22 — Eriday, September 8, 1989 — North Shore ews AUTOMOTIVE S 89 Keep air pollution to a minimum ‘Welcome to a new column about your car and how fo get the most out of it. Each weet, auto columnist Greg Wilson will be offering helpful tips and information on such topics as winterizing your car, preparing your car for a long trip, theft protection, insurance, new car warranties, converting your car to natural gas or pronane, choosing the right tires, and many others. This week’s column is a topic that is of increasing concern to all of us: the automobile and the environment. HOW MUCH air pollution do automobiles actu- ally contribute to the atmosphere here in the Lower Mainland? And yhat can we, as individual car owners, do about it? Most of what we can see (and can’t see) coming out ef our exhaust pipes is not harmful. Per car-mile, more than 83 per cent of exhaust emissions consists of harmless nitrogen gas (th: major component of our atmosphere) and water vapor, Fourteen per cent of exhaust emissions is carbon dicxide which, though not harmfui, has been denion- strated to contribute to globa! warming. Less than two per cent of a car’s emissions, with varia- tions depending on fuel, engine and operation, con- sist of harmful air pollu- tants. Sgecifically, these are hydrocarbons, nitrogei: ox- ides, carbon monoxide and fine dust particles. in the presence of sunlight, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides form ozone, the ima- jor ingredient of smog. While the long-term ef- fects of ozone on human be- ings are still being studied, it is known that elevated levels on ee see 70 VW sin won. red, very good cond & int. $1,200 oto. 986-3771. 7% MERCEDES 250, 4 dr sedan, auto, gd cond. $5,300.988-3647, 71 MERCEDES 2506, auto, com- restored. $8,500. 922-4938 72 MERCESES. 280SE 4.5 eng, piw, air, $10,000. 240-2800." 72 MERCEDES, rusty , but runs. $1200 obo. 988-3456 72 MERCEDES 350 SL Hard & soft tops. Guaranteed 1 owner Vancouver car. All service fo- cords. Aust. free. Absol:tely mint. $30,000. Chris Horgan Motors, next to the Avalon Hotel, 987- 4421. C5928. 72 Wa Bug, ad cond, red, has character. $1,200 abo. 985-9773. 73 MERC 2805, sir, fully restored, 73 SPITFIRE, rbit eng, gd cond, hard & soft top. $3,200. 960-4837. 78 VW Super Beatie, good card, toiiable transportation. $1,975. 986-0356 aft 6:2: . 74 BMW, needs work. Best offer takes. 738-7702 or 929-602E__- 74 PORSCHE 914, wht, low mi, hew tirasMattery $2,500. 988-4330 74 VW Bug, good cond, no rust, a must see, $2,700 obo. 921-9640 75 SUPER Beetle, s/r, tape dect., great shape, new shocks & clutch, $2,800. 932-5084/922-4293. 76 VOLVO station wagen, lots of new parts, exc working order, $2,400. 840-6511 or 985-4568. 75 VOLVO 164€. Pis, pio, piw, alc. fue! tnj, sir & runs well, $1,900 or trade for Camper-van. 929-3843, T& VOLVO 245 DL sw, good cond, $2,000. 96-4221. 7& VW SUPER Bootls, met blue, sit, exc cond. $3,500. 987-8549 76 BMW 530, auto, lady owner, 90,000mi, exc cond, must sell. $8,900 obo. 926-5518. 78. DATSUM 8210, auto, lady driven. $900 obo. 987-2725. 78 SUTTON Sports Kit-Car. 2 litre Ford Weber. immaculate condi tion. $7,900. 929-1325. 76 JAGUAR XJ6, European Ted, tan int, pw. New trans, $9000. 928-7677 eft 6 weekdays. 