The Mail-Journal, Volume 16, Number 13, Milford, Kosciusko County, 18 April 1979 — Page 17

Get your car in shape for the summer Tfio VOLUME WEDNESDAY. APRIL 18.1979 NUMBER 13

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No one ever planned a car breakdown. The annoying inconvenience a breakdown produces makes them as welcome as an overdrawn notice from the bank. Conversely, few people ever plan a maintenance schedule to insure against breakdowns. However, the wise car owner will schedule his car’s servicing needs on a routine basis to avoid a sudden and sometimes expensive loss of transportation. Here’s a list of necessary services, listed according to when they should be performed. Items preceded by an asterisk ( *) are based on normal wear or service cycle. ♦ * * MONTHLY — check radiator level, fan belt, transmission oil, tires, battery, windshield washer fluid, lights. • • • EVERY TWO MONTHS—in addition to the above, change' engine oil, test antiair pollution system. * * * EVERY FOUR MONTHS Change oil filter, clean air filler. EVERY SIX MONTHS — Have an engine check, *lubri-

UseCautionWhenY ou Remove Radiator Cap

The simple act of removing the cap from an overheated car radiator can lead to painful, sometimes disfiguring, scalds and burns. . Cooling systems in modern autos are often under such tremendous pressure that the sudden de-pressurization which occurs when the safety radiator cap is removed can cause a cloud of scalding steam to erupt into the face of the person removing the cap. If your car’s engine overheats, steam or smoke emerges from under the hood, or you detect a smell of burning rubber, stop driving as soon as safely possible. Then turn off the ignition. Don’t release the radiator cap until all evidence of overheating subsides! You may have to wait several minutes for it to cool. You should also protect your hand by wearing a glove or applying a heavy padding of rags between your hand and the radiator cap. If the cap has a pressure release device (such as a lever, a button, or a turn knob), activate it to allow any excess steam to dissipate

cate the chassis, test battery, check wiper blades, brake system, wheel alignment, wheel balance, rotate tires. « ' * * EVERY TWELVE MONTHS — * Flush cooling sy stem, * install new antifreeze, ‘repack front wheel bearings, ‘replace anti-air pollution elements, major engine tune-up. * • * EVERY 24 MONTHS — ‘Replace fan belt, ‘radiator hoses, ‘radiator cap, ‘thermostat, ‘wiper arms, ‘exhaust system, ‘universal joints, ‘shock absorbers, ‘major brake service. * * * EVERY 30 MONTHS — ‘Replace battery and cables, ‘adjust transmission linkage, ‘replace tires. • * • By having all these services performed and by taking normal care of the appearance of your car, you’ll do more than have dependable transportation at all times. You’ll be driving a car as good as new when that final car payment is made. And that will help you from get- ' ting those overdrawn notices from the bank.

itself. Turn the cap in a counterclockwise direction until you feel the seal release. When the hissing sound subsides, the cap can be removed lyIf it is necessary to add water to the radiator, do so with the engine running! Add water very slowly so it can warm up in the radiator before passing into the engine block. If water is added too quickly, the abrupt change in temperature could crack the engine block. Following an overheating experience, your car’s cooling system should be thoroughly inspected by an experienced mechanic. Overheating can seriously damage metal parts. NOT DIRT CHEAP A dirty air cleaner on your car’s engine can cost you up to thirty-two dollars a year in wasted gasoline — to say nothing of extra engine wear from added grime. Let your engine breathe easy — check the carburetor air cleaner often and replace when recommended.

Replacing Transmission Filter Part of Preventive Maintenance

When your automatic transmission begins to slip you can be in deep trouble. Here’s one area where preventive maintenance pays off with a big plus. Ironically, the reliability of the automatic transmission has often resulted in its being ignored — and neglected — until too often it’s too late, say Fram Corporation engineers. Today’s auto, with its bigger engine, its power steering, its air conditioning — all place a bigger burden on the automatic transmission. This burden is compounded further during hot summer months, heavy traffic or trailer towing conditions. Transmission fluid performs under heat and pressure and must be kept clean by a filter. Excessive heat creates a varnish, restricting the vital fluid flow and possibly causing expensive transmission repair or replacement. You can avoid all of this by simple preventive maintenance. Invest in a new transmission filter and a change of fluid every 12,000 miles or every two years. Oil companies with years of research and testing are now producing an automatic transmission fluid that not

Mysteries of Single-Car Accidents May Be Traced To Worn Out Shocks

One of the fastest growing and most mysterious fatal accident statistics is the single car accident. It results when, for some undetermined reason,a car leaves the road and strikes a fixed object. Since victims of the single car accident cannot explain what happened, causes of the tragedy are difficult to determine. According to some traffic

Windshield Wipers, Washer Solution, Check Them Often

Eight out of ten cars have unsafe windshield wipers, ac- . cording to a recent survey by a major oil company. Why would such an impor- — tant item as wiper blades be so neglected on such a high percentage of cars? It’s like a hole in the roof. People don’t want to bother when it’s raining — and when it stops raining there’s no need to worry. Wiper blades go dead in six months or less due to exposure to sun, wind and oily road film. When they go dead and start streaking the wind-

» ■ jF Among the leaM known (to the motorist) but most vital services is periodic changing of the automatic transmission filter. This filter helps keep transmission fluids clean and thus assists in longer service life for vital tranmission parts.

only acts as hydraulic fluid to operate the transmission but, with important additives, helps to keep internal parts clean. As clean, that is, as is the fluid itself. That’s your part.

experts, a possible reason for at least some of the single car fatalities could be worn shock absorbers. When shocks are worn, a panic stop, possibly caused by an animal darting onto the roadway, could result in the car’s front wheels lifting off the road’s surface. This action could result in loss of control by the driver. Also, when shocks are defective, taking a curve at

shield, they should be replaced. Night driving is particularly dangerous when oncoming headlights are magnified in the smear caused by streaking wipers. When replacing the wiper blade, it’s a good idea to have the wiper arm pressure tested. If the tension is too weak, the arms can’t do an adequate job. While you’re at it, be sure to have your windshield washer solution checked, and refilled if necessary. You don’t want to be out of washer solution just when you need it most.

Change filter and fluid when recommended. It can be a case of paying a little now for transmission filter and fluid, or a lot later for transmission overhaul or replacement.

high speeds could mean loss of control. The average effective life of shock absorbers is about two years or 24,000 miles of driving. Beyond that point, shocks generally lose effectiveness and pose a safety hazard. Therefore, the motorist is advised to have the condition of the shocks checked routinely when the car is on the hoist for an oil change, lube job, wheel alignment or similar service. Motorists are also advised to match up the replacement shocks with the type of driving they do. In over-the-road driving with normal loads, regular shocks generally suffice. However, with frequent driving over rough roads and at high speeds, a heavy duty shock may be needed. Motorists who frequently haul trailers or other heavy loads may need load leveler stabilizing units. If front-end sag due to worn springs is evident, front end stabilizing units are recommended. Signs of worn shock absorbers include a bobbing of the car after a stop, rough riding characteristics and instability on curves.