(NAPSI)—A properly maintained and operated vehicle will run more efficiently, will be safer and will last up to 50 percent longer. That’s one of the findings of a recent survey of ASE-certified Master Auto Technicians.
Concern that people have gotten out of the habit of taking care of their cars has prompted NASCAR legend Richard Petty to team with STP and his crew chiefs to share with people their best practices for engine maintenance: the “All 3 Every 3” program.
The program recommends that Americans follow three easy steps every 3,000 miles:
1. Change your oil.
2. Clean your fuel injectors.
3. Check your belts, hoses and fluids.
“People have gotten away from regular maintenance on their car,” Petty explains. “The ‘All 3 Every 3’ program is designed to get people back involved in taking care of their car and protecting their investment. If people can take just a little time every 3,000 miles to change their oil, clean their fuel injectors and check their belts, hoses and fluids, then everyone’s car will be in much better condition.”
Petty has enlisted the help of his Petty Enterprises crew chiefs—Greg Steadman, Bryant Frazier, Chris Hussey and Howard Comstock—in order to educate Americans about the importance of automobile maintenance. Now through November, Petty’s crew chiefs are traveling across America to introduce the “All 3 Every 3” program—with Petty’s goal being to introduce as many car owners as possible to the program.
The three tips are stressed for the following reasons:
• Change your oil: The additives in motor oil become depleted as oil accumulates mileage. When motor oil loses its protective additives, your engine can suffer damage to the bearings, cylinders, camshaft and valve train.
• Clean your fuel injectors: Use a fuel injector cleaner to remove deposits. Fuel injectors are sensitive automotive technology and vulnerable to deposits—even deposits as small as a grain of sand can interfere with their ability to inject fuel properly.
• Check your belts, hoses and fluids: Check for cracks in belts and soft spots on hoses. By not replacing belts and hoses when these conditions exist, you risk breakdowns and costly damage to your engine. Also, check fluid levels. Fluids can evaporate, leak or deteriorate and need to be checked regularly.
A new program is teaching car owners to get into the habit of regular maintenance.
