What Engine Oil Should You Use in Hot Weather?

Summertime is a tough season for your vehicle's engine.

While it's easy to shed your cold weather wardrobe and dress for summer sun, your engine has a tougher time coping when the climate heats up. Here are a few tips on how to help your motor survive warmer weather when the sun starts making regular appearances and your fancy turns to thoughts of driving.

Your motor's first line of defense against high temperatures is engine oil, the gooey lubricant that keeps those moving parts from melting down. But as ambient temperatures rise or fall, your engine's oil needs change. When oil is cold, it thickens; when it heats up, it becomes less viscous, or more watery. The differences are crucial when it comes to protecting your engine against extremes in weather: on one hand, your oil needs to be thick enough to seal tiny gaps in your engine and properly lubricate metal-against-metal surfaces. On the other hand, the oil has to be thin enough to move easily and circulate where your engine needs it the most, but if it becomes too thin, it can wear down and lose its cooling efficiency.

10 Top Tips for Spring Cleaning your Vehicle

What winter we had, is finally over and now it's time to think about sunnier days and April showers. Has your vehicle benefited from the same maintenance you're currently doing to your house? Spring is the beginning of long weekend getaways and vacation road trips, and taking the time to perform seasonal maintenance today can help avoid any problems later.

Here are our Top 10 tips for getting your car ready for the spring. Some will help your vehicle look (and smell) better, but most are designed to help it perform more efficiently and get better gas mileage.

1. Clean Your Undercarriage.

Winter road salt can be a real problem for the modern car by eating away at its undercarriage, not to mention the chunks of road debris that collects underneath your vehicle during the winter months. Head to the car wash and spring for the undercarriage cleaning option, alternatively you can get a detailer to do a thorough cleaning job if you prefer. Spring is also a good time to check your entire vehicle for rust, which can worsen during the winter months.

Regular Oil Changes is Critical Car Maintenance

We say this everyday. Here's a nice overview and reminder on why our engines need this service!

Danny's Engine Portal: Regular Oil Changes is Critical Car Maintenance: Despite the sophistication of today's advanced automotive engines, the old-fashioned act of changing the oil is still the most critical piec...