Is there such a thing as normal oil consumption?

Firstly it should be mentioned is that if you find your oil levels are depleting then it is either down to oil consumption or an oil leak.

Oil consumption is the 'burning off' of oil in the engine and is common in older vehicles or ones which have been subject to high mileage. Commonly this is caused by worn valve stems and seals, and worn piston rings which allows the oil to slip into the combustion chamber where it burns off. If this is happening you may see wisps of blue-ish coloured smoke coming from the exhaust. Oil consumption is almost certain to happen as the vehicle ages. You can maybe even expect to see some consumption occur if your engine requires an oil with particularly low viscosity, 0W/20 for example.

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Motor Oil 101: the importance of making the right choice

Oil is the bread and butter of what we do at Granville. We love the stuff and we love making sure that when you pick up your oil off the shelf you know you are making the right choice for your vehicle. And you know we go on and on about why its important for you to make sure you have the right oil for the job but please, humor me once more as I take you through everything you need to know about engine oil.

Why do you need oil in your engine?

Essentially, oil is in your engine to do three things:

     1. It lubricates the moving parts of your engine

When you consider the speed and frequency that the metal parts of your engine move at, it's easy to see why they might need a little help to keep them going. Engine oil coats these components even at high temperatures ensuring smooth movement whilst protecting them from friction damage.

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Is commercial screenwash better than water and home-brewed alternatives?

The short answer? Yes. Absolutely. It can be tempting to settle for plain water in your windscreen washer system or to attempt to make your own with household detergent or alcohol but whilst you will make cost savings in the short term and its effects are kinder to the environment, the risks involved to your vehicle in the long term just aren't worth the short term savings. Here are the top reasons you should be sticking the screenwash in your system:

src: imgur.com

Cleaning Power

When it comes to getting rid of traffic film, grease and insect residue, screenwash has plain water beaten hands down. The alcohol and detergent in screenwash cuts through dirt quickly and effectively, getting rid of visibility obstructions which plain water could end up smearing across the glass. Home-brews with alcohol or household detergent, washing up liquid for example, would help to remove the dirt but depending on the substance used, it could leave residue behind on the glass or cause damage to rubber and paintwork.

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How healthy is your transmission fluid?

Ask the average motorist and it’s likely they will know how and where to check their oil and coolant level but ask about transmission fluid and they might not be so savvy.

src: automobilespoint.com

It’s not always immediately obvious how to check the health of your transmission fluid and indeed in recent years manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult for the end user to interact with the transmission at all unless you have the correct tools to get at the undercarriage of the vehicle. Should this be the case then we highly recommend that you allow your professional mechanic to perform any maintenance checks on your transmission fluid as you could risk voiding your warranty. If, however, you have a vehicle equipped with a dipstick under the bonnet for checking the transmission fluid then here are some things to look out for which may signal it’s time to book in for a fluid change or top-up.

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10 ways cold weather can affect your car and how to deal with them

The cold weather is harsh on your vehicle and, unfortunately, sticking on a hat, scarf and coat isn’t an option for it so it pays to be extra careful as the temperature drops because climate related trouble can strike quicker than you’d expect. There are plenty of ways that the cold weather can affect your vehicle so keep a sharp look out for any of the following and don’t get left out in the cold.

src: ajcollisionrepair.com

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8 easy car wash tips everyone needs to know

Cleaning your car to perfection is a fine art, but you don't need to be a professional detailer to achieve that showroom shine. Here's some top tips which will help you improve your car wash routine with minimum effort and maximum results.

1. Start with a clean bucket

It may seem like common sense but if you store your car wash bucket in the garage or the garden shed chances are that it's going to have collected a layer of dust and dirt by the time you dig it out again. Give your bucket a good rinse before you get started and you won't have lost before you've started.

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How to look after your genuine chamois leather

Chammy or Microfibre? It's a question which splits the room when it comes to drying off your vehicle. Many people reach for the microfibre cloth simply because Chamois Leathers seem like too much hassle and anyway they fall apart dead quickly right? Well, you might be surprised to know that if you look after your Chammy, you could get plenty of service out of it. In fact, plenty of people swear by the Chamois' durability and ability to absorb around six times its weight in water.

Think your Chamois is doomed to this?

The best way to get the most out of your genuine chamois leather is to take good care of it. Treat it right and you will get the results! Here's my quick guide on how to look after your chamois leather so that you can get the best value from it.

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Antifreeze and Coolant 101

Antifreeze and coolant. They cause quite a bit of confusion for motorists who aren't in the know. In fact it's one of the most frequently asked topics put to the Tech Team here at Granville HQ. And it's no wonder that it causes folk to scratch their heads over it because they are essentially the same product - just with different functions.

Call it coolant and you're referring to, you guessed it, the stuff that keeps your engine cool and operating at the correct temperature. When you think about it, your engine is basically powered by a series of controlled explosion so it's bound to get hot under that hood!

The job of Antifreeze is to keep things just right - src: funnyjunk.com

Now, technically speaking, coolant can be just plain water but this alone wouldn't protect against extremes of temperature or corrosion. Add Antifreeze to this water and you solve this issue, protecting against corrosion, aiding heat transfer, preventing scale build up, and raising the boiling point and lowering the freezing point of the liquid.

Generally speaking the ratio to make coolant is 50:50 Antifreeze to water but you must check your User Manual for the specific dilution for your vehicle.

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What your oil is trying to tell you about the health of your engine

Frothy Oil
A good quality engine oil should not foam up because of the anti-foaming additives that are mixed with the product. There could be several reasons why your oil has foamed up. If your oil is bubbly or foamy but not discoloured then you may have overfilled the sump. The oil is essentially being churned and aerated by the crank and can cause a lot of damage very quickly.

src: forums.swedespeed.com

If the foam is lighter in colour this could be down to water or coolant contamination. If this is the case, then there is a chance you may have a leaking gasket head or a crack in the engine block.

Solution: If you think you may have overfilled with engine oil make sure you drain it off and refill the tank. If you see evidence of light coloured foam, see a professional mechanic as soon as you can.

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6 Motoring Problems to Watch Out for this Summer

The Great British Summer is upon us - and boy has it made an entrance! Inconsistent temperatures, a heat wave, spontaneous torrential downpours and, of course, puffy red eyes and stuffed up noses for the Hay Fever suffers.

Of course Summer heralds busier roads as hopeful motorists make a dash to the airport to fairer climes; scramble for the coasts at the first sign of sunshine; or opt for spending the weekend in a crowded festival campsite up to their knees in mud. Busier roads obviously mean the potential to be sat for hours on end in traffic jams, but that’s not the worst thing that summer can throw at motorists trying to make a clean get away for their hols. Here's my top 6 summer problems that cause us drivers grief and some handy tips on how to tackle them: