In our explorations into parts and parts replacement, we often mention the service manual. While there are certainly a large part of the monkeywrenching public who would throw directions to the wind, instructions can be a good thing when it comes to things like working brakes and wheels not falling off the car. Finding the service manual can be half the battle. Read on for a few tips for locating the books for everything from a 1971 Ford Pinto Rallye to a late-model Honda That's. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=278195&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Replace Brake Pads]]> While there is a difference between brake pads and shoes, the desired result is always the same when the foot goes down on the brake pedal. Brake pads clamp down onto a rotating disc. Brake shoes push out Flintstones-style onto a rotating drum. Inertia gets turned into heat via the miracle of friction. If all goes well things slow down. Each time the brake pads clamp themselves onto the rotor to put on the whoa, a small amount of the pad itself turns to dust. A smaller amount of the brake rotor also turns to dust. Brake pads are by design supposed to wear out, and for obvious reasons should be inspected and replaced once in a while. Read on for a brake pad bonanza. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=275655&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Bleed the Brakes]]> The fluid that exists as brake fluid is in reality hydraulic fluid. The helpful property of brake fluid is that it cannot be compressed. This comes in handy when the brake pedal is pushed down. Brake fluid links the parts of the brake system together as one. Brake pedal goes down. Friction is achieved! A hydraulic clutch also uses this same principle, and brake fluid to make shifting happen. An unfortunate property of brake fluid is that it is hygroscopic. Over time brake fluid draws moisture into itself all by itself. Bleeding the brake lines of air is an important step after brake work, and is also helpful to purge contaminated brake fluid from the brake lines. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=273668&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Compression Pressure Test]]> Mechanical know how in our case has come largely from two sources. There have been those kind enough to show the way, and there has been the hard way. A long and proud lineup of 500-dollar cars has steered us mostly down the latter route. The way we learned about how and why to run a compression check on an engine came only after bolting on every conceivable replacement part to a 318 V-8 in a 500-dollar '67 Plymouth Barracuda in an effort to make the thing run better. A compression check revealed that the engine was closer to a V-5 and-a-half than a V-8. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=269221&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Wash and Wax Bonanza]]> For a long number of years even the idea of washing and waxing our car was unnecessary. Cleanup meant maybe a hosing off, and adding another layer of rattle can primer to key spots. The first paint job worthy of a wash and wax was a defining moment. Washing and waxing the new paint on the old car was suddenly an exciting novelty! For somewhat newer cars, a regular wash and wax keeps the paint from decaying to the clean it with scrub pad and can of spray paint stage. Sure the local car wash is great, but nothing beats the satisfaction washing and waxing your own ride. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=267212&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rolling Time into a 50-Dollar Paint Job]]> Back when we used to paint houses, movie sets, and the occasional old Plymouth instead of making it big in automotive journalism, a great deal of time was spent sanding, scraping, and sanding again. Preparation is the larger part of a paint job. Armed with a a roller, a can of rustoleum, and a pile of sandpaper, the aforementioned maxim can slowly be turned into a shining white Corvair on the cheap. Mr. Rickwrench himself claims the Yenko striping is good for 5-7 wheel horsepower from established butt dyno tests. – Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=266866&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Wheel Cleaning Tips in Detail]]> Whichever crackpot invented the wheel had no idea what it would lead to. Land speed records. Plus one measures of gravity on a skidpad. Four-second quarter miles. 30-inch spinners! Multiple volumes of unmentionable bad craziness. And dirt crusted wheels. While filthy wheels may not be of great concern for ox-drawn carts or the old roto-tiller, shabby looking hoops can ruin automotive outward appearances. Rolling in a car with filthy wheels is akin to showing up to a job interview with scuffed-up shoes with holes in the soles. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=265198&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Memorial Day Wrench Spinning]]> Some of us may already be hurtling down the roads of America in an Ultra Van or Hoonabago in celebration of Memorial Day. More still may have decided to avoid the crowds and stay put. If you haven't left yet, then check the tire pressure before loading up the Town & Country wagon with 500 pounds of cargo. Make sure there's some air in the spare tire to save any roadside swearing. Popping the hood and checking the oil is always a good idea. If the oil has had it and you're sticking around for the weekend, put the car up on some ramps or jack stands and change out that old oil and filter for some some of the good stuff. And even though we gripe about the high price of gasoline, taking a moment to remember what Memorial Day is really about costs nothing and means a great deal. – Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=263660&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Gas Saving Tips for Flummoxed Drivers]]> With gasoline prices obviously not trending downward, cash-strapped drivers are finding themselves flummoxed as to how get the best bang for their increasingly thin buck. Read on to take the first step onto the path of improved fuel efficiency. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=261618&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Replace Wheel Bearings]]>
