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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-10-17, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1990. PAGE 15. Improper shifting may hurt engine PROPER FALL MAINTENANCE and Minter storage can increase greatly the life­ span of your motorcycle. One easy (but often overlooked) do-it-yourself chore is to fill oil to the proper level before storing. Another is to adjust and lubricate chains to prevent rust. J 0 tips to help you get ready for winter driving The National Institute for Auto­ motive Service Excellence (ASE), a non-profit organization which ad­ ministers national certification tests to automotive technicians, offers the following tips to help you get ready for winter driving. Some are a cinch; others require the skilled hands of a professional auto technician. 1. Getting started. All drivers, even those who never turn a wrench, should start by reading the owner’s manual and becoming familiar with the basic vehicular systems. Motorists will be happily surprised to learn that the manu­ facturer has provided numerous useful tips on driving, safety, and maintenance. The recommended service schedules should be follow­ ed. 2. General cleaning/mainten- ance. Autumn is the perfect time to apply a protective coat of wax or polish. Inspect all lights and re­ place burned out bulbs. Replace worn wiper blades - summer’s dust and insects are tough on them - and make certain you have plenty of washer fluid to fight road salts and ~ie. Carry emergency gear such jves, boots, blankets, flares, a flashlight, etc. 3. Battery. The battery is called on to work very hard in cold weather (hard starts in the morn­ ings, increased use of headlights and the heater blower, etc.), but as temperatures drop so does the cranking power of most batteries. Battery failure is a typical cold­ weather problem. The only accur­ ate way to detect a weak battery is with the professional equipment available at good repair shops. Most people, though, can perform routine care. Scrape away corrosion from posts arid cable connections; clean all surfaces; re-tighten all connections. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves to avoid contact with the corrosive deposits and acid. 4. Engine oil. The oil change is one of the most vital maintenance tasks, yet it is of the most neglected. The oil and filter should be changed as specified in your owner’s manual - more often (every 3,000 miles), if you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, carry heavy loads, or drive long distances. 5. Cooling system. To help prevent radiator freeze-ups and/or overheating, the cooling system should be completely flushed and refilled about every 24 months, the level, condition, and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. Never remove the radiator cap until the engine has cooled down. A 50/60 mix of anti-freeze and water is usually recommended. The tightness and condition of drive belts, clamps, and hoses should be checked by a pro. 6. Engine performance. If you noticed engine driveability pro­ blems such as rough idling, hard starts, stalling, and diminished power during the summer, by all means get them corrected now before harsh weather sets in. The air, fuel, and PCV filters should be replaced according to the manufac­ turers’ recommendations. 7. Heater/defroster. For your comfort and safety, the heater and defroster should be in good work­ ing condition. To prevent poten­ tially deadly fumes from entering your vehicle, have your exhaust system examined for leaks and underbody (and trunk) inspected for small holes. 8. Tires. Balding tires are a safety hazard and of little use in snow and slush. Tires should be rotated about every 5,000 miles. The air pressure should be checked once a month; let the tires “cool down’’ first. Check the sidewalls for nicks and cuts. Examine tires for tread life, uneven wearing, and cupping. 9. Brakes. Regular maintenance will extend the life of your brakes and will prevent more costly re­ pairs due to neglect. Brakes should be inspected as recommended by your manual, or sooner if you notice pulsations, grabbing, noises or longer stopping distances. 10. Finding good auto service. A repair shop is only as good as the technicians who work there. An increasingly popular way to judge the technical know-how of indivi­ dual technicians is to look for certification. Perhaps you’re young and you’ve never owned a car more grand than a wheezing econo-box with a stick shift. Or perhaps you’re closer to Social Security age, but you’ve traded your parlor-on-wheels, with its opera windows and automatic transmission, for a smaller, thrif- car with a manual tranny. In any case, I bet you haven’t given much thought lately to your shifting technique. for motorcycle maintenance Some 35,000 motorcyclists, many of them on classic Harleys, travell­ ed cross-country to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this past June, for Harley-Davidson’s 85th anniver­ sary “Homecoming Festival’’. Much of the discussion between