The Citizen, 1991-04-24, Page 14PAGfc 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1991.
Proper tire maintenance boosts fuel economy
With an economic recession
looming and attention once again
focused on fluctuating gasoline
prices, consumers are looking for
ways to squeeze more mileage out
of every gallon of gas they buy.
While many people cannot afford
Cyclists, motorists need caution
For the motorcycle enthusiast,
spring means it's time to return to
the open road. Jim Paterson,
president of Harley-Davidson's
Motorcycle Division, suggests that
before motorcyclists don their hel
mets. both motorists and motor
cyclists brush up on road safety.
“Automobile drivers and motor
cyclists must learn to share the
road,” Paterson says. “When
springtime comes and tempera
tures rise, drivers are not always
aware of the increased numbers of
motorcycles on the road.”
To help make travel safer for
everyone. Paterson offers these
tips for motorists:
•Before turning or changing
lanes, always do a “head-check” -
a new economy car, everyone is
capable of applying a few tire care
tips to help improve fuel economy
and tire life.
Tires that are undcrintlated by
four to 12 pounds can reduce gas
mileage by five per cent or more,
and tire life by as much as 40 per
never rely on just your mirrors;
•Get into the habit of expecting
to see motorcycles on the road;
•Give motorcycles an entire lane;
•Remember that motorcycles
handle adverse road conditions
(weather, obstacles, etc.) much
differently than do motorists. Give
them the necessary space to slow
down or avoid potential road
hazards.
The Motorcycle Safety Founda
tion recommends a simple system
to motorists and motorcyclists to
help them share the road. The
S1PDE system (scan, identify, pre
dict. decide and execute) demands
that drivers and motorcyclists con
stantly scan the road for potential
trouble spots. Once accustomed to
cent.
When a tire is undcrinflated, the
car’s weight rests more on the
tire's shoulders than its center,
causing uneven wear. Underinfla
tion also makes the car drag,
resulting in poor fuel economy.
With less tread touching the
scanning ahead, looking for
hazards becomes nearly automatic
and safer highway sharing is the
result. The SIPDE system encour
ages driver and riders to make
judgements and take action without
hesitation.
Officer Paul Stein of the Califor
nia Highway Patrol says that
motorists tend to treat motorcycles
in the same way they treat bicycles
because they appear to be the same
size. “An automobile driver may
look right at a motorcyclists, but
will not react the way he would if
confronted by another automobile.
Motorists need to realize that
motorcycles require and deserve
just as much space as automo
biles,” he says.
road, underinflated tires will cause
a mushy ride, which can signifi
cantly reduce a driver’s control.
The tires’ proper inflation level,
which is usually between 20 and 35
psi. can be found on a placard in
the glovebox or on the car door.
The most common cause of air
loss in static tires is by permeation
through the inner lining, especially
in warm weather. Typical losses
range from one half to one pound
per square inch (psi) per month in
70 degree weather, up to 1.5 psi
per month in 90 degree weather.
DICKSON’S
AUTO REPAIR
Specializing in major Drive Line Repairs
•Tires •Lifetime warranty on rads
• Lubricants and mufflers
•Tune-ups ’Safety Checks
•Computerized Wheel
Balancing
Blyth, Ont.
523-9706
To help reduce air loss, a plastic
or metal cap should be kept on the
valve stem at all times. While
plastic dust caps keep out dirt, they
don’t prevent air leakage as well as
metal caps, which contain a rubber
gasket that forms a tight seal.
As with underinflated tires, mis
alignment can cause the car to
drag, which not only wears out the
tires, but also lowers gas mileage.
As a rule, cars should be aligned
every 10,000 miles, after tires have
been rotated or after a new set has
been mounted.
Protect cooling
system against
summer heat
When summer’s heat hits, will
your car's cooling system be ready
to withstand the high tempera
tures? If not, the engine could
overheat, leaving you stranded
with an expensive repair bill.
With summer around the corner,
it’s the perfect time to make sure
your cooling system is ready to go
the distance during hot weather.
You should flush your cooling
system and refill it with fresh
antifreeze and water mixture once
a year. That’s because even if your
existing antifreeze tests okay for
boil over protection, its rust and
corrosion inhibitors may be weak
and ineffective. In fact, approxi
mately 70 per cent of key corrosion
inhibitors can be depleted during a
year of driving.
The first step in changing your
old antifreeze is to flush the cooling
system thoroughly.
However, flushing the cooling
system with just water can leave
behind grease, dirt and other
sediment, which can restrict free
coolant flow and harm the system.
You should use a product specially
designed for flushing. It is safe for
use in all engine cooling systems
and can remove 53 per cent more
oil, dirt and rust than flushing with
water alone.
Once the system has been thor
oughly flushed, the next step is to
refill it with the proper mixture of
antifreeze and water. The mixture
amount depends on the cooling
system’s capacity, which you can
determine by checking the owner’s
manual.
A minimum 50-50 mix of Pre
stone Advanced Formula Anti
Frccze/Coolant and water raises a
cooling system’s boiling point to
265 degrees F. (with a 15-pound
pressure cap), and a 70-30 mix (70
per cent antifrccz.c/coolant to
water) will provide maximum boil
over protection up to 276 degrees
F. (with a 15-pound pressure cap).
Before disposing of used anti
freeze, check with local authorities
to determine proper disposal re
quirements. By properly maintain
ing your cat ’s cooling system now,
you can help to ensure that it will
be protected Iron) hot summer
weather, and he able to provide you
and yom family with comfortable,
trouble free driving throughout the
summer months.
GIVE YOUR CAR EXPERT
CARE & SAVE ON OUR
SUPER PRODUCT
SPECIALS
FORD
S4
ENGINE TUNE UP
Installation of Motorcraft spark plugs
Check timing belt
Carburetor adjustment
5895 4 cyl.
A thorough inspection of:
Distributor cap, cooling system, hoses, spark
plug wires, PCV valve, air and fuel filters 6395 6 cyl.
(non-electnc ignition, Lincoln,
Econoline and Aerostar extra)7495
V6/V8 cyl
COOLING SYSTEM
SERVICE
For most domestic cars and light trucks.
Service Includes:
• Pressure test cooling system for leaks
• Test radiator and rad cap
• Up to 4L Motorcraft antifreeze/coolant
• Check heater and defroster
for proper operation
• Inspect all hoses and clamps 29’s
AIR CONDITIONER
SERVICE
Service Includes:
•Up to 1.3 kg of Motorcraft refrigerant
• Clean condenser fins, adjust drive
belts
•Tighten fittings and check system for
leaks
(If needed, parts and necessary
installation labour.)
79“
BRIDGE MOTORS LIMITED
FORD HWY. 86 - JUST EAST OF WINGHAM
357-3460