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The Citizen, 1994-04-20, Page 13I THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20,1994. PAGE 13. Spring clean your car Through the spring and summer months, the weather permits regu­ lar at-home cleaning of the car - especially the exterior. This is a vital practice to protect the paint finish, which provides beauty, depth of colour, gloss retention, durability and an increased resale value. The best way to preserve your car's finish is to keep it clean by frequejit washings in cold or lukewarm water, according to auto­ motive specialists at General Motors of Canada. Lots of water is the key to scratch-free washing of the car's exterior, they say. Douse the car thoroughly to remove dirt, salt and grime. Strong soap or chemical detergents should not be used, and all cleaning agents should be flushed promptly from the surface and not allowed to dry on the fin­ ish. The GM auto specialists also warn against washing a car with hot water or indirect sunlight. Faulty wiring causes auto fires The two main causes of car fires, other than accidents, are faulty wiring and/or leaking fuel. Poor insulation on wires, causing a short, can start a fire if the circuit is improperly fused. Leaking fuel is the other culprit, according to Car Care Council. An important aspect of tune-up ser­ vices is the inspection of all fuel lines and connections. Increased fuel pressure on newer cars, combined with higher under­ hood operating temperatures, makes this a critical precautionary service. “Most car fires are caused by fuel line connections, generally at the fuel filter or the carburetor,” says John Kennedy, President of the National Association of Fire Inves­ Periodic waxing and polishing is recommended to remove surface residue from the paint finish. You should consult your Owner's Manu­ al for recommended polishes or waxes. Bright metal parts should be cleaned regularly to keep their lus­ tre. Washing with water is usually all that should be needed. However, you may use specially formulated chrome polish on chrome and stain­ less steel trim if necessary. A coat­ ing of wax, rubbed to a high gleam is recommended for all bright metal parts. You can preserve the original appearance of aluminum wheels by keeping them clean and free from build-up of road dirt or salt. Regu­ lar cleaning followed by a coat of wax is recommended. However, the GM specialists warn not to use abrasive cleaners or cleaning brush­ es, since these could damage the protective coating on the wheels. tigators. “Sometimes it's faulty material, even substandard fuel lines but, more often than not, it's merely a matter of the installer having failed to tighten connections properly.” Fuel injection requires higher fuel pressures, thereby requiring a top quality fuel line. As fuel inject­ ed engines grow older, and those hoses age, we can expect to see an increase in the incidence of that kind of fire, too. A leaking fuel pump diaphragm which allows fuel to spray on a hot exhaust manifold is another cause of car fires. Do not ignore the lingering odor of gasoline in your vehicle. Inspect for leaks at once, says the Council, and make sure all wiring is proper­ ly insulated. Experts recommend tune-ups at 30,000 miles In the desire to keep their cars in top condition, do-it-yourselfers tend to needlessly replace spark plugs well before the recommended mileage interval. Yet other important tune-up parts are often neglected when replacement is recommended,” says Lee Taylor, Marketing Manage for Standard Motor Products, the leading supplier of replacement ignition engine control parts to automotive service professionals. For reliable performance with modern, high-voltage ignition systems, spark plugs, distributor caps, rotors, and plug wires should all be replaced at 30,000 mile intervals, Taylor says. According to Taylor, replacing these parts can prevent some of the following performance problems: • Erratic idle and hesitation; • Poor fuel economy; • Erratic shifting with automatic transmissions; • Loss of power at high RPMs; • Failure to pass emissions inspection. The toll of engine heat “Engine heat is the main reason why plug wires in particular, as well as distributor caps and rotors, should be replaced every 30,000 miles,” Taylor explains. “Plug wires are usually close to exhaust manifolds, where they get baked pretty badly,” he adds. “Also, to satisfy emission standards, normal engine operating temperatures have increased to around 220 degrees for later model cars. The trend to downsized cars ? has just concentrated this heat in a smaller area under the hood,” he notes. “Under these conditions, it's remarkable that modern ignition components can handle the onslaught of electrical surges at 20,000 volts or more and still perform well for 30,000 miles.” Effects of high voltage “Modern ignition systems generally operate in the 20-50,000 volt range or higher. That's