The Citizen, 2005-10-27, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2005.
on the road
Fall the right time to talk about ear safety
If you break down at the side of
the road in Canada, chances are
pretty good you’ll get help from
another motorist.
According to a recent survey,
about half of Canadians would stop
to help a motorist in need. Another
third of the population would
decide whether to pull over
depending on the motorist’s
appearance (so it pays to spruce up
a bit before you step out).
The survey was conducted by
Leger Marketing on behalf of Car
Care Canada.
But why even take the chance that
you'll need to rely on the goodwill
of your fellow Canadians? With
winter approaching, you can do a
lot to ensure that you won't get
stranded.
Follow these IO winter
preparation tips to keep safer on the
road and reduce your gas expenses.
I. Check your battery, and use a
block heater. Are your battery
terminals covered in a crusty,
white deposit? That corrosion can
insulate the terminals and prevent
your car from receiving its first
boost of ignition-sparking power.
Scrape away the deposits with a
wire brush. And if your battery is
getting old. replace it.
How to jump
start your car
and do it safely
A block heater can help start your
car on cold winter mornings. Your
engine needs greater battery power
when the temperatures plunge, yet
in cold weather your battery may
produce only 40 percent of the
power it creates in warm weather.
A block heater will help. Time the
block heater to come on a couple
of hours before you need your car.
You can also save money on gas
by starting a warm engine.
2. Don’t over idle your car. Your
engine needs only 30 seconds of
idling to warm up sufficiently in
winter before you start driving. By
limiting your idling time to half a
minute, you’ll not only reduce
greenhouse gas emissions but also
save on fuel.
3. Keep you gas tank at least half
full. This tip limits condensation in
your tank and reduces gas-line
freezing. Adding a little gas-line
antifreeze every second fill-up will
also help prevent gas-line
freezing.
4. Check the coolant (antifreeze).
Engine coolant (which either cools
or warms your engine, depending
on the season) should be flushed
and refilled every two years in
most vehicles. In most parts of
Canada, coolant should be mixed
50-50 with water to keep the
coolant from freezing, lubricate
the water pump, and ward off
cooling-system corrosion.
5. Check your tire treads and
pressure. Tire tread condition is
crucial when driving on ice and
snow. Also check inflation. Buy
special tires if snow and ice are a
problem in your area.
6. Keep your windshield
washer/anti-freeze solution topped
up. When melting snow and road
grime gang up on your windshield,
you’ll need a healthy supply of
winter windshield washer solution
to see clearly. Check your fluid
reservoir frequently, especially
during heavy usage.
7. Replace wiper blades every six
months. Consider special snow
blades if the weather dictates.
8. Make sure your heater and
defroster work properly. Signs of
potential heater problems include
a chirping or screeching sound
when you turn on your heater, an
unusually stiff dashboard heater
control lever, moisture
accumulation inside your car, and
most obviously, a lack of heat.
9. Be prepared for an emergency.
Keep the following items in your
trunk: ice scraper, windshield de
icer, flashlight, whisk broom,
blanket, extra clothes, candle and
matches, bottled water, snacks,
medications, and a first-aid kit.
And cany a cell phone.
10. When the weather’s really
bad—drive only if you must.
For more information, visit the
Car Care Canada website at
www.carcarecanada.ca
Kaboom! That’s the sound that a
battery can make if you connect
booster cables incorrectly when
jumpstarting a car.
Fortunately, with a bit of hook-up
savvy and a set of high-quality
eight-gauge wire booster cables, you
can safely jumpstart a car and avoid
explosions.
Start by inspecting the dead
battery. Is it cracked or leaking
fluid? If so. don’t even try to boost
n. Get a new battery.
If your dead battery looks
outwardly healthy, next make sure
that all lights and accessories on
both vehicles are off. Turn off the
engine on the good car and hook up
the booster cables as follows:
1. Connect one end of the positive
(+) cable to the positive (+) post of
I he dead battery.
2. Connect the other end of the
positive (+) cable to the positive
( + ) post of the healthy battery.
3 Connect one end of the negative
(-) cable to the negative (-) post of
the healthy battery.
4. Connect the other end of the
negative (-) cable to a metal part of
the dead car’s engine—a shiny
piece of metal (avoid oil or grease-
covered surfaces) on the engine
block for instance. (The engine
block is the main part of the
motor). Be sure the cable will clear
anything moving when the car
starts. Do not attach the negative
cable to the dead battery. Doing so
could explode the battery if sparks
ignite hydrogen gas emitting from
the battery.
Next, start the engine on the good
car, and then start the dead car.
Disconnect the cables in reverse
order.
When using a portable battery
booster, connect the positive clamp
of the booster cable to the positive
clamp of the dead battery.
Then connect the negative cable
to the engine block or other
grounded metal away from the
battery.
Car Care Canada suggests that
you check your battery if it’s three
years old or older. Cold weather will
reduce your battery's power and
make your car’s engine more
difficult to start, so a strong, healthy
battery is a necessity in winter.
For more tips on safe winter
driving visit Car Care Canada’s
website at www.carcarecanada.ca
C4RQUEST
AUTO PARTS
RADAR
AUTO PARTS
"You will find it at CARQUEST"
515 TURNBERRY ST.,
BRUSSELS
887-9661
Also at:
Highway 8 West,
MITCHELL 348-8485
and
20 King St.,
CLINTON 482-3445
Get your car or truck ready for
the cold winter now -
book your Fall & Winter tune-up
• Exhaust Systems
• Oil Undercoating
• Brakes
• Tune-Ups
Repairs to all makes & models
of cars & trucks
Located 2 miles south of Blyth
Corner of London Rd. & Hullett-McKillop Rd.
Jack Van Dorp 523-9308