Older Cars Need Car Repair Prevention To Keep Running

Every year that goes by your car ages and every trip to the store, work or school makes another digit rollover on your odometer which can rapidly work to make your new low mileage car, an old high mileage car before you know it. And the type of car repair needs of an older car is vastly different from the car repair needs you may have gotten used to and come to expect from a newer car. For one thing older cars that are on the high end of the mileage spectrum require more preventative maintenance than newer cars do.

And one of the most common problems that you will discover with older cars is leaks. Older cars tend to develop more leaks than newer cars because the engine parts and sealant rings have aged with the car and bit by bit these small components can fail leading to the need to replace or repair engine parts.

Since your car's engine requires a vast array of fluids to run right such as brake fluid, oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and anti-freeze there are a vast array of fluids that can leak and this usually means you need to play detective to figure out what's leaking and from where.

If you park your car in the same spot and you are consistently noticing some telling signs that your automobile is leaking fluid but you're not sure what type of fluid leak your car has developed look for the other hints that your car is giving you.

For example is your car driving differently? Do you smell odors that are new or hear sounds that are new in your engine? You need to tune in to all of your senses with your car to help you and the mechanic narrow down what the symptoms that you are hearing, smelling, seeing and feeling that can indicate in addition to the type and amount of fluid leakage you are seeing.

Different fluids are different colors and this can be helpful to tell you what type of leak your car has developed. For example if the leaking fluid is green, it is most likely anti-freeze and if you are leaking coolant you should be concerned. Anti-freeze leaks usually indicates that something under the hood is broken or cracked such as the radiator hose or it can indicate that you have a bigger problem such as a blown head gasket.

Keep in mind that anti-freeze or coolant is responsible for keeping your engine components cool and without it your engine can overheat and seize up. If you notice that you are losing anti-freeze you should stop driving the car and check your fluid levels. If they are low, add to your fluid levels and then get in for a car repair with a mechanic immediately.

Don't ignore leaks, they are your cars way of warning you about a problem and if you pay attention you may be able to catch big problems early.