a lot of juice compared to the 5,000 volt breaker point ignition systems of yesteryear,” Taylor remarks. “Since 30,000 volts can arc a spark an inch and a half, any breakdown in the insulating properties of the cap, rotor or wire can allow the spark to arc to ground before it reaches the plug. This is why it's so important to keep caps, rotors and wires in top notch condition,” Taylor emphasizes. Advice for do-it-yourselfers “With a properly functioning modem ignition system, the spark plugs will still be clean after 30,(XX) miles,” Taylor says. However, after long exposure to 2,000 degree combustion temperatures, spark plugs suffer from erosion, he explains. “Plugs should be replaced at 30,000 miles because they will be eroded, not because they are dirty,” he points out. “In a modern ignition system, dirty plugs before 20,000 miles indicate some other problems such as a cylinder blowing oil,” he adds. “A reasonably skilled do-it- yourselfer can certainly replace plugs, plug wires, the distributor cap and rotor himself at the recommended intervals. We always urge the car-owner to use quality parts from a supplier to the professional community. These parts should meet or exceed original equipment specifications. “Yet there are several strong reasons for having this service performed al a reputable service specialist. High-tech cars require qualified touch “The 1980s brought many advances in electronic engine controls,” Taylor continues. “During this period of change to fuel injection and electronic ignition, many different bugs have developed in many different models,” he explains. “Automotive suppliers have issued volumes of technical information to keep professional technicians aware of specific Upkeep crucial for engines Downsizing automobiles has helped change cars from gas guzzlers to gas snipers. The result of this redesign is smaller, lighter cars. Most of them are front wheel drive, powered by a transversely mounted four-cylinder or V-6 engine. Even though the cars and engines are smaller, the way people drive has not changed. Most cars are still subjected to prolonged high-speed driving, frequent stops and starts, occasional heavy overloading and inadequate or improper preventive maintenance. The end result is that the smaller engine runs approximately 25 percent faster and creates 15-20 percent the heat than the large V-8 engine that was the standard 15 years ago. Specifically, belts, hoses and problems with specific models. “The do-it-yourselfer, on the other hand, doesn't have ready access to this type of information, or the training and experience to go along with it. As a result, a car owner may spend hours beating his head against a brick wall trying to solve a performance problem that a qualified service specialist would correct as standard procedure during routine maintenance,” says Taylor. “The other major aspect of a modern tune-up is filter replacement,” says Taylor. “Because you never know when the contaminants may be picked up other engine components are subjected to a variety of heat sources. These include the temperature of the coolant and radiant heat sources, collected together in a smaller engine compartment, which generate higher underhood temperatures in today's downsized cars. These under-hood temperatures can contribute to premature hose and belt failure. Hoses and belts may become cracked or brittle due to excessive heat. All rubber parts should be checked for these signs of wear any time the hood is opened. In addition, in downsized cars radiators are smaller, and accessory drives such as the water pump, work harder and at higher speeds. Therefore, especially in smaller cars, maintaining an efficient in the gas tank, we suggest fuel filter replacement every 6,000 miles,” Taylor notes. “We recommend replacement of the air filter at 10,000 mile intervals, or more frequently under dusty conditions such as a long period of unusually dry weather,” he adds. “Yet for all the technological sophistication of today's cars, most of the time they are relatively trouble-free, and the best way to keep them operating at peak efficiency is with regular maintenance entrusted to the hands of qualified professionals,” he concludes. cooling system is very important. Also, four cylinder car engines tend to vibrate more than larger engines. This can lead to loose fittings and attachments which can reduce the life of under-hood components. Manufacturing technology has improved to meet the greater heat and wear demands created by downsizing cars. Improved braids and reinforcements on belts and hoses and higher heat-resistant compounds are used in the manufacture of these parts. However, despite these improved standards, additional emphasis must also be placed on preventive maintenance. Regular preventive maintenance checks for belt and hose wear, as well as scheduled cooling system check-ups and engine tune-ups can help keep smaller cars operating efficiently.