The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Women's car-care clinics popular PAGE44 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7,1983 Instead of trying to save a quarter, the car owner should The apprehension many women feel about automobile service, coupled with repair costs, are drawing women in rboves to car-care clinics to team more about how their cars work, says the Automo­ tive Information Council (AIC) An industry study has found more women than ever before are responsible for the repair and maintenance of their own vehicles. The study shows over 47 percent of women now decide when their car needs servicing and in 40 percent of these cases they alone decide where to take the car for main­ tenance or repair work. Car-care clinics for women are sponsored by car manufac­ turers, tire companies, parts manufacturers, dealerships and repair shops. They usually are free In addition, "powder- puff" mechanical classes are taught at many community colleges, through school dis­ trict adult-education programs and at some YWCAs. Sponsorship may vary, but the goals are the same ... to teach how to care for a car, but not to turn the students into mechanics. All the clinics teach the basics of an automo­ bile, such as how the various components of a car work, and how to perform routine main­ tenance like checking the oil and other fluids, belts, hoses and tires. Participants have the oppor­ tunity to ask questions of the instructor and many clinics al­ low the women to gain hands- on experience with the auto­ mobile Students leam how to give symptoms of automotive diffi­ culties which can help any service facility diagnose the problem and repair it properly the first time. Some also teach how to re­ act in emergency situations, such changing a flat .tire or how to jump a battery. This knowledge can reduce inconvenience, save money and help keep the car running trouble-free, says AIC. BATTERIES SELDOM DIE; THEY ONLY FADE AWAY In the history of the automo bile, no battery ever failed when it was financially con­ venient to the owner or timely, the director of technical serv­ ices at the Automotive Parts A Accessories Association, Thn Tiemey, points out. "A battery can be a year past its 36-month warranty and the car owner still will try to get that last nickel's 'juice' from it," Tiemey says. "So he ends up paying a tow bill and buying the nearest battery with little choice in cost." -minSkyout ruage. / If you are planning on buying a new car, finance it at the FIRST. We've just lowered our interest rates on new car joans to save you money! Whether or not you have an account with us, visit our loan department and arrange for an auto loan to suit your budget. Shop around for the car of your choice assured that the money will be available when you need it. When you come to the FIRST, you will know you made the right decision. look for the battery's signal that it is wearing out, then shop around. "Batteries don't die, they wear out," Tiemey says. Here are signs your car's battery may be ready for replacement: • One or more cells need. water added frequently. • Corrosion returns shortly' after the battery terminals are cleaned. This usually means the battery is charging contin­ ually rather than holding a charge at a constant level. • Loose battery hold-down bolts or brackets. Bouncing can damage the battery's case. • Battery hydrometer readings are significantly dif­ ferent in one or more cells. On a numerical scale, a reading of .023 difference would indicate a problem. • Loose or slipping fan belts. This can keep the alter­ nator from charging the bat­ tery properly. A dirty carburetor can cause car malfunction Proper battery maintenance includes checking the fluid level when getting gas or on a Saturday morning. Keep the terminals and terminal ends free of corrosion by cleaning the battery and battery support periodically with a solution of baking soda and water. ' Weak or marginal batteries can fail if the car has a low idle speed and several of the elec­ trical accessories are operating while the vehicle is sitting in traffic. Look for a battery that holds a greater charge. The All Day Wednesday Bank FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MCHENRY 3814 W. Elm St. 3*5-5400 Member FDIC ¥ V ' 1 CHECK CAR'S WINTER VISIBILITY Autumn ^rings early dark­ ness and fbuT weather driving conditions. To be sure you can see and be seen by others while driving in the fall and winter months, the Automo­ tive Parts St Accessories As­ sociation recommends you make these following checks: • Lights: Inspect and clean headlights, tail lights, back­ up, stop lights, turn signals and emergency flashers. Check for broken lenses. • Windshield/Mirrors: In­ spect all glass for flaws and scratches. Check mirrors for cracks and any mounting prob­ lems. • Wipers: Streaks or squeaky Mufrt indicate inei cient