Fluids, Manuals & Misc

Who’s Who of Engine Fluids

We’re all familiar with engine fluids—whether we’ve spent time under the hood or simply noticed drips and drops in our driveway. Engine fluids cut down on friction, prevent freezing and overheating, and make our vehicles run like they should. And, the more you know about your engine’s different fluids, the more likely you’ll be able to keep up on maintenance and save yourself from big repairs in the future. With that in mind, let’s run down the major players.

Engine Oil: Engine oil lubricates many moving parts, plus helps keep your engine cool by carrying away heat. It is usually dark brown or black and of a medium consistency. Engine oil, or motor oil, collects dirt and grime over time and thus needs to be changed fairly frequently. If you see this fluid in your driveway, your vehicle may be suffering from pan corrosion, faulty gaskets or more.

Coolant & Antifreeze: Coolant, or antifreeze, does just what you’d think: it keeps your engine cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. Coolant, or antifreeze, is often green, yellow or red. So, if you see any of these colors dripping on your driveway or parking space, you can make a safe bet that there’s a leak somewhere in your cooling system or radiator.

Automatic Transmission Fluid & Manual Transmission Fluid: Automatic transmission fluid and manual transmission fluid lubricate the moving parts inside your transmission. This fluid is usually red, but may become milky pink if contaminated. Red fluid drops indicate that you have a leak in your transmission system and should immediately find the problem and fix it. If you check your transmission fluid and it’s brown, it has overheated and should be changed immediately.

Gear Oil: Gear oil provides needed lubrication to moving gears. It is often light tan or black with a heavy or thick consistency.

Grease & Lube: Grease and lube cut down on friction throughout your vehicle. CV Joint Grease helps CV joints move in a front-wheel-drive vehicle, while Distributor Camshaft Lube does the same for the distributor camshaft. You’re probably not going to see this stuff in your driveway, and your mechanic will most likely let you know if gritty grease or lube is an issue.

Fuel Additive & Fuel System Cleaner: Though not always as essential as other automotive fluids, fuel additive, or fuel system cleaner, can greatly benefit your vehicle and your wallet. These fluids increase fuel efficiency, lubricity, engine cleanliness and can even help prevent freezing. Some fuel companies and gas stations add fuel additives at the pump, but you can also obtain these additives separately.

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