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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-04-23, Page 12rRsRsRsgsIsgserine�salwea t!•Es� awerrwelisEs�smowie$sgs E>j>_dt!lits gt hlit!itItIehl>s>!hltitlatidtg�lthash1041t 1.4)4 polog 041. 040 04) s▪ PolD OOP 1)40 >E 4><f 4;4> s 41 11, 04) 440 04,4 ptit E s< s! ir4s Eos` 111 s< s s ass ir4s ss 111 : i E ogo ESE ogo ogo ogo ONO ONE ONO !N! PaNe 12 Times -Advocate, April 23, 1997 SAVIINGS, 1 451P110113141MM 411rakilLUIE Don't get exhausted with bad mufflers (AiAC)-You're driving along in that economical little car, and it sounds like a fleet of gravel trucks. But it doesn't have to be that way. According to Car Care Canada, the main cause of falling mufflers is . simply a broken clamp. These can usually be replaced for what amounts to small change; compared to the cost of a new exhaust system. Onc warning sign is a clunking noise when you start to drive away. Just as you start to roll, you'll hear a series of clunks—you probably need a • clamp tightened or replaced. That sound is the exhaust system bouncing against the underside of your car, and it's a good idea to get it fixed before something breaks off. Every time you have your oil changed,make•sure the technician checks the exhaust system too. It only takes a few seconds to give it a quick look and. a wiggle to make sure everything Is firm and tight. " Have you ever seen a car driving along the highway trailing a stream of sparks? It looks (and sounds) -like the rocket ship from an old Buck Rogers TV show, but it's no joke. If there is any leak in the gas tank, those sparks could make things really interesting for the driver and for other people nearby. Even if there is no leak, there's a chance that the pipe could catch • something and turn into a spear; destroying the gas tank or parts of the • suspension. Exhaust system manufacturers have made a lot of progress. using more stainless steel (which is con-osion resistant) and more integrated systems (so there are fewer.parts to separate or break off) to eliminate this problem as much as possible, but corrosion is still a possibility. Onc of the things that drivers can do to prolong the life•of their exhaust system is to reduce the number of short trips they take. if you have several things to do, save them up and make one longer errand out of several smaller ones. That way, your car (and your exhaust system) will warm up, saving fuel, reducing tailpipe emissions and eliminating the water in your exhaust that tcnds to cause corrosion from the inside out. What's on exhaust system. anyway? It includes a muffler, which feeds the engine noise through a series of baffles to make it quieter, a catalytic converter, which reduces the tailpipe emissions and piping that connects these elements to the,engine. Some systems also contain a resonator. so your car sounds more like a mean muscle machine and less like a sewing machine. • Catalytic conveners do wear out. Sometimes, they can be destroyed -for example. long periods of idling may "cook the catalyst" because the temperature in the exhaust will rise without any compensating airflow'to Cool things off. 1 So if you -wan 10 avoid a rumple, take good care of your exhaust system. Like so manyother things, taking a little dine to check_ can help you avoid big troubles and big expense. For more detailed information, contact Denise Faguy, Manager, Communication Services, Automotive Industries Association of Canada. -r 1 Keep your cool when it gets hot 1 (AIAC)—If you can keep your cool whcn all about you others are losing theirs and blaming it on their radiatdrs...(with apologies to Rudyard . • I' Kipling). Every year, you see the same sight—the steaming radiator. the no less steaming driver; the disabled car—and it's so 1 unnecessary., - How does your'cooling system work? Coolant • circulatesthough the engine, ,picking up engine heat, and hack through the radiator, where. it cools. It's that) simple. The'components of the system are: I. Radiator: core. or tdbc, is surrounded by fins of light metal. The more surface arca these fins exposeto the • air, the more -heat they can reject. - - . 2. Water Pump: Running off a belt connected to,the engine, the water pump forces the coolant td circulate. Keep an eye on the belt to make sure it's not worn or cracked. 