Automobile wheels spin round thanks to the miracle of wheel bearings. The bearings themselves contain rollers that spin around inside a cage. Wheel bearings are often tapered against the coned races in which they spin in order to handle the lateral forces placed against the wheels when the vehicle turns. Given the right grease and care, most wheel bearings should roll without complaint for 100,000 miles or more. Neglected bearings will tell another tale. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=259695&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace Struts - Part 2]]> Last week we got down with the strut in MacPherson and said hello to the spring compressor. This week we'll finish things off and put it all back together. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=257655&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace Struts - Part 1]]> The history behind the modern strut type suspension has its origins in the United Kingdom. Henny Youngman would find a joke here. Something about Scotsmen, a Lotus, a spring, and a shock absorber. The punchline would be the MacPherson strut suspension. I love this crowd! The integral spring and shock absorber arrangement was pioneered by one Earl S. MacPherson. Since Mr. MacPherson worked for Ford at the time as the head honcho of engineering, the MacPherson strut first appeared up under the unitbody front fenders of a 1951 Ford Zephyr. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=255751&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace Shock Absorbers]]> Without the shock absorber the modern automobile would simply flail about on its springs. The shock absorber is technically a damper. The shock absorber works to dampen the bounce created by bumps in the road and the weight of the vehicle acting on the suspension and springs. The less obvious yet more important benefit of shock absorbers is control. The four small patches of tire making contact with the tarmac won't do much good if the tires are spend more time bouncing in mid-air than staying planted on the ground. As anyone who has ridden in or attempted to pilot a vehicle with blown out shock absorbers can attest, brakes and steering become dangerously ineffective when shock absorbers lose their damping ability. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=254018&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Taken Apart]]> As we're off to Las Vegas for Mopars at the Strip this weekend and riding the red-eye out to the New York Auto Show next week, the Trail of Parts will remain apart until our return. In the meantime we would like to call upon our readers to suggest both useful and amusing topics for this ongoing exploration into the inner and outer workings of automobiles. Send them to tips@jalopnik.com, or use the comments. In our absence, please enjoy this image of a parted-out Mitsubishi G54B turbo engine. – Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=247981&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Polishing Aluminum Wheels]]> It may seem unlikely that the first step in polishing aluminum to a near-mirror shine is to score an extra crusty set of '70s vintage US Indy slot mags of off an equally '70s vintage Toyota SR5 Liftback at the local junkyard. Mag wheels are named as such because the aluminum is mixed up with a bit of magnesium to form a stronger alloy. Over time and with exposure this alloy tends to turn a dull grey. Even the crustiest of aluminum wheels can be brought back to a mirror shine with a fair amount of elbow grease and careful use of cheap power tools. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=246626&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Radiator Repair]]> In order for the miracle of the automotive cooling system to march on unabated all the components must be able to hold up under pressure. The heavy hitter in this equation is the radiator. Inside the radiator are coolant passages. Connected to the passages are the cooling fins. As hot engine coolant passes through the radiator heat gets wicked away through these fins and into the air. Neglecting the cooling system can cause corrosion and even rust to build up inside the radiator until one day it literally cracks under pressure and makes like an underhood Old Faithful. Pressure and tempers are lost along with engine cooling. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=244665&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Shoe Goo You, Lou!]]