The Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-10-30, Page 36ta.
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•occasional heavy overloa g.
«Regular use on badly Maintained
streets and highways. '
•Cold weather use without engine warn
up.
•Exposure to weather extremes and cgr-
rosive substaices.
•Inadequateor improper routine
maintenance..
The end result is that today's smaller 4 -
cylinder engines must work a lot harder
than the large. V-8 engines that were our
standard. This extra strain can cause
engine parts to wear out sooner and calls
for more preventive maintenance.
Higher engine speeds
Smaller engines operate at a higher rpm
than did the large engines of yesterday's
cars. Under similar conditions, today's 4 -
cylinder car engine must run approx-
imately 25 percent faster than a 1970 V-8
engine.
pause of the higherc engine speed, the
w—,
V-belts.which drive,* engine accessories
also operate at higher speeds. According
to The Gates Rubber Company; a leading
manufacturer of automotive belts and
hoses, higher speeds can decrease the ser-
vice life of belts. It's very important that
engine V -belts be checked often and pro-
perly adjusted.,
Due to smaller engine compartments,
engine belts, hoses and components are
subjected to high under -hood
temperatures. Over the past five years,
belts and hoses have been improved to
operate in conditions as.high as 300
degrees F.
Yet, higher under -hood temperatures
_.c contribute to piv; ,n ,t'e'hose and
belt failure. noses may b tonne cracked or
brittle due to excessive heat.
This is relatively easy_to spot when any
under -hood maintenance is performed.
Detecting wear on the belts which drive
the accessories is more difficult.
Because of the construction of today's V -
belts, it is difficult — even far the trained
mechanic -- to determine the severity of
wear on belts. Therefore, Gates suggests
belts should be replaced every four years,
whether or not they appear to need it.
Replacement should be even sooner for
cars which are driven under heavy or ex-
treme conditions.
Higher coolant temperatures
heat sources.,
an effectiv•cool
F -O y linden car a ones also tend to
v l at! more than:larg engines, T1 can
lead to; ;earlier loosening of fittings and-
reduce life of under -hood components.
Manufacturing technology has improved
to 'meet the, greater wear and heat
demands created by smaller cars.
However, despite these improved stan-
dards, additional emphasis must also be
placed on preventive maintenance.
Due to the more severe operating condi-
tions under the hood, higher temperatures
may cause belts and hoses to crack or
become brittle. But, with a regular preven-
tive maintenance schedule for cooling
system check-ups, belt and hose
replacements and engine tune-ups, your
smaller car can continue .to operate effi-
ciently and with few problems.
,Propane powered vehicle use is on the increase
Not many years ago it was rare to fuel
your car with anything but gasoline, but
there are now 100, 000 propane -powered
vehicles and 5000 natural gas powered
vehicles operating in Canada.
Sixty per cent of the propane -powered
vehicles are in Ontario. In Canada as a
whole, natural gas powered vehicles are
most common in British Columbia, Quebec
and Ontario. This is influenced by tradi-
tional markets and distribution systems —
propane -powered vehicle users benefit from
an extensive distribution system and pro-
vincial government incentives in Ontario,
and competitive pricing compared with
gasoline in Alberta and British Columbia.
The natural gas distribution system is more
urban oriented and growth of natural gas as
a vehicle fuel is most rapid in large urban
areas where a network of fueling stations is
established.
Natural gas conversions are always to
dual fuels, leaving the gasoline system in -
Now there are over 100,000 propane
and 5000 gas powered vehicles in Canada
tact, so that when natural gas is not
available, the operator can simply use
gasoline. Most propane -powered vehicles
are dedicated propane -only systems.
Vehicles are converted to propane or
natural gas by the addition of one or more
tanks to store the gas and equipment to
meter the fuel into the engine. For an
automobile or light truck, a propane conver-
sion typically costs $1500; a natural gas con-
version would cost about $2200.
Cost savings are the prime motivator for
converting to natural gas or propane. Both
can be much less expensive than gasoline or
diesel fuel. A propane or natural gas system
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is a good investment if the vehicle is driven
frequently, if the engine is in good condition,
if the price difference between the gaseous
fuel and gasoline is wide in your area, and if
the fuel you are considering is easily
available.
The annual kilometres driven and the rate
of fuel consumption determine how quickly
conversion costs will be paid back. Fre-
querntly used, high -consumption vehicles
will recover the cost of conversion quickly.
It is best to talk to a conversion specialist
about your specific situation, as this is the
only way to be sure that conversion will be
economical.
Black Top Cabs Ltd. of Vancouver con-
verted 128 vehicles to dual -fuel natural gas
and gasoline. The transition was rapid and,
within four months, 90 per cent of the fuel
being used by the cabs was natural gas. The
company monitored its vehicles after the
change was made and found that the net
capital costs of the conversions were fully
recovered within the first year of operation,
and each cab was saving ahnost $600 per
month in fuel costs.
Both propane and natural gas are clean -
burning fuels, producing few exhaust emis-
sions, particularly carbon monoxide and
hydrocarbons. The gaseous fuels perform
much better than gasoline for short runs and
in cold weather, and this is particularly im-
portant in city driving where the heavy traf-
fic raises air pollution levels substantially.
Vehicle conversion technology has proved
safe and reliable over 60 years and in hun-
dreds of thousands of conversions
worldwide.
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$8 995
74 Victoria Street, North
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