RV Preventative Maintenance
 Preventative maintenance, basically what you would be checking is
the fluids for your engine, belts, and hoses exc. So when you go
out on trips you are not going to have an accidental break down because
you forgot to check one simple thing.
- Windshield Washer Fluid - So the first thing you should
check is the windshield washer fluid, which is located where the
engine is depending on what type of unit you have. There
should be a white medium sized tank to the left or right of the
engine, you can look at it and usually see how much liquid is on
it. You just have to pop the top lid off to refill and then re-seal
it.
- Check the Brake Fluid - You just open the cap on top of the brake
fluid tank; make sure there is fluid on the top of the cap which
means that the reservoir is full. There could be a total of two
reservoirs’,
one in the back of the tank and one in the front. Basically
just check them both if there are two, that there is liquid on
both of the caps.
- Check the Power Steering Fluid - Should be located on the bottom
of the engine compartment. When you remove the lid, it should be
connected to a dip stick. Take it out and wipe it off, put the
dip stick back in and remove again. The dip stick should have levels
on it that can read add, low, full exc. That is how you will know
how much liquid is in there. If it is at the add line,
you should start up the engine, let it warm up and then check it
again to see if the fluid rises. You should then full up the tank
to the full mark on the dip stick, go ahead and replace the cap
and make sure it is secure.
- Check the Air Filter - To check it you
open up the clamp and lift up, which will give you the ability
to see inside the air filter. Take out the air filter and do a
visual inspection to see if it is clean or dirty. Make sure to
read the label on the air filter compartment. There may be a possibility
that there is a re-charge kit for certain models, and you
can clean them and service them with the re-charge kit and stick
it back in. If it is just a regular air filter you could just go
down to your local auto parts store pick up another one and replace
it, and make sure it is closed and secure after replacing it. Check
your hoses as you go along also, make sure they are all connected
and secure.
- Check the Engine Oil - its a little tube with
a long dip stick which leads down to the oil. Wipe the dip stick
to remove all the liquid, stick it back in, pull it back out and
check the level. It will tell you on the dip stick if it is at
minimum, maximum, or add. On engine oil you want to make sure that
you don’t
over fill it because it is actually worse to have it over filled
then under filled. If you need more oil you add it to another
tube a little left to the dip stick marked with an oil can figure.
Add about a half a court at a time and then check again and do
this until the dip stick reads full.
- Check the Transmission Fluid - This is another tube with
a dip stick connected to it, and you do the same thing. Pull it
out, wipe it off, put it back inn in order to pull out again and
check the fluid level. Transmission fluid you can check cold or
hot. Best way to check it is when it’s hot though. Transmission
fluid should be about 140 degrees, it should read full. If you
need to fill it, you filter it in the same hole as the dipstick
hole.
- Check the Coolant - Always be aware that if you have been running
the unit, the compartment and fluid will be extremely hot. If you
take the lid off when it is hot, the liquid could actually shoot
out and burn you. So you always want to be sure it has not been
running for a little while. The way to check if it needs more fluid
is if it is not filled up to the line on the compartment, if it
is not to the line fill it until it is.
- Check the Batteries - You have your batteries
down below. You want to check and maintain them, and check the
water level on those, check for corrosion.
- Check the Condenser for your air conditioning, your radiator,
make sure there is no debris on them and that the fins are not
all bent up, if they are they sell combs so you can comb them out
so they have proper air flow.
This
is all you pretty much need to do for this area before you take off
on your first RV vacation! Happy RVing!
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