The Huron Expositor, 1978-04-06, Page 29ance, can cause the catalytic
converter to overheat, cuts
into fuel economy and lets
more unburned hydrocar-
bons foul the-air.-.
• Faulty timing not only
makes .a car sluggish or hard .
starting, but increases pollu-
tants in ,the exhaust.
• A delay in changing
oil and oil filter past .manu-
facturer's recommendations
hurts the general efficiency
of the engine. A well-run-
ning engine will last longer
and operate at its begt-for
a longer period.
"Keeping your car in good
working order makes good
-sense; 'says MVMA's Wea-
ver. "It's also worth dollars
- and cents in your pocket." „ .
CAR CARE SECTION' — SS
Anti-emissions:equipOitenti now improved
Tampering with devices hurts performance,
cuts• fuel economy, increases pollution
There's a lot designed into
today's automobile engines
that make them the cleanest
ever on the road. But it takes
some work on the part of
the owner to keep them that them way.
The automobile engine
provides motorists "with a
good combination of per-
formance, economy and low
emissions, says the Motor
Vehicle Manufacturers As-
sociation of the United
States, Inc.
"If-you attempt to change
any one of those functions,
it will be done at the detri-
nient,..of -.at 'least one and
possibly the other two," says
Harry B. Weaver,. Manager
of the Environmental Activi-
ties Department for MVMA,
Most of the people who
tamper with the_ engine 'or
emission controls are at-,
tempting to get better per-
formance,. More "guts and
go." Motorists may get the
performance boost, but they'
will pay the penalty of poor-
er fuel economy.and possibly
an'upsurge in patitants
coming from'. the tailpipe,
Weaver says.
Controls work
- But there really is no need
to tamper with the anti-pol-
lution equipment. because to-
day's pollution controls
work, they do not hurt per-
formance and they do not
hurt fuel economy. In . fatt,
the latest emission equip-
ment has' enabled automo-
tive engineers :to improve
fuel economy.
"Driv-ers -of late-model-
cars could not benior.e
wrong if they think that a •
few simple adjustments to
today's emission control
equipment can increase their---
car's performance and fuel
economy," Weaver says.
"The best advice is to fellow
the service manual and keep:
the car in good running or-
der to maintain peak fuel
economy, high performance
and low emissions,"
Regular inspetion and
maintenance"of a car's pol-
lution controls improve gas
mileage, produce better car
performance and help mee
clean air standards. The co
to the ca t owner is recov ed •
in great part through im-
proved fuel economy.
Motorists Who think -that
tinkering with, the engine of
.their. late-model automobil
will, improve their...p. -
ance probably remember he
early days of anti-pollution
equipment, basically adjust-
meot modifications to the
engine.
Catalytic converter
The advent of the cata-
lytic converter on most auto-
mobiles built since the start
of the 1975-model year — a
technological revolution —
enabled automotive engi-
neers to retune engines to
achieve that good combina-
tion of fuel economy, per-
formanj and clean air.
The catalytic converter
actually is a small chemical
factory, taking hot exhaust
gaSes, hydrocarbons and car-
bon monoxide, and passing
them through and around
platinum and palladium Jo
change noxious gases into
carbon dioxide and water.
One of the developments
being tested today is the
three-way catalytic converter
which also helps control
emissions of oxides of nitro-
gen.
Equipment in use toda
has allowed autOmakers ,t
reduce the amount of hydro-
carbons from today's auto-
mobiles Lby 89 per cent from
uncontrolled models of 1960
vintage. Carbon. monoxide
emissions have been cut by
82 pet 'tent - tmd..• nitrogen
oxides by 51' per cent. Fu-
ture developments promise
even greater reductions.
Tune-up best test
"Servicing today's_modern
anti-pollution equipment is
best left to an experienced
mechanic," Weaver says.
"The emission-controls on
the newest cars are highly
complex systems that require
adjustment by competent
Mechanics since_ they .are- -
bUilt into the engines. them-
Selves. For an amateur to
fool with them would be
folly."
The tune-up is the best
assurance motorists can have -
that their . cars are nursing,
the. most miles possible , out
of a gallon of. gasoline, are
operating. at the, highest per-
formance level arid"ernitting
the fewest pollutants,
Tests have shown that
Owners-who maintain their
cars for the best fuel' econ-
omy also are The ones driving
the least-polluting or "clean-
est" automobiles.
Motorists won't be able to
service most of the anti-
pollution equipment them-
selves but mechanics, in, the
course of a tune-up,, will
make sure that the car is •
both fuel efficient and. non-
polluting.
What can go wrong
Here are some of the
things that can go wrong and
foul up your car and the air
at the same time:
• A clogged air cleaner
not only reduces fuel econ-
omy because the engine can't
get enough air to maintain
a- proper- air-fuel ratio, but
the output of carbon monox-
ide also is greatly increased.
• Misfiring caused by
faulty spark plugs or distrib • -
utor points hurts~ perform-
40 ifoswomsummonommv lo
PUTTING YOU
E_
We'll Carelor yoilr car this season to
• leei),you•siniling
WE'RE YOUR TOTAL -Sf.RVICE-cENTER,.
1..MeCutcheon Motort.Ltd..
BEA_Gm.TEsT,DRIviR • • Piton-e 8.8.77686
IN,
1.
0,3
)0114
FIRST
RAVEL WITH CO.OFIDENSCE.
THIS SUMMER!
We'll Check these Troublespots
to ensure that you have
trouble free summer driving
IGNITION SYSTEM
CHARGING SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM
CARBURETOR
\ COOLING SYSTEM
BATTERY
TIRES
REMOVE SNOWTIRES
SUSPENSION
STEERING
SEAFORTH
Should you neglect this maintenance,
REMEMBER, we offer complete road service!
BILL Mc-LAUGHLIN MOTORS LTD.
Phone 527-1140