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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2011-04-14, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011. CUSTOM EXHAUST SYSTEMS & GENERAL REPAIRS • Auto, light truck & agricultural maintenance & repairs • Custom bent exhaust systems made with precision & pride • Aluminized & stainless tubing • Bending up to 3" • Expanding up to 4" • Diesel 4" & 5" systems Bob Jamieson ~ Class A Mechanic 519-482-pipe (7473) 41477 Winthrop Rd. Londesboro, ON Jumping a simple, but necessary, procedure to learn CCC –In the world of automotive emergencies, motorists need to learn certain procedures for “safety's sake”. Two of the most valuable lessons, changing a tire and hooking up jumper cables are best learned before an emergency arises, according to Car Care Canada. The process of boosting a battery is especially important in cold weather. Jumper cables or cables on a portable battery booster should be connected properly to avoid sparks, which can cause an explosion of the hydrogen gas emitting from a battery. Beyond this, an incorrect hook up can damage critical, and expensive, electronic components – including accessories, such as cell phones connected to your vehicle’s power outlet. The procedure is simple, first connect the positive (+) clamp to the positive terminal of the healthy battery and the other positive clamp to the corresponding terminal of the dead battery. Next, the negative (-), or ground, terminal on the good battery and, finally, the negative clamp to the engine block, frame or other grounded metal as far as possible from the battery. You want to avoid sparks in the vicinity of the explosive hydrogen gas that emits from the battery. Do not connect it to the ground terminal (negative). When using a portable battery booster, the process is much the same. Connect the positive clamp of the booster cable to the positive clamp of the dead battery. Then connect the negative cable to the engine block or other grounded metal away from the battery. Car Care Canada offers an additional suggestion: if you are buying jumper cables or a portable battery booster, buy the best quality you can afford. Look for well- insulated clamps and eight-gauge wire. (Note: the lower the wire gauge number, the heavier the gauge.) Under the heavy electrical load of boost starting, lightweight cables may not be able to deliver enough current to start some engines. In fact, they have been known to melt in the user’s hand. If your battery is three years old or older and you haven’t had it checked, it’s a good preventive measure to do so, suggests Car Care Canada. A battery’s power is reduced as the temperature drops. And that’s when the engine’s starting demands are greatest. Need a boost? Motorists need to know how to boost their car should they find themselves without power. The simple procedure can solve time and money and should be learned before an emergency strikes. (MS photo) Towing places additional stress on autos at already tough time CCC –Hitching a boat-trailer or camper to a vehicle not only dramatically increases the work load placed on its engine, transmission, suspension and brakes, but it is expected to cope with these additional burdens during the heat of summer, often on roads made busy by holiday weekend travellers. To be safe, rather than sorry, and ensure you arrive at your summer destination you need to know your vehicle is up to the towing task you’re asking of it and that it has been properly maintained to ensure reliability. The starting point should be selecting a vehicle that can get the job done. An underpowered, and even worse, under-braked vehicle is an accident waiting to happen, and so is a vehicle whose suspension isn’t up to the job of delivering stability while towing. Vehicle, trailer and RV manufacturers have the knowledge to help you choose a suitable vehicle and any special towing option packages you’ll need. But often your current vehicle can be upgraded to include these features by fitting aftermarket products such as heavy duty or load-levelling type suspension components, wiring for trailer lighting and brake systems, provisions to mount the correct hitch, and such things as oil and transmission fluid coolers. Before setting off on a towing holiday, with either a new or older vehicle, however, a full maintenance and inspection should be performed, even if it’s a bit ahead of schedule. An oil and filter change is essential, but the fluid in either manual or automatic transmissions and in the rear end of rear-drive vehicles should also be replaced. Much of the additional strain of trailer towing is directed at the automatic transmission. Generating heat is one of the unfortunate byproducts of an automatic transmission’s operation, and too much of it is one of the leading reasons they develop problems. To help extend fluid life virtually every automatic transmission comes with its own fluid cooler, which is usually incorporated into the engine coolant radiator. This keeps the fluid within a reasonable operating range under ideal conditions, but trailer towing can send temperatures soaring. Changing the fluid regularly, or switching (where possible) to some of the new high tech fluids on the market can help, but what you may need is an auxiliary fluid cooler. You can also have a similar type of auxiliary radiator installed to cool your engine’s lubricating oil, which can also become overheated and break down, due to the increased heat generated by trailer towing. Ask an expert about these units. The cooling system should be pressure checked for leaks and all hoses, connections and fan and water pump drive belts checked. Coolant is often referred to as anti- freeze, but that is only one of its roles. Its chemical makeup prevents corrosion and provides consistent performance at the high temperatures generated by today’s engines. The braking system will be heavily stressed by even a relatively light trailer and should be inspected for both pad and brake shoe wear, but also to detect rusted or damaged mechanical components. Brake lines should be inspected, and brake fluid changed if required. Old brake fluid can contain moisture which can boil in the lines under heavy or extended braking and cause brake failure. The battery and charging system and the trailer wiring connections should also be looked at. Hot summer weather is actually harder on battery health than the cold of winter. Fitting a heavy duty battery to meet additional lighting loads is often a good idea. The additional weight of a trailer can put severe loads on a vehicle’s suspension so the steering system, shock absorbers/struts and suspension bushings need to be in top shape to ensure control. An inspection will also reveal any damaged or worn suspension components. Tire condition should obviously be checked, and tires inflated to the recommended pressures. Low tire pressures cause overheating and eventual tire failure, as well as short life and added fuel costs. Unevenly inflated tires can cause the trailer to wander. Look for signs of unusual tread wear, and such things as cuts or cracks in the sidewalls. Needless to say you should carry a spare tire, and the equipment – jack, proper sized lug nut wrench – you need to replace a tire. Lubricate the lug nuts occasionally to ensure they aren’t frozen in place with rust. Filters should also be inspected and if necessary replaced. A dirty 519-523-4356 Complete Mechanical Service Computerized Tune-Ups Tires - Struts & Suspension - Brakes Vehicle Inspection Station Book your Spring Tune-Up Now Continued on page 15 www.huronfuelinjection.com “Qualified Care For Your Complex Fuel Systems” 1-800-320-0666 77242 London Rd.. (Hwy #4 S.), Clinton, ON 519-482-7971 Service & Sales Of Diesel Fuel Pumps & Injectors, Gasoline Injectors, Turbo Chargers, Starters & Alternators