3. Hoses: The hose running from the bottom of younradiator takes coolant into the engine block, the hose at the top returns hot coolant to the radiator to be cooled. There are also hoses running -to the -back of the engine compartment -these are for the heater in your car. 4. Thermostat: The thermostat is in the return (top) hose. It closes when cold, to reduce coolant.circulation and help your engine warm up as fast as possible. Then it opens to maintain a constant engine temperature by regulating the flow of coolant •/. 5. Fan: The fan behind the radiator doesn't blow—it sucks. it draws air through the radiator to increase the cooling effect at low speeds. At highway speeds, it'usually'isn'tneeded as the ram air front driving is ample to keep cool. These. fans operate off a thermostat so they are'not using engine power all the time. • . 6. Pressure Cap: Cooling systems are pressurized to raise the boiling point. This pressure depends on the pressure cap on thc radiator (sometimes on the overflow reservoir). 7. Overflow Reservoir: Most cars have a translucent plastic container which contains' coolant. This allows -you to/check the level without opening the radiator. . 8. Coolant: We talk about water cooled efigines and water pumps, but the co6lant of choice is actually a 50/50 mix- of ethylene 41ryco3 and 1 water. Water alone.would cool the engine; hut it would also lead to corrosion. The•coolant cools the engine efficiently, resists freezing in winter, resists boiling in summer, luhricatcs the water pump and/inhibits corrosion. 1 r / 1 if 50 percent coolant is good, then 70 percent coolant must he better. _right?.Mayhc. But straight coolant will turn to slush at -22°C, it performs better when it's diluted. ' So how do you avoid heing one of those people boiling and seething by thc roadside? Car Care Canada has some quick tips for keeping your cool. - 1 I. Keep your coolant level topped up (hut not too full). and'your coolant at the right -concentration. It's easy to cheek the level by looking at the translucent overflow reservoir. One thing you should never do is open the pressure cap on a hot engine—the hot coolant Oill spray out and could cause severe scalding. 2. Check your hoses.once a month for soft .spots, cracks and loose clamps—when the engine is cool. Hoses should he firm, not spongy. Check for cracks by running your fingers lightly along the hose and feeling for snags. 3. If you replace a clamp or a hose, tighten the,clamp a few weeks ..afterwards–Tit will ease a little. at first with the engine vibration. 4. When you wash your car, take a moment to wash bugs and leaves off the radiator. Be careful not to crush or bend the light metal fins. 5. Flush your cooling system and replace the coolant at least every two years, or as specified in your owner's manual. 6. Use only top quality coolant products that meet the ASTM D- 3306 (spark ignition engines) or D-4985 (diesel) standard. Be cautious about all purpose or long life products -your engine is too expensive totake risks for the sake of a few dollars. For further information. please contact Denise Faguy, Manager, Communication Services, Automotive Industries Association of Canada at 613-728-5821. ' - Lack of air fuels asthmatic -feelin (AIAC)—We all need air to live, work and play, and bur cars arc flo exception. For every litre of gasoline that your car burns, it needs up to 9,000 litres of air. Every molecule of that air passes through your air filter. And if that filter gets clogged with dust and grit, your car will begin to get that asthmatic feeling=--itjust can't get enough air. Air filters arc easy to check, and easy to change: They are housed in a • box, usually at the front of the engine, which you can open by Unfastening a few screws or wing nuts. Pull out the air filter and hold•it up to the light or shine a bright "trouble" light through it. If you can't see much light through the filter, it's a good bet that the enginecan't breathe properly and you're losing power and fuel economy. . An engine that burns "too rich" (i.e. too much fuel and too little air) will develop some very expensive problems down the road. Engines cost thousands of dollars to replace, air filters only $5 -$l0. -Not a hard choice, really.'