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Home My WebLink AboutThe Brussels Post, 1979-04-16, Page 30LtAb SAVER!' RV owners find maintenance checks increase gas mileage. NEED A NEW CAR Check our low-cost loans The rate is low and there is no charge for loan protection insurance Clinton Community Credit Union Limited /0 Ontario St., Clintor 482-3467 Main St.o Exeter 2364646 BUSINESS HOURS nociy rty kuN bN PIAS Body ply cords run on bias from bead ta bead. Built with tei 4 plies ...coed angle reversed on each ply. Tread' is, bonded directly tp top nly. BUILT TOUGH TO MAKE YOUR TRUCK'S LIFE EASIER ILINE•111•11EIL Ad ow Folks all over are installing Line-A-Beds in their trucks because of their beauty and rugged durability. We carry many sizes; and models of truck covers TRAVEL-ON Sales - Setilite Travel Trailers trtiVel Accessories Pot -tiling Campers truck Cove rs 5194824364 11,11-1 Clinton Ont. Canada 10 ,-- !BAR CARE. SECTION Most RVs lack maintenance work does not mean that a major tune-up is always neces- sary," Mr. Walker added. "The best definition of a needs attention when his fuel cost per mile goes up dramat- ically." Based on information he has gathered, Mr. Woodard's formula shows how im- proved fuel economy pays for a tune-up. His basic formula involves a car averaging 10 miles per gallon, driving 1,000 miles a month, purchasing gasoline for 60 cents per gallon with 10,000-mile tune-up inter- vals. Assuming an average tune-up cost of $40, eliminat- ing a 3/4 of a mile per gallon loss in fuel economy would pay for the price of a tune-up over a year. Under Mr. Woodard's formula: LOST MILEAGE WASTE .25 MPG $15 .50 MPG $30 .75 MPG $45 1 MPG $60 Calculations are based on the fact that surveys show an untuned engine consumes more than 11 percent fuel than when it is tuned. Mr. Woodard points out, Elmer R. (Woody) Woodard explains the workings of his 1 Rite Time Saver Fuel Control System at his Elizabeth City, N.C., service station. After buying gas and recording her odometer mileage, the customer inserts a credit card into a machine that computes key details of the transaction. Later, she'll get a report on how efficiently she uses fuel. System shows . . . Tune-ups don't cost; they pay in economy Despite the fact that vir- tually every recreational vehicle owner is seeking bet- ter fuel economy and is dis- satisfied with present gasoline mileage, most dis- play widespread inattention to basic fuel-saving engine maintenance. Tests , on nearly 200 motor homes and towing ve- hicles showed that 79 percent of the motor homes and 78 percent of the vehicles used to pull trailers had at least one maintenance deficiency that would adversely affect fuel economy, emissions, or performance, In other words, four out of every five needed at least part of a tune-111 , An earlier ' test of some 5,600 passenger cars found a similar situation with 79 percent requinng mainte- nance. The most frequent engine malfunction discovered among the recreational vehi- cles was incorrect timing. A total of 67 percent of the motor homes and 60.5 per- cent of the towing vehicles had timing that was retarded or advanced at least two de- grees from manufacturer's specifications. Such incorrect timing is a major cause of poor perfor- mance, detonation, and wasted fuel. Engineers per- formed diagnostic exam- inations of the engine and ig- nition systems on 76 towing vehicles at an 'Airstream Trailer rally in Mansfield, Ohio. Although the motor home' or travel trailer is generally considered an expensive ve- hicle, owners are thrifty. All but one in the entire sample used regular gasoline, and many answered the question of what type of gas they used, with "the cheapest I can find." Virtually every RV owner said that he was seeking bet- ter gasoline mileage and was disappointed in his present miles per gallon. Most admit- ted to getting just five to eight miles per gallon. Few ex- ceeded 10 miles per gallon. In terms of maintenance, the motor homes were in worse condition than the tow- ing vehicles, The only exception to this was in the area of spark plug replacement. Of vehicles used for towing, 59 percent needed new spark plugs, while only 23 percent of the motor homes required the replacement of plugs. There are currently no standards for emissions on motor homes. Increasingly, standards are being applied to the rugged recreational vehicles and pickup trucks frequently being used to pull heavy trailers. The prior to every major trip, is recommended, This guaran- tees peak performance and fuel economy. "Such a recommendation A tune-up doesn't cost. It. pays. New proof for that state- ment comes from a formula developed by a North Carolina businessman who has devised a new system to achieve economical car op- eration. Elmer R. (Woody) Woodard of South Mills, N.C., has applied computer science to his fuel dispensing operation to let customers know exactly how efficiently (or inefficiently) their vehi- cles are running. Mr. Woodard's system, known as "1 Rite Time Saver Fuel Control System," pro- vides issuance of periodic print-outs including the fol- lowing: • Quantity of fuel pur- chased • Cost of purchase • Miles traveled since last purchase • Average miles per galloh on each purchase • Average fuel cost per mile on each purchase Mr. Woodard points out, "It's simple for a motorist to become aware that his engine tune-up is; Any service nec- essary to restore the engine to its manufacturer's spec- ifications and performance standards." "These figures are only on gasoline saved and do not take into account the more dependable starting and bet- ter performance a tune-up af- fords," While Mr. Woodard be- lieves his 1 Rite Time Saver system could benefit all motorists, his primary area of concentration is for fleet markets. He says, "A computerized analysis of fuel purchases not only provides exact informa- tion on how fuel is used, but it is also useful for tax account- ing purposes. It also helps a fleet owner detect any unau- thorized use of fuel." - Mr. Woodard, a retired navy career officer, intends to franchise his 1 Rite Time Saver system nationally. Certified mechanics abound Finding a mechanic cer- tified by the National Insti- tute for Automotive Service Excellence in your neighbor- hood becomes less difficult all the time, Some 140,000 mechanics have won NIASE credentials. Ask the repair shop if it employs NIASE certified mechanics. Look for the orange and blue gear shoul- der patches and the outdoor sign that reads: "We employ mechanics certified by NIASE . . let us show you their credentials." If you want a free listing of shops employing certified mechanics in your state, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to NIASE State Listing, Suite 515, 1825 K Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006. USE WANT - ADS Monday Out Thursday 9!00 -,6!00 Friday OtOdaini. 8:00 p.m CLOSED ALL 'DAY SATURDAY tests showed that 59 percent of the motor homes and 65 percent of the towing vehicles failed emission checks, based on New Jersey passenger car standards. In -• earlier tests, 41 percent of cars failed these standards. Mr. Walker explained that the high concentrations of carbon monoxide and hydro- carbon pollutants found in the RVs are a sign that the vehicles are probably wast- ing gasoline and performing at a substandard level. But with this increase in leisure and -recreational travel, Thousands have let slip routine vehicle mainte- nance, Mr. Walker said. "The gradual falling off of engine performance fre- quently goes unnoticed to the average motorist because the deterioration has been slow. Heat, vibration, and normal wear gradually change the clearances between engine parts and the adjustments within the electrical, fuel, and ignition systems. "When owners do notice the need for maintenance, it is usually only after fuel economy already has been sacrificed for a considerable amount of time," he said. "The best answer for the RV owner to the questions of when and how often to tune is that seasonal maintenance, or even better, maintenance Bias Ply Tire