> So you've got your JB Weld for repairing the big hole that durned exploding whiskey still blew in your radiator, and you always buy the 55-gallon Economy Size drum of Bondo for when you wrap El Busamino around a pine tree. But what to use for reattaching trim pieces, dangling headliners, rearview mirrors, etc? Shoe Goo! Intended for use by those who wish to reattach separated shoe soles (and also a favorite of skateboarders who want to put a better gripping surface on their boards), Shoe Goo also serves as an extremely useful adhesive for "field expedient" car repairs. It's clear, tough, flexible, and will stick to just about any dry surface; I've used Shoe Goo to attach switches to dash panels, reassemble shattered turn-signal lenses, and attach a bowling trophy to the hood of a punkified Datsun B210. As an added bonus, Shoe Goo boasts the most toxic smell this side of starter fluid, so you know it's good. – Murilee Martin More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=243900&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace a Water Pump]]> At the heart of the cooling system is the water pump. It spins as does the engine in order to continuously circulate engine coolant through the automotive cooling system. Out from the engine, into the radiator, and then back again. So goes the water-cooled internal combustion engine. If the water pump fails in its task the cooling system will have the automotive equivalent of a heart attack. A few miles outside of Baker, California on a 107-degree day is usually where a water pump clutches its chest and quits. Steam pouring from under the hood and an engine clattering from detonation are sure signs of heart failure. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=242847&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tubular Liquid Steel]]> The situation of random and seemingly unrelated thoughts regularly wandering into our heads is likely thanks to the very large array of daily information bombarding our addled brains. JB Weld presented itself back into rotation at approximately 4:56 PST yesterday. Along with all the shining machines at the Geneva Auto Show, we today celebrate this stuff of miracles, perfect for those of us that still tool around in old buckets classics. Who here with a clunker has not patched a radiator, or quickly repaired an otherwise motorist stranding mechanical problem with this somehow liquid steel? The miracle of two part epoxy is also not lost on the those with digital cameras and hosting. Try JB Weld into Google image search for the grease monkey broken part version of the Louvre. – Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=241932&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace a Thermostat]]> The difference between the rows of late model cars at the junkyard awaiting the crusher and Grandpa's 400-thousand mile 1974 Mercury Bobcat Wagon with genuine simulated wood grain paneling is regularly scheduled maintenance. The failure of an inexpensive and easy to replace part can cause a heap of pricey damage. This is especially true of the automotive cooling system thermostat. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=240953&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace a Radiator or Heater Hose]]> While there are still a few air-cooled automobiles on the roads the good majority out there these days are of the liquid cooled variety. Those driving an old Karmann Ghia or a pre-98 Porsche 911 can take the time spent reading this series of articles on the automotive cooling system and instead check their oil frequently. The rest of the liquid cooled vehicle owners out there have three important components under the hood that take the heat out of an internal combustion engine. The radiator, the water pump, and the thermostat. Between all of these components are flexible rubber hoses that transfer the liquid engine coolant. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=239176&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[New Era for Starlet!]]> If CNN can spend hours broadcasting live court custody hearings of decomposing spray-on butter eating pill-popping celebrity types, then we can certainly bring you news from our still rolling 1982 Toyota Starlet. The Starlet is about to turn 200 thousand miles on what is assumed to be a never cracked open stock 4K-C 1300cc pushrod four-banger engine. While our Starlet sports a fussy Aisin carburetor, the fuel injected and slightly more aerodynamic 1984 Starlet was rated for a still astounding 54 mpg on the highway. Our Starlet did recently give up on its voltage regulator, yet continues soldiering on slowly into a new era thanks to readily available replacement parts. – Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=238957&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replace an Alternator]]> Recent dash light disco electrical mayhem from the Starlet served as a reminder that an automotive electrical system can go haywire at any time. An automobile electrical system comprises three key parts. The battery stores electricity to spin the starter and start the engine. The alternator produces electricity once the engine is running by way of an engine driven belt. The voltage regulator balances the delivery of electrical power between the battery, spark plugs, and hi-fi stereo playing Burt Bacharach. This balance of power will come apart when any one of these three components fail. Starters that click rather than spin and dead batteries can be the result of a spent alternator or fussy voltage regulator. