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Many times it really is your fault. You didn't take the
time or spend the preventative dollars necessary to keep your
vehicle running smoothly under the most challenging, summertime
conditions. Laziness, lack of education or maybe a lack of
cash are the usual culprits, but adding insult to injury?
Vulture mechanics that know they've got you on the ropes and over
the proverbial barrel.
From my
December 13, 2001 column: "Remember that cold
weather (as well as hot weather) will end the life of a car
battery already on the replacement edge. Forget how many months
remaining under the warranty; battery manufacturers have the game
figured out and know that the best way to make you a (captive)
repeat customer is by creating a battery that still has many
months left under warranty so you'll come back to them to replace
the old battery on a pro rata basis. In other words: Don't be
blinded by the number of months left on your warranty; if your car
won't start, always have the mechanic check the battery, FIRST!"
From my
December 29, 2001 radio show: "Know
anyone that's been shopping at Sears since 1994? Did
they buy a Die Hard battery? Seems that the
folks at Sears have been less-than-truthful about the reliability
of this product. Wanna
know more about the latest hand-slap received by Sears from the
FTC? By
the way: This comes on the heels of a $60
million plus kick in the ass they took back in 1999 for
dirty-dealing consumers in bankruptcy. When will they ever learn?
If I were a Sears shareholder, I'd start demanding massive firings
of the idiots in middle management allowing this crap to go on.
Okay, let's play Q&A:
1.
Nothing's
worse than turning your key and....nothing happens:
"If your battery's 3-years old [or older] you'd really better
think about replacing it now, on your terms. The
exception to this rule? If you're planning on
trading out of/selling off your car, push the envelope and see if
you can avoid making that sort of expenditure. [Let the next owner
worry about it!]"
2.
We'll pull out different wardrobes every season, so why not
spend as much effort changing your "winter oil" to a
"summer-grade" oil? "You're
right. Engines run around 220 degrees, but get even hotter when
they begin picking up the heat from the asphalt. In fact summer
driving conditions can churn the temperatures well into the 400
degree plus range. Thicker "winter" oils won't thin out.
What does this mean to you? A "higher-viscosity" grade
oil means better lubrication/protection for your engine, longer
engine life, lower maintenance and lower/non-existent repair
bills."
Side bar/follow-up question:
Can you run an oil that's "too
thick" in your engine and damage it?
"Duh...you bet you can. Always refer to your owner's manual
for seasonal oil grade guidelines."
3.
What should we do if the vehicle's constantly
overheating in this awful summer weather? "First
thing's first...check the obvious: Is
there enough coolant/antifreeze in the radiator? Don't just look
inside the plastic overflow bottle, but remove the radiator cap
(when the engine is cold!!!) and look inside the radiator.
You should be able to physically see the
fluid level if it is at its proper level. Most cars and trucks
will hold 1.5-2 gallons of coolant and water mixture. If
you have to add more than a pint of fluid you should have the
cooling system pressure tested for a leak. If you see any
obvious fluid loss on the ground or in the engine compartment,
you should also have the system tested for leaks.
Number 2: If there's no coolant leak (or low
fluid level problem), then let's determine when the overheating
problem actually happens:
If
the engine overheats while at a stop or idle only: Most
front wheel drive cars use an electric cooling fan motor located
in front or behind the radiator. The function of the cooling fan
is to improve airflow across the radiator at stops and low
speeds. The fan is controlled by sensors that regulate the
engine temperature and additional load that might be placed on
the engine.
The air conditioning compressor will require the cooling fan to
operate at idle as long as the compressor is on. A quick way to
check the cooling fan operation is to turn on the air
conditioner. The cooling fan should come on with the air
conditioner compressor. Some cars will have two electric fans,
one for the radiator and the other for the air conditioner
condenser fan. Usually the radiator fan's located closer to the
middle of the radiator. The radiator fan is responsible for
engine cooling; the condenser fan's responsible for increasing
air conditioning efficiency at idle and low speed.
If your vehicle doesn't have an electric cooling fan on the
radiator, it will have a belt-driven fan blade and fan clutch.
