to keep battery in tip-tap shape The fast approaching cold weather season significantly increases the need for proper maintenance of automotive batteries, says the Automotive Parts & Accessories Associa tion (APAA). "My battery was all right until it got cold last night," car owners frequently complain as soon as the first cold snap hits. By then it is too late to do any thing but call for help, APAA notes. Here is advice from APAA to keep your battery in tip-top shape. • Inspect monthly: The battery should be inspected monthly to make sure the ter minals are clean, the electro lyte (fluid in the battery) is maintained at the proper level, and the belts and clamps are tight. Use a hydrometer to obtain an accurate reading of the bat tery's state of charge. These are inexpensive and available from most retailers of automo tive products. • Lifetime batteries. Most maintenance-free (or lifetime) batteries are sealed and so do not require checking of the electrolyte level. Even with these batteries, however, you sometimes can check the level by looking through the translu cent material on the side of the battery. These batteries keep the supply of electrolyte at the proper level by using an ex pansion, or vapor storage, compartment to trap the gassed given off during charging and discharging. The condensa tion from these gasses drains back into the cells. If your car has a conven tional battery and the fluid level is low, add water to those cells which need it. The car should then be driven a while before using the hydrometer to recheck the electrolyte level. This will give you a true read ing by allowing the charging system of the vehicle to re charge the cells. • Not in winter: Never add water to a battery during the winter unless you plan to drive the vehicle shortly afterward. This will prevent the water from freezing and damaging the battery. A fully-charged battery will not freeze until the under-the- hood temperature drops to mi nus 70 degrees F.; a weak bat tery, at 20 degrees F. -- only 12 degrees below freezing. The most common causes of battery failure are corrosion on the battery terminals and battery terminal ends, and a loose connection. These con ditions are easily remedied if they are caught before a bat tery failure occurs. • The brush-off: For cor roded terminals, simply re move the cables from the bat tery. Be sure you remove the negative or "ground" cable first. There is no problem in PAGE 5 - PLAINDE ALER - FRIDAY. OTTOBFR 15.1982 your Car's battery exploding. 1. Pull the two cars clos* enough together to avoid ove extending the jumper cables. 2. Connect one end of the other cable to the positive (+) terminals of each battery. 3. Connect one end of the other cable to the negative (-) determining which of the two cables goes to the negative terminal. Conventionally mounted batteries have terminals that are two sizes. The smaller- sized terminal is the negative one and usually will be marked "Neg." or "(-)." Some General Motors cars have side-mounted batteries -- the terminals face a side rather than upward. The negative ter minals on these batteries are black. Clean all the terminals and cable ends with a wire brush. Once the cables and termi nals are clean and shiny, re-in- stall the cables. • Safety first - and last: Be sure you hook up the negative/. ground cable last. The reason for removing the negative ca ble first and replacing it last is to avoid the possibility of sparks or damage to the elec trical system. A tune-up can be an impor tant life extender for your bat tery. An out-of-tune engine may be hard to start and this wears down the battery, which may not fully recharge after ward. Other factors in accelerated battery wear are low idle speeds in slow-moving condi tions. Picture a car with its windshield wipers, heater, ra dio and headlights driving at twilight in rush-hour traffic -- a marginal battery can go ' 'over the hill" quickly in such conditions. • Jump starts: Batteries produce hydrogen gas when they discharge or are exposed to extreme loads such as idle speed before disconnect ing the jumper cables , • Battery acid: Battery acid is highly corrosive. Avoid splashing it on your skin or clothing Added Zip Liven up cantaloupe and honeydew wedges with a sprinkle of lime juice and a dusting of powdered ginger. cranking the engine for a long _ terminal of the good battery SALE-OF-THE-YEAR ON 1982 REN AIIUS Prices Will Never Be LeCars - Fuegos - R18i 's $ 1 000 REBATES OVER 30 CARS IN STOCK! BRAND NEW 1982 LeCAR Stock No. 1774 ^ FULL PRICE 1704 LevMII 4350 Plus Tax Freight Options RENAULT ALLIANCE Value Shock of the '80's 5595 MPC 17 MFC ** CITY Introducing the Totally Affordable Alliance. A Fabulous List of Standard Features for '83. TEST DRIVE TODAY! CRYSTAL LAKE "We are Chicagoland's Oldest & Host Experienced Renault Dealer" GOETTEL'S AUT0HAUS ° (814)455-4330 BMW - RENAULT - PEUGEOT ON RTE.31 JUST NORTH OF RTE. 176 CRYSTAL LAKE 1 7j i m THRU OCT. 30. 1982 j Fall Service Special on ALL Imports! 120 Point Fall Safety Inspection j Oil ft Filter Change £ 1095 PARTS ft LABOR period of time. An explosion can be caused by a spark near this hydrogen gas when the car is being jump-started. If you ever need to jump- start your car or someone else's, the Automotive Parts & Accessories Association sug gests the following procedure so as to avoid any chance of 4. Connect the other end of the cable to the engine block of the vehicle being started. Do not connect the cable to the negative (-) of the bad battery under any circumstances! Avoid damage to the electri cal components of the vehicle being started by making cer tain the engine is running at Keep wiper blades free of ice and snow Wiper blades may become clogged with ice in snow and freezing rain. The best way to clean the blades is to lift the wiper arm several inches off the windshield and let it snap back against the glass. Do this several times to fully clear the blade. If your blades fall into a re cess below the windshield clear all snow out from that area. Spraying a de-icer along the. length of the blade may keep the ice from accumulat ing. 1 Permanent Mtifreeze am u .• vullom EBma^asj.-T-- -- ONE GALLON PERMANENT ANTI-FREEZE t $2> LIMIT 6 8 All Season ^OTOR OIL '0IV-40 CITGO 10W40 or 10W30 79* AC AIR FILTER @•0 THANKS, AC Put up a tough defense for your car's engine. With an AC Air Filter. AC Air Filters are de signed to include an oil- wetted paper element to promote dirt-holding capacity and help reduce engine wear. AC Air Filters. Trust them. AC OIL FILTER THANKS, AG. Put up a tough defense for your cars engine. With an AC Oil Filter. AC Oil Filters are de signed to help protect your engine. Built tough to help filter out dirt. Help keep your engine's oil clean. AC Oil Filters. Trust them. HEADLIGHT SALE No. 4000 No. 4001 No. 4651 No. 4552 No. 6014 No. 6052 $ | 77 $377 $277 $577 *eelWipers Sizes to fit all cars and trucks. Easy to replace, natural rubber, steel ribbed, replaces original equipment. ONE PAIR REFILLS, OR COMPLETE BLADE $1 66 ONE GALLON WINDSHIELD WASHER SOLVENT 89* GOOD TO 20° BELOW Wisfiap-Aid WWDSHfELO WASHER MIAMI WllGMIOi J •*"L