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=237200&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Change an Air Filter]]> The internal combustion engine at its core is an air pump. It takes in air, mixes it with fuel, and ignites the mixture to make power. Over the course of even a minute, an engine can breathe in a massive volume of air. A 2-liter engine can inhale nearly 3000 liters of air per minute at cruising speed. That's 1500 2-liter bottles of soda a minute! All of this air enters the engine through the air filter. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=235415&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Check Tire Pressure]]> The reason to check your tire pressure is usually explained with some nearly unbelievable statistical simile bordering on hyperbole. If everyone checked their tire pressure once a month, we could save enough oil to build comfortable cities on the moon and help kittens. Or something like that. The fact is checking tire pressure on a regular basis can improve handling, increase fuel economy, promote tire longevity, and even save lives. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=233488&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Replacing 30 Year-Old Lights with LEDs]]> At least one, and perhaps more of us here at the the Jalop not only fantasize about cars on a minute-by-minute basis, but also find time to squeeze in wet dreams about transportation of the two-wheeled variety. While the world of motorcycles can seem foreign and dangerous to the cage driver (that's what we call you douchebags when we're on the bike), it's actually safer than you'd think. The vast majority of motorcycle-related injuries are caused by operator stupidity. Another huge chunk of those injuries are due to some cager not seeing you in the worst possible moment. With that in mind, updating the signaling and lighting system on your motorcycle isn't the worst way to spend a few bucks, improve the bike's looks, and maybe keep your sorry ass off the pavement. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=228572&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Using a Floor Jack and Jack Stands]]> The scissor or corkscrew jack in your trunk is somewhat adequate for emergency wheel and tire swaps. Drive-on ramps are good for oil changes and whatnot. When it comes time to blow apart the front end, swap out some brake pads, or replace some spent struts, a floor jack and two or more sturdy jack stands are the right tools for the job. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=231906&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost on the Trail of Parts]]> Somewhere in between the two half-disassembled Mitsubishi G54B turbo engines and the Toyota 4K-C internal combustion peanut grinder we depleted our stock of blue gloves. A coming trip to Harbor Freight Tools and the boneyard will soon replenish supplies of both gloves and junk. We take this moment to clean up our tools, and contemplate the miracle of the flexible cylinder ball hone. Our weekly litany of handy automotive maintenance tips will return next Friday.– Mike Bumbeck More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=230087&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Check the Oil]]>
The reason to check your oil begins with an understanding of the oiling system itself. Bolted up to the underside of the engine is an oil pan. At the bottom of the oil pan lives a pickup for the oil pump. The oil pump takes up oil through the pickup and circulates it through the engine. In this way the miraculous lubricating properties of oil stop friction and heat from destroying the engine. This miracle will continue unabated unless one neglects to check the oil level. Engine damage will visit those who lapse in this most basic of automobile ownership responsibilities. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=228474&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Lift Support]]> The materials that comprise a hatchback or hood can add up to wicked heavy in a hurry. Heavy is the absolute last thing you need to knock you on the noggin while attempting to retrieve an errant can of pork n' beans or your favorite beverage out of the trunk or hatchback floor. Lift supports work in much the same way as shock absorbers. They also wear out just the same. If your hatchback has gone droopy or trunk stopped staying open, then a replacement lift support can limit future head knocking. Using broomstick, baseball bat, emergency roadside kit, or similar makeshift hood or hatchback support in place of factory-engineered equipment is a head injury waiting to happen. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=226435&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Parts: Battery Maintenance]]>
The battery in a modern automobile is not of very modern technology. Despite promises of atomic cars and everlasting power, the old tech lead-acid battery still rides under many hoods. So-called maintenance-free batteries are really just updated versions of the first automotive lead-acid battery used to kick over a production Cadillac in the year of 1912. While design improvements have of course been made, the automobile battery still requires occasional help. Regular battery inspection and maintenance can make the difference between a five-year battery lasting five years, and a battery that gives up a year or so after purchase on a wicked cold night in a dark far corner of the airport long-term parking lot. More »
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