Wednesday, November 24, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C7 Is you r car ready fo r the cold? H u m b le p lu g d e liv e rs s p a r k o f life to e n g in e Among fears haunting motorists in the winter is being stranded with car trouble and putting themselves and their passengers in jeopardy. Nearly 40 percent of road service calls are for cars that won't start. Most are due to lack of maintenance. Frequently an aging battery or electrical system is the culprit. But not always. Begin with a diagnostic checkup. If a system or component is in marginal condition, this may be the only way to discover it. Diagnosis is especially important on newer engines with computerized controls, which sense discrepancies and compensate for them. This may camouflage symp toms. When deterioration of components exceeds the computer's ability to adjust, the system fails and the car won't start. Other areas of concern: ·Filters. They are critical on fuel-injected engines. ·Cooling system. An engine that runs too cold is inefficient, vulnerable to rapid wear and a poor source of heat for occupants. Overheating can cause serious damage to an engine. ·Engine Oil. Oil that's too old and too dirty can cause starting trouble and rapid wear. Five s ta rs are the only five re a so n s you need. WWW ? 20Qhp VG Engine Air CondjtfQnfncj ^ ; How can something so small and P o w o r W in d o w * f'**' plain be so important to your engine? It T h e 2 0 0 0 W in d s ta r is th e only m inivan to delivers the spark of life to your cylin g e t a Five S ta r S a fe ty R atin g , six y e a rs in a ro w .1 t . ' ~ der. No spark, no explosion, no motion. Poyv^r L o o k s ' It's worth spending a little time to make sure your spark is reaching each cylin Pow ei M irro r* der at the right time, and is hot enough to ensure efficient combustion. Your owner's manual will tell you / A M /F M Stereo w ith C a l o t t e how often to change your spark plugs, and will also tell you what type, size, 9 t\ and heat range are best for your engine. 4 -S p e e d A u to m atic w ith O verdrive Some new types have platinum elec trodes that will practically eliminate Q uad B ucket S eats electrode wear, improving vehicle per formance and fuel economy. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, chang Dual Sliding D oors ing your spark plugs is easy: 1. Carefully remove the wires by twisting gently one quarter turn and lift P livacy Glass ing straight off. Be careful with the wires, and always pull by the boot, not the wire. Each wire should be num R em o te K eyless Entry bered on the insulating surface. If not, or if the numbers are hard to read, use Tilt Steel ing masking tape to number them yourself. 2. Loosen each spark plug, and blow area clean so no dirt can get into the Side D oor Intrusion B eam s engine. Special spark plug wrenches or sockets are available from all automo tive stores, as are cans of compressed air S peed C ontrol for blowing the area clean. If necessary, use a little penetrating oil to help ease S econd G en eratio n D ual Air Bags the threads -- don't use excessive , * V force, or you might break the plug off in ^ *· *i the cylinder. S e c u riL o c k fM A n ti-T h e ft S ystem 3. Remove each plug in turn, and wipe the plug hole seat clean with a dry " s -k cloth, wiping from the inside out to keep dirt from falling into the engine. Put the old plugs in order on a piece of news ^ ** paper or a rag for inspection -- the AJ* jf-.r U condition of the plug can warn you of impending engine problems. Look for excessive white or grey deposits (ash), black gooey deposits (oil), or worn or W e have the right lease paym ent for you per cracked electrodes (need tune-up). Based on 4 .5% APR over 36 months 4. Plugs are gapped at the factory, but m o n th it's a good idea to check them with your 2000 Windstar LX Down Security Freight Total Due Monthly Payment Payment Deposit at Signing own gapping tool to make sure they're right for your engine. $299 $4,295 $350 $925 $5,869 5. Screw the new plugs in until finger $367 $1,995 $425 $925 $3,712 tight. Use a torque wrench to tighten to the manufacturer's specifications. If $426 $0 $500 $925 $1,851 you have no torque wrench, your best $4,295 dow n paym en t plus $925 fre ig h t move is to get one -- they cost between $15 and $100, and $350 security d ep o s it depending on quality, much less than the cost of the engine work you might require through improper spark plug installation. 6. Replace the spark plug wires, in order. Check each wire for cracking or w w w .fo rd .c a / o ffe rs corrosion, and replace if necessary. The order of the wires is important. Each YOUR TO RO NTO FORD DEALERS Look uuhat uue've got for you nouu. cylinder has to fire in the right order, or you could cause severe engine damage. If you are in any doubt, check the firing W ISE BUYERS R EA D THE LEGAL COPY: ` Lease a new 2000 W indstar LX, w ith u tility and convenience group from Ford Cred it to q u alified retail lessees, on order in your owner's manual or call approved cred it. Total lease o b lig atio n is $15,059/$15,207/$15,336 excluding fre ig h t. Dealer may lease fo r less. Some conditions apply. O ffers m ay change w ith o u t notice. Lim ited tim e o ffe rs. See dealer fo r details. tT h e highest fro n ta l im pact rating fo r both th e driver and fro n t passenger in U.S. g o vernm ent your local service centre for advice. " m m jf*** ,, 2000 UUindstar LX 36 m onth lease in N ational H ig hw ay T ra ffic Safety A d m in istratio n te sting . Toronto FDA, P.O. Box 2000, O akville , O n tario L6J 5E4 2000s READY F >IATE DELIVERY · m T h «*« u w I; \' rz?:2ZZ*««**·*.*· rt S T " * auto., * toodmoonw, dealP""TMTM5' stereo cassette, speed control, * " 4 sp onto, air conditioning, deni poorer minors,P«£ cassette, keyless entry, cassette, speed control, tilt steering. LOCKWOOD Wm CHRYSLER 175 W yecroft Road, Oakville (BETWEEN KERR & DORVAL) NO CREDIT? NO PROBLEM . CALL PAT AT w w w .lo c k w o o d c h ry s le r.c o m 845-6653 V T A