The Mail-Journal, Volume 15, Number 13, Milford, Kosciusko County, 19 April 1978 — Page 19

Get your car in shape for the summer

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VOLUME 15

Car care makes roads carefree A scenic highway is a great place to enjoy life on a vacation trip. When a car is purring along the open road, the cares of the shop and the office seem as remote as the moon. That’s why the smart car owner will make sure his vehicle is in shape for the trip — to keep those troubles remote. For, somehow, a beautiful stretch of highway can become a nightmare if your car is disabled along the shoulder. Care for Your Car to make sure every mile you travel is a joyous one.

Common sense combats energy woes

Making the most of your gasoline dollar this vacation season can be simple. All the motorist needs to do is practice good driving techniques, keep the car in tiptop mechanical condition and use some common sense in planning vacations by auto. And the money saved can be used for more pleasurable recreational activities. The American Automobile Association’s GAS WATCHERS program is designed to help drivers save fuel in painless ways. Their sensible suggestions — When followed faithfully — can cut gasoline usage considerably. To get more from your gasoline budget, AAA suggests the following guidelines for planning a motoring vacation: • Consider a vacation spot in a large city or a beach or mountain resort where you won’t have to use your car as much to get around. • Budget the mileage you want to spend on pleasure traveling, and then check out all possible recreation sites within it. This method, which AAA calls the “radius travel concept,” may un- , earth some delightful spots

you wouldn’t have been aware of otherwise. • Vacation carpools? What about those special friends you’re often too busy to see as much as you like? Why not suggest a vacation with them? • Travel light! Weight increases gas Consumption — every 100 pounds costs about a tenth of a mile per gallon. In a small car with a smaller engine, it costs as much as one-half mile a gallon. • Start your trip early in the morning. This way, you’ll avoid heavy traffic

Be alert for potholes

This is the time of year to be alert for potholes, cautions the Chicago Motor Club-AAA. Potholes on street and highway surfaces result when the thawing of frozen moisture causes the pavement to break, according to the motor club. The severity of this winter has made the pothole problem more acute than ever. The motor club warns that the holes can be dangerous and might cause damage to your car. Tfres can be damaged when they hit a pothole and if the damage is not detected it eventually could cause a blowout, says the club.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1978

and, if the weather is hot, reduce the need for your air conditioner which contributes to fuel usage. And while you’re driving, don’t forget that good driving techniques have perhaps the largest impact on fuel economy. Studies conducted by one AAA club showed that gasoline efficiency could be increased by as much as 44 per cent when driving habits were improved. AAA says that jack-rabbit starts are greedy on gas — utilize smooth footwork at all times, braking gently, too. Driving slowly for a mile

Striking a pothole also can put car wheels out of alignment. In time, this can result in severe and uneven wear on tires. In fact if you encounter a deep pothole at high speed, yott might even break an axle or.lose control of your car. It’s the wise motorist who is alert for potholes, says the motor club. But if you see a pothole in your car’s path, be sure not to swerve or stop suddenly. This could result in a collision with nearby vehicles. (Continued on page 2)

Tips offered on summer car care

The following handy tips on getting your auomobile ready for summer have been prepared by the Chicago Motor Club: Check your oil. Replace it and the oil filter if it is time to do so. With the change of oil, removal of the old sludge-packed filter is a must. As the weather gets warmer, a different grade of oil may be necessary for some cars. Get a complete chassis lubrication. The elements of winter take their toll and impair the efficiency of many working parts. Check transmission and differential. These are among the vital organs of your car. Check the automatic transmission. The strain of winter driving may have caused some damage. Drain anti-freeze from radiator and reverse flush the water through the cooling system. Clean or replace sparkplugs. Faulty or carbon-laden plugs waste gasoline, make starting difficult and cause inefficient and costly operation. Check battery for re-charge or

or so will save fuel and help your engine warm faster when starting out. Chronic lane-changing is also a fuel-waster and a hazardous practice that rarely gets you to your destination any faster. Maintain ¥ moderate, steady speed, and remember

Hauling heavy load? Keep transmission cool

Routine transmission service costs less than S3O on most cars, a small fraction of the cost of an overhaul, says the Council. And if the load you’re pulling is anything greater than a lightweight boat or camper, consider installing a transmission cooler, an accessory that can pay for , itself many times over. So to avoid transmission repair bills, keep it cool and clean. Number one enemy 6f the automatic transmission is heat, much of which is developed inside the transmission’s torque converter where all of the engine’s power is delivered to the rear wheels through oil. Like two fans facing each

NUMBER 13

replacement. Winter takes a heavy toll in batteries, with more night driving and more electrical accessories in operation. Check all lights and windshield wipers. For the sake of safety, these should be in perfect working order. Check fluid in master brake cylinder. A car shouldn’t be moved an inch without reliable brakes. Inspect tires carefully for cuts, breaks and bruises. The safety of you and your passengers depends greatly on the condition of tires. Rotation of tires prolongs their wear. Check the car’s under-carriage for defects when on hydraulic lift. Rain? sleet, snowdrifts, mud and water can break or bend mufflers and tailpipes, corrode or damage springs and shock absorbers, and do considerable damage to the out-of-sight area of your car. Since the paint and chrome of your car have been subjected to punishment from the weather, the change-over should be topped off by a wash and polish job.

that unnecessary idling can consume gas at the rate of a half-gallon per hour. Finally, and well before you’re on the road, AAA urges you to make certain your car’s engine is thoroughly tuned and all vehicle components are in tip-top shape.

other, one turned on and the other spinning free, the driving blades or vanes in the torque converter direct the oil against the driven blades. The “shearing” action of the oil under heavy load produces temperatures high enough to cause the oil eventually to break down and lose its lubricating qualities. A husky trailer hitch behind a car indicates an owner who gets double use from his vehicle. He probably pulls a boat, camper or travel trailer. Double the pleasure but, in some cases, double trouble if that car or truck is not properly serviced for the added burden. Most vulnerable part of the trailer towing car is the automatic transmission.