This fan should be pulling a large amount of warm-to-hot air
across the radiator and onto the engine. You want to determine
(with either fan situation) is if there's ample airflow
across the radiator at idle. The radiator is the primary heat
exchange for the engine, making airflow is crucial."
What if the
engine overheats while at high speeds on the freeway?
"Again, airflow and coolant circulation
are crucial. At 55 MPH we can assume you have ample airflow
across the radiator, so proper anti-freeze circulation is the
next thing to inspect.
I
compare overheating at 55 MPH to jogging with a sock in your
mouth: The faster and longer you jog, the more air you're going
to require...and with a sock in your mouth you're going to have
to breath extra hard to maintain the proper amount of air to
keep you going. At 55 MPH, the water pump's pumping a large
amount of hot anti-freeze throughout the cooling system.
If there's a restriction in the system like a kinked radiator
hose, a restricted radiator, or a stuck thermostat, it'll
produce the same affect as the "sock in the mouth"
scenario. Rust and water calcification can accumulate in the
radiator and drastically reduce the flow of coolant at high
speeds. Removing the radiator from the vehicle for disassembly
and cleaning or radiator replacement are the only two real cures
for a clogged radiator. "
What about using a can of
"radiator flush" additive? "It might
help as preventive maintenance, but will probably just be a
waste of time and money trying to correct a restricted radiator.
Of course there are more technical issues that could produce an
overheating problem, but this check list will help identify
the most common situations. Anything you can do to help the
mechanic diagnose the problem will probably result in less
diagnostic charges to you, and might help insure a proper
diagnosis of the problem."
4.
We'd better flush our cooling system every two years...is this
still recommended? "Once again, the
owner's manual does a pretty good job of outlining the best
maintenance intervals, so always defer to their suggestions.
[Oops. Don't have a manual? Then hit their website and get
the proper/current information!]"
"Here's your
cooling system bottom line: Anti-freeze turns into a
very corrosive/acidic mixture when the "pH" levels
drop too low. This happens to everyone and is normal; it's a
result of usage, temperatures under stress [like extreme heat or
cold-which is all very normal and what it's designed to do] and
the aging of the anti-freeze. Rule
of thumb? Change at 2-year intervals."
Follow-up anti-freeze
question: Is there a potential downside by
changing the antifreeze on an older vehicle? In other words:
Do you increase your chances for a radiator leak when you change
the antifreeze? "Under normal
circumstances, no. If you do knock something loose during the
changing/backwash of the radiator, you simply headed off a
nightmare before it had the chance to bite you at the most
inopportune time (and hottest day of the year). Again...it's
always better to repair something on your terms than after an
expensive tow to an unfamiliar garage.
Oh yeah: It's not just
antifreeze, either. It's also known as "engine
coolant" in the summer."
One more "engine coolant"
point worth making: "Some manufacturers are
including a much higher-grade coolant on newer cars. It's
easy to identify too: As opposed to the reliable green
antifreeze you thought about feeding to the neighbor's barking
dogs, the newer stuff is either red or blue in color...and it's
much pricier. Why? Because it's silicone based and can last 4
years or more. Expect to see this type of coolant in higher end
vehicles like BMWs, Mercedes and even higher-end GM cars are
coming off the factory assembly lines with this in their
radiators."
5.
Any other thoughts on the radiator-related front?
"Sure...one of the first questions I have to ask a
vehicle owner is: WHY would you want to do work on your own
car? Red flags go up when customers ask me those "how
do I..." questions.
Some people not only like to diagnose their car problems
themselves, but want to perform the operation as well. This can
be a great thing...if the diagnosis is correct. If not,
you just wasted your time and money. So my return question (to
the customer) is: "What's the problem you're
experiencing, and why do you think this (operation) will solve
the problem?" (Boy, talk about blank
stares!)"
6.
