EXHAUSTS DO NOT LAST FOR EVER
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THIS REAR SILENCER IS WELL PAST ITS SELL BY DATE! THE ADDITIONAL NOISE WOULD ALERT YOU (AND THE POLICE) TO IT OF COURSE, BUT WORST OF ALL WOULD BE THE RELEASE OF POTENTIALLY LETHAL GASES SUCH AS CARBON MONOXIDE, INTO YOUR CAR.
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BATTERIES HAVE A HARD JOB!
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IN COLD WEATHER THE DEMAND ON YOUR BATTERY IS TREBLED. HEATER BLOWER, HEATED SCREENS, AND WIPERS ARE ON MUCH OF THE TIME, AND THE ENGINE BECOMES HARDER TO START. HAVE YOUR BATTERY TESTED BEFORE YOU GET STRANDED, KEEP IT TOPPED UP CORRECTLY IF ITS NOT A SEALED UNIT, AND HAVE YOUR CHARGING SYSTEM CHECKED. DO NOT FORGET YOUR ANTIFREEZE
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MOST ANTIFREEZE IS GLYCOL BASED AND DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PREVENTING YOUR COOLING SYSTEM TURNING INTO SOLID ICE. DON'T THINK JUST BECAUSE YOU KEEP YOUR CAR IN A GARAGE, YOU DO NOT NEED ANTIFREEZE. YOUR COOLING SYSTEM CAN FREEZE SOLID AS YOU DRIVE ALONG, DUE TO A CHILL FACTOR THAT CAN LOWER THE TEMPERATURE TO BELOW ZERO. THIS COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. ANTIFREEZE ALSO LUBRICATES THE WATER PUMP, HELPS KEEPS THE COOLING SYSTEM CLEAN, AND SHOULD BE LEFT IN YEAR ROUND. IT WILL CERTAINLY FIND ANY LEAKS, SO CHECK COOLANT LEVEL, HOSES AND THEIR CLIPS REGULARLY.
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FANBELTS - OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
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BELT FAILURE! IF THE BELT WAS DRIVING ONLY THE ALTERNATOR, THE IGNITION LIGHT WILL COME ON, BUT ENGINE TEMPERATURE WILL STAY NORMAL, AND YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DRIVE TO A LOCAL GARAGE BEFORE YOUR BATTERY GOES FLAT. IF THE BELT WAS ALSO DRIVING THE WATER PUMP, ENGINE TEMPERATURE WILL RISE RAPIDLY. STOP - AS SOON AS ITS SAFE TO DO SO. IF YOU CONTINUE, YOU COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE. GOOD IDEA TO CARRY REPLACEMENTS IN CASE THE LOCAL GARAGE DO NOT STOCK THEM. ON SOME OLDER CARS AN 'EMERGENCY FANBELT' CAN BE FITTED WITHOUT USE OF TOOLS, AS A 'GET YOU HOME' MEASURE ONLY.
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OIL - THE LIFE BLOOD OF YOUR ENGINE!
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THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD OIL GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT ENGINE AND GEARBOX OILS DETERIORATE WITH USE, HENCE RECOMMENDED OIL AND FILTER CHANGE PERIODS. KEEP CLEAN OIL AND A CLEAN FILTER IN YOUR ENGINE AND YOU WILL REAP THE BENEFITS, AS REGULAR OIL CHANGES HELP KEEP OIL WAYS CLEAR ENSURING CORRECT LUBRICATION. CHECK THE LEVEL REGULARLY, AND USE THE OIL THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE CAR MANUFACTURER. THERE ARE NO BAD OILS AS SUCH, BUT SOME ARE MUCH MUCH BETTER THAN OTHERS! |
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AND FINALLY. . . HAVE YOUR CAR SERVICED, ALL THE ANCILLARIES CHECKED, AND MAKE SURE YOUR HAZARD FLASHERS WORK CORRECTLY, JUST IN CASE! KEEP AN EMERGENCY KIT IN THE BOOT WHICH IDEALLY SHOULD INCLUDE A SET OF JUMPER LEADS, FUEL IN AN AUTHORISED CONTAINER, EMERGENCY FANBELT AND/OR REPLACEMENTS, SPARE BULBS AND FUSES, TORCH, A SMALL FIRST AID KIT, AND SOME HAND WIPES. A MOBILE PHONE AND RECOVERY ORGANISATION MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL, AS WELL AS SOME BASIC HANDTOOLS IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR USE. YOU CANT HAVE TOO MUCH IN YOUR 'EMERGENCY KIT' BUT YOU CAN EASILY BE SHORT OF THE ONE ITEM YOU NEED. SAFE MOTORING! |
