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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
April 10, 1975     Shelton Mason County Journal
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April 10, 1975
 
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Best way owners to save is spend on good maintenance The term "'getaway car" brings to mind Grade B gangster movies. The jittery driver, invariably portrayed by actors like Ed Brophy or Elisha Cook, Jr., fidgeted waiting for Jack LaRue to finish the heist. While this kind of movie may have gone the way of free dish night and dime popcorn, the getaway car is still with us. Now it is the family automobile that serves as a Cin- derella's coach. It gets us away from the worry and humdrum of workaday life and takes us to adventurous places away from home. 85 per cent vacation by car Some 85 per cent of us do our vacation and leisure- time travel "strictly by car. Whether the trip is a coast- to-coast wander or a picnic at a nearby campground, the automobile provides the way to get there. Certainly today there are problems we want to get away from. Thanks to our national treasure of getaway cars. most of us can escape from cares for a few days or a few hours. Especially in times when every dollar should be spent wisely, it is true that the automobile is still our most economical way to travel. Higher gasoline prices notwithstanding, there is no cheaper way (save walking) than the car to take the family on a holiday trip. For many car owners the aim this year will be making the trip as economical as possible. As inconsistent as it may sound, the best way to save money on your forthcoming trip is to spend it now. Invest in some basic car maintenance and the savings may be substantial. With gasoline prices at heights unimaginable only two years ago, an engine that wastes fuel due to lack of tune-up is a luxury no one can afford. Due to high gasoline prices it is accurate to say that the tune-up could pay for itself several times over. Or consider items like shock absorbers, wheel align- ment and other components that affect tire life. An expensive set of tires can wear out an estimated 25 per cent before its time due to misalignment, worn shocks or just plain inattention to recommended tire pressure. Simple things save money Something as simple as adhering to scheduled oil and filter changes, lubrication can save money in costly en- gine or chassis wear. Even if one disregards the safety and riding pleasure a cared for car provides, the economies of the proverbial ounce of prevention-pound of cure formula still exist. So make that "getaway from cares" car trip truly carefree. Don't add expensive bills or potential car troubles to your list of woes. Visit a competent service outlet before you leave and be sure your vehicle is cared for and not another un- welcome care. BREAK IN TIRES Tires need a break-in period when new. Keep well within the speed limit to help tires "adjust" to other tires on the car so they can function as an integral unit. (:LEANER AIR New Jersey's mandatory emissions inspection pro- gram is expected to reduce carbon monoxide emis- sions by more than 20 per cent in its first year of operation. i]iiiiiiiii~iiiii~!!ili!~ii!~!iiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiilili!ii!i!~iii~! ii•:iii:ii!i:iiiii:!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiili!i~:ii :!:!:::iii~ii;i?ii:iiii!iiii:ii:iiii!iiiiii!]i: Unless you are one of the lucky ones who live within walking distance of a wooded rampground, there is no other way to reach a site like this than by car. The special tang of a meal cooked outdoors is only one of the pleasures made possible by car ownership. And a well-maintained car can make any summer vacation trip truly carefree and can actually save money through improved gas mileage. This 'cat' has only one life. It's the... O converter m There's one "cat" that doesn't have nine lives. That's a catalytic con- verter on 1975 model cars. Prolonged use of leaded fuel will kill the effective- hess of the pollution-fight- ing unit. The converter's job is to change carbon monoxide !CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions into harm- less carbon dioxide and water. Catalysts of ceramic beads and inert metallic pellets are used in the process. Leaded fuel coats the pellet with lead deposits and renders them ineffec- tive. As a result harmful emissions escape the muf- fler-like unit and enter the atmosphere. While the car would perform nor- mally, pollution levels would exceed legislated levels. Designed to function for a minimum of 50,000 miles, the converters also are expected to help improve gasoline mileage. Should you be out of gas in an area where lead-free fuel is not available, then buy enough gas to get you to a station where the proper fuel is sold. A con- verter can tolerate an oc- casional usage of leaded ( ASK YOUR DEALER) air pollution fuel, since the heat of the oxidation will burn off lead deposits once un- leaded fuel is reinstalled. The catalyst will then re- turn to full efficiency. l Tips For The " Novice Automechanic -- from ou r Service Department Battery Need Replacing? Maybe Not Do the lights on your car grow dim when the engine idles? Does the starter turn rapidly for just a short time. then slow down? These are indications of a weak battery. But don't think right away that you need a new battery• Perhaps you have not been driving your car often enough to replace the energy in the battery taken out each time you start the engine• A small battery charger (3 amp) hooked up overnight will usually correct this condition. Or, check to see if the a It e r n ator belt is loose. Tighten it if it is. Also, for about $2, you can get a miniature ball-type battery hydrometer to check the condition of the battery cells. A reading of !.275 to 1.300 indicates a fully charged cell in good condi- tion. While 1.240 is sufficient to start the engine, the battery still needs charging. The main point to observe is whether the readings are even between cells. A difference of .060 or more can mean your battery has had it and should be replaced. To replace the old bat- tery, you will need an adjust- able wrench or a pair of battery pliers, a wide blade screwdriver, a wire brush and baking soda, according to the Automotive Parts & Acces- sories Association. You can install a new bat- tery yourself by following these simple step~: 1. Loosen the battery terminals on the old battery starting with ground (marked "-" or "NEG"). Work the battery terminal slowly back and forth. If it sticks, insert a screwdriver into slot of terminal and twist until it spreads open. 2. Remove the bracket(s) holding the battery in place. Remove the battery. 