classic cycle owners centered on care and maintenance of their machines. Unanimously they attri­ buted longevity of their cycles to the time spent tuning and main­ taining them, as well as to proper off-season storage techniques. As the 1988 motorcycling season draws to a close in much of the country, Harley-Davidson says it’s time to give serious consideration to fall maintenance and winter storage. Improperly preparing your motorcycle this fall can lead to annoying and costly problems when springtime rolls around. It also can greatly reduce the life of your machine. A few hours spent preparing your cycle for its winter hibernation are hours well spent, Harley- Davidson says. Here’s all it takes: •To preserve your fuel system, fill your gas tank, add a fuel stabilizer, and run the engine for a few minutes to get the treated gas throughout the fuel system. •Because the fuel in the tank is highly combustible, Harley-David­ son advises against storing your motorcycle in your home. However, if you must store it in your home or in an area exposed to open flames (pilot lights, sparks or electric motors), empty the fuel system by draining the gas tank and running the engine until it stops. Coat the inside of the carburetor with light oil and spray the inside of the gas tank with rust preventive. This will help prevent corrosion and possible engine damage. •Remove the spark plugs, inject a few squirts of engine oil into each cylinder and crank the engine five or six revolutions. Re-install the spark plugs. •Fill oil to the proper level before storing your machine. On Motor­ cycles with remote oil tanks, such as Harley-Davidsons, remove the oil line leading from the bottom of the tank to the feed fitting on the oil pump and plug the line at the bottom. Don’t forget to reconnect the line next spring. •Adjust the chains and lubricate to prevent rust over the winter. •Remove the battery and store in a cool area, above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but don’t expose it to direct sunlight or moisture. Give it a slow charge about once a month while it is in storage. •Thoroughly clean, dry and polish the motorcycle. Your local Harley-Davidson dea­ lership can answer any questions regarding motorcycle care and maintenance. They also can offer tips and advice to add years to the life expectancy of your motorcycle. People who drive a car with an automatic transmission can settle back in their bucket seats and rely on General Motors’ or Ford’s or Mercedes’ engineers to figure out the best time to shift gears. But those of us with sticks in our cars must make that judgement ourselves. And often, out of bad habit, we automatically shift at the wrong time, particularly when we come to a complete stop. Consider the boy-racer’s techni­ que. When he approaches a stop sign or red light, he downshifts through each gear - from fourth to third to second to first - with the engine wailing away at high revolu­ tions per minute all the while. In effect, he’s using the engine, rather than the brakes, to stop the car. The commotion may impress (probably unfavorably) onlookers, but the boy racer pays for it with unnecessary stress on his car’s mechanicals and with higher fuel bills. Then there’s the older driver who learned to drive in the days when cars had running boards or KEEP YOUR MAZDA RUNNING GREAT. WITHOUT RUNNING ALL OVER TOWN. If you want to keep your Mazda at its best, noth­ ing is more important than regular maintenance. And as a Mazda Full Circle Service Dealer, we're equipped to provide complete, high-quality ser­ vice for your Mazda. Our factory-trained techni­ cians know your Mazda inside and out. And all service is performed using Genuine Mazda Parts and the latest in electronic diagnostic equipment. Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories Specialized Mazda Service CALL DON FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY 524-2113 "NOW IN OUR NSW HOMS!" M-W MOTORS LTD. Sales • Service • Parts • L easing 300 SUNCOAST DRIVE EAST, GODERICH huge tail fins and pitifully inade­ quate brakes. In those days it was “Save the brakes,’’ not “Save the whales’’. Back then, brakes would over­ heat after a few stops, and their stopping power would fade. So it made sense to downshift through the gears before coming to a complete stop - using the engine’s power to decelerate, rather than depending on the brakes alone. On modern cars with disc-brake systems (and even computer-assis­ ted anti-skid braking systems), however, the worry of brake fade has faded away. Each time you shift gears, you use the clutch assembly and the synchronizers in the transmission. And if you frequently use the engine’s power to slow your car, you add considerable wear and tear to the engine and burn significantly more fuel over time. Of course, using the brakes adds wear to the braking system. But it’s far easier and much cheaper to replace a set of brake pads than to rebuild an engine. Winner of MAZDA’S Prestigious GOLD SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD two years running.