The Citizen, 2001-10-24, Page 16M.G.M.
Townsend Tire
We sell, service & install a full line of
farm, truck & passenger tires
1 mile east of Londesboro
on County Rd. 15
"We'll keep you rolling"
Phone 523-4742
Matt Dan
After Hours: (519) 523-9190
George Carrie
(519) 522-1629
Wes
PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001.
AUTOMOTIVE 2001
Finding the right mechanic
If you want your vehicle to remain
in excellent, dependable working
order, you know that you have to
give it some tender loving care in the
form of regular and preventative
maintenance. Don't wait until it
breaks until you fix it - that could
cost you a great deal of money.
The average Canadian consumer
spends more than $750 per year on
maintenance. By practising regular
maintenance you can reduce that
amount and prolong the life of your
vehicle.
But how do you find a mechan-
ic/automotive service technician,
you can trust?
Rule number one for finding a
good mechanic/technician: don't
wait until you're desperate for help.
Finding an automotive service tech-
nician you trust, is like finding a
doctor or a minister - you need to
build a relationship based on trust
and mutual respect.
These things don't happen
overnight.
Most of the business for a repair
garage is from referrals. The only
way to get referral business is from
satisfied customers. •
So, if you are looking for a new
automotive service technician, ask
around. Ask your friends, relatives,
business associates, church members
- anyone you can think of. You'll
probably get a more reliable feel for
who is good and who is not by get-
ting several opinions instead of just
one.
If you get a chance, drop in and
meet the technicians who will be
working on your car. Is the shop tidy
and well organized? Do they have
the latest computer equipment? Is
there evidence that the mechanics in
the shop take regular training cours-
es on the latest automotive and diag-
nostic technology?
The days of the mechanic under
the hoed with a screwdriver, tuning
things until they sing just right, are a
distant memory.
Now, they have to be computer lit-
erate technicians, interpreting the
communications between the on-
board computer system and the diag-
nostic computers in the shop.
Whether you go to an independent
garage, a department store, or a fran-
chised repair centre doesn't matter
all that much.
In the end, it all comes down to
trust. You're looking for somebody
who is willing to tell you which
repairs should be made immediately,
which can be delayed without affect-
ing safety, and which are completely
optional for performance upgrades.
Look for certificates and diplomas
on your service technician's wall
indicating that they are continuously
upgrading their skills by taking
courses and completing a variety of
programs in their field.
Car Care Canada notes that you
can help your automotive service
technician to help you, too! When
you take your car in with a problem,
tell the technician what the symp-
toms are (not what you think the
problem is). Describe whether it
happens when the car is warm or
cold, at highway speeds or in the
city, stopping or accelerating,
etc.
Get to know your car, too. Read
through the owner's manual so you
know what to expect. Turn off your
stereo once in a while and listen to
the sound of your car when it's
healthy, so you're better able to
notice when it needs help.
Can you pass this
• Windshield Replacement & Repair
• Door and Rear Sliders
• ALL WORK GUARANTEED fuel system test?
starved of fuel, loses power and
eventually cannot run.
5. (b) is correct. A diagnostic
check of the engine should disclose
what's wrong, after which the mal-
function can be corrected. Most
technicians don't recommend using
more expensive grades of gas for a
vehicle designed to run on "regular".
— Provided as a public service by
• Car Care Council.
Unless you drive an electric vehi-
cle, your car is equipped with an
internal combustion engine. Unless
it's diesel powered, the fuel is a com-
bination of gasoline and air.
On older vehicles this precise
blend is mixed in the carburetor and
distributed to each cylinder through
a system of tubes called an intake
manifold.
That system has its drawbacks, not
the least of which is uneven distribu-
tion of the mixture to each cylinder.
Along came electronic fuel injec-
tion systems, designed to improve
fuel economy and reduce exhaust
emissions. The fuel-air mixture is
sprayed directly into the engine's
combustion chamber. The result: a
quicker starting, more economical
vehicle with lower exhaust emis-
sions.
To learn more about this sophisti-
cated system, take this multiple
choice quiz from the Car Care
Council.
1. When a fuel injected car is hard
to start the problem may be in the:
a) choke
b) cold start valve
c) throttle body
2. Monitoring the fuel injection
system is a series of electronic
devices, called sensors, that receive
and react to an-engine condition. The
typical car has a total of how many?
a) 3
b) 5
c) 7
3. For complete combustion, gaso-
line needs the correct ratio of air to
fuel. If the mixture is too lean or too
rich, (too little or too much) the
engine will produce excessive pollu-
tants and perform poorly.
For most vehicles the optimum
ratio is:
a) 10.7 to 1
b) 14.7 to 1
c) 21.7 to 1
4. Dirt is your engine's worst
enemy, To trap dirt and contami-
nants, a fuel injected engine is
equipped with at least - three filters,
one of which is located in the fuel
line.
Others can be found in:
a) the air intake duct
b) the gas tank
c) the distributor tube
5. When an engine loses power,
continues to run after the ignition is
shut off or "pings" when pulling up
a steep grade, it's an indication the
owner should:
a) switch to higher octane fuel
b) consult a technician
c) replace the camshaft filter
ANSWERS
1. (b) is correct. The cold start
valve provides extra fuel to help start
a cold engine.
2. (c) is correct. There are seven
sensors interacting with the typical
fuel injection system. One monitors
engine speed, another the throttle
position. There's a manifold-
absolute pressure (MAP) sensor and
another that's concerned with atmos-
pheric pressure. Finally, there are
sensors to measure the amount of
oxygen in the exhaust and air enter-
ing the engine and the temperature
of the coolant. All of these "report"
to computers that control the fuel
injection system.
(b) 14.7 to 1 is correct. One of
the first things a technician does in
servicing the engine is to check the
fuel-air ratio. This can be affected by
a variety of factors, including a
faulty oxygen sensor, injector prob-
lems and/or a dirty air filter.
The latter is found on 18 per cent
of vehicles in inspection lanes dur-
ing National Car Care Month.
4. (a) and (b) are correct. Inside
the air intake is the air filter which
traps dust, dirt and bugs before they
can reach the fuel system. Because
an engine cannot "breathe" with a
dirty air filter, it should be checked
and replaced periodically. The fuel
line filter catches fine dirt that might
get past the filter in the gas tank.
When it is clogged the engine is
MOBILE SERVICE AT
NO EXTRA COST
Before
SUPER WINTER
TIRE SALE!
BROPHY TIRE
CENTRE
11 John Street West
WINGHAM 357-3712
Id-
starts to blow...
inter
Computer balanced,
new valves, rims buffed,
ead sealant, torqued t
specs, tire disposal
All N/C
Winter
Sno-Suits
Arriving
Soon