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

Let Tuffy Amherst Help You Extend the Life of Your Car

September 14, 2025

If you haven't shopped in the Amherst area for a new vehicle recently, you're likely to experience some sticker shock. It seems everything is costing more these days. And when you consider the price of auto financing in Amherst, and insurance, the idea of hanging on to your old vehicle for a few ... More

It's Brake Time (Brake Calipers)

September 8, 2025

Race car drivers have demonstrated the advantages of disc brakes, so most modern vehicles use them. Sometimes just the front wheels have disc brakes, but many vehicles now have them all the way around. A major component of the disc brake is called a caliper. It works by squeezing brake pads ag... More

Prepare Your Windshield for Winter (Wiper Blades and Fluid for Freezing Temperatures)

September 1, 2025

Winter and freezing temperatures present challenges for different parts of your vehicles. For example, winter tires give you better traction on snow. But some parts of your vehicle that may need special attention for winter are your windshield wipers. You may have found yourself in the middle o... More