The Basic Car Parts That Every Woman Should Know

Most women drivers are savvy enough to know that their car needs regular oil changes. Usually this is something that they do diligently but that's as far as it goes. They will make the arrangements to have it done but don't really understand the reasoning behind it. They just know its something that is recommended so they comply in order to keep their vehicle in optimum shape.

What are oil filters anyway?

To begin with its part of another very important part of the car which is the oil pump. Here are the basics of the story about oil for the car.

� Various components in a vehicle need oil to help them perform correctly.

� The oil is generated to these various components by a part called the oil pump.

� It's important the oil that is delivered throughout the vehicle be clean from impurities. Otherwise it can create some real problems in making the car sluggish or even damage some critical components.

� In order to ensure that the oil being distributed is clean it is pumped through a filter before it enters the other car parts.

The oil that is used eventually breaks down and needs to be replaced on a regular basis. It is common at this time to have the filter replaced at the same time. It depends on the vehicle as to how often this should occur but it's normally anywhere from 3,000 miles or no longer than 3 months between changes.

In addition to this you really need to know what is the best type of oil to use. This will depend on your vehicle and you should abide by the manufacturers guidelines for this.

What is the purpose of the water pump?
In the old days it was called the water pump, now today you may hear it referred to as the coolant pump. This is because the newer vehicles are relying on a variety of coolants and less water to do the required job.

What is the job of the water pump?
When the engine on your car is in operation its like any piece of machinery. Eventually it will get hot. In a car there are various components that are constantly operating in enclosed spaces, so there is no way of cooling it down with air. This is where the water or coolant serves its purpose.

So how does it work?

� Your car has cylinders that contain pistons.

� On the opposite ends of the cylinders are rods which make an auto part called a crank shaft to spin.

� It is the crank shaft that operates the water pump among many other things.

� There is a special belt attached to the pulley of the crank shaft that operates the water pump.

� The water pump contains the coolant that is going to cool the various parts of the engine down.

� The coolant is then disbursed from the pump through a radiator hose and a heater hose.

� One of the components of the water pump is a thermostat. This tells the car when it is cool enough to just keep the coolant circulating. Then if it's getting hot it will divert the coolant through the radiator. This way the heat can dissipate through the rad. Then it goes back to doing its job in the engine.

The major responsibility here for the car owner is to make sure there is enough coolant kept in the pump to run the car to its optimum. If one finds that the coolant seems to need replacing frequently or there is a pool of coolant under the vehicle when parked then it means there is a leak in the water pump and really should be replaced.