"Flushing" a radiator sounds like a wonderful thing to
have done periodically to your vehicle, but what does it
actually do? "You may have a mental
picture of this high powered jet blast of water mixed with some
kind of detergent that removes all the gunk that has accumulated
in the radiator, and after doing this procedure your car will
not only run "cooler" but...
"better"...right? Not necessarily.
Most radiators today are small, made of light-weight
aluminum and crammed so tightly in the front of the car
that you can barely see it, let alone "flush" it. The
neck of the radiator (where you pour in the antifreeze) is
usually angled in such a way that it's impossible to pour in the
antifreeze, or even see the antifreeze for that matter. The
inside of the radiator's made up of a honey comb maze of rows,
or "tubes" that sends the hot anti-freeze on a long,
meandering journey from left to right of the radiator. Air's
being forced through fins on the outside of the radiator to cool
down the anti-freeze inside the radiator.
Still with me? Because here's the answer:
Where does dirt (and sediment) accumulate in the radiator, at
the top or the bottom? The bottom of the radiator will trap the
majority of the rust, dirt and sediment. You can try as hard as
you want to, but you'll never be able to remove enough of this
compacted material to significantly improve your engine's
performance. Radiators are designed (internally) to prevent
the access of any high pressure action that you might be able to
insert through the small opening of the radiator neck,
located at the top of the radiator.
At my shop the term "flushing" the cooling system
has been replaced with "draining and re-filling" the
cooling system. Removing the lower radiator hose (or if
equipped, use the radiator drain cock to drain out the old
antifreeze and replace with the new fluid) is essentially
"draining and re-filling the cooling system." This will
only remove any minor surface debris along with the old
contaminated fluid and will probably NOT cure any overheating
problems you might have been experiencing. Calcium and rust
build up within the tubes are the main causes of radiator
stoppages, and will cause over-heating. If this is
the case, removal of the radiator from the car for disassembling
and rebuilding, or replacing the radiator are really the only
two viable options.
While there are many "radiator flush"
additives on the market, most are
not to be used in aluminum radiators (which all newer
vehicles are equipped with), or just flat out don't work. There
are very few (OK, probably only one or two) problems with a
motor vehicle that can be solved by the contents of a can.
So in summary: Draining and re-filling your radiator with
new anti-freeze every 2-3 years WILL help maintain and extend
the life of your vehicle, but will probably NOT have an impact
on the way it drives, overall fuel economy, cure a major
over-heating problem, or improve handling in wet weather. Ask
your mechanic to inspect the radiator and heater hoses, and test
or replace the radiator cap when replacing the antifreeze.
7.
It's not the same "under the hood" anymore!
Check your belt and hoses...right? "Hoses
don't
deteriorate like the used to...which means you can't spot 'em
getting ready to bust like you could in the old days. Why?
Because the deteriorate from the inside-out. Look for the
"squishy" factor: Real soft, pliable, rubber instead
of a hardened rubber."
"Older cars
used to run multiple belts...but today's cars usually have a single
of multi-rib or "serpentine" belt...which
makes this even more critical than ever before. One belt
breaks, you're toast."
8. How
can we make our air conditioners work better and protect our
vehicle's interior? "Install
window tint! Tinted windows will keep
your interior cooler and your air conditioning will work much
more efficiently. Tint installer warning!!! Make sure you go to
a qualified tint installer who offers a warranty, as well as one
who knows how to install a "legal tint." If it's too
dark, you not only make yourself a target for suspicious cops,
but you're setting yourself up for a ticket.
And here's one incredibly easy way
to help your air conditioner work properly: Leave
your sunroof or windows cracked slightly. This will allow the
heat to escape and in turn, accelerate the cooling-down process.
Yeah, I know that's just a no-brainer/common-sense sorta tip,
but you'd be amazed at how the most obvious advice is the first
to be overlooked."
9.
Got any Bonus Tips for avoiding heat-stressed heartache?
"Don't for get to check the spare tire:
Road trips are fun, until you get a flat tire. When was the last
time you checked yours? One more tip: Make sure
you've gotta jack and lug wrench (and other associated tools) to
change your flat tire. A spare won't do you any good if you
can't install it."
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