Back to all

Tuffy Amherst Guide to Using the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle

February 25, 2024

Today's Tuffy Amherst post focuses on using coolant. drive If you pour in the wrong kind, it won't protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Check your vehicle owner's manual. Of course, your Tuffy Amherst service advisor will know the proper coolant for your vehicle.

Brake fluid is confusing for some Amherst drivers. Back when we opened Tuffy Amherst, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some Amherst residents mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better. That's not how it works. They are different formulations to meet the demands of differences in brake systems. Only one of them is designed for your vehicle.

Ditto for transmission fluid. For decades there were two basic types of tranny fluid used at Tuffy Amherst: friction modified or not. With the tremendous engineering advances in vehicle automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them.

Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident to Tuffy Amherst professionals than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today's high-tech vehicle engine design. Modern engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances.

That's where the new grades of engine oil come in. They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those vehicle engine parts, big and little. The oil has to be thin enough to get into little passages, yet resistant to vaporization.

At Tuffy Amherst in Amherst, we believe that in some ways modern automotive fluids are just as impressive as the new engines. Because weights of oil and types of coolant and transmission fluid are so carefully matched to the vehicle, make sure you always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home.

Tuffy Amherst
101 N Leavitt Road
Amherst, Ohio 44001
440-988-9402
https://www.tuffyamherst.com


More articles from Tuffy Amherst - Auto Repair Center

For Brakes' Sake (Brake Rotor Service in Amherst)

March 29, 2026

Think of how much abuse your brakes take. Day in and day out, they stop your vehicle when it's going fast and when it's going slow. Maybe your vehicle has been vibrating when you brake, or maybe it seems like your stopping distance is a little bit longer than it used to be. Then it's time to get ... More

The Last Gas (Fuel Pump Replacement).

March 22, 2026

You're heading down the road and you notice your vehicle is sputtering, like it's running out of gas. But the gauge show's it's still got a quarter of a tank. So what gives? It could be that your fuel pump is failing, meaning your engine is not getting enough gas to run properly. While fuel pu... More

TCB your PCV (PCV Valve Replacement)

March 15, 2026

Your gasoline engine goes through some exhausting work. Yes, it's truly exhausting, as in: it produces exhaust! And when your engine starts behaving like it's exhausted, such as running poorly or getting lousy fuel economy, the trouble may be something called a PCV valve. Did you know it's a ser... More