• • There arc other filters in your engine, too. There is a gas filter to catch any impurities in the fuel or any sedimentation that develops. There's a PCV, or Positive Crankcase Ventilation filter which keeps dirt out of the crankcase. And there's the oil filterto keep your oil clean. All 'need regular maintenance. . With regular maintenance, your car will run better, smoother and longer. And what you spend on filters, you'll save in gasoline.. . For further information. please contact Denise Faguy, Manage,; C'onn,aurication Services, Automotive haus. tries Association of Canada at 613-728-5821. at HAY'S AUTOMOBILE RECONDITIONING INTERIOR SHAMPOOING, VINYL AND FABRIC PROTECTOR, EXTERIOR BUFFL . AND HAND WAX, ENGINE SHAMPOOING, 3 YEAR SHINE GUARANTEE, OIL UNDERCOATING, 5 YEAR RUST PROOFING GUARANTEE BILL HAY Hensall Ont. NOM 1XO 20 Years Experience (519) 262-3342 "Will pick up and deliver" Leaks can threaten (AiAC)—Remember the anxiety you felt the first time you noticed that puddle of.water under your car at a rest stop during vacation? What a relief to discover it was only condensation from the air conditioner. That's about the only kind of fluid leakage that doesn't warrant concern, says Car Care Canada of the Automotive Industrie, Association. of Canada. Any other drip or puddles are omens of potential car trouble, even a safety hazard. A common practice is to put up with a minor leak until it's convenient tc get it fixed, especially when you are away from home. Delaying such repairs which often involve nothing more than tightening a hose or replacing a gasket, can he costly. The best way to find and/or prevent leaks is to keep the engine clean and check under and around the vehicle periodically for spots indicating leaks. Keeping gaskets, hoses and connections in good condition will prevent most of such problems from occurring. in your own driveway it's relatively easy to locate and identify a leak. At night you'can spread paper undcr the suspicious spot for closer scrutiny next morning. In a rest stop or parking lot however, you first have to determine if the leakage actually has come from your vehicle: It could be from the one which previously sat in that space. . Your next challenge: to identify the fluid. Colour and texture are your main clues. - • Green or yellowish water near the engine is antifreeze. • • Red fluid comes from the automotive transmission.or the power steering (although they are not the same). • An oily liquid, usually without' much colour but with a pungent odour, is likely to he brake fluid. • A thin fluid smelling like gasoline probably is just that. Leaking oil, antifreeze or gasoline around an engine is hazardous, the latter being the Jeading cause of car fires. It may be necessaryto have a gay leak repaired before starting the engine. . Check fluid levels frequently on a long trip. especially if there is a possibility of a leak. CAUTION: Never remove the radiator pressure cap whcn the engine is hot. You could he scalded. • " No one particularly wants to look for trouble on a long trip, but -an occasional check undcr the hood and around the car at a rest stop may prevent real trouble down the road. - Deals for SPrrrrg 1990 Plymouth Voyager. LE, 159 k. am/fm cass, tilt cruise, PS, PB, PDL, PW, PM, P seat, a/c. Overhead console warranty. $8,950. 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan LE, 177 k., am/fm cass. a/c, warranty. $9,450. 1990 Chev Lumina, 4 dr. 138 k., auto am/fm cass., PS, PB, PW, PDL, tilt, cruise, /a/c, warranty. $6,950. 1991 Pontiac Sunblrd LE 4 dr. 97 k., auto, .am/fm cass., a/c. warranty. $6,850. 1990 Ford Temp, 112 k. am/tm cassette: A.C. warranty: $2995. $2995. 1995 Chrysler Neon, 4 dr., auto, am/fm, 33 k. 7 yr. or 115 k warranty. Cash price only. $9,450. • PERSONALLY SELECTED CARS, VANS AND TRUCKS Contact Dave Urlin or Don Heywood at AUTO WORLD INC. 141 Main St. Exeter, Ontario (519) 235-1800 Oke Your car That Spthg holai,,, (R.\ • Air Conditioning • Undercoating • General Repairs • Tune-ups • Brakes • Tires 1 MONROET - r' iv SHOCK ABSORBERS BUY 3 GET ONE FREE TRIILEZ IIT(Hrr rtr sir. KYLE'S SHELL SERVICE 78 London Rd. Hensall, Ontario (519) 262-2832 THE BEST CURE FOR BALDNESS AROUND. if.: Irjo orpow re ASEIX MICHELIN. 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