Re: Driver Skills

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2009/5/19 17:54:32

On changing brake fluid:

Should be done every 2 years. This is especially important on older cars because the brake system vents to the atmosphere and always picks up moisture. The brake fluid absorbs moisture out of the air. If the fluid gets saturated the moisture can boil in the wheel cylinders, under severe braking stress. This causes the pedal to drop to the floor and the brakes to stop working.

If the fluid has turned dark it is time to change. Bleed out the brakes while adding fresh fluid to the master cylinder. When fresh clean fluid starts coming out of the bleeder, you are done with that wheel. Time to go on to the next bleeder.

If you do this your brake cylinders will NEVER rust up or freeze up or leak and your bleeders will not freeze up.

On passing on a 2 lane hiway. You can whip around a slow moving car in an eye blink, even if you are driving a low powered car (not a Packard). Here is how.

When following along behind a slow car drop back 50 to 100 feet. When you see a good passing opportunity coming up, step on the gas andd accelerate up behind the other car. When you get close, you should be going 20 MPH faster than the other car. As you move out to pass you are still accelerating. If you time it just right you can pass a car in seconds and get right back in your own lane.

By doing this you can actually pass in less than half the time. On curvy or crowded roads this makes all the difference. You can pass safely with room to spare, in situations where the average driver cannot pass at all.