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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-10-25, Page 11i4E1,11113ON'EXPOS!-POR, bC�1`•C7B R:25, 1189 -- 11^A 'firA NAGi Y ; LARS .rIvin At this -tune of year Canadians start .tbnnking abouta1d=aNtari -Wintertdescendlfng .:upon -the -land. °The cold +season -prompts maages.of •heavy. snowfalls, icy' road condi- tions -and wind -swept -drifts just:begging-to "trap a ear or two. Although :this -scene is repeated year after year, ads surprising to:.diseoverliow few -people prepare themselves for winter .driving. There .are certainisteps:motorists -can -take to lease the worries of winter .shivhng, -Shell Canada car care :experts have put together a few tips. You should begin by giving your car a tune-sp. -This: could include .changing to a light weight motor oil, as heavy oil can -get thick in the winter (which makes it harder for the engine to turn over). • It is wise to put on your snow tires before the first snowfall. Beetthemash. Carry some sand in the trunk (not too much or it will affect your gas mileage ). The sand will provide excellent trarinn we DT winter weather should you :getnek. If your .car .does not ,have a rear defroster, get -one:installed. It is -also •-wise Ito .carry -an emergency winter .:driving =kit. "This could .include a flashlight, hares, a .blanket, a :shovel, booster -cables, matches, a candle,'traction pads, a chocolate bar or two and a scraper. Take a -few sninutes in the Horning •beforexleavinghome 'to .clear ice. and snow off-all'windows of your car,as-wefl as the outside mirror,' if any. Don't 'be a "peep hole" -driver. If your street look slippery, test it by siepressing-theMake-lightly, making sure .ftrst that there are .no ether ears close to yours. Take special care when approaching an intersection. The stop and go traffic there may make thtroad surface very slippery. Maintain a tonger-thannormal distance between your car and others. This will help minimize the chance of collisions in case of sudden stops. Turn slowly on wet and slick areas. Look out for icy patches on overpasses, bridges and hills. 'These areas freeze quick- ly,.usually, before other road surfaces. If your car starts to skid, steer in the direction the car is headed. Take your foot off The accelerator. Don't start braking .un- til the ear has slowed and you have regained Control. Be especially careful when braking or accelerating at dusk or dawn, when streets and roads often are iciest. A winter survival kit in each car ought to include: at least one pair of gloves (in case the driver has to do some digging out), flares, matches and flashlight (with fresh batteries 1, battery jumper cables (which can be dangerous unless used pro- perly), screwdriver and adjustable pliers, heavy wool blanket, an ice scraper, and rock salt, sand or gravel (to add weight to the rear of your car for traction, and to pour under tie tires if you are bogged down in snow) . &'ING � JRCARR � at ; ' , ,N E SSI 1'11=t�1vi'-a Ina Soon all Canadians will be .faced with winter -driving conditions. In :some parts of the country, these conditions are "bearable", in others, it becomes a mat- ter of:aurvival. :Shell Canada car care experts :have set ' out a •few baeic:procedures.to help you•..get . out of that stx>foot "snowbank. It is always best to be -well prepared before -you get stuck. If you marry a •few items. in the trunk of your car, it -Mil help you greatly ip your task to free your car. This kit could include a flashlight, flares, matches, a :candle. a shovel, booster cables, traction pads, a chocolate -bar 'or two,:and a scraper. These items will ,en- sure your safety and will also -Tenable you to tackle whatever winter throws your way. If you do happen to get stuck, start by digging the snow away from all wheels. Then, postiorl the traction pads (or an old piece of carpet) under the drive wheels. Make sure that the front wheels are straight and try to move the .car in low gear. Start to rock the car back and forth to give you momentum to get out. If your car is automatic, brake when shifting from one gear to the other. Throwing the car quickly from reverse to :drive_ and back .again can seriously :damage -your transmission. If you still cannot get out, try to be. as visible as possible. Put on the car's emergency .flashers, set tip a .flare, or place a warning light on top of the car. More often than not, someone will .stop and help you out. If you -are trapped inside the car, run :the engine for 10 minutes every hour. You will be warm enough, while keeping your battery charged and conserving gasoline at the same time. Always keep a window partly open for air and make sure that the exhaust pipe is clear of snow at all times. Otherwise, deadly exhaust fumes can back up into the inside of your car. These tips will allow you to prepare yourself for the worst of winter driving conditions and also keep your passengers safe and warm. Fvervbody otters some sort or guarantee on their car repairs T ht. trouble Is, these guarantees