76 TRG, 60,000 orig miles, 2nd 2nd owner, rebdulit trans, $4600 obo. 968-3278 isave message. of ozone, which seach their highest levels in the months of June and July, have det- timental effects on people with respiratory problems and on agricultural crop yields. In the Lower Mainland, Environment Canada estimates that 38 per cent of the total amount of hydrocarbon emissions and 34 per cent of nitrogen ox- ides emissions come from passenger cars and light trucks. The next highest contributor is petroleum tefining and gasoline mar- keting with 26 per cent of hydrocarbon emissious. Heavy duty trucks con- tribute If per cent hydrocarbons and 11 per cent nitrogen oxides. Another component of smog is so-called acid rain. The ‘acid’ refers to nitric acid or sulphuric acid which is formed when nitrates or. sulphates combine with hydrogen in cloud ¢roplets. Lead in gasoline is another I epee gee ea gene 77 AUSTIN Mini, OK cond, $1000. 585-6445 After 6:30pm whkcays, 7@ FIAT X19, targa top, Pioneer Stereo, blue on blue, 4 yp, very dependable great csond, £2999 3? HONDA Civic, 4 spd, good In- terior, runs well, .needs paint, 3650 obo. 986-0937 — T7 MGB. Good condition. $3,900. §29-3741. 7? YOQYOTA Corolla, runs well, ks cond. $1,506 obo. 987-4756. 78 DATSUN 8210, 2 dr, 1 owner, mech cond, $1000. 984-3193. 78 FORD Fiesta, great car for student, yellow, s/t, anvim cass, must sali, $950 ob. 929-4105. 78 RABBIT, 2 dr, std, exc running cond. $1,290. Must sel}, 987-3319. T@ SAAB vb, very good cond, Must see, $4500. 988-2259, 78 SCIROCCO 5 spd, amitm cass, low im, $3,450 obo. 921-9991. 78 SILVER VW Rabbit, deluxe, 4 Gr, auto, sit, $1,000. 925-2024, 78 TOYOTA Celica, must sell, $2200; 77 Honda 750, 5800 sbo. $60-9938 7@ HONDA ACCORD hf, 2 dr, 78 HONDA Prefucle, 5 spc, abso- lutely exc cond, great on gas, sunroot. $3,995 firm. 926-6723. 7@ MAZDA RAX7, gaat shape, $5000, 986-1000. 78 RABBIT diesel, exc cond, must see $2,200 obo. 929-7206. 79 RABBIT 5 spd. sunrool. Good cond. $2,500. 921-8139. 78 TOYOTA 2 dr, auto, 1200 cc , exc cond, $2,890. 345-5420. 72 TOYOTA Corolla ‘gn. Auto, good trasp. $700 obo. Janine, 926-7323 days, 986-69E3 aves. 78 TRIUMPH Spitfire, good body, exc mech, $3,500 obo. 984-6697. 80 HONDA CIVIC, 4idr, 4 spd, sir, annfim czas, $2,500 obo. 980-9001 80 MAZDA AX7. New palnt, stock Mags, very nice, $6500. 929-5410. 80 MAZDA grey, goid rims, § spd, recent tune-up. $699. 926-4230. @) RENAULT 5, exc cond, $1250. $21-7691 88 TOYOTA Coroila, ex cond, very 980-8440. low mis, $4995 obo. pollutant which is gradually being phased aut. Lead was originally added to gasoline in the 1920s to improve oc- tane ratings and prevent engine pinging. It was also found to be an_ effective valve seat lubricant. However, because of its negative effects on health and the environment, the federal government began phasing out lead in 1974 with the introduction of unleaded gas. As of December 1, 1990, leaded gas will no longer be avail- hydrocarbon pollutants are destroyed. Stricter regulations ‘vere introduced in 1988. All new cars and light trucks are now equipped with ‘three-way’ catalytic converters which destroy nitrogen oxides as well as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Because of these im- provements in pollution con- trol and fuels, Environment Canada estimates that harm- ful emissions in the Lower Mainland will decrease significantly over the next AutoMotion Greg Wiison able at the pumps. Oil com- panies are currently working on a replacement for leaded gasoline for pre-1975 cars. The federal government first acted in the mid 1970s to minimize harmful car emissions by requiring all cars and trucks to be fitted with catalytic converters. These look like smal’ muf- flers and are connected to your exhaust system. Through a chemical reaction inside the catalytic con- verter, 90 per cent of all carbon mcnoxide and 328 SPORTS & IMPORTS Le 30 VOLVO GL, orig over, im- mac, ail receipts. $7500. 