HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-10-14, Page 33ENGINE — COOLING SYSTEM CHECK ] -|- - i™■ C,TKE^WE,)NESD*Y’ October u, i987. page 33.
(This fall, ask your mechanic to perform the following inspection.) i 1 ips on troubleshooting
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• system. This also would restrict the
1 coolant. The solution to this is to1 bleed the system.
■ J 7. The blower motor may not be
Automotive Belts:OK
Replace/
Refill
Fan ........ □□
Alternator....................... □□
Air Conditioner.........................□
Power Steering . . ......... □□
Timing ...... □□
V-Ribbed □□
Steering Pump ........ □□
Air Pump ........ □□
Automotive Hoses:
Upper Radiator ........ □□
Lower Radiator . " □D
Heater....................... □□
PCV ........ n □
By-Pass . . . .□n 1
Fuel Line ......... n □ 1
Power Steering ......... □□ .
Windshield Washer . . n □
Other:
Oil Level ......... □□
Air Filter ......... □□
Other Emission ......... □□
Spark Plugs & Wires -...... □□
Battery & Cables .........: □□
Caps (Oil, Radiator. Fuel)......... □□
Windshield Washer Solution ......... □□
Radiator Coolant ...... . □□
Power Steering Fluid □□
Safety Inspection:
Tires □□
Exhaust System............. □□
Lights . .......... □□
Turn Signals ........ □□
Windshield Wipers................................... □□
Horn ........ □□
Brakes ......... □□
Brake Fluid ......... □□
your car's heating system
With the cold winter months
ahead, now is the time to make sure
your heater is working properly.
A car’s heating system is much
like the engine cooling system. In
addition to the duct work, the basic
elements of any car heating system
are: 1) The heater core which is in
essence a miniature radiator, and
2) two hoses, one of which
transports hot coolant to the heater
core in the passenger compart
ment, while the second hose
returns this coolant to the engine.
To help familiarize you with
some possible heating system
problems, The Gates Rubber
Company has developed this
troubleshooting guide.
When your car heater is not
producing enough heat, any of the
following may be the cause:
1. The flow of air under the dash
may be blocked.
2. Coolant level in the radiator
may be low.
3. Heater hoses may be leaking.
Ifa leak is the problem, the hose
must be replaced.
4. Hoses may be bent or kinked,
thereby restricting the flow of
coolant.
5. If the car’s heater hoses have
recently been removed, they may
not have been properly reconnec
ted.
6. Air may be trapped in the
properly working. This could be
causedbya blown fuse, a faulty
blower resistor, a bad blower
motor switch, a loose connection or
a burned-out motor.
8. The cooling system thermo
stat may be stuck in the open
position. When this happens, the
coolant will not heat up properly.
And, if the coolant is too cold, heat
output will be insufficient. The
thermostat should be removed,
tested, and replaced if necessary.
9. Doors to the heater assembly
may be stuck.
10. Heater core may be clogged.
Ifthisisthecase, the core should be
removed from the car and cleaned
out. If the problem still exists, the
heater core should be replaced.
11. Water pump belt may be
worn and need replacing. If the
pump belt has become loose due to
wear, it will not drive the water
pump efficiently. This, in turn,
means that the cooling system will
not operate efficiently.
It sagoodideatohaveyourcar’s
heating system checked ou t as part
of the “winterizing” which should
be performed before cold weather
hits. Conscientious preventive
maintenance can help avoid heat
ingproblems which always seem to
occur at the most inconvenient
times.
For the heater to operate properly, the cooling system must have the
proper mixture and amount of anti-freeze. This also is a convenient
time to inspect and replace heater and radiator hoses.
Clues to avoiding
cold heater blues
You are halfway to work and your
heater still is blowing only cold air.
This ailment, while not uncom
mon, is likely to get your undivided
attention on a bitter cold morning,
especially if you have no wind
shield defrosters.
that’s a simple diagnosis.
If not, it will be necessary to raise
the hood, and feel the radiator and
hoses (with the engine shut off). If
they’re hot to touch, your problem
is not a cold engine. When in
doubt, however, have a mechanic
Time for complete
FALL TUNE-UP
While we’re checking
There are a ha If dozen posible
reasons for a cold heater, says Car
Care Council, most of which can be
pinpointed through the process of
elimination.
Check the easiest things first. Is
the blower fan working? If not,
check the fuse first. Perhaps
there’s a loose connection or the
switch could be faulty. Usually fan
motors give a warning before
failing completely. Has yours been
getting weak or noisy?
How’s the anti-freeze/coolant
level? If it is too low, you may not
get any heat.
One of the more common
culprits is a faulty thermostat,
which can prevent the engine from
reaching normal operating tern-
check the coolant temperature with
a radiator tank thermostat.
NOTE: Replace a defective
thermostat as soon as possible to
avoid inefficient engine operation
and rapid wear of engine parts.
Restricted circulation of coolant
through the heater core is another
cause of cold operation. This
usually can be traced to an
inoperative heater control valve, a
collapsed or obstructed heater
hose, or a clogged heater core.
If your vehicle recently has had
major work on the radiator core and
you still have the original heater
core, that soon may need replace
ment, says Car Care Council.
Another indication of heater
core deterioration is accumulation
of moisture inside the car caused
perature. If there’s a temperature by seepage of coolant from pinhole
gauge on the instrument panel, leaks.This limited warranty covers vehicles in normal use, and
excludes routine maintenance parts, belts, hoses, sheet metal
and upholstery.
We service all makes and
models of cars and light duty trucks
BRIDGE MOTORS LIMITED
FORD 357-3460
HIGHWAY 86 - EAST OF WINGHAM