Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle
February 19, 2023
Today's Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta post focuses on using coolant. 
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 Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.
Brake fluid is confusing for some Sparta drivers. Back when we opened Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Sparta 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 Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta: 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 Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta 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 Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta in Sparta, 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.
Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta
10 Northtown Drive
Sparta, Illinois 62286
618-443-6112
http://www.charliesfastlubesparta.com
Need Service?
More articles from Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta
An Oil for All Seasons (Engine Oil Selection)
January 26, 2025
You swap your winter boots for flip-flops in the summer. Why not change your winter engine oil for summer, hot-weather oil? While it may seem like it makes sense, there's some good news. Most drivers don't have to, and here's why. Engine oil can be made in different thicknesses. That thicknes... More
Out of Joint (CV Joint and Boot Replacement)
January 19, 2025
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it has components called CV joints which enable you to turn your wheels smoothly. The CV stands for constant velocity. In essence, its a set of gears that connect a shaft that allows power from the transmission to be sent to the wheels. When you turn the ... More
Procrastination Prevention in Sparta
January 12, 2025
Every one of us has a little procrastinator inside us. Some put off getting our teeth cleaned. Others put off answering our emails. Yet others put off calling friends and family (sorry, Uncle Joe). And there are those of us who put off getting our vehicle's service done, whether it's a repair or ... More