San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-04
INSPECT ton
NOW MEANS
VACATION
HAPPIER
Early Overhauling and
Cleanup Averts Costly
Disasters.

Many Of the car owners costly re-
pair bills as well as a considerable
number of accidents which the spring
touring season always brings could
be avoided If all motorists made it
point to give their cars the necessary
cleanup and overhaulng before they
take to the open road, declares
statement issued by the American Aus
tomobile Association.
Winters ravages on mechanism and
machinery, the hundred and one
strains produced by exposure to cold
nights under the open sky or in I'M
heated garages, by snow or wet pave
ments, by the invasion of rust and
the dross of oil and gasoline, all
combine TO put the car in need Of at
t,Stion before the motorist launches
his season Of long -distance driving, the
A. A. A. warns.
HINTS FOR MOTORISTS.
The A. \. A. bulletin, based on
the experience of host Of trouble
men attached TO the emergency SER
vice stations of its affiliated clubs
throughout the country, lists this ad'
vice:
Drain your crank case.
Clean out your cooling system, be-
ing sure that the fan belt and all
hose connections are in good order.
Inspect the bearings in the
wheels, Tighten all chassis and body
bolts. Flush radiator, and be sure
there are no leaks in it. Insure prop
err fabrication Of transmission and
differential. Clean up the entire
gasoline distributing system. Test the
alignment of the steering gear and
the wheels. Go over the tires ana
the rims. Test the batteries.
Give the generator and starter
house cleaning.
GOOD INVESTMENT.
aThe average motorist," the A.A.A.
adds. cannot always do this him
self. But the garage around the cor
ner will do it for $40 or $15, rare
ly going above $40. This may look
like a big sum to many, but there
are thousands of cases where the ex-
pepditure of it would have saved 500
or $500 for major repairs at a later
date. With Americas twenty mil
lion cars taking to the highways in
the spring, a terrific saving is sure
to ensue, IL prevention instead OF
cure is practiced. The modern car IS
mechanically fool proof, but it is not
proof against deterioration and there
is no doubt that many accidents are
due to weakened and deteriorated me-
chanism and parts out OF proper
alignment"
The statement continues:
WHY THE CLEANUP.
-During the winter gasoline seeps
throughout the crank case, and, IL
left, causes valve trouble, lack of
power, friction which results in over
heating and destructive wear and tear
ON all moving parts. i
aThe fan belt, which is not needed
in winter because the weather itself
prevents overheating, may have slip
ped. Its condition might not make
itself known until a geyser of steam
suddenly spouts from the radiator.
sit NAV not cause serious damage
TO run with the radiator half empty
in the winter, but in warm weather ii
must be full. Obviously, II there are
leaks. no matter how minute, the IA.
diator cannot remain full
-Winter does very much the same
thing TO an automobile that a wad OF
the stenographer's gum would do to
the mechanism OF a clock. The waste
Of oil and gasoline, gelatinized bJ
winters alchemy, spreads through The
car, damaging everything it touches.
Most motorists either do not know
this or ignore il until their cars stop
suddenly, unable to go on because the
fuel will not flow, or because some
other vital part has ceased TO func.
.ssn.
-Tbus, the spring overhauling is an
investment for the future. The life
of the car is prolonged, the POSSIBLE
ity of accident reduced, the owner is
saved money. and motoring is made
vastly more agreeable and safer at
fair