event,,• ally run out. Then what do you do! . That's What makes our repair guarantee special. It's called the Lifetime Service Guarantee. With n. you pay for a covered repair once. II that same repair ever has to be done again, we'll do it free. Free parts. Free labour, No matter how long you own your Ford, Lincoln or Mercun vehicle Our Utetime Service Guarantee Systems s-ho.0 9.d be Now is a good time to eheck'your vehi- cle's heating and cooling system to avoid the mconvenience..and:expense of a broken heater, cracked radiator or. other serious heating or cooling problems. Turn on the heater and check to -see that the blower works and that the heater con- trolswitch works properly :at _all :settings. Check for and remove bugs and debris caught in the fins of the -radiator. (Such Coad weather car mare checklist When 'the.lgoing :gets -.cold .this winter, make sure your car keeps going. Get it ready now for better driving efficiency and improved economy. Start with this easy -to - follow chechilist. . COOLANT - Be certain it is strong enough for cold temperatures. Drain and flush cooling/system if coolant appears rus- ty. -Aeriodicilly;edd water to maintain pro- per coolants and water -mix. ENGINEIOII. - Truly the lifeblood -of' your car. Check for proper oil level by reading oilldig stick found near oil fall cap. Keeping god level .full .helps your car run more efficiently. A consistently "full" oil level adds to overall -engine. performance. .DlL CHANGE - It should .,be near oil ' change time especially .at summer's end. Changing oil -regularly at every 3,11100 miles helps :engines run better •.beeause '90 per cent -of driving is of stop -and -go variety, creating higher running temperatures and increased wear on the engine as well as the oil. CARBURETOR .AND -CHOKE - 'Clean the carburetor ;and -reset : the choke. to avoid overfueling : and a loss of :fuel "economy. A malfunctioning choke will cause difficult startrup in cold weather. BATTERY - Maintain proper water level. Use a ware brush to free terminals of any acidic build up. Carefully tighten cables of tertmnals. TRANSMISSION AND. AXLE FLUIDS - ''Hardly ever checked. Both are crucial to vehicle life. Check levels and change ,at -manufacturer 'recommended intervals. GREASE - 'Clean wheel bearings of grease and repack with, -fresh, high quali- ty wheel bearing grease .to defend,• against 'water and road..salt. 'WARM UP FROM A 'COLD START - Avoid extended idling at warm..up•especial_ ly in cold weather. Allow ,15,seconds then .proceed at moderate speed. This will hasten warm up permitting .011 to better circulate through engine. Don't gun or race engine. -Re-gu lar -urn-ns-ups :c .benefit L FUEL SA -WINGS: ,Tests ..have shown a tuned engine can Nye about algallon of gasolineaper tankful otter cars inured of a tune-up. . 1EPENDARUl 'STARTING: ;Morn spark plugs.are the ,leading .cause al starting 'allure - •not batteries. New zepark plugs 1(equire.iess voltage rtofire and •rgre more efficient. tiMPROVED PERFORMANCE: Tests have :shown a 10.4 ,per Fent in- -grease in ,engine, power (after a ,tune-up. checked regularly debris could restrict airflow). Check for spongy, brittle or cracked hoses and look for signs of water leakage around hoses and radiator connections and damps. Check to see if the thermostat is open- ing by holding the hose at the radiator, outlet while the vehicle is warming up. If it is opening properly you will feel a rush of water through the hose as the engine warms. Drain and replace the antifreeze ad coolant if it -has not been 'changed in over two years. Check .for extremely rusty coolant which can be an :indication :that the t:radiator:nap-is .defective. If you find -that your heating ',and cooling system .is in need of repair, take it to a reputable repair facility and request,,.quali ty heating and cooling system parts. - covers thousands of pans and repairs. And. i1 you're more than 90 km away, it's good arthousands or Ford and Lincoln•Mercury dealer, across the continent. That, reassuring to know when you're on business or vacation Sod you want a repair guarante that will last for as long as you ow your ear, ask fora copy of our tree I detime Service Guarantee. The best car repair guarantee In Canada This hmlted warranty covers vehicles rn normal use, and esciudes rommr man, rename parts. belts hoses, sheer meta and upholsters LIFIETIME SERVICE GUARANTEE Quality Care f°r Quailty Cars* 1111r "'Ceti..•. =� RELATED TROUBLESHOOT1IJG: During a tune-up. a ;knowledgeable mechanic.will•'often epotrother-repaiir needs such .as ,belts, hoses, ::shoeks,and .batteries etc... CLEANER AIH: There is a direct .relationship ,between -engine maintenancerand*arhausttetnission. For:instance, a five,per cent ;incidence sof spark ;plug !misfire increases :Ihe gate of hydroioarbon-emissions eby rat,least 300„per cent. \ER/ILIS Srnal6 .. o Large :REG • 69:95 XL AND TALL$ -13e0. 774.95 - 'Only ,64::95 STAY NAM u' v , sand sae -money u fithatigh..efficjency INATuRiggeAseRNAcE ;, EISONDITIMUSEERSERATION x: oti