Wednesday, December 28, 1904

7th St.,

Castlegar * 365-72

by Walter Suntth

Talk ‘dirty’ to your

Winter has an uncanny
way of creeping up on even
the most efficient, most orga-
nized car owner. Every car,
even a new one, is a candi-
date for a thorough cooling
System inspection.

Here is a Systematic
checklist that you can do in
your own driveway, in
about an hour.

Inspect for cooling system
leaks by starting the car and
allowing pressure to naturally
build up in the system. After
warming up the engine, the
radiator hoses will become

With the aid of a flashlight,

inspect the extetior of the
radiator, and the upper and
lower hoses connected to the
tadiator. Check all the other
smaller, cooling system
hoses, connected by clamps,
to the front of the engine.
You should immediately
replace any hoses that have
Cats, abrasions or bulges.

Replace hoses

Most cooling system hoses
fail from the inside, accord-
ing to Gates Rubber Compa-
ny engineers. So, to avoid an
unexpected burst or pinhole
leak, Gates suggests that you
Teplace the hoses — especial-
ly the upper radiator hose —
every four years.

Season's

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Before inspecting the anit-
freeze/coolam, make sure the
System's pressure has
Gropped. (The upper radiator
hose will feel soft and luke-
warm.) Do not let the system
become cold, however,
because any sediment will
settle to the bottom of the
Tadiator, and corrosion will
be hard to detect.

Wear protective glasses
and, using a heavy rag, slow-
ly turn the radiator cap
halfway. Do not remove the
cap entirely until you are sure
there is no pressure. Once it
has been removed, inspect
the cap’s rubber gasket for
any signs of cracking.
Replace the cap if its condi-
ton is questionable.

Inspect the antifreeze. If it
has an oily, reddish-brown
foam, it may be contaminat-
ed by leaking transmission
fluid. If the antifreeze is
Tusty, the cooling system
may need a chemical clean-
ing and flushing. Do-it-your-
self kits are available at parts”
stores, or professional ser-
vice will cost under $50. You
should flush the system
every two years.

Mix proper coolant

Once the flush is complete,
refill the system with a mix-
ture of antifreeze and water
that is at least 50 Percent, but
no more than 70 percent,
antifreeze. (Your car’s

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Prepping your cooling
system for winter

owner's manual will list the
cooling system Capacity.)
This recommended mixture
will offer freeze protection to
at least ten degrees below
zero, and will provide ade.
quate boil-over and anticorro.
sion protection in most cases.

Do not mix different
brands of antifreeze. Some
brands are not fully compati-
ble with other brands.

Gates advises completing
the cooling system service by
checking the condition of all
drive belts. Several V-shaped
belts, a single, long V-ribbed
belt, or a combination of
both, may be required to tum
the cooling system water
pump and other accessories,
Twist the belt to look for
excessive cracks, fraying of
the reinforcement, glazed
sidewalls (if it’s a V-belt),
and missing chunks of ribs if
it’s a V-ribbed belt.

The replacement recom-
mendation is the same for
belts and hoses — every four
years — or immediately, if
damage is severe. A car
owner with average mechani-
cal skills can change the
modem V-ribbed belt in less
than an hour.

To complete your pre-win-
ter check-list, you should
check several other car parts.
Inspect the depth of the tire
treads, check the windshield
wiper blades for tears, cracks
and uneven wear, refill the
windshield washer reservoir,
and clean off the battery
cable terminals.

Preparing your car for win-
ter driving this autumn is a
good investment in carefree
driving. Easy-to-perform pre-
ventive maintenance can save
you the cost and inconve-
nience of a breakdown, or the
torment of a no-start dn a
frigid winter moming.

se, A Bright
‘ New Year Is
On Its Way!

Seasons Greetings from all of us at

UAP/NAPA AUTO PARTS

Thank you for your past patronage.
We look forward to serving you in the New Year.
Jan ° Kevin + Lance + Gloria « Tracy + Robbie * Wally

Because there are no unimportant parts

UAP/NAPA AUTO PARTS
707 - 13th 8t., Cnstiogar, B.C. VIN 2x68 . 365-7248