The Citizen, 1991-04-24, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1991. PAGE 13.
Spring
Car Care
Tips
4 pages of information
on keeping your car
in tip top shape
10 tips to help head off problems
Spring is the season of unpredic
table weather. One day may be
rainy and cool and the next day
may be warm and sunny. With this
in mind, car owners need to take
precautions to help eliminate car
problems.
Something as simple as replac
ing worn windshield wipers or
changing the oil can prevent pro
blems if taken care of in advance.
Simple car maintenance can
make a big difference on the road.
Being caught in a sudden down
pour is not the time to realize you
need new wipers.
Here are some preventive auto
maintenance guidelines for spring
driving conditions.
TEN TIPS FOR SPRING
CAR MAINTENANCE
1. Rotate tires and have air
pressure checked by a professional.
Winter driving causes wear and
tear on tire tread.
2. Check the brake fluid to
ensure it’s at the correct level.
Your car’s master cylinder, the
heart of the break system, contains
a reservoir for brake fluid. Proper
fluid level is vital to ensure brake
performance.
3. Winter sludge can clog filters.
Therefore it’s important to replace
them with clean filters that will
protect essential components of the
engine and transmission from grit,
dirt and other foreign matter which
enter the engine from outside air.
4. Prolong your car’s expensive
finish and protect it from the sun’s
damaging rays by applying a sun
protectant.
5. Check hydraulic lifts on trunk,
hatch and tailgate to make sure
they are safe. Worn lifts allow
hatches and hoods to fall, causing
pain and injury, plus they’re ex
pensive to replace.
6. Inspect windshield wiper
blades each time you clean your
windshield. Windhshield wipers
are essential to your driving safety,
especially during the rainy spring
season.
7. Keep the windshield washer
reservoir full. Use some solvent on
a rag to clean off the wiper blades.
8. With the summer travel
season approaching, make sure
your car will get the best gas
mileage possible.
9. With increasing gas prices, a
tank of gas is a valuable asset.
Protect your fuel supply from
siphoning and tampering with lock
ing gas cap.
10. Check your car’s ignition,
carburetion and emissions compo
nents to ensure engine perfor
mance. A first class tune-up in
cludes a thorough diagnostic check
by a qualified technician.
mazoa
How to choose the right oil
KEEP YOUR MAZDA
RUNNING GREAT.
WITHOUT RUNNING
ALL OVER TOWN.
If you want to keep your Mazda at its best, noth
ing is more important than regular maintenance.
And as a Mazda Full Circle Service Dealer, we're
equipped to provide complete, high-quality ser
vice for your Mazda. Our factory-trained techni
cians know your Mazda inside and out. And all
service is performed using Genuine Mazda Parts
and the latest in electronic diagnostic equipment.
The motor oils available for
today’s passenger cars provide a
wide choice of viscosity grades.
Motorists must choose between
lower viscosity multi-grade oils,
such as SAE 5W-30 and SAE
10W-30, and higher viscosity oils,
such as SAE 20W-50. Choosing the
proper grade depends to a large
degree on your local seasonal
temperature range and on the
particular engine you own.
For good oil flow under severely
cold temperatures, lighter ”W
grade oils such as SAE 5W-30, SAE
10W-30 or SAE 10W-40 are gener
ally recommended. However, at
moderate to high ambient tempera
tures, a higher viscosity oil, such as
SAE 20W-5, can afford more
engine protection.
It is well documented that lubri
cant viscosity influences the
amount of oil film thickness be
tween critical engine components
such as the main and connecting
rod bearings. During normal pas
senger car acceleration, bearing oil
films can be reduced to a thickness
that is 100 times thinner than a
piece of paper. A high viscosity oil
such as SAE 20W-50 provides a
significantly larger cushion of oil
film protection against engine wear
and metal to metal contact than do
lighter viscosity oils.
Also. SAE 20W-50 motor oils
have improved volatility, or less
tendency to evaporate under high
temperature conditions, than lower
viscosity oils.
You may find that your automo
bile manufacturer recommends a
lighter viscosity oil. such as SAE
5W-30 or SAE 10W-30 in your
Tire care tips
•Maintain proper tire inflation -
between 20 and 35 pounds per
square inch (psi). Underinflation of
four or more psi can reduce fuel
economy by at least five per cent
and tire life as much as 40 per cent.
•Check the placard in the glove
box or on the driver’s door for the
vehicle's recommended tire pres
sure.
•Check tire pressure a» least
once every two weeks with a
owner’s manual. Under govern
ment requirements, automobile
manufacturers must meet mini
mum fuel economy limits or face
heavy fines and penalties. Lighter
viscosity oils, which are classified
as Energy Conserving II (ECU), are
frequently recommended because
they can provide incremental in
creases in fuel economy.
However, a high viscosity oil
SAE 20W-50 can provide superior
engine protection and continues to
represent an excellent lubricant for
today’s vehicles.
reliable air pressure gauge.
•Valve stems should have a
plastic or metal cap. Plastic caps
keep out the dirt, but metal ones
have a rubber gasket that seals
against leakage.
•Rotate tires every 10,000 miles.
•Check the alignment of your
vehicle once a year. Misaligned
tires can cause the car to drag,
lowering mileage and causing un
necessary wear on the tires.
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