Each year I take my 1995 Ford Windstar minivan to a local service station to be tested for its emissions and to be safety inspected
. Without fail I have had to make some repairs to the vehicle before it passes the registration requirements. Most of the time I am instructed to tune up my mode of transportation, but I am rarely if ever given any explicit reason why my car has not been able to meet the emission standards. After leaving the testing facility I make a quick reference to the issues being faced and head out to a Phoenix auto parts store to pick up the items I need to make the necessary fixes.
Last year I installed a new wiring harness for the distributor and changed the spark plugs to bring the engine to the correct firing status. This time around as in other years I am focused on the replacement of the air and fuel filters. After reading the different related solutions to the decrease the output of emissions I have realized that the internal engine components are affected by the oxygen and gasoline that is mixed and ignited in the combustion motor. By seeing to it that the individual objects which relate to the injection of those vital elements are in correct working order I have been able to successfully maintain my van and keep it properly licensed and road worthy.
Due to the age of the vehicle I am finding that although it is not my primary source of transport I must keep it running as efficiently as possible. My big problem is that I am reactive more than I am proactive in ensuring that everything is being well maintained. Instead of making alterations and adjustments throughout the year I tend to wait and see if I can pass the inspections before taking any action, but I have learned what it takes to make the car run more economically and because I am able to do the repairs myself I am saving money by not paying for a mechanic to look at the problems. With the help of a specifically structured manual that identifies each system in my car
I am able to diagnose the trouble areas under the hood and take my list of replacement parts to a retailer to pick up the things I need to increase the performance and safety of my older model minivan. I have even started changing the oil myself which I have found to be a relatively simple task that can be completed in under 20 minutes, and I can return the used oil to a service shop for recycling or disposal.