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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-20, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1999. PAGE 15. Gear Up for Fall Car Care Tips to prepare vehicle for the cold It’s a well-known fact that every year a large majority of the more than 16 million vehicles on the road are caught unprepared for the first blast of really cold weather. Don't be caught unprepared. Spending a little bit of time and effort now, can save you time, effort, frustration and even money later on. Here is a quick list of things to check before that first nasty blast of Is your battery tough enough? No matter where you live, Canada is a cold country in winter. When the first severe cold wave arrives you may discover that your faithful old battery no longer has the power to get your car started. A battery’s output decreases as temperature drops, so a battery that was doing its job during the warm summer months, may only have half of its output when the thermometer dips below freezing. Meanwhile, your cold engine may need twice the starting power. If your car is hard to start because of a weak battery, you should consider replacing it before it lets you down. When buying a battery you’ll be selecting from among several within the size range that fits your car. In addition to the price, there are other factors which you should consider when buying your battery: cold cranking amps (explained below), reserve capacity, and length and type of warranty. Cold cranking amps refers to the engine starting (cranking) output at -17°C for 30 seconds. A starter Oil your way to longer engine life First Aid Kits $10. Women were the principal vehicle maintainer in 36.4 per cent of households in Canada, that’s up from 32.2 per cent in 1996. One of the most frequent and most important maintenance jobs to perform on your vehicle is the oil change. Whether you’re a woman or a man, you may often wonder why you should bother changing the oil in your car. The answer is simple. Your car’s engine generates temperatures in excess of 200°C under normal operating conditions. If it’s a turbo, that’s more like 300DC! The oil helps protect your engine. Oil prevents metal to metal contact and cleans out dirt and combustion by-products. Many people don’t realize that oil is also an important part of the cooling system, dispersing about 20 per cent of engine heat. Today’s cars are designed with smaller, more fuel efficient engines, and are built to tighter tolerances. The engine oils you put in have to be of an equally high standard, and the manufacturers are continually researching new and improved products. But nothing lasts forever. Over time, the oil will lose some of its viscosity (ability to flow) and will pick up enough dirt and water in suspension that it needs to be replaced. Engine manufacturers generally recommend an oil change winter: Cooling System If it hasn't been done ir. a while, flush out your cooling system with a good chemical cleaner and put in fresh anti-freeze. Remember to use the anti-freeze in its proper proportions. Pure anti-freeze (most often made of ethylene glycol) does not cool or protect as well as the proper mixture of water and anti freeze which is described on the may draw 400 amps, so at -17°C it would not take long on a cold Canadian winter morning to drain a battery rated at 300 cold cranking amps. Reserve capacity refers to the length of time the battery will hold up without recharging. This usually is expressed in amperes of output per so many minutes. When comparing battery specifications, you should compare output and reserve on the same amperage per time basis. Typically, the reserve capacity rating will refer to the amount of time a battery can produce 26 amps at 27°C. (Headlights may draw about 15 amps versus a taillight’s 1.5 amps.) When idling along in stop-and-go traffic, with the heater, defroster, tape deck, and lights turned on, the electrical system is carrying a heavy load. It’s comforting to know there is a strong battery under the hood. That security is well worth the effort of evaluating the best battery for your particular car. every 5,000 to 6,000 km. If you do nothing else in the way of preventive maintenance, do these oil changes. They are the single most effective thing you can do for long engine life. And at about $20 per oil change, it is also one of the cheapest. Are all oils the same? Should you just put any kind of oil in your car? the short answer is no - not all oils are equal. All oils conform to high standards. The biggest difference is in-the additives that each company adds. These additives will enhance the oil’s cleaning effects in the engine, will lay down a protective layer on the metal walls to reduce internal friction, and help the oil to resist thermal and viscosity breakdown. There are also other additives or oil treatments you can buy separately. Such additives can help any oil remove engine deposits, protect engine parts, and improve fuel consumDtion. Thev are available at automotive stores or wherever you get your oil changed. What about synthetic oils? Synthetic oils are not refined from crude oil, they are specifically engineered for high performance engines. They give you superior low temperature fluidity, better high temperature stability, and greater resistance to oxidation and shear stress. Synthetic oils are also less anti-freeze container. And don’t forget to check containers, belts, hoses, the pressure caps and thermostat. Battery and Electrical System If your battery is more than a few years old, have it checked. Cold weather is hard on batteries. Be sure connections are clean and tight. Corroded or loose connections can give the symptoms of a weak or dead battery. Remember, replacing the battery is no substitute for regularly maintaining your vehicle. If an engine is in borderline condition, needs a valve job or tune-up, even a strong battery may not get the car started. Where can you get an automotive battery? In addition to retail outlets and department stores, you may also want to go to your local automotive parts wholesaler. Many of them will also accept your old battery and dispose of it properly. Car Care Canada encourages you to dispose of your battery properly. Did you know that one pound of lead from a battery or other source can contaminate 7,000,000 gallons of water, making it unfit for human consumption (the average car battery contains 17 to 23 lbs. of lead)? Canadian automotive battery manufacturers participate in battery recycling programs across the country. Today, millions of units of scrap batteries are returned and disposed of in an environmentally safe fashion. volatile-, and so you are less likely to have to'add oil between oil changes. Some synthetics contain an additive that actually bonds to engine surfaces, providing an extra layer of protection. And that layer Continued on page 17 Engine Is it time for a tune-up? Faulty wiring, worn spark plugs, a sticking choke or emission control devices that need attention, can all lead to hard starting. A diagnostic check up of the engine can be a good winter pre-investment. Oil and Filter Dirty oil can give you trouble in the winter. Now’s the time to change it. Change the oil filter too! And don’t forget to check the other filters on your car, including the fuel, air and transmission filters. (The transmission filter should be changed with the transmission fluid when it is changed during regular RAYMOND WILTS Proprietor Phone: 1-519-523-9726 Fax: 1-519-523-9908 * * No -titaeto vuas-te_. * Winter is just around tfe comer At Radford’s we have everything you’ll need to make sure your vehicle’s ready Booster Cables 8 gauge 12 feet starting at $20. Car Covers starting at $52.50 $ F FARM AND Al I INDUSTRIAL Ji |^^ PARTSBlyth 523-9681 preventative maintenance.) Tires For every 5°C of temperature drop, your tire pressure decreases by one pound. Tires which are under-in Hated by only eight pounds can reduce gas mileage by five per cent and cut tire life by 25 per cent or more. Check your tire pressure regularly. Emergency kit And don’t forget to carry an emergency kit in your vehicle during the winter months, it could save your life. Following these simple tips will help you to survive another Canadian winter. R.R. #1 Auburn,ON N0M 1E0 RADFORD AUTO J $ Brussels 887-9661