Clinton News-Record, 1969-05-15, Page 15The News -Record, May 15, 1969 — Car Care Supplernent Page 3
Time to Check Car for Warm Weather
Consultation with Good Mechanic
Urged by Auto Association's
Road Service Expert
By JOHN ECK
Director, Emergency Road Service,
American Automobile Association
A long winter .of commuting back and forth to work, schools
and shops -- often under severe weather conditions — has left
your automobile "out of condition" just at a time when you're
all set for the pleasure trips of spring and summer.
To plan well for warm weather travel you
need to know what has happened to your
automobile during the stresses of winter,
and how to help insure that the trips you
plan to. take will be safe and trouble-free.
Nearly '72 million U.S. motorists had some
problem with their automobile in 1967, the
American Automobile Association's annual
survey showed, Forty-three percent of them
were due to battery, starter and ignition sys-
tem failures, an increase of 20 percent over
the previous year.
The 14 million flat tires motorists had in
1967 was the second highest figure on the list
of all troubles. There also were 581,000 incidences of brake
failure.
The Emergency Road Service Department of the AAA sug-
gests you consult a good auto mechanic early this season.
A checklist has been developed for your use in working with
him to discover and correct any problems which may have
developed during the colder months.
* * *
Sixty years of experience in auto repair, and our day-to-day
observation of the repair needs of 11 million AAA driver -mem-
bers, lead us to recommend:
❑ TUNEUP. An engine tuneup is a wise investment. Have
the ignition, points, spark plugs, battery, voltage regulator,
generator and all wiring checked. •
❑ LUBRICATION. A thorough lubrication job will lessen
wear on vital moving parts. Change to the grade of oil recom-
mended for the driving conditions you expect to encounter.
Install a new oil filter cartridge. Check all hydraulic fluid Levels.
Q COOLING SYSTEM, Have the cooling system cleaned
and flushed; refill with a good permanent type antifreeze or
add a rust inhibitor. have the thermostat, fan belt and water
pump checked.
Q BRAKES, TIRES AND WHEELS. Has'e the brake linings
inspected and check the brake seals. Have the tires rotated;
replace worn or damaged tires to eliminate blowouts and flat
tire worries. Check the wheel alignment and balance — un-
aligned and unbalanced tires cause excessive and uneven wear.
Be sure shock absorbers are in good condition. In addition
to causing discomfort, bad shock absorbers can be dangerous..
❑ VISION. Windshield wipers, headlights, turn signals,
backup and brake lights should all he checked for perfect
operation.
John tack
• *
That is a fairly thorough examination! You may have rea-
son to believe that your car is essentially in good working
order — that you do not have the time or the need for the
entire check-up routine.
There are certain minimum precautions AAA suggests before
any long-distance travel by automobile, however. They also
can be presented as a checklist, which we call a "Trip Check."
The points constitute a simple "make-ready" to assure you
of a dependable car:
❑ INSPECT AND ADJUST all fan belts.
❑ CHECK AND ALIGN front end.
❑ LOAD TEST battery and clean terminals.
❑ INSPECT .AND TIGHTEN all hoses.
❑ INSPECT ALL TIRES.
❑ ADJUST BRAKES, check linings.
You should consider these additional services, and have
your mechanic perform thew according to your ear mane`
faeturer's recommendations:
p DRAIN AND FLUSH cooling system, adding rust in-
hibitor with refill..
O CHANGE motor oil.
O LUBRICATE.
Q CLEAN OR CHANGE air, gas and oil filters.
El CLEAN AND CHECK crankcase ventilation system.
Ca CHECK OR CHANGE transmission and differential fluid.
❑. CHECK AND GREASE front wheel bearing.
These are the preventive measures, taken frequently, which
will not only give you peace of mind while traveling this sum-
mer, but will also increase the life of your car and help it to
give you top-notch performance in all seasons and under all
conditions,"
Hold It, Mister, Your
Battery May Be Okay
Blaming starting trouble on
the battery can be like blam-
ing a broken leg on bone fail-
ure. In both cases, something
is wrong but something other
than the affected part is caus-
ing the problem.
A well-maintained battery
that hasn't outlived its useful-
ness should not cause starting
problems. More likely some
other electrical component is'
at fault and is draining the
battery power. For example,
faulty wiring, worn spark
plugs or malfunctioning dis-
tributor may be overworking
the battery during starting.
As a result the battery wears
down to a point that it may
seem dead. The alert service
man will look beyond the bat-
tery as the cause of the start-
ing failure, especially when he
is reminded to do so by the
customer.
To keep your battery in top
operating condition, here are
some pointers: A quick visual
inspection every time you gas
up and a voltage test every
six months should assure you
maximum efficiency battery
life.
It's a simple job for the
service attendant to check
battery water level and condi-
tion of cables and terminals,
This should be done at least
once a week to guard against
premature deterioration.
Twice a year, the battery
should be tested. At the, same
time, terminals should be
cleaned thoroughly to get rid
of corrosive materials and dirt.
Foreign matter on the termi-
nals or cable clamps can cause
battery failure.
OUR BEST WISHES
TO
ART HOGGART & STAFF
At
ART'S SUPERTEST
Rom
McKERLIE
AUTOMOTIVE LTD.
WE SPECIALIZE IN MACHINE SHOP SERVICE
AUTOMOTIVE PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
86 Albert Street
Clinton
482-661
If the battery shows prema-
ture loss of power, chances are
other components may be at
fault. For example, wiring may
be short circuiting or you may
have a problem in the charg-
ing. Have your service man
conduct an electrical check.
Corroded terminals can
shorten effective life of your
battery. Clean off the corro-
sion with a solution of baking
soda and water, applied with
a stiff wire brush.
Driving
Periodic Checks
4n Car Brakes,
Easy to Make
Brakes, like all -day suckers,
have a habit of wearing away
slowly. So, it's a good practice
to test your brakes periodical-
ly to make sure they can stop
your car safely,
Every week, test the hydrau-
lie system by firmly pressing
your foot against the pedal. If
the pedal moves gradually to-
wards the floorboard, you are
losing vital pressure. Have the
problem corrected immediate-
ly.
Periodically, test stopping
ability in a Sat, open area
where no other cars or obstruc-
tion are present, 'Accelerate to
30 miles per hour, then apply
the brakes with your hands off
the steering wheel. If the car
pulls to one side, you may have
brake trouble,
In any case, have your serv-
iceman perform a complete
inspection of the brake system
every six months.
Why not cut out the article to the left
and keep it in your glove compartment
for reference when having your car
serviced.
SEE
CARTER'S
WEST -END
for authorized
BEAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT
SERVICE & BALANCING
P.MIViIr Lane
BEAR1S the PERIODIC MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION
Illl
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CARTER'S have on hand;
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also
1966 Chev impala, 2 -door hardtop with autotnatic, power
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See thein today at
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CLINTON
215 HURON ST, (Hwy. No. '8 West)
482-9863