28 -— Friday, October 19, 1990 - North Shore News AUTOMOTIVES Prepare now ior winter driving ‘*TAKE AN hour to prepare your car or truck for winter now and save hours of aggravation fater on,’’ advises Larry Johnson, Ford of Canada national service manager. “If you wait wo long, you might end up stranded along a frosty highway with a problem that could easily have been prevented with a lithe October maintenance."* Greg Wilson AUTOMOTION Johnson's winter checklist in- cludes many tasks which can be done yourself, no matter what your level of mechanical ability. 1. Check the coolant level in your radiator. ‘‘Motorists can check the protection level using an inexpensive hydrometer,’’ (a small, hand-held device that measures the strength of coolant, available at your local auto parts store). This should be done while the engine is warm, however it's not advisable to take off the radiator cap when the engine is very hot. Coolant under pressure can spray outwards, scalding you. “Protection at minus 37°C should be adequate for most areas of Canada. If the coolant level is low, add a 50/50 mixture of an- tifreeze and water,’’ says Johnson. Sixty/40 antifreeze/water levels are permissible, but Johnson warns that “‘inereasing antifreeze concentrate above 50 per cent will reduce engine cooling and result in hotter engine operation.** 2. The battery is often the most overlooked component of your powertrain. A fully-functioning battery is especially important during winter. “‘Cold water can rob as much as 30 per cent of a batery’s power, even when it’s in top condition. It’s very important to ensure that the fan belt is pro- perly tensioned and the battery terminals are clean and_ tight,” advises Johnson. If you have a non-sealed bat- tery, make sure the water levels are topped up, and that it is fully charged. Battery problems usually begin with a loose fan belt, faulty alternator, regulator, or a battery that is just plain old. If your bat- tery is not charging properly, the mechanic at your local garage can often find the source of the prob- fem more quickly than you can, at a reasonable cost. 3. Snow tires. According to Johnson, ‘‘Most new cars and trucks are equipped with all- season tires that will improve trac- tion and handling on snow and ice. But in areas where driving through heavy snow is a daily drill, installing tires graded for ‘snow’ is wise.”’ Remember, snow tires always go on the wheels that are driving the car. If you have radial sum- mer tires, you must install radial snow tires and if you have bias- ply summer tires, you should in- stall bias-ply winter tires. Fall is a good time to rotate your tires. Bias-ply tires can be moved from one side of the car to the other, but radial tires should be moved from front to back and back to front on the same side of the car. 4,Engine oil. Your car’s owner’s manual will specify what type of oil is right for your engine, but generally 10W-30 or 5W-30 are acceptable. For colder climates, 10W-40 is recommended. 5. Fluid levels, such as wind- shield washer anti-freeze, power brake and power steering fluids, and automatic transmission fluid (check while engine is idling) can be given a quick visual check. In winter, when windows are closed up, a leaky exhaust system can emit harmful fumes into the passenger compartment. If you suspect a leak, place a cloth over the end of the tailpipe for a cou- ple of seconds to check the ex- haust pressure. If there is a jeak, pressure will not build up at the exhaust outlet. 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