I was looking at my mother's 1995 Toyota Avalon's owner's manual and according to it the car needs maintenance. I have some questions.
The engine oil and filter will need to be replaced soon. Do different brands of engine oil and different brands of filters offer better mileage/performance, or are they all the same? If they are different which ones are better and why are they better? Should I use petroleum based motor oil or synthetic motor oil and will synthetic motor oil ruin the engine?
On that age car, I would use whatever oil has been it. Any oil filter, Purolator Pure One are good.
The valve clearance should have been adjusted 5 years ago Exactly what is valve clearance and how do I adjust it?
I don't think these need vavle adjustments.
The drive belts were changed 5-7 years ago and are in need of inspection. What are drive belts and how do I inspect them? If they need to be replaced, are there better brands of drive belts or will any brand have the same exact performance and reliability?
I like the Toyota belts. Look for cracks or wear.
The engine coolant should have been changed 8 years ago. How do I change it and does the brand of coolant make a difference?
That should probably be done at a shop or lube place.
The exhaust pipes and mountings have never been inspected from my knowledge. How do I inspect them?
If it is not clunking or banging, forget it. Or take it to a muffler shop for a free inspection.
The air cleaner filter has never been replaced. Do different air cleaner filter brands exist and if they do, does the brand make a difference?
Again Toyota, I hope it has been changed in 11 years.
The fuel lines, connects, fuel tank vapor vent system hoses and fuel tank band need inspection. Exactly how do I inspect these?
More detail than I can get in to here. I would not sweat it, if you are worried pay to have a mechanic look at it.
The fuel tank cap gasket should have been replaced 5 years ago. Exactly what is it and how do I replace it? Are there different brands and does the brand make a difference?
I would not worry about it, unless it throws a check engine code because of it
The spark plugs should have been replaced 5 years ago. What brands of spark plugs are there on the market, which ones are better and why are they better?
They are usually good for at least 60K. Again Toyota.
What in the world is a charcoal canister and how do I inspect it?
See fuel line inspection
The Chasis and Body need inspection, is there a guide somewhere that I could read on how to inspect this?
You would need a factory service manual. I would not sweat this either.
In the engine compartment diagram, I notice that there are two large fans in the front of the engine. I am a silent computing enthusiast (hence why I know nothing about automobile maintenance) and I have always wanted to make the car quieter, so I am wondering, are these replaceable with quieter fans that offer the same air flow and are these standard 120mm fans, like the one shown here:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/pa12mesp.html
If they are, could someone tell me what the CFM and electrical specifications are of the fan, so I could get a quieter alternative (e.g. fluid dynamic bearing with a low decibel rating)? If they are not, would someone please tell me if I have any options for replacing them with quieter alternatives without compromising the engine's cooling? Also, I figure that if the fans die, the engine will overheat so would someone be able to tell me what the life expectancy of the stock cooling fans is?