738-9990 80 2866 ZX. new brakas, bik, 5 Spa, alr, $4,950 obo. 988-7541 afié 81 AUDI 5000S, only 91,500 im, pirooi, locks, soats, etc. Exe cond $5,000 obo. 987-9103. 81 CELICA biue coupe, no rust, ad cond, o/s, pb, a/c, amitm stereo, $3400. 980-7602. £3 COROLLA 2 dr sedan, 4 spd, 264,00Gkm, 1 owner, good cond. 32,509. 929-8448. 81 HATSUN 2802X, € cyl, fuel in- fected, 2-tone biue, $6800 cbo. 985-2488 (eves) G7 DATSUN 6210. 2 dr, 4 $995. Wolfe's Cisarance Centre, @? HONDA Accord hb, sir, 5 spd, 55,000miI. $3200. 626-2075 81 HONDA Civic, th, 5 spd, aml fm, exc cond. $2,975, 987-6571. 81 MAZDA GLC, 5 sp, H/B, 82 000 fom, sft, $3000. 987-5647. 81 MAZDA AX7 GS. Sitver, 5 od. im, All bifis.: $7300. |. 985-7689, _ a1 MERCEDES 300 TOT won, blue/beige, sheepskins, sir, $22,000 obo, 988-1946. 81 PORCHE 924, exc cond, 1 owner, 56000 miles, loacod-must be seen, only $12500. 929-1250 61 TOYOTA Corolla wagon, super clean car, $2950 obo. 980-7561 rims, “$3500. 926-1494, MAZDA AX7 GX, 1 owner, 68; Sopkm, met grey, red leather, 5 sp, sir, sterso tape, snows, lov: condition, $17,000. 922-9743. ay 82 MAZDA GLC Sport, 5 sp, sir, exc cond, 115,000 kms-$3995. Dave-res 926-2801 ,bus 640-6545. 82 GAAZDA GLC - 5 sp, 4 dr hh,. exc cond, $3750 oboe. 984-9964, Cheap trans, 926-3022. 83 HONDA Civic, hi, anvim, 1 owner, mint, $3950, $80-7308. 83 TOYOTA Tercall, 4 dr, auto, sir, ex cond, 1 owner $5400, 622-4112 CON'T ON PAGE 24 four to five years. However, it is estimated that an in- crease in the number of vehicles on the road _ will cause a rise in pollution levels after that period. As ap individual car owner, there are a number of things you can do to keep our air cleaner. If your car uses unleaded gasoline, don’t use leaded gas. The lead will damage your catalytic converter and make exhaust emissions worse than if you didn’t have one. Most unleaded pumps now have a smaller nozzle that wiil only fit into an unleaded fuel fiiler. It’s also important to keep your car tuned up properly. Studies by the provincial Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada have shown that proper engine tuning can reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 40 per cent, hydrocarbons by 15 per cent and nitrogen oxides by 15 per cent. Alternate fueis such as natural gas, propane and methanol are another possi- bility. When properly fitted to an ordinary piston engine, these fuels produce virtually no pollutants. When im- properly fitted and tuned however, pollution can ac- tually be worse. As the ‘greenhouse effect’ increases, a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions must certainly be the next priority for gov- ernment regulators. The future of the automobile almost certainly depends on it becoming more ‘environmentally friendly’. For those of us who enjoy the personal freedom, utility, and driving pleasure that come from owning an automobile, per- sonal responsibility must be taken to keep our cars tuned and as pollution-free as possible. While rapid transit systems