Wednesday, August 4, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D3 AUTOMOTIVE Cooling system failure leads to engine failure When a cooling system fails, the engine overheats. And when a car overheats for very long, metal engine parts can be seriously dam aged and require expensive repair. Overheating can result when the coolant level is too low or when there is a leak in the system. Sometimes just driving in stop- and-go traffic on a hot summer day with the air conditioner running is enough to overheat the engine. Coolant loss A low coolant level leads to overheating because there isn't enough fluid in the system to absorb engine heat. The air in the system that is absorbing these high temperatures is a poor heat con ductor and won't do an effective job of transferring the heat to the radiator. Cars with coolant recovery tanks have markings on the white plastic tank indicating where coolant levels should be when the car is running and when it's not. If the coolant level is low after repeated fillings, you probably have a leak in the system. Coolant hose leaks Hoses are the most likely source of leaks because they are structurally the weakest compo nents of the cooling system. Hoses must be flexible to absorb vibra tion, so they are made of rubber compounds. Rubber, unfortunate ly, is not as durable as metal. Intense engine heat can harden New tires give car new lease on life Have you ever noticed how dif ferent your favourite shoes feel with new soles and heels? The wear was so gradual you had not realized how worn they'd become. Now you're walking straight again. This is similar to the improve ment in the feel of your car when you replace worn tires. You had become accustomed to the vibrations and noise of the old ones. Then, with the new rubber on the road, the car seems to glide. The old tires may have aged prematurely and developed lumpy, flat spots because if incorrect align ment of imbal ance. Or they may have been under inflated tires, says Car Care Canada of the Automotive I n d u s t r i e s Association of Canada, a condi tion which wastes gas as well as accelerating tread wear. One out of four cars checked in an inspection lane, sponsored by Car Care Canada, had wheels out of alignment. How do you know if you wheels need align ing? Your first clue may come from erratic steer ing. The car may wander or pull from one side to the other. The con dition may cause a shimmy similar to the action of an out-of balance tire. The pulling to one side or the other also may be caused by a tire on one side being underinflated. If your tires appear to be worn more at the outer edges than at the centre, or vice versa, your prob lem may be noth ing more than incorrect inflation. and crack even the best rubber; oil can soften and swell it; the simple passage of time can break down its internal bonding; and electrochem ical degradation can crack the tube. In many instances, hose leaks occur at faulty connections to the inlet and outlet pipes. Make certain the hose clamps are secure. When replacing a hose, it's also a good idea to replace the clamps. Traditional worm-drive clamps or the new constant tension clamps are best. To extend the service life of a hose, keep it away from damaging external elements such as hot man ifolds, oil-leaking parts and sharp edges. In these situations, protect the hose with a sleeve. You should also avoid using the soluble oils found in some coolants, under the assumption they lubricate the water pump.. Most modem antifreeze solutions contain all the lubricants a water pump needs. Soluble oil only serves to destroy a hose before its time. All cooling system hoses should be inspected every six months. Water pum p leaks It is common to find an occa sional drop of coolant under the water pump. Excessive leaking, however, indicates a problem. Housing bolts on the pump should be tight. If they are, and leaking persists, the pump's inner seal is probably damaged and the pump must be replaced. Radiator leaks Radiator leaks are often just the result of a loose petcock or plug. Simple tightening should correct this. The inner seal on the radiator cap should be checked periodical ly. If the seal is cracked, or the metal parts are rusted, coolant will escape and the cap will fail to pres surize the remaining coolant ade quately. White stains on the radiator point to a more serious problem. These stains result from coolant reacting with the metal parts. Pouring a liquid sealant in the radi ator might solve the problem, but chances are good that the radiator needs to be repaired or replaced. This is frequently the case with many of today's aluminum radia tors. Heater leaks Leaks can occur in the heater control valve or in the heater core. A liquid sealant can sometimes help but, more often than not, the heating system