3. Clean the inside of the battery cable terminals. Re- place worn or badly corroded cables. 4. Clean the whole area around the battery including the motmting plate and clamps by brushing on a sohz- tion of baking soda and water. Allow this to set before rinsing. If area is tmdly corroded, a second ap- plication may be necessary. 5. If your new battery is a dry-charge type, add acti- vator fluid in each cell to the split ring before installing the new battery. NOTE: Observe handling precautions on acti- vator solution carton. b. After cells are idled, tilt the battery from side to side to remove air bubbles. Recheck levels and add acti- vator fluid if necessary. 7. Place new battery in the same position as the old battery you removed. Grease and snug down all clamps holding battery securely in place. 8. To discourage corro- sion, coat terminal clamps and battery posts with a thin layer of grease. 9. Replace terminals and tighten firmly, starting with hot cable (marked "+" or "POS"). i O. Drive tl~e car for ! 5-30- minutes at 30-40 miles per hour, or run the motor for 1 5-30 minutes at a moderately fast idle to bring the battery up to a full charge. There are many things you can "do yourself." But, if you don't have time or need professional service help, see us at FRONT & RAILROAD SHELTON 426-8183 Page S-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, April 10, 1975 Standard operating pro- cedure in many homes at this time of the year is installation of screens in windows and doors. It is the time to check hard- ware, tighten a few screws here and there and add a drop of oil where neces- sary. You may find an adjust- ment needed in the door closer, too. A combination of wear on the plunger and the lighter screen in- sert makes the door close differently. This plunger is not un- like the shock absorbers on your car, which may be showing signs of wear after the rigors of winter. Shock absorbers are, es- sentially, plungers. Resists the hop As the plunger on your screen door is designed to resist the forces of the closer spring, allowing the door to close gently, so the shock absorber resists the tendency of the wheel on your car to hop as it bounces off an obstruction in the road. Shocks also keep the car's body from bobbing up and down like a row- boat at sea. The shock absorber's philosophy is to maintain the status quo; the wheels shouldn't hop and the body shouldn't bop. Eventually, with age, a worn shock absorber loses its control of the situation. Instead of easing your wheels over bumps In the road, it lets them bounce, sometimes setting up an oscillation like a ball on a long rubber band. Other problems If this only caused an uncomfortable ride, it would be bad enough. But there are other problems created by worn shocks. Most important is the safety factor. :::k::::: ::: ', Critical steering components often are overlooked by car owners. Once trouble is sensed in this system, then it may be too late to avoid expensive repairs. Regular lubrication and inspection of the steering by your favorite service man can prevent problems before they start. (Photo courtesy of TRW) how to tell when car's steering A "I"R~t~D, EXP~T MECHANIC C~N OFTEN When the red light or gauge on your dashboard warns of low oil pressure, there's generally time to do something about it. But when you get warnings of something amiss in your steering system, it could be a sign that potentially dangerous and expensive repair damage has already been done. That's one reason it pays to have your favorite car service man check the front end at every oppor- tunity. And that's why one should keep components in proper alignment, state of lubrication and adjust- ment. To help you recognize the. signs your car will give you when steering components are out of whack, below is a list of symptoms that can result from malfunctioning front end parts. SYMPTOMS -- hard steering, ear pulling to one side, car wandering, uneven tire wear, front wheel shimmy, loose steer- ing, heavy thumping on rough roads. POSSIBLE CAUSES -- worn or binding ball joints, front end out of alignment, loose front wheel bearings, loose or dry steering link- age. When the wheel is bouncing a few inches in the air, it cannot contrib- ute much to the steering and/or braking of your car. During this short but critical period you are virtually out of control. Tires and suspension parts also take additional punishment when shocks lose their control. If a worn shock absorber per- mits these parts to suffer two or three rebounds af- ter a bump, they will have taken double or triple punishment. You'll feel this in your repair bills sooner or later. Rule of thumb As a rule of thumb, any time after your shocks are two years old, they may be due for replacement. New ones will give your car a whole new lease on life. Think about it the next time you are driving over a bumpy road. Or better yet, before you do. GASOLINE SAVED An estimated 15 .million gallons of gasoline were saved in the State of New Jex'sey due to mandatory emissions inspection. An engine that is maintained for low emissions will also burn less fuel, explained Richard J. Sullivan of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protec- tion. As more cars are in- spected in 1975, gas savings in the state could climb as high as 50 million gallons annually, Sullivan said. PLUG THAT 'LEAK' In economy tests, a spark plug misfiring half the time at 60 miles per hour dropped fuel econ- omy by 7.3 per cent, ac- cording to the Motor Ve- hicle Manufacturers Asso- ciation. Who's Braggin'? We happen to KNOW where you can have a brand new, NO LEAK AT 3rd & Grove "Where your windshield is guaranteed not to leak." We have you could posdbly want We offer you a complete line of warrantied, national brand name automotive replacement parts. Fast service. Hard-to-get parts. Big inventory. Technical information and a big new store for you to shop in. 222 North First SHELTON 4264481 Mutual of Enumclaw's Family Auto Plan puts you under a Rainbow of Protection. It includes money-saving extras, such as Disappearing Deductible Collision coverage, along with prompt and etficient rvice. See your ncarby M of E a ent today. Insurance by MUTUAL OF ENUMCLAW Enumclaw, Washington Arnold & Smith Agency 117 E. Cota Phone 426-3317 Thursday, April 10. 1975 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page S-I 1