Your car care queries answered EVERYONE HAS car care queries at spring tune-up time. The following questions were among those sent in as entries in the North Shure News Car Care Queries Contest. The answers were kindly supplied by Bob McHugh of the British Coiumbia Automobile Association's Technical Services Department. The winners of a dinner for two at the newly opened North Van- couver Keg restaurant are Michael Sutcliffe and Charles Merrick. Q: My car care query invoives a trip my husband and § pian to make in July to Trail, B.C., from Vancouver. BK will no doubt be extremely hot in the Kootenays at that time of the year and Pm wondering what kind of preven- five maintenance we should undertake with our vehicle — an 85 cm Safari Minivan — so that we don’t ead up ovecheating halfway to Trail! Joanne Healey Burnaby, BC A: Long trips in hot summer weather will test any car’s cooling system, but if the system is in good operating condition it should be up to the task. Lam, of course, presuming that you do not tow a trailer or plan to load the vehicle beyond its recommended weight capacity. Additional equipment and precau- tions should be taken if that is the case. The anti-freeze/water mix in the cooling system, known as coolant, not only protects the system in the winter it also helps prevent boiling over in the summer. Have the coolant strength tested before your trip. A bug screen for the radiator might also be a pru- dent investment. There are other areas of the coolinz system that should also be cheched sack as hoses, water pump, fan belt and radiator Pressure cap. In fact, I would suggest a more extensive check that would include brakes, steer- ing, suspension, tires and lighting. The engine, transmission and driveline should also be checked for leaks and worn parts. If a ser- vice is due or near due on the maintenance schedule, get it done before you leave. An alternative you might con- sider is an inspection like the one BCAA Vehicle Inspection Service provides. It’s a general check of the vehicle that covers all the areas listed above. Q: Is there any advantage in us- ing Supreme Unleaded or higher octane gasoline? If so, whe? Micheel Sutcliffe North Vancouver A: Engine design determines which grade of fuel you should use. If the engine in your car is designed to run on regular gaso- Yine, using premium fuel will not improve performance or prolong engine life, ir just costs more. On the other hand, if the engine was designed for premium and regular fuel is used, poor perfor- mance and engine damage can oc- cur.. The key here is to know which grade of fuel is recommended for the engine in your car. It may be posted right on the fuel gauge or the fuel filler door, but you will always find it in the owner’s manual (yes, that tittle book in the glove box) or you can ask the dealer. If you listen to the engine it wiil also tell you if you are using fuel with too low an octane valuc. A noise called ‘‘pinging’’ will be heard under load conditions (ac- celeration and on uphill grades, etc.). It sounds like someone is under the hood tapping the engine with a small hammer. Excessive pinging is a serious problem and can eventually burn-out pistons if left unchecked — that’s a big dollar repair item. Switch to higher grade (higher octane) gasoline if you hear engine ping. If that doesn’t work, have your mechanic check the engine. It may need a tune-up. Q: What is tte most effective way to remove road soit and other material picked up during aarmal winter driving throughout B.C.’s Lower Mainland? Does a normal commercial car wash (including the underside} do the job? Or is 2 detailed cleaning of the underside (under the fenders, around the doors, etc.) necessary? Charles Mersick 5 poir West Vancouver A: Dirt is probably the biggest cause of rusting on automobiles. It_ clings to the body, hides in cracks and cavities and acts like a sponge to hold moisture and salt. Washing and waxing the body on a regular basis will keep the exterior looking good. But yes, if you really want to do a thorough job and especiaily after driving on salted roads, a high pressure cleaning of the underbody and those hard-to-get-to areas like the inside of the wheel openings is advisable. Also, make sure door and rocker pane! drains are not plugg- ed and water is not trapped inside the body. We asked our readers to submit any questions they had about getting their car ready for spring and summer. A selection of those questions are included in today’s feature. Two lucky winners, names below, will be given dinner for 2 certificates (value $50 each). WINNERS: MICHAEL SUTCLIFFE CHARLES MERRICK DINNER FOR 2 AT THE KEG THE VOICE OF NORTH ANO WEST VAHCOUVER: very Fri SECs BCAA APPROVED & ICBC VENDOR Ali make collision and mechanical specialists Our 33rd year of customer satisfaction, quality workmanship, trustworthy service COMPLETE AUTO MECHANICAL & COLLISION REPAIRS 174 PEMBERTON AVE., N. VAN (free rental car for major collisions) Esplanad *NOTE & We are approved for government inspections. Don Taylor FOR CONSULTATION OR APPOINTMENTS CALL EL NE y