units will have to be replaced. Engine leaks Leaks can occur on the engine block wherever there is a bolted housing, such as at the thermostat or water pump housing. - You should also inspect the block's drain plugs and core plugs (also known as freeze plugs). Core plugs are holes left in the engine when it is cast and later covered by metal discs. If these discs loosen or corrode, coolant can escape from the block. If leaking continues after you've checked all the hoses, clamp connections and metal com ponents of the cooling system, the leak is probably internal, advises Gates. This situation can be confirmed by the presence of engine oil in the coolant, in the exhaust system, or transmission fluid. A visually inspected sample of the coolant will reveal the presence of oil. In both the latter situations, however, sophisticated test instruments will help make this determination. WAL-MART ® Ulysses BH All-Season Radial Tire s • Passenger all-season steel-belted radial tires • Whitewall sidewall styling • Available in 75 and 80 series (depending on sizei. Starting from P155/80R13IWWI High Performance Super C/T Sport Radial Tires • Aggressive tread design fo r all-seasons • 'S' speed rated up to 180 km/h • Available in 60,65 o r 70 series (depending on size). Starting from A PI55/80*13(WW) A P175/70*13 & 9 5 88 £ v 2 1 1 88 (Of 23.97 Each) -----------------------" Set of 4 EVERY DAY tor 52.97 Each) L ig h t-T ru c k R a d ia l T ire s > Namebrand all-position, all-season for highway driving «Good highway traction and handling for a smooth ride - Hard-working long, even-wear tread ■ 2-pl? radial polyester with 2 sturdy steel belts. Starting from Trail Mark Radial APR light Truck and RV Tires > A ll-position , all-season > A ll-terra in, aggressive tread design exce llent fo r a ll-w eather tra c tion on o r o ff road > Sporty w h ite o r black le tte r sidewalls. Starting from P205/75R15(97S)SI0WIA P235/75R15 A P205/75R15(97S)SI0WI ^ 3 9 5 " * \ 2 6 3 88 (or 98.97 Each) --------------------------(or 65.97 Each) See Automotive Department for more sizes and prices. EVERY TIRE PURCHASED .AT WAL-MART INCLUDES: • Installation • New tire valve • Flat repair • Road hazard warranty - Rotation every 10,000 km ■ Nationwide warranty > Available in stores with Automotive Centres only. 'J*At-MAAT . tAYM VAYk ~ ~ SLeJ* llP L A H BETTER EVERYDAY L O W PRICES 234 HAYS BLVD., TRAFALGAR & HWY. 5, OAKVILLE " S t ONLY AT YOUR ONTARIO PONTIAOBUICK»GMC DEALERS. 1 i * C A N A D A - W I D E C L E A R A N C E Sm a r tL ease PURCHASE PRICE S O Q Q or $24 ,178 V i . I EX C LU D ES F R E IG H T S94< PER MONTH/36 MONTHS/ $1,940 DOWN PAYMENT AND $940 FREIGHT REQUIRED NO SECURITY DEPOSIT 1 5 PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS1 >/ c 1 99 9 S IE R R A R E G U L A R C A B | D own P aym ent Lease P aym en t Tota l D ue On S ig n in g " so $357/m onth $ 1 ,4 9 1 .5 5 $ 1 ,9 4 0 $298/m onth $ 3 ,6 5 4 .7 0 | $ 3 ,7 4 5 $243/m onth $ 5 ,6 6 7 .2 0 1999 GMC Sierra Regular Cab AJAC " B e s t N e w P ick u p T ru c k ." V o rte c 4 8 0 0 V 8 2 5 5 H P e n g in e • A u to m a tic tra n s m is s io n w ith o v e rd riv e an d to w /h a u l m o d e • A ir c o n d itio n in g w ith in te r io r a ir f i lt ra t io n s ys te m • 4 -w h e e l d isc & 4 -w h e e l a n ti- lo c k b ra k in g s y s te m • Fu ll in s tru m e n ta tio n in c lu d in g ta c h o m e te r , e n g in e h o u rm e te r a n d d r iv e r m e s s a g e c e n tre • C h ro m e w h e e ls , g r ille a n d b u m p e rs • AM /FM stereo cassette • Tilt-W heel™ • Autom atic headlights • 4 0 /2 0 /4 0 split bench seat • PASS- Lock® II th e ft-d e terren t system • Front tow hooks f t Total duo on signing Includes down payment, freight, 1st month's payment plus taxes. SmartL ease $ 1 8 8 PER MONTH/36 MONTHS/ $1,590 DOWN PAYMENT, $680 FREIGHT AND $300 SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED O R PURCHASE PRICE $15,998t W IT H 1.9 PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS' Vo EXCLUDES FREIGHT $680 1999 Pontiac S u n fire C o u p e A fun-to-drive coupe that delivers on acceleration, at a price that won't slow you down. Included in this sporty package are: 2.2 litre 115 HP engine • 5-speed manual transmission • 4-wheel anti-lock braking system • PASSLock* theft-deterrent system • Next Generation driver and front passen ger air bags • Folding rear seatback • Rear spoiler • Tinted glass 1999 S U N F IR E C O U P E D o w n P a ym e n t L e a s e P aym e n t Total D u e O n S i g n i n g " $0 $233/month $1,436.19 $1,590 $188/month $3,212.48 $3,000 $147/month $4,787.68 s payment plus taxes. Y PONTIAC SMARTLEASE $ 3 3 8 P E R M O N T H /3 6 M O N T H S / $ 3 ,1 0 0 D O W N PAYM ENT, $ 7 5 5 F R E IG H T A N D $ 4 0 0 S E C U R IT Y D E P O S IT R E Q U IR E D OR PURCHASE PRICE $34,498+ EX C LU D ES F R E IG H T $ 7 5 5 - Vo W ITH 1.9 P U R C H A S E FIN A N CIN G U P T O 4 8 M O N T H S ' 1999 G M C J im m y 4 -D o o r 4 W D Go w here you need to go, with all the com fort you want. Vortec 4300 V6 190 HP engine • Automatic transmission • Next Generation driver and front passenger air bags • 4-wheel anti-lock braking system • Power door locks/windows/mirrors • Tilt-Wheel™ • AM/FM stereo cassette • Air conditioning • Locking differential • Premium ride suspension • Remote keyless entry system • Rear liftgate with liftglass 1999 JIMMY 4-OOOR Down Payment Lease Payment Total Due On S igning " SO $428/montti $2,320.45 $3,100 $338/month $5,681.95 $5,000 $282/i»omh $7,727.55 SmartL ease $ 2 8 8 PER MONTH/36 MONTHS/ $2,960 DOWN PAYMENT, $835 FREIGHT AND $350 SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED O R PURCHASE PRICE $24,298+ W IT H 19 PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS' EXCLUDES FREIGHT $835 1999 Buick C e n tu ry Surround yourself with a surprising touch of luxury. This Buick is equipped with: 3.1 litre V6 160 HP engine • 4-speed automatic transmis sion • Next Generation driver and front passenger air bags • 4-wheel anti-lock braking system • 4-wheel independent suspension • Enhanced Traction System * 6-passenger seating • Child- security rear door locks • Remote keyless entry with Panic feature • PASS-Key* II theft-deterrent system • Air conditioning/filtration system • Cruise control • Tilt-Wheel™ • AM/FM stereo cassette • Power door locks, windows and mirrors 1999 B U IC K C E N T U R Y D ow n Paym ent Lease P aym ent Total D u e O n S ig n in g " $0 $379/m onth $1,932.35 $2 ,960 S288/month $5,131.70 $5 ,0 0 0 $226/m onth $7 ,3 5 6 .4 0 ttTota l due on signing Includes down payment, freight, security deposit, 1st month's payment plus taxes. W ITH P E R M O N T H /3 6 M O N T H S / $ 3 ,0 0 0 D O W N PAYM ENT, $ 8 9 5 F R E IG H T A N D $ 3 0 0 S E C U R IT Y D E P O S IT R E Q U IR E D OR PURCHASE PRICE $24,178f EX CLU D ES F R E IG H T $ 8 9 5 Y PONTIAC LEASE RATE U P TO 3 6 M ONTHS OR PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 4 8 M ONTHS' 1999 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT Down Payment Lease Payment Total Due On Signing" so $324/month $1,776.85 $3,000 S238/month $5,052.95 $5,000 $181/month $7,287.40 1999 Pontiac Tra ns Sport Oesigned fo r fam ily adventure. 3.4 litre V6 185 HP engine • 4-speed automatic transmission • Next Generation driver and front passenger air bags • Seat-mounted side air bags • 4-wheel anti-lock braking system • Air conditioning • AM/FM stereo • Heated power mirrors • Programmable power door locks FIVE STAR SAFETY RATING Pontiac Trans Sport has been awarded five stars (top safety rating) for both driver and rear-seat passenger in side-impact testing.** Side-im pact air bags are standard on Pontiac Trans Sport. AUTO INSURANCE DISCOUNTS FOR ANTI LOCK BRAKES, AIR BAGS AND ANTI-THEFT DEVICES FROM MOTORS INSURANCE CORPORATION - THE INSURANCE PEOPLE FROM GENERAL MOTORS. Visit your Pontiac*Buick*GMC Dealer and call MIC for a fast, no obligation auto Insurance quote.* We'd like you to know more: Come visit us at your local dealer, on our website at www.gmcanada.com or call 1-800-GM-DRIVE. 'Otters based on a Sierra Reg. Cab R7Z/Sunfire Coupe R7Z/Century R7Z/Jimmy 4-door R7Z/Trans Sport R7Z. Annual cost of borrowing 6.4%/1.9%/6.9%/3.4%/1.9% per annum. Annual kilometre limit 20.000 km, $0.12 per excess kilometre. Other lease options available. 'fFreight (as indicated), licence, insurance, P.P.S.A., administration fees, and taxes not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. ^Financing on approved GMAC credit only. Example: $10,000 at 1.9% APR, the monthly payment is $216.52 for 48 months. Cost of borrowing is $392.96. Total obligation is $10,392.96. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. 'tfO ffe rs apply to select 1999 new or demon strator models, and to qualified retail customers in Ontario only (excluding Northwestern Ontario). Limited time offers which may not be combined with other offers. Dealer order or trade may , _ be necessary. See your dealer(s) for conditions and details. ttL icence, insurance, P.P.S.A. and admin, fees extra. "Testing conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 4 Your GM Dealer is not licensed as an insurance agent or broker, and is not acting as an agent or broker or in any other capacity on behalf of Motors Insurance Corporation. Available to res idents of Ontario only. " it § http://www.gmcanada.com AUTOMOTIVE & 9588 £v21188 ^395" *\26388 EVERY TIRE PURCHASED "St CANADA-WIDE CLEARANCE 15 $188 $338 WITH $288 19 AUTO INSURANCE DISCOUNTS FOR ANTI LOCK BRAKES, AIR BAGS AND ANTI-THEFT DEVICES FROM MOTORS INSURANCE CORPORATION - THE INSURANCE PEOPLE FROM GENERAL MOTORS.