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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-10-21, Page 96LINCOLN' P®ge 8 R VI - FERN PERFORMANCE can be reduced by the condition of the alternator dr•he belt. All \'-belt, should be inspected and replaced if the car is four years old, mr sooner if the belt, slim. obvious µear. A pre -winter battery check will keep your car starting All too often, the engine battery, espe- cially in the winter, is named the culprit for sluggish.. starts or the reason for a car not starting at all. It's true, of course`, that when a battery is not fully charged, it will not crank•the engine promptly. However, there are other components which might also be the source of your starting problem. An undercharged or defective battery can be caused by a faulty alternator or voltage regulator, a worn or improperly tensioned drive belt, or loose or broken cables and cable connector corrosion. Any of these can be the underlying rea- son for poor starts. Poor maintenance is another factor. Often overlooked procedures include cleaning and tightening corroded termi- nals and connectors, checking for case damage caused by looses battery hold- downs, and periodic testing for the gen- eral condition of the battery. Here's a checklist, recommended by The Gates Rubber Company, to ensure prompt starting all year long: • Battery: Primarily, a battery's .func- tion is to crank the engine — start the car. Secondary functions are lighting and operating electrical accessorie.s when the engine is not running. The battery should provide both good engine cranking capa- bility and reserve power.; The power required to start an engine varies from car to car. It depends on the rprn demanded by the engine, the com- pression ratio, cylinder wear, tempera- ture, weight of the oil, and the number and variety of accessories on the vehicle. Woro belts or loose fan belts can slip, causing a voltage shortage to the battery. Actually, most` battery failures are caused by problems in the other areas of the electrical system. But, you should de- velop a habit of checking your battery, as 'well as the other components of the elec- trical system. Whenever you raise the hood of your • car, make a visual inspection for cor-. rode& terminal posts and connectors. Check for tightly sealed cable connec- tors, and look for worn or damaged cable insulation. And, make certain the battery is hel&tightly in its tray. More thorough battery testing can be (.atone quickly by a mechanic. A Toad test, tfor example, is the basic test of a bat- tery's starting capacity. If the testing determines that you need a replacement battery, install a unit with at least as much starting power as the original equipment battery. Refer to your Avoid heater problems on cold mornings car manual or the battery application data information available at your service station or auto parts store. Cold weather makes starting more dif- ficult because low temperatures reduce a battery's' power potential. A fully charged battery at 80°F will deliver only about 65 percent of its full power at 32°F, and 40 percent at 0°F. The heavy current drain imposed on a battery bycold weather starting cannot be delivered by a discharged or weak bat- tery. The result: An immobilized vehicle. • Drive belts: Since most engine power is transmitted by V -belts, a worn, defec- tive or incorrectly tensioned belt results in a loss of powerto drive the fan,•water pump, alternator (or generator), power steering pump, air conditioning compres sor and exhaust emission system air 'in- jection pump. In fact, the lack of regular belt service is one of the top engine service problems contributing to loss of power. You shobld regularly inspect your car's belts for signs of wear Cracks on the underside of the belt can enlarge as the belt flexes. A belt with cracks can break' without warning. • Belts with oil and grease -softened under -core and slick sidewalls may slip in the pulley. Such belts wear and break rapidly. A glazed belt with its slick, hard, board - like sidewalls may slip and fail to grip the pulley properly: This can cause a dis- charged battery, engine overheating and premature belt failure. Because of the types of belts found on, most•of today's cars, belt wear can't al- ways be easily detected without remov ing the belts for inspection. So, as a rule of thumb, if your belts are four years old, replace them — even if they don't appear to need it. You should replace them sooner if you do a great deal of driving. • Tune-up: One of the most effective methods of maintaining your starting power is to have a regular tune-up. In fact, a complete tune-up is more than wice as effective against winter