Evening star., 1934-01-28
WINTER CAR CARE
IS UNEND|NG lob
Riqht Start Is Helpful, But
Continued Attention Is
Always Demanded.
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

When Winter comes with vengeance
The car owner who has wisely pre-
pared for the inevitable has distinct
Advantage over those who have been
driving in a fools paradise, but even
foresight is no reason for assuming
nothing further need be done to meet
the new conditions. Merely preparing
of complete protection against the
rigors of Jack Frost The car must be
kept continually safeguarded.
It frequently is found that the
lubricant selected for Winter service is
either too heavy or too light. If the
car is pressed into hard service by. say,
q travelling man, too light gear lubricant
will not stand up. AS the oil thins
out the gears will become noisy. While
the situation usually is the reverse In
Winter, nevertheless it Is important to
consider the exceptions. Every mo-
torist's Winter driving is different.
Precautions Overdone.
One owner had his car fabricated
30 it would function perfectly If parked
out all day in the cold. Then he
adopted the plan Of using heated garage
space during the cold-weather months
This car was "over-W -Winterized." Oil
being kept warm all the time. and
benefiting by the numerous motor ef-
ficiency devices, there was too much
subhood heat for the grade OF oil
used in the crankcaSe.
Winter always brings its cases where
owners have needlessly had the gen
orator charging rate advanced. Most
OF the trouble comes because the gen.
orator doesn't charge enough, but here
the matter Of exceptions again points
= lesson. One owner noticed that the
ammeter showed an unusually high
reading when he started out in the
morning. He reported the matter to
the service station and insisted that
the third brush of the generator be re-
adjusted for lower charging. No one
could convince him that a generator
always charged at higher rate until
1t is warmed up. This Is very noticeable
In Winter
One thing that is especially impor-
tant at this season is to make sure
the amount of anti-freeze in the COOL
tendency to put in enough to take
care of the milder cold weather of the
late Fall and forget about the need
fcr strengthening the mixture for the
real low mercury days 1t is better to
make a good job of adding anti-freeze
at the very start but many who follow
this more logical rule forget to check
for leakage and permit filling station
attendants to pour in water so often as
to weaken the mixture through losses
out the overflow pipe.
How the mixture IS tested is most
important 1t is necessary to use the
sort of hydrometer made for the par
ticulaf kind of chemical in the solu-
tion. An alcohol hydrometer will not
do for testing the strength Of
glycerin solution, and vice versa. Nor
will either of these hydrometers serve
to check a solution of ethylene glycol.
Motorists who have gone all Summer
with anti-freeze in the cooling SYSTEM
a growing custom if the fluid has
boiling point lower than water-should
be certain the mixture Is brought up
to the required strength. Important
also is the matter of considering the
fact that the use of hot-Water type
car heater increased the volume of fluid
IN the cooling system, thus calling for
more anti-freeze.
Where shackles require grease be
kure to see that lubricant is forced
through them properly. The best way
Is to have the weight taken off the
bhackles and to have a service man
use the right kind Of high-pressure
gun. In Winter many owners sue
cessfully use heavy oil for sfackle and
other chassis purposes instead of cup
grease. Auxiliary oiling by applying
penetrating oils from the outside is
Quite desirable
Springs Need Attention.
Winter is harder season for springs
than most motorists imagine and these
hard-working parts of the car should
be oiled generously. The stiffened fluid
in the shock absorbers will give the
springs more work to do. One way to
help compensate for this is to run the
tires at lower pressures. This will also
offer an opportunity for better trac-
tion when the streets are slippery.
1t IS not necessary to use lighter
fluids in the shock absorbers in Win
ter. except in extreme climates and in
special cases. The fluid will timber
up after the car has been run a few
miles. More important is the matter
of limbering up the motor by using
specia. oil alloys" in with the crank
case lubricant. This will save all the
usual battery and starting trouble which
many have come to accept as neces-
Sary in Winter.
Your car may be ready for cold
weather, but is it ready for q Winter
Of It?