Back to all

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle

September 4, 2022

Today's Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport post focuses on using coolant. drive If you pour in the wrong kind, it won't protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Check your vehicle owner's manual. Of course, your Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.

Brake fluid is confusing for some Lockport drivers. Back when we opened Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Lockport residents mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That's not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the demands of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is designed for your vehicle.

Ditto for transmission fluid. For decades there were two basic types of tranny fluid used at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport: friction modified or not. With the tremendous engineering advances in vehicle automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them.

Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident to Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport professionals than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today's high-tech vehicle engine design. Modern engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances.

That's where the new grades of engine oil come in. They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those vehicle engine parts, big and little. The oil has to be thin enough to get into little passages, yet resistant to vaporization.

At Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport in Lockport, we believe that in some ways modern automotive fluids are just as impressive as the new engines. Because weights of oil and types of coolant and transmission fluid are so carefully matched to the vehicle, make sure you always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport
600 E 9th Street
Lockport, Illinois 60441
815-838-3700


More articles from Tuffy Lockport

Heat and your Tires (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)

May 12, 2024

With hotter weather and brutal heat waves becoming more common, the pressure in your vehicle's tires goes up. After all, heat causes air to expand, and the air in your tires follows the laws of physics. Overinflated tires can reduce your vehicle's traction, cause a hard, punishing ride and make ... More

Oil Times are a-Changin' (Oil Change Synthetic)

May 5, 2024

When it comes to oil changes, things are really changing. Most newer vehicles require synthetic oil, and while it costs more than conventional oil, it doesn't need to be changed as often. When conventional oil was the only game in town, you changed your oil every 3,000 miles/5,000 km. But as tec... More

Let's Clear Some Things Up (Headlight Restoration)

April 28, 2024

You know how exposing your skin to sunlight can cause sunburn and other unhealthy things. Sunlight can also create major problems for your headlights. After they've been exposed to ultraviolet light, acrylic headlights can yellow and fog due to oxidation. And when that happens, less light can ... More