The Citizen, 2001-10-24, Page 13'1
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FALL MAINTENANCE PACKAGE
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001. PAGE 13.
AUTOMOTIVE FALL 2001
Simple checks help troubleshoot heater problems
When you're dealing with a heater
that doesn't work properly, simple
tests can help you troubleshoot prob-
lems quickly.
Technical Assistance
Representatives at GO/DAN
Industries, manufacturers of automo-
tive heaters and radiators, provide
the following suggestion when a pre-
viously "good" heater won't work.
Check for proper fluid level in the
cooling system by looking in the
coolant recovery bottle.
If fluid level is low: check for
obvious signs of heater cdre leaks
such as coolant aroma in passenger
compartment, or turning on defroster
causes windshield to fog. Check for
other signs of coolant -leaks when
What do shoes, belts, mufflers and
boots have in common? They're all
car parts, of course, the latter being
less familiar to most drivers. While
brake shoes, drive belts and mufflers
have been around since the first days
of the automobile, boots (they're the
protective cover on the flexible CV
joints) are relatively new among
automotive terms.
Found on front wheel drive as well
as some four-wheel drive vehicles,
they are vulnerable to damage from
road debris such as flying stones.
This kind of damage allows con-
tamination and leakage of the lubri-
cant contained within the boot.
Unless the cut or crack is discov-
ered quickly, lost lubricant soon
leads to failure of the component. A
new boot and replacement of lost
. It happens to almost everyone who
drives, especially at dusk. You're
about to change lanes when, from
out of the shadows, a vehicle sud-
denly appears in your side mirror.
"WHERE DID HE COME
FROM?" you ask yourself.
The driver had only his parking
lights turned on. If it's dark enough
to turn on your parking lights it's
dark enough to turn on your head-
lights. In bad weather, especially
fog, take every precaution to see and
be seen.
Some colours, especially gray,
tend to blend into a misty back-
ground during those critical
dusk/dawn periods, times during
which traffic is heavy with com-
muters.
Your turn signals and brake lights
provide basic ... and important ...
communications among motorists.
Consider this scenario. Slowing
down for an intersection a driver
rhythmically taps his brake pedal.
He doesn't realize his left brake light
is out.
Consequently, the --on-off brake
light on the right side could be mis-
construed for a flashing turn signal.
This could create confusion for other
drivers because he really intended to
continue straight ahead.
Confusing signals, or lack of sig-
nals, can lead to an accident.
A typical car has dozens of lights
which not only illuminate the road
and mark the vehicle for others to
see, they also provide a means of
communication among drivers.
Interior lights add to driver and
passenger comfort and convenience.
On our cars as in our houses, we
tend to take lights for granted until,
engine is running.
Check for proper coolant using
flow meter.
Check condition and operation of
thermostat. Replace thermostat if
necessary.
When you've just installed a new
heater, but it produces no heat:
Check coolant level by looking in
the coolant recovery bottle.
Check to be sure that coolant solu-
tion flows through heater core and
there isn't an air lock in the heater
core.
A simple way to do this is to
loosen and remove the outlet hose
from the heater. You should get a
free flow of coolant.
This test should also eliminate an
fluid can be the cure if detection is
early.
However, because this -is a labour-.
intensive procedure, customers fre-
quently are advised to install a
rebuilt axle/joint assembly, which
includes a new boot.
Knowing the circumstances under
which your symptoms occur can be
useful, says the. Car Care Council.
For example, if you notice a noise
while turning you may have a bad
outer CV joint, they advise.
Shuddering, vibration or a clunking
sound when accelerating or deceler-
ating may mean trouble in the inner,
the outer joint or both.
Worst case scenario: the total fail-
ure of this component causes a cata-
strophic loss of power and/or steer-
ing. If you're lucky you'll only need
suddenly, we discover one or more
that's not working. At home this is an
inconvenience, but when you're
sharing the road with other drivers
it's dangerous.
Are you sure all of your car's
lights are working?
Maybe not.
Note how many vehicles around
you have only one headlight and/or
other lights not working, good rea-
son to be concerned about night time
driving safety. Your chances of being
involved in an accident increase 400
per cent after the sun goes down.
How do you know if all of your
lights are working? Make it a habit
to take an occasional stroll around
your vehicle to check all lights. Turn
on your emergency flashers. Then
have someone step on the brake
pedal and move the turn signal lever
from left to right to be sure these
lights are working. Have your helper
,put the shift lever in reverse, too, so
you know your back up lights work.
Even when all lights are .okay
there's the question of headlight
focus. Imptyperly aimed headlights
not only can blind approaching driv-
ers, they also tend to cut drivers'
vision. If you've noticed other driv-
ers flashing their headlights at you,
have your headlight aim checked.
It's an inexpensive procedure that
can make driving more enjoyable.
Car Care Council offers several
facts about lighting and visibility:
1) Sealed beam lights may become
dimmer with age due to a tungsten
coating that accumulates on the
glass. Not so, however, with halo-
gen head lamps.
2) When driving under foggy con-
ditions use low beams, not high.
air lock located in the heater core.
Check thermostat and radiator
pressure cap for proper operation.
When a heater works, but pro-
duces very little heat:
Check for proper coolant flow
using a flow meter.
Check thermostat for condition
and operation.
Check the condition of the radiator
cap. Is it properly installed? Does it
maintain the proper pressure?
Check the coolant mix using a
hydrometer. It should be 50 per cent
antifreeze and 50 per cent water for
best protection against freezing and
for good heat transfer.
An improper mix can hamper heat
transfer from engine to coolant and
to be towed in.
Most people are unaware of the
early warning signs of a failing CV
joint, much less the leak that caused
the problem, according to auto repair
shop owner Gary Hinson.
"In fact", he claims "people tend to
ignore leaks of all kinds, brake fluid,
transmission, engine and other. One
customer whose car needed a new
CV joint is a recent example, he
says. "When I asked how long she'd
noticed the leak on her garage floor,
she admitted to a couple of months.
Even more important than the repair
cost is her susceptibility to serious
car trouble far from home."
However, regular inspection of the
CV joints and boots can eliminate
the need for replacement of either,
concludes the council.
3) When towing a trailer check
trailer lights frequently because of
their vulnerability to faulty connec-
tions.
4) When your headlights are prop-
erly aimed your high beam should
light up not only the road but also
any adjacent tree or pole for a dis-
tance of 300 feet.
5) Low beams should light up the
road plus just enough of the right
shoulder to see pedestrians.
— CCC
from coolant to heater core.
Whenever adding fluid to the cool-
ing system, be sure that you use a
coolant that is recommended by the
engine manufacturer (dilute as
directed). If you've installed a new
heater or radiator, make sure the
product you use is also compatible
with the materials in it. (Some stabi-
lizing compounds are "friendlier" to
the solder found in copper/brass
heaters and radiators than others.)
— CCC
Pay attention to warning sounds
Parking lights not intended
for use when driving at night