starting difficulties as is battery service alone. This is true in both cold, snowy weather and in warm climates which generally expet•ience wet and humid conditions. Following these simple hints can help maintain your car's starting ability. With proper care, regular tune-ups and a scheduled maintenance program, your car can be a reliable performer this win- ter. NO ONE KNOWS YOUR CAR BETTER THAN SUNCOASJ, • There is perhaps no greater inconve- nience of winter driving than a heater that won't work. Most passenger compartment heaters use the coolant to warm the incoming fresh air. In addition to providing driver and passenger comfort, the warm air directed to the inside of the windshield gen rally prevents fogging or icing which obscur vi- sion. The personal distress of cold fingers and toes can be avoided, by inspecting the heat producing cooling system components in your car. The heater and its system of hoses are very much an integral part of your car's cooling system. The heater, in fact, is like a small radiator and functions in much the same way. Here's how. Hot coolant is piped from the engine through the heater control valve and into the heater core, located under the dash in most cars. The coolant passes through the core's finned tubes and releases its heat. A small electric fan forces air past the fin- ned tubes and directs the warmed air into the passenger compartment. The coolant is then piped back into the cooling system at the water pump. Begin with coolant Troubleshooting should begin with the coolant level (it should be visible just below the filler neck) and mixture (50 percent each of water and anti -freeze is recom- mended). A low level will reduce or cancel the flow of coolant to the heater, thereby reducing or preventing any heat output. The radiator pressure cap helps to raise and control the temperature of the coolant in the system, and provides a limited reserve against coolant loss due to boiling. The cap should be replaced if the seal or gasket is damaged, or if the spring is broken. The radiator filler neck also should - be inspected for nicks or cuts which could allow pressure to escape. 'How thermostat works The thermostat acts as a heat sensitive valve which regulates the flow of coolant to the radiator. When the engine is cold, the thermostat is closed and the coolant recir- culates back into the engine to pick up more heat until it reaches a predetermined temperature. When the thermostat fails or malfunc- tions, the engine will either overheat or it will take longer to get any heat because the engine will take longer to reach proper operating temperature. If the thermostat is functioning properly, you should be able to teel the sure of warm collant passing through the upper radiator hose. It is a good practice to replace a ther- mostat that is in doubt. Flexible hoses convey the coolant between the radiator and the engine. They should be inspected for softness, cracks, and cuts. In normal service, they are affected by air, heat, chemical, oil and constant vibration. These conditions could either harden or crack hoses, which destroys flexibility and causes leakage; or soften and swell the hoses, which produces lining failure and hose rupture. A small leak not only wastes valuable coolant, but it also reduces pressure in the entire system. Two other important hoses are connected to the inlet and outlet tubes of the heater. These, too, should be checked for swelling and cracks, and abrasion to the hose cover where the hoses come in contact with the engine block. Kinked hoses will obviously restrict the flow of coolant. Check the heater hoses to make sure the hot coolant is flowing through the heater core. The supply line to the heater should be hot; the return hose should be warm. If the hoses are cool, circulation is not adequate due to clogged heater core of possible ice blockage in the core unit. 80 Victoria St.,. Goderich Where can 1 get parts for my car? CLINTON AUTO PARTS- -LTD. - i110 Cu'"rlc bra0°°.' ame IN moi : VP s's MACHINE SHOP AND RAD SHOP TECHNICIAN: John Dixon Government Certified Machinist n% COUNTER SERVICE: Larry Gibbings and Colleen Cox 00,41 ,n,141111�111fiH1111�' 41�IIIIN��41�t;/��, Ill alb now up -1b oWs equipmm r! kr dolsg • BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS WJNDER IIEAD R`ECONDIiIOMINQ .P111Wli El4 ENDIVE REDUIIDIN9 AVMIIABIE SME SUNCOAST FORD MERCURY SALESLTD. 263 Huron Rd., Goderich 524-8347 teems for sham flsfksaaii fem«4 . •Katfor Reim glow* 00411tttlGllge l glow O&M 4111104allgilie 1111 CLINTON AUTO PARTS LTD. CLINTON AUTO PARTS AUTOMOTIVE • TRUCK • FARM IMPLEMENT PARTS 462-3934 THE RAb SHOP 483.9393 OPLN: MondayIrrtday 1 mat. -Stat p.m. Saturday S a.m. • 12 noon