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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1985-10-30, Page 37tope. ,• ,wnslain the automobile ,has welled change carstrom gas guzzlers into gas sip. pers. The effect of this redesign is that most snail cars manufactured in the U.S. and Canada are 40 to 60 percent lighter than they were 10 years ago. Even though the cars are smaller, the way we drive has not changed. These cars are still subjected to: •Prolonged high-speed driving. °Frequent starts and stops. °Occasional heavy overloading. °Regular use on badly maintained streets and highways. °Cold weather use without engine warm- up. °Exposure to weather extremes and cor- rosive substances. °Inadequate or improper routine maintenance. The end result is that today's smaller 4 - cylinder engines must work a lot harder than the large V-8 engines that were our standard. This extra strain can cause engine parts to wear out sooner and calls for more preventive maintenance. Higher engine speeds Smaller engines operate at a higher rpm than did the large engines of yesterday's cars. Under similar conditions, today's 4 - cylinder car engine must run approx- imately 25 percent faster than a 1970 V-8 engine. Because of the higher engine speed, the V -belts which drive the engine accessories also operate at higher speeds. According to The Gates Rubber Company, a leading manufacturer of automotive belts and hoses, higher speeds can decrease the ser, vice life of belts. It's very important that engine V -belts be checked often and pro- perly adjusted. Due to smaller engine compartments, engine belts, hoses and components are subjected to high under -hood temperatures. Over the past five years, belts and hoses have been improved to operate in conditions as high as 300 degrees F. Yet, higher under -hood temperatures can still contribute to premature hose and belt failure. Hoses may become cracked or brittle due to excessive heat. This is relatively easy to spot when any under -hood maintenance is performed. Detecting wear on the belts which drive the accessories is more difficult. Because of the construction of today's V - belts, it is difficult — even for the trained mechanic — to determine the severity of wear on belts. Therefore, Gates suggests belts should be replaced every four years, whether or not they appear to need it. Replacement should be even sooner for cars which are driven under heavy or ex- treme conditions. Higher coolant temperatures Until the 1960s, common engine eoglant temperatures ranged from 100 degrees to 170 degrees F. By contrast, coolant temperatures in today's engines May ex- ceed 235 .degrees F iaf some hot spots. Wyle the cooling systems are designed to handle these higher temperatures, a delicate balance must he maintained. In smaller cars, radiators are smaller, water pumps operate at higher speeds, and hoses and belts run closer to the manifold and other heat sources. Therefore, maintaining an effective cool- ing system is very important. Four -cylinder car engines also tend to vibrate more than large engines. This can lead to earlier loosening of fittings and reduce life of under -hood components. Manufacturing technology has improved to meet the greater wear and heat demands created by smaller cars. However, despite these improved stan- dards, additional emphasis must also be placed on preventive maintenance. Due to the more severe operating condi- tions under the hood, higher temperatures may cause belts and hoses to crack or become brittle. But, with a regular preven- tive maintenance schedule for cooling system check-ups, belt and hose replacements and engine tune-ups, your smaller ear can continue to operate effi- ciently and with few problems: Propane powered. vehicle use is on the increase Not many years ago it was rare to fuel your car with anything but gasoline, but there are now 100, 000 propane -powered vehicles and 5000 natural gas powered vehicles operating in Canada. Sixty per cent of the propane -powered vehicles are m Ontario. In Canada as a whole, natural gas -powered vehicles are most common in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario. This is influenced by tradi- tional markets and distribution systems — propane -powered vehicle users benefit from an extensive distribution system and pro- vincial government .incentives in Ontario, and competitive pricing compared with gasoline in Alberta and British Columbia. The natural gas distribution system is more urban oriented and growth of natural gas as a vehicle fuel is most rapid in large urban areas where a network of fueling stations is established. Natural gas conversions are always to dual fuels, leaving the gasoline system in - Now there are over 100,000 propane and 5000 gas powered vehicles in Canada tact, so that when natural gas is not available, the operator can simply use gasoline. Most propane -powered vehicles are dedicated propane -only systems. Vehicles are converted to propane or natural gas by the ,addition of one or more tanks to store the gas and equipment to meter the fuel into the engine. For an automobile or light truck, a propane conver- sion typically costs $1500; a natural gas con- version would cost about $2200, Cost savings are the prime motivator for converting to natural gas or propane: Both can be much less expensivethan gasoline or diesel fuel-. A propane or natural gas system PHILIP BRECKLES We have...an OLD FACE but a NEW LOOK! SPECIALIZING IN.°.Brakes, Exhausts, and Air Conditioning IT'S WISE TO WINTERIZE !Guards ave your batt ry, etc! check for the cold months ahead! _•'"� CLIP N' SAVE I ,' 5.00ff �1 E on Oil Filter & Lube Job Special �iUN�W14iIU►III�dN��W4U4N111jj UuU1N,�411�11►N�, PHILIP BRECKLES Automotive and Small Engine Repairs 232 Oxford St. GODERICH 524-9538 is a good investment if the vehicle is driven frequently, if the engine is in good condition, if the price difference between the gaseous , fuel and gasoline is wide in your area, and if the fuel you are considering is easily available. The annual kilometres driven and the rate of fuel consumption determine how quickly conversion costs will be paid back. Fre- quently used, high -consumption vehicles will recover the cost of conversion quickly. It is best to talk to a conversion specialist about your specific situation, as this is the only way to be sure that conversion will be economical. Black Top Cabs Ltd. of Vancouver con- verted 128 vehicles to dual -fuel natural gas and gasoline. The transition was rapid and, within four months, 90 per cent of the fuel being used by the cabs was natural gas. The company monitored its vehicles after the change was made and found that the net capital costs of the conversions were fully recovered within the first year of operation, and each cab was saving almost $600 per month in fuel costs. Both propane and natural gas are clean - burning fuels, producing few exhaust emis- sions, particularly carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons: The gaseous fuels perform much better than gasoline for short runs and in cold weather, and this is particularly im• - portant in city driving where the heavy traf fic raises air pollution levels substantially. Vehicle- conversion technology has proved safe and reliable over 60 years and in hun- dreds of .thousands of conversions 111. worldwide. UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING 0 z. 4 0 OgW G 0 .4 u. oe 1 4. 0 0 z. 0 z 0 es W' 0 z UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING UNDERCOATING RUST BAN UNDERCOATING IM *NON-DRYING UNDERCOAT *POSITIVE PROTECTION AGAINST RUST *HELPS REDUCE BODY SQUEAKS •KEEPS NUTS AND. BOLTS UNDER CAR FROM RUSTING, MAKING REPAIRS EASIER •NON-TOXIC GODERICH ESSO CENTRE MOST CARS $ 8 9 9 5 79 Victoria Street, North Phone 524-8612 for your appointment.