blades. If squeakini, check the arm tension. If streaking, replace the blade. If the wipera fail to operate, check tne fuse first, men the wiring aad switch. With average car age now approaching seven years, there are more and more ve­ hicles on the road vulnerable to carburetor trouble. The reason, according to Car Care Council, is that this and other elements of the fuel system seldom net any attention un­ til trouble develops. Quoting a survey among members of the Automotive Service Councils, hundreds of repair shop owners re­ ported their customers wait­ ing too long for maintenance, generally getting work done after the car has let them down. "We see a much longer in­ terval between service... peo­ ple wait until their can have problems ... more tow-ins." "We are finding mass abuse, nothing is being done until trouble starts, or ^hen prob­ lems are pointed out by someone." Another says, with regard to preventive maintenance, "We find many customers are only repairing what has to be repaired and not any more," Hesitation on acceleration or surging when you are driv­ ing at a consta.u speed are two early warning signs that your car's carburetor may need service. If your car has sluggish ac­ celeration or is "bucking" at cruising speed, it may be due to a lean condition in the car­ buretor. It's a sign that the fuel filter may be clogged with dirt and preventing fuel from reaching the carburetor. Preventive maintenance of the fuel system is critical, says Car Care Council. Dirt in the carburetor, a condition found most often when car owners fail to have fuel filters re­ placed or when they buy sub­ standard fuel, can cause clogging of carburetor jets anaultimate failure Another area of trouble is the needle valve and seat which, when sticking or oth­ erwise leaking, can permit excessive fuel to enter the car­ buretor float chamber. The action is similar to the shut-off valve connected to the float in a toilet tank: when it fails to shut off, the water keeps on running. In thecaae of a carburetor, the fuel con­ tinues to run into the car­ buretor. causing excessively rich mixture and possibly flooding. A symptom not unlike the one mentioned above can come from a sticking choke or dirty air filter. When the choke fails to open, an exces­ sively rich mixture of fuel gets into the engine. Rough run­ ning. smoking and eventual fouling of spark plugs occur. If. on the other hand, the choke fails to dose, which is part of the action required for cold starts, the car will be dif­ ficult or impossible to get started or warm up poorly. If excessive pumping or the accelerator is needed to start the car, a worn accelerator _ pump could also be suspect. According to Car Care Council, most carburetor difficulties can be corrected with the installation of a basic repair kit if not ov a simple adjustment. What s also im­ portant to remember is the carburetor air filter which should be replaced as part of every tune-up. [Don't neglect maintenance! Although gasoline prices continue to go down, motor­ ists have become used lo pumping their own fuel and are continuing to do so, but 100 often they are neglecting regu­ lar minor maintenance, says the Automotive Information Council (AIC). When self-service stations became popular, a station op­ erator with both full-service and self-service islands checked the cars of 100 cus­ tomers who pumped their own fuel. Of the lOOcars he found: 56 at least a quart low on oil; 34 needed radiator coolant; 33 had at least one tire well below recommended pres­ sure; 29 needed power steering fluid; 28 were low on brake fluid; 27 needed battery water. Those items formerly were checked at full-service stations but new seem to be forgotten by the do-it-yourselfer. All of the items are easy to inspect and so inexpensive to remedy that a motorist is being unwise lo neglect them, says AIC. No tools are needed for any of these engine-compart­ ment checks and it takes only a few minutes to complete the full process AIC suggests that a car owner look at those fluid lev­ els and tires at least once a month. Transmission fluid also should be checked. Also, while the hood is up check the air filter to see that it's not clogged and determine that the hoses and belts are in proper shape. CQOQOQQQQBQBBDBOBeQBOBOQOO J\J[ccHe.rLXij AUTO SERVICE (815)344.2160 Repa i r s & Ma in tenance on mos t Domes t i c Au tos --COOLING SYSTEM i. SERVICE OUK EVRYDAY $ 1 A99 lewpiia IT •2 6AL. ANTftEEZE •PtESSUIE TEST SYSTEM •HOSES TIGHTENED IF NECESSARY -I USE- OIL FILTER CHANGE (XL 0UI EVERYDAY LOW NICE VALVOLINE 10W40 OIL (UP TO 5 QUARTS) •TUNE-UPS •BRAKES •SHOCKS '•EXHAUST '•ENGINE ft TRANSMISSION REPAIRS •FREE ESTIMATES ft TOWING AVAILABLE •GUARANTEED REPAIRS ON MOST DOMESTIC AUTOS •CERTIFIED ( > GENERAL MOTORS TECHNICIANS HOME OF THE $12.99 LUBF Oil FN 926 N. FRONT ST. (RT. 31) McHENRY • (Next to Video Alley) BBBBBBBBBiOCMMWKKN