Last week, we looked at how improper riding of your car’s brakes can lead to disaster. Pirate Jack Hot Rod Restoration specializes in disc brake conversion kits because we love cars. Offering new-age performance plus old car parts is what we do. Consequently, we strive to keep our vehicles (and yours!) in prime condition. Beyond riding the brakes, there are several common driving habits that plague hard-working vehicles. Today we’ll look at a couple of improper driving techniques. Maybe you’re guilty of one - or all - of these habits. Go ahead and read our blog then quietly improve your style. We won’t tell.

Riding On Empty

From the thrifty road-tripper to the broke college kid, lots of people drive while their fuel needle hovers close to the E. The societal consensus is that driving with consistently low fuel levels can mess your vehicle up. Dirt and other undesirable sediments that come into your tank with gasoline settles to the bottom of said tank. When running on empty, your automobile will shake up this concentrated dirt, eventually pulling it into the fuel line. Dirty, semi-clogged fuel lines equates to you spending more money on replacing those lines along with the fuel filter. The strain can also cause a premature failure in the fuel pump, which is another piece that is both expensive and mandatory for keeping the car running. Additionally, having dirt in the lines can lead to dirt passing your fuel filter. The result? Damage to the internals of your combustion machine. Our advice? If you only fill a half tank at a time, fill the tank up (once) completely then refill it when it’s 50 percent gone. This small change can save headaches in the future.

Resting Hands On Stick Shifts

Another common habit that plagues the best of us is the practice of resting your palms on the top of the gear selector. This move has been debated in the automotive industry, but our policy is to not take the chance. In theory, constant pressure on your shifter causes unnecessary wear on your transmission. Although a neutral rest on the knob may do little damage, the slightest pressure in any direction puts undue stress on the sliders. The result? Your shifting and downshifting will become more strained until eventually the entire transmission stops operation. That’s a very expensive fix! Our advice? Rest the hand elsewhere.

Improper Warm Ups

During the freezing season, many of us are impatient with warming up the car. Starting a car in a cold state means that your oil pump hasn’t had the chance to lubricate all the parts involved in your combustion engine. When you floor the gas pedal these ungreased metal parts take additional strain. Sure, your car will warm up quicker, but the long-term cost of a new engine is ridiculous. Additionally, extended warm up times for your car can be similar in the damage department. Our advice? Let the car warm up for half of a minute, then drive it carefully. Travelling and doing it gingerly is the best habit to have for winter driving.

Ignoring The Parking Brake

Typically, people use their parking brake only when leaving their car in an incline situation. Not only does that lever keep your standard transmission from going places, it also helps your automatic car’s transmission! When you park on any incline and ignore your parking brake, your transmission suffers. Why? Parking pawl. No, that isn’t a typo. A parking pawl is a small metal pin that locks up your transmission. This little guy is vital for keeping your car from going places without your permission. Applying the parking brake not only eases the the burden on the pawl, it also adds increased security against your vehicle rolling away!

These habits are both detrimental and and easy to fix. Pirate Jack can help with brake rotor replacement and other replacement auto parts, but we are more interested in keeping you safe! For any muscle car part needs, though, we can also help. Contact us now to see how we can improve your hot rod!