Minibus Weekly: Pre-trip or Weekly Checks for your Minibus -

Details for Minibus Weekly: Pre-trip or Weekly Checks for your Minibus

ID:	3224
Author:	webaddiction
Title:	Minibus Weekly: Pre-trip or Weekly Checks for your Minibus
Article:	Your minibus is always there and you can simply jump aboard and use it. Or can you? You might think so but without the regular pre-driving checks it needs, your minibus may let you down, sooner or later. Getting into a weekly routine of checking over your minibus does not take much time or effort and will reward you because your minibus will remain reliable and therefore dependable. Starting under the bonnet makes sense. Regardless of whether it runs on petrol or diesel, your minibus needs the same under bonnet checks. Such as? Oil and water are the lifeblood of an engine and if either runs low, the engine will suffer. Often, you can check the coolant level of a minibus by looking at the header tank. If the level is low, top it up but do not attempt this if the engine is hot as releasing the cap of a hot water system can unleash a scalding geyser. It is also wise to check the engine oil level of your minibus when the engine is cold and before starting your journey. Dipping the oil then will give you an accurate reading and there are usually level marks on the dipstick to give you an idea of how much oil to add. Your minibus handbook will tell you how much oil represents the difference between the low and high marks. Moreover, it will tell you what kind of oil you should be using and where the fresh oil should be poured into the engine. Four further level checks apply under the bonnet and three of these are safety-related. The first is the brake fluid level. As with the coolant, the level in the see-though brake fluid reservoir can be directly observed, do not forget to check the clutch fluid level, if your minibus has a hydraulically operated clutch. The second level to check is that of the power steering fluid. Often, the reservoir has a tiny dipstick under its cap. Level check three concerns the screen wash fluid. Make sure that the bottle is full , top it up with a mixture of clean water and fresh screen wash fluid. The last of our quartet of under bonnet checks is often overlooked. The level of electrolyte in the battery is important; provided it can be checked (some batteries are no-maintenance items). Should the level be low, replenish the cells of the battery with distilled water, dry batteries are for torches! Your minibus needs further checks above decks. Keeping the tyres up to pressure goes without saying but do not forget the spare tyre. While at ground level, look at state of the tyres of your minibus. Are the treads unworn? Any cuts or bulges? Any odd wear patterns? No? Good! Lastly, lump the remaining aspects under the general heading of glass. Clean the windscreen and all windows. Do the same for the mirrors and finish off by wiping over and checking the lights of your minibus. Keeping your minibus in top condition using these easy maintenance tasks soon becomes second nature. You should naturally be still more scrupulous if a long trip is in the offing but making your minibus housekeeping is a regular assignment which means you are likely to nip any trouble in the bud. Whats more, these little chores can preserve your spotless minibus insurance record. Knowing your tyres, lights, glass and under bonnet items are in prime condition means you are unlikely to suffer an accident or commit a traffic offence through missing a safety-related or legal shortcoming. About the author of this article: louise slee is a web marketer and driving enthusiast for over 25 years, with no penalty points to date! see her articles at minibus club where she imparts some useful driving and travel tips when you are out and about in your minibus
Category:	Recreation: Autos
Date:	June 17, 2009 12:02:51 PM

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