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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-10-22, Page 186 2014 Fall Car Care Guide • Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Roadside surprises Recently, I was asked by a friend for some roadside assistance. While driving towherethevehicle had broken down, I thought about what might have happened, so that I could prepare myself. The driver had reported too much steering effort and a loss of battery voltage before the vehicle came to a stop at the side of the road; all else seemed fine. Typically when I arrive at a broken-down vehicle, I expect the usual things like a punctured tire, missing belt, no fuel, a broken ignition, or possibly a coolant leak or broken suspension. As a technician, you survey a break -down like an investigator at a crime scene. Sometimes the clues are obvious but most times they are not. On this occasion however, nothing could have prepared me for what I discovered under the hood. A look into the engine compartment revealed pretty much nothing exceptforthe accessories beltthatwas partially disorientated.This was unusual because most times the belt just breaks and comes off. We boosted the car and the engine started, ran smooth, and there were no suspicious noises. After stopping the engine, I checked the tension on the serpentine belt - it was ok, so why the misalignment? As I continued to inspect the accessory belt assembly, I noticed that the pulley on the crankshaft was somewhat out of alignment and in an awkward position. Further inspection revealedthatthe crankshaft pulley was not in line with the rest and having a closer look, Ifoundthecauseofallthetrouble. The crankshaft pulley had come apart and the centerwasturning at engine speed while the outer parameter was not. Typically the crank pulley is solid metal and almost never breaks. The exception here was that the vehicle manufacturer combined two components into one. That is, the pulley and engine harmonic balancer were one piece, when usually they are two. The harmonic balancer is needed to reduce engine vibration and is usually next to the pulley on the crankshaft. Thinking about this for a while made me realize that while manufacturers seek to improve and make cars more efficient, there is almostalwaysa resultantcompromisethatends up biting us in the butt. Inthis case,the harmonicbalancer/pulleyhad been designed as one to drivethe serpentine belt.The rubber membrane needed to dampen vibration, and connecting both parts caused it to break because it could no longer sustain the torque required to power the accessories. The serpentine drive on this vehicle included the alternator, water pump, air conditioning, and power steering. When the drive to these components was lost, it was only a matter of time before vehicle performance was compromised and roadside assistance required. i YOUR CAR WON'T GO FAR THIS WINTER WITHOUT PROPER MAINTENANCE OIL, LUBE AND FILTER ROTATE TIRES TEST STARTING AND CHARGING SYSTEM COMPREHENSIVE MULTI -POINT VISUAL INSPECTION We will recommend your manufacturer's required maintenance. * Most vehicles. Service Package includes a new oil filter and up to 5 litres of conventional 5W20, 5W30 or 10W30 motor oil. Diesels, %ton and up extra. Environmental fees, taxes and shop supplies extra as required. Call your local NAPA AUTOPAO for complete details. tEnter in store. No purchase necessary. At participating centres only. Item may not be exactly as shown. Contest closes February 20th, 2015. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. See in store for complete contest rules and regulations. UNTIL FEBRUARY 28TH, 2015 Book your Maintenance Service before February 28"^ 2015 and you can ENTER TO WIN' imstore for ONEOF75 Playstation°4 Systems MUFFLER MAKES ll`.` 101 Bennett Street East. Geller ch Open: Monday -Friday a-5 WE KEEP YOUR CAR YOUNG Call for your appointment and more details now! We are fully authorized to perform warranty -approved maintenance on new vehicles. BeCar Care Aware - IN AUTOPRO Being in the hot seat Forthose of us who choose to live in an environment where the thermometer spends much of itstime in the negatives, having the luxury of seat warmers in our cars is truly a technological blessing. The much -beloved seat heaters first made an appearance in European vehicles in the early 1980's. It took domestic manufacturers 10 years to realize the importance of this luxury in colder climates. The firstdomestic vehicles toadapt the technology asanoption were the higher -end SUV's and luxury cars; soon after, seat heaters became a common component of mid-size and compact option packages. On a winter day when the temperature has dipped below freezing, having the comfort of a heated cushion and backrest while you drive becomes very soothing, if not addictive. The driver manipulates a switch, which sends electric current to one or two wire grids positioned between the foam and cover of a car seat.These grids become extremely hot in the same manner as a stovetop element.They are sandwiched between two layers of insulating fabric to prevent overheating or scorching. Basic systems have only one grid on the lower cushion of the seat, while others usetwo gridsfor upper and lower seat portions. Seat warmers are primarily found in the driver's seat but certain models now have all front and some rear seats equipped with the heaters. The newest systems incorporate a "high" and "low" position on the activation switch to give drivers the option of different temperature ranges. Quite often, drivers forget about the heaters and get a slow braising of the buns before realizing what is happening. In other instances, the grids can get hot enough to burn through the insulating material and cause damage to the seat. All these minor inconveniences are moot for some people, however, because onceyou've enjoyed the comfort ofseat heaters, you'll quickly realize why drivers have come to like them so much. Bring on the Polar Vortex. "Qualified Care For Your HURON Complex Fuel System" FUE_ Ir4)Ec71r:rti • Diesel Fuel Pumps & Injectors • Torbo Chargers • Starters & Alternators Toll Free: 1-800-320-0666 www.huronfuelinjection.com Local: 519-482-7971 77242B London Rd. (Hwy #4 S.) • CLINTON