Re: Auto maint questions???

["G. D." <maofatti@hooked.net>]

Daniel Hussey wrote:
> 
>      Hey y'all.  I am doing a speech for my speech class on basic (and preventa
> tive) automotive maintenace, and although I've got this down pretty well, I sti
> ll have a few questions, most of which will be obvious to the majority of you.
> Some I think I know about, but not sure on.  Any help would be appreciated.
> 
>      1. Oil viscosity.  I know what this is for the most part, but I can't expl
> ain it that well.  Any good definition of this?
> 
>      2. I think part of the reason synthetic motor oil protects so well is that
> it creates a molecular bond to the metal engine parts (the Syntec commercial wh
> ere they drain the oil out of the car and it is still running comes to mind).
> Is this true?  It also has a higher viscosity, correct?
> 
>      3. 5W 50 motor oil.
>         ^^
>         I know this is the weight, but what is the "50"?  What does this stand
> for?  I know the differences between a 5, 10, and 15 weight motor oil, but what
> is the difference between the 30, 40 and 50?
> 
>      4. I know it is very important, especailly on Audis, to torque down the
> lug nuts to the factory specs, but why?  Any brief explanation would be much ap
> preciated.
> 
>      5. What is the interval for changing the fuel and air filters?
> 
>      6. How often should you normally check spark plugs (you can tell a lot by
> looking at them)?  And, when do you normally change spark plugs?  Dist cap and
> rotor?  And, what does the rotor do?
> 
>      7. How often should you flush coolant and add fresh coolant + water?
> 
>      Any info on any of these questions would be appreciated.  Thanks.
> 
>                                                                Later,
>                                                                Dan
Dan, 
The one thing I recall about motor oil designations, straight from
Encyclopaedia Brittanica, is that the "W" in say, 10W-40, stood for
Winter, meaning that it was suitable for a winter application.  Don't
ask me whose winter, but I distinctly remember this point since many
people thing it stands for Weight.  (If it did, then why wouldn't they
put it after the end and not in the middle?)   Anyway, my $.02.
Greg Durbin
85 4kq