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Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-31, Page 37Be careful with pressure cap Unless a driver knows what to do when he has an overheating problem, he risks serious personal inj lry and damage to the engine. Even the simple act of removing the pressure cap from a boiling radiator re- quires a special technique. Car Care Council offers the following ad- vice: 1. When your engine is overheating, stop the car as soon and as safely as possible. Then turn off the ignition. 2. Wait for the engine to cool down. a fine mist of water will help cool the radiator, but do not put a stream of cold water on the engine or radiator. 3. When removing the radiator cap, pro- tect your hands with a thick glove or a heavy wadding of rags. 4. If the cap is equipped with a lever, but- ton, or other pressure release device, use it to allow excess steam to escape. In any case, slowly turn the cap counterclockwise until you feel the seal has been released. Then wait until the hissing sound stops before removing the cap com- pletely. 5. After the engine cools sufficiently, start it again and add water slowly. Adding water too quickly to an engine that has not cooled adequately could crack the engine block. If you plan a long trip, it's wise to have the cooling system checked out in advance. • If , the anti-freeze/coolant appears con- tamF ated, replace it. Even permanent -type. anti freeze can lose its effectiveness after a year or two. If the system is to be drained, it should , be flushed thoroughly to remove scale and rust. . Radiator and hose connections should be checked under pressure. During short trips cooling system pressure may not reach its maximum. However, on a long drive leaks may show up. •Inspect all hoses. High temperatures and normal aging eventually weaken them. Check for cracks and softness. All connec- tions should be tight and leak -free. •The thermostat should be checked and tested for proper action. If it's not opening at the proper temperature, overheating could occur or, conversely, the engine may run to cool. •The radiator pressure cap should be tested to make sure it holds the current pressure. If it does not your coolant will boil away. •Drive belts should be closely inspected. a belt that is frayed, cracked or deteriorated from grease is potential trouble and should be replaced. Proper tension is important, too. If a belt is too loose, overheating may result. Driving habits hard on a car If you're one of those rare people who have taken the trouble to look up periodic service recommendations in your car owner's manual, you may have seen double and triple asterisks referring to "severe ser- vice" operation. The term does not necessarily denote so- meone who daily climbs Pike's Peak or asks his subcompact car to perform Herculean tasks. In fact, says Car Care Council, the time -worn idea that the best buy in a used car is the one that has been driven by the lit- tle old lady who ran only three miles to and from the grocery store is a thing of the past. She may qualify as a severe service driver and not even know it. Before buying her car, take a close look at her maintenance record! Many of the driving habits that we think of as "typical" can be very hard on a car, Prepare for the cold Last December's record breaking cold wave found lOs of thousands of motorists caught with their hoods up, sometimes hav- -ing to wait a day or two for help. For those whose cars did start after a visit from road servicemen and for motorists who barely managed to get started without help, Car Care Council offers tips on cold weather preparedness. With most of the winter still ahead of us, says the Council, it's better to attend to neglected maintenance now than find it necessary to call for help again. Listed here are the systems and com- ponents which, if neglected, can affect the starting and dependability of your car in ex- treme cold. Battery and electrical system. A fully charged battery that's 100 percent efficient at 80 degrees will be only 64 percent efficient at 30 degrees and only 33 percent efficient at -10 degrees. If your car has been slow to start, have the battery and charging system checked. Often you may find the trouble is no more serious than a corroded or loose battery connection. Fuel and ignition systems How long has it been since you've had a tune-up? When starting a cold engine, much of the car's available battery power is diverted to the starter, so there may not be Turn to page 8e especially in certain circumstances. Exam- ple: short trips (10 miles or less) and stop - and -go driving such as might be en- countered,in city traffic or on a delivery route combined with unusually hot or cold weather are hard on a car. While this kind of driving is the exception rather than the rule, says Car Care Council, people who fall into these categories should be careful to observe owner's manual maintenance recommendations when they apply. Especially important is constant checking of vital fluids such as engine oil, transmission . fluid, antifreeze/coolant, brake fluid and power steering fluid. Failure to cheek and change fluids and filters on schedule can cause rapid engine and/or transmission wear and premature failure of these major components. iY.•+u ... .. n.J+�+.. iJl�lYel+J/7Jt/ Now open in Vanastra for your Automotive needs! B.J. ENTERPRISES •CLASS A MECHANIC ON DUTY •REPAIRS TO GAS OR DIESEL ENGINES •GENERAL REPAIRS •USED AND REBUILT AUTO PARTS •WE SELL USED CARS LOCATED ON FIFTH AVENUE-VANASTRA BESIDE PRO AUTO CRAFT. 482-3403 OPEN': MONDAY -SATURDAY 8 AM -6 PM; AFTER HOURS 482-9585 ONE STALLED CAR CAN START A TRAFFIC JAM. IT HAPPENS»MEN CARS BEHIND, IDLING WITH AIR CONDITIONERS ON, ALSO BOIL OVER. PREVENT OVERHEATING WaTN A COOUNG SYSTEM CHEEC'UP REPLACE BAD HOSES, FIRMED BELTS, WORN RADIATOR PRESSURE CAP BE SURE. THE. SYSTEM IS CLEAN WITH AMPLE 50% COOLANT SOURICN. IN A TRAFFIC JAM, PUT CPR IN NEUTRAL, INCREASE ENuINE IDLE SPEED AND TURN Of THE AIR CONDITIONER. Tune-ups pay off at the gas pump That little extra time in the service station for a tune-up or a tire pressure check will pay off at the fuel pump. Correctly inflated tires improve fuel economy by four per cent and a complete tuneup, when needed, can save ten per cent on fuel costs. A Transport Canada survey found that 70 per cent of all cars are driven without enough air in the tires and 60 per cent have dangerously underinflated tires. Correcting tire pressure is simple. Check pressure with a tire gauge and then com- pare it with the value recommended by the tire manufacturer ( stamped on the sidewall). Pressure should be taken when the tires. have not been used for several hours. The tires can be inflated .to the cor- rect level at a service station air pump — at no charge. Radial tires generally last longer and save fuel. Snow tires should also be removed as soon as possible as they use up to seven per cent more fuel than summer tires. Every, car should visit the service station or dealer for an annual check-ups as needed for both safety and fuel economy. Simple ad- justments to the engine's timing, idle speed and air/fuel ratio can mean an average of 3 to 4 per cent in fuel savings, depending on how much the engine was out of whack. If your car pulls to one side, it's probably causing _ drag and wasting fuel. Have it checked. Spring and fall are good times to check ig- nition timing, carburetor idle mixture and idling speed. The distributor cap might need cleaning and condensors and points might need replacing. Regular care can add years to your car's life and life to your car's years. For more information on car care write to the Ministry of Energy, GMS Box 37, Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2B7. 411.4 JJ:J �7, ���• j l:: Jf .4]4.1J:JJ.I.I .r!'.•. qji for all your rustproofing needs OR ANYTHING ELSE YOUR BODY DESIRES! CaII 524-7275 Keep .your car looking its best 1nnN'II0!