HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-10-28, Page 37Even you can winterize your car
Each year at about this
time, we hear the same
message from most motor-
ing columnists, "Are you
and your car ready for
' winter?" And every year, we
seem too busy to heed the ad-
vice, until the morning after
the first sub -zero night of
winter, when we call the
local garage to report that
the car won't start. Hopeful-
ly, we have all learned from
previous mistakes.
If you didn't take advan-
tage of the long balmy fall
days get busy now before it's
too late. You don't need last
minute hassles with your
garage mechanic with the
high cost of servicing these
days. Try some wintering
procedures yourself that can
save you immediate dollars
and maybe hundreds more
in the long run.
You don't have to be an ex-
perienced mechanic to
winterize your car; in fact,
there are several fairly sim-
ple procedures that any
motorist with limited
mechanical knowledge can
perform.
All too often, car -owners
may think that putting snow
tires on is a catch-all solution
for winterization. Snow tires
are essential to safe winter
driving and they should not
be overlooked. A great deal
more is required, however,
to safeguard your car for the
tough months ahead.
ANTI -FREEZE
-COOLANT
One area that should be of
vital concern to you is your
car's cooling system. If it's
weak or has been neglected,
you're running the risk of
rust and corrosion in your
radiator. Even after only
9000 miles, you could end up
with clogged passages and
that could mean costly
damage. A clogged or cor-
roded radiator for example,
will cost an estimated repair
bill of $150 - $300, while burn-
ed valves and others range
from $500 - $700 in repairs.
According to the people at
Prestone, makers of
Prestone II, an anti-freeze-
coolant•has two specific jobs,
to keep the engine' coolant
from boiling over as a result
of extremely high
temperatures, and natural-
ly, to keep the engine from
freezing during those long,
cold winter months.
The Prestone people also
have a Do It Yourself Flush
and Fill product on the
market that lets drivers
back flush their cooling
system themselves, which
can save money.
The Flush and Fill method
has a big advantage because
it flushes the entire cooling
system, including the engine
block, not just the radiator.
All you need ais a
screwdriver, a knife and a
common garden hose ... and
about 15 minutes.
BATTERY
The three most common
signs of winter car trouble
are no -start, rough idle or
lack of power and perfor-
mance, and, in most cases,
they can be directly at-
tributed to neglected battery
cables. or a dirty ignition
system. With a minimum
amount of tools and ex-
perience, the battery can be
easily cleaned.
Using a solution of baking
soda,and water and a clean
cloth, remove the corrosive
build-up around the battery
posts and cables. When cor-
rosion forms in this area, it
can build up to the point
where it insulates the bat-
tery cable from the post,
and, as a result, the car
receives no power.
After scrubbing the
deposits away from the out-
side of the cable, carefully
remove the cable from the
posts without damaging or
prying at the threads. If they
are unusually difficult to
BE
i .PREPARED/;r WINTERIZE
FOR „,:, YOUR
CAR
WINTER - NOW
GET YOUR
SNOW ;� -_�
TIRESplArx,
,�--
._____-
•
ALL SIZES NOW IN STOCK. WE CARRY TOP QUALITY
TIRES BY *DUNLOP *VREDESTEIN
*GOODYEAR *ROAD KING *B.F. GOODRICH
WE ALSO HAVE
*RADIAL SNOWS *BELTED 2 x 2
*4 PLY POLYESTER *RETREADS *NEW
RIMS FOR YOUR SNOW TIRES
OUR TUNE-UP GUARDS AGAINST WINTER
"WON'T Bring your car In for our expert englne tune-up: a neW s.t
of Champion spark -plugs plus other boslc tune-up Items
STARTS" your car may need. It's the best winter "won't start"
protection going.
WE HAVE
PARTS FOR LATE MODEL CARS..& TRUCKS...
REBUILT AND 1 INSTALLATION SERVICE
USED BY LICENCED MECHANICS
1 CARS, TRUCKS & TRACTORS
FOR WRECKING
SPOT CASH FOR YOUR WRECK
SUNOI*
CLEREVU
AUTO WRECKERS
482-3211 HIGHWAY 8 3 MI. WEST OF CLINTO!
remove, a special battery
cable puller can be purchas-
ed.
Next, clean the inside sur-
faces of the clamps and the
outside surfaces of the posts
down to the bare metal.
Remove the caps on top of
the battery and check the
electrolyte level. If the fluid
is down, use distilled water
to bring the fluid back up to
the proper level.
IGNITION
The distributor, rotor, ig-
nition coil, dust covers and
spark plugs are all com-
ponents of the ignition
system and should be kept
free of dust and defects.
Wash these components with,
a cleaning solvent and in-
spect them for cracks and
other defects. If there is a
hairline crack in the
distributor cap, for example,
the component should be
replaced immediately.
Spark plugs should be ser-
viced and replaced regularly
as specified by the manufac-
turer. Any auto parts
,. specialist can tell you exact-
ly what kind of plugs you
need for your car and how
much they should be "gap-
ped" for maximum perfor-
mance. There's no need for
any confusion.
One of the easiest and least
expensive things any
motorist can do is put
together a winter emergency
traveler's kit. It can save
both aggravation and money
and could spell relief when a
problem arises.
At the very least, here's
what your emergency . kit
should include:
a sturdy shovel,
+ a 15 foot tow roue.
+ a flashlight with fresh bat-
teries,
+ at least two roadside
flares.
+ a role of vinyl or rubber
electrical tape in case of
emergency hose repairs,
Page 7
+ a set of jumper cables,
+ and Prestone II.
Even drivers who have no
intention of ever leaving city
streets could do well to carry
such basics which can be
stored easily in the trunk.
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IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM. SEE IT TODAY AT....
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ANGLESEA ST., GODERICH
524-8386
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215 Huron St„ CLINTON 482-9363
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