"Auto Maintenance Minder 2.0 HELP"

"To enable a maintenance item:"
"1. Click the box to the left of the item."
"2. Click on the text boxes to adjust the maintenance intervals."

"Information in these help files is the author's opinion only. Please remember"
"that your owner's manual or your qualified mechanic should have the last word."

"Screen 5 -- Non Routine Maintenance items."

"The items on this page probably aren't in your owner's manual. Nevertheless,"
"if you keep your vehicle long enough, some of these items are sure to need"
"servicing."

"19. Inspect or replace spark plug wires. Spark Plug wires can eventually go"
"bad, causing your engine to miss. Check this by opening the hood on a dark"
"night, starting the engine, and looking for some sparking action! The insulators"
"on spark plug wires eventually decompose, causing this phenomenon. My opinion on" 
"service: Replace every 90,000 miles."

"20. Inspect or replace distributor cap and rotor. Almost all new cars now have"
"distributorless ignition. For cars that still use a cap and rotor, replacing the"
"cap and rotor can improve fuel mileage, engine power, and make the engine quieter."
"The metal posts (electrical conductors) inside the cap often corrode after a while,"
"making your engine's 'spark' less effective. My opinion on service: Replace every"
"60000 miles"

"21. Inspect emission system -- replace PCV valve if necessary. Often this is"
"an item that needs service only if your car fails an e-test. Still, you can"
"check to make sure your vacuum hoses are all intact and connected, and check"
"the PCV valve (pull it out and see if it rattles -- if it rattles, it is still"
"good). Admittedly there are other parts in the emission system to check --"
"the EGR valve, other misc. parts, beyond the scope of this program. My opinion" 
"on service: Check every 50000 miles"

"22. Replace oxygen sensor. This is another emissions component which can go"
"bad and/or wear out on newer cars, although it is rare. Nonetheless, changing"
"this component after many miles can lead to an increase in gas mileage and"
"reduce emissions. How can you tell if it is bad? You can't, unless you notice"
"other performance problems, or your 'check engine' computer code shows a bad"
"oxygen sensor. My opinion on service: Replace every 75000 miles."

"23. Replace transmission fluid and filter. Some new cars now come with "
"permanently sealed automatic tranmissions. But most don't. Transmission fluid"
"eventually gets brown, dirty, and contaminated. It should be a dark reddish "
"color. It's a good idea to periodically replace it. The same holds for manual "
"transmissions -- although they are less critical.  My opinion on service: Replace"
"fluid & filter every 60000 miles."

"24. Replace thermostat. As your car ages, you may notice that the temp gauge"
"rides higher than it used to. This could be because your thermostat is"
"jammed and the spring isn't opening as wide as it used to, thus not letting as"
"much coolant circulate through the engine. On older vehicles, this is a no-brainer"
"replacement. My opinion on service: Replace every 60000 miles for optimal cooling"
"system performance."

"25. Clean and repack front and/or rear wheel bearings. Most front drive cars "
"have sealed front wheel bearings that can't be repacked, but it is a good idea"
"to periodically clean, regrease, and re-pack the rear wheel bearings to "
"ensure that your car rolls easily. Failure to do this can cause the rear wheel"
"bearings to become noisy and/or fail. My opinion on service: repack bearings every"
"45000 miles."

"26. Inspect or replace drivebelts and hoses. This is a common sense check that you can"
"easily do. Make sure your belts aren't frayed or cracking, and that your hoses"
"feel firm, aren't swollen, and aren't 'mushy.' My opinion on service: Check every"
"year or 15000 miles."

"27. Flush engine cooling system. Another good idea. Eventually contaminants, dirt,"
"and grime can enter your cooling system, clogging your radiator. Also, the coolant"
"itself can wear out, making it ineffective at protecting your cooling system. My"
"opinion on service: Flush every 45000 miles."

"28. Check C/V boots, steering boots, and all suspension seals. It isn't a bad idea"
"to periodically crawl under your properly supported car and check out all of the" 
"rubber seals. Note particularly the C/V axle boots -- the axles that drive the "
"front wheels. It is critical that the boots remain intact on these to keep grease in"
"them. With a torn boot, they can fail after only a few miles. Check the rack & pinion"
"steering boots too -- they keep dirt out of the system. Then, check/grease the "
"suspension seals (tie rod seals, etc.) My opinion on service: Check every year or"
"15000 miles."

"29. Flush brake fluid. Brake fluid is highly absorbent. Eventually, it gets old and"
"absorbs too much water, making it considerably less effective at stopping your vehicle."
"My opinion on service: Check whenever your brakes are replaced."

"30. Rotate Tires. This is not a 'must do.' However, if you don't rotate your "
"tires on front-wheel drive cars, the front tires will wear out quickly while"
"the rear tires will last almost forever! Generally, rotation is recommended"
"because it facilitates even tire wire and extends the lifespan of the tread."
"My opinion on service: Every 7500 miles."

"(c) 2000 SW Software Productions LLC. Not responsible for suitability of this advice"
"for its intended application. "