Summer Travel Tips
Walt Juneau
Harper Garage

The Big Killer- HEAT

The biggest killer of engines and transmissions is heat. Later model cars have minimal cooling systems to reduce weight and increase fuel mileage. The engines usually have aluminum cylinder heads for the same reason and are designed to run at over 200 degrees to promote efficient combustion and reduce emissions. A water pump, belt, or hose failure can cook an engine in a hurry.

Automatic transmissions are especially subject to heat stroke. At 130 degrees, they are good for 100,000 miles. At 190 degrees, 30,000 miles, and above 210 degrees, disintegration begins. The fluid should be a bright red/pink. If it's dark, looks like molasses, and smells worse, it needs a flush and fluid ASAP. We can perform a complete fluid exchange with our automatic equipment and change the filter. In some cases, however, it can be too late for a maintenance service only.

UNDER the Hood

COOLING - Inspect for white or greenish stains around hose connections and radiator seams and look for cracks or checks in heater hoses. Look for any hose that is oil soaked and soft or swollen that is ready to fail. Spring clip type hose clamps can lose tension and allow hoses to pop off. We recommend a complete coolant exchange every two years because the corrosion inhibitor package wears out and acids build up in the system that attacks aluminum pumps, radiators and other aluminum parts.

The BATTERY - The source of all things electrical. It should be clean without any white or blue green crusting on the terminals. A full 12 volts can drain across the top of a dirty battery. Rinse it off with water, sprinkle on baking soda, and watch the fizz. That's kind of fun. Then rinse it off and feel virtuous. Don't hose the engine, though.

OIL- you do check it when you get gas, don't you? A sooty appearance is normal. That means oil is keeping carbon in suspension instead of gumming up engine parts. If it looks like melting licorice, it's past due for a change. You shouldn't have to add oil between changes, but a quart in 1000 miles is ok. Much more than that, better have it checked out.

Take a peek at the belts and pulleys at one end of the engine. Look for cracks or checks ENGINE OFF! With engine running look for wobbling pulleys. If you see either, fix them before they break.

TIRES- Do a walk around and look at the tires. If you see bars running across the tread, the tire is at the wear limit and is illegal. Bulges on the side of the tire do not mean that it's going to have a baby tire. It will pop, but not nicely. Check the tire pressures, too. Correct pressures are on the door stickers; usually on the driver's door or pillar, but on some Fords the stickers are on a rear pillar. Surprising what correct tires pressures will do for gas mileage, handling, stopping and tire wear.

BRAKES- The brake fluid reservoir is on the firewall on the driver's side in line with the brake pedal. If it's plastic, look to see if it is nearly full. Otherwise, you'll have to unclip or unscrew the cap. If it is low, there is either a leak or the front brake pads are badly worn. Time to take care of it. The fluid when new is clear or a light amber. Unfortunately the stuff soaks up moisture over time and the brakes fade when the water boils. Brakes develop over 700 degrees heat on hills and hard stops. Most folks don't do it but flushing the crud out of the system and putting in fresh fluid is a good idea, even recommended every two years. If you are sitting in your favorite traffic jam with your foot on the brake and the pedal wilts to the floor, the master cylinder is probably leaking. Scraping noises? Too late. $$$

*+environmental fees, most cars and light trucks

Copyright - Walt Juneau