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Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-31, Page 38..r left Prepare for the cold weather with atune-up now .... •from page 7 enough voltage in the system to fire worn spark plugs. New plugs nearly always are part of a tune-up. Periodical tune-up can ferret out those parts that should be replaced to pre- vent failure m cold wrather. Hairline cracks in the distributor cap and rotor, for exam- ple, or faulty wiring are notorious for this. And on cars with distributor breaker points and condenser, regular attention to tune-up services is especially critical. Is the choke working correctly? If you car is hard to start or runs poorly after it starts, the choke mechanism may need service of replacement. Incidentally, keep the gas tank as full as possible in frigid weather. Freezing of water BARGAIN HUNTING? Aik You can' t NO ONE CAN SHOOT DOWN OUR QUALITY OR OUR PRICES! MOTOR OIL... CASE SALE SHELL X100 10W30 MOTOR OIL A premium quality engine Oil. 16 litres per case. ONLY U • per L. Your Best Buys... • BATTERIES! BATTERIES! BATTERIES! •ALL TYPES •ALL SIZES For All Makes of Cars and Light Duty Trucks. DON'T BUY 'TILL YOU CHECK OUT OUR PRICE! Automotive Batteries from... S X990 sAoiE Booksi SUMMER/WINTER RADIATOR ANTI- FREEZE •Aluminum Compatible 99 • • OPEN DAILY: B.A.M. TO 5 P.M. SATURDAYS: 8:30 A.M. to 12 NOON in the fuel system will cut off the flow of gasoline, effectively putting your car out of commission. Cooling system Be sure you have adequate anti -freeze protection and that all hoses and belts are in good condition. Oil Clean oil of the right weight, or viscosity, is important to cold weather starting. In all but the most frigid temperatures 10W-30 or 10W-40 is recommended. In temperatures consistently below 0 degrees F, 5W-20 may be preferable. Tires Tire tread condition is crucial when driv- ing on ice and snow. Also, check inflation. Tire pressure decreases one pound for every 10 degrees of drop on the thermometer. If you haven't checked your tires since the thermometer read in the 60'.s and 70's, they may be seriously underinflated. Lights and wipers Keep plenty of windshield washer an- tifreeze solvent in the reservoir. How are your wiper blades? Consider installing snow blades, which feature rubber boots to pre- vent ice buildup on the'blades. Be sure all your lights are working and, concludes Car Care Council, remember to vKipe accumulated road dirt and salt from the headlights and tail light lenses. Good driving habits save money Knight Rider may have a computerized car but most of us need a little human input. By simply changing a few driving habits, car owners can cut fuel consumption by 10 per cent. That could amount to a total sav- ing of over a billion litres of gas and diesel fuel annually in Ontario alone. A lot of myths have fallen by the wayside since fuel conservation has become part of the modern approach to driving. For exam- ple, drivers used to idle their cars to warm them up before moving, particularly in cold weather. Now motorists are finding that, even at -20 degrees C, most cars only re- quire 15-30 seconds of idling before being driven off gently. On warmer . days, cars need no idling at all. Another common belief was that leaving a car idling during short stops would use less fuel than turning it off and starting it again when the stop was over. It is now widely recognized that 10 seconds of idjing uses more fuel than restarting the engine. Drivers are also finding that jackrabbit starts are best avoided because they in- crease fuel consumption. A smooth, steady acceleration uses less fuel and makes for a more comfortable ride. Like the accelerator, the brake pedal should be used slowly and evenly. Drivers can cut back on use of the brake by an- ticipating stops. Resting a foot on the brake pedal while driving is dangerous, increases fuel consumption and adds wear and tear to the brakes and transmission. Dropping your speed slightly will have on- ly a marginal effect on travel time but could put dollars in your gas tank. For example, a car travelling at 115 km/hr uses 20 per cent more fuel than one going 90 km/hr. Another easy way to conserve fuel is to take those golf clubs out of the car, except of course when you are heading for the golf course. Carrying any kind of unnecessary weight around either in the trunk or on the top of your car just makes it work harder and use more gas. If you do take your car to pick up a quart of milk (walking would eliminate gas con- sumption altogether), consider stopping by the dry cleaners and the bank m the same trip. Combining several short trips into one long one will reduce overall fuel consump- tion and save you time as well. Plan ahead. And remember, when you run in to do those short errands, turn the car off. Idling. costs money. For more driving tips contact Ontario Ministry of Energy, GMS, Box 37, Queen's Park, Toronto, M7A 2B7. Think about energy efficiency when buying a new car Instead of kicking the tires, ask for the fuel consumption rating. Buying a new car without checking its energy efficiency is like signing on the dot- ted line before you know the final price. Ontarians spend an average of $1250 on fuel to drive almost 17,000 kilometers each year. But the kind of car you buy can deter- mine the bang you get for that fuel buck. For instance, bigger is no longer better. By scaling down unneeded size, you can im- prove mileage by reducing your car's weight. Cars are now available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Choosing the smallest one that still fits your family and business needs pays off in the long run in lower fuel bils. A smaller engine guzzles less gas. A four cylinder can be 20 per cent more efficient than a V-8 and, unless you really need the big engine, why pay more? If you do need the big engine consider propane power. Buying a standard transmission instead of an automatic can get you up to eight per cent better mileage. If you do go for the automatic transmission, choose the one with the most gears— it will be the most fuel effi- cient. The over -drive option will save both fuel and engine wear by reducing engine speed on the highway. Fast talking salesmen can extol the vir- tues of any option but try to keep fuel effi- ciency in mind when adding frills. Power steering can be a frill on a small car and costs energy in both extra weight and power. Radial tires do increase both fuel efficient.' cy and handling abilities. They are worth the extra cost. The extra weight of an air conditioner costs you two per cent in fuel efficiency, and when it is on full blast it could be costing you 10 per cent. Weigh the added cost of this one carefully. Cruise control devices may increase fuel efficiency by allowing you to maintain a steady speed on long highway trips. Users say they make highway driving more relax- ing. In hilly country, however, cruise con- trol may actually reduce fuel efficiency. You might want to consider a fuel flow meter. By reminding you how much fuel you are using, it helps you develop fuel efficient driving habits. A block heater, although it adds to elec- tricity consumption in your home, can make an overall contribution by taking the chill off those earlymorning starts and reducing idling time. But remember to use a timer; leaving it on all night is wasteful. Weigh the fresh air value of a sun roof against the reduced fuel economy caused by increased wind resistance when it's open. Fuel consumption information is available on all new cars from Transport Canada. Vehicles are tested under both ur- ban and highway driving conditions. The lower the combined rating, the less the car will cost you in fuel over its lifetime. It's worth checking. For more car buying information, write the Ministry of Energy, GMS Box 37, Queens Park Toronto M7A 2B7• " '