TECH TIPS FOR OCTOBER, 1994

THE NIP THAT WAS IN THE AIR EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNING WHILE I WAS WAITING TO TEE OFF, REMINDED ME THAT WINTER WAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I THOUGHT THAT AN EASY TECH TIP FOR THIS MONTH WOULD BE TO REVIEW PAST TIPS RELATING TO WINTER. SO HERE GOES:

1) STANDARD SHIFT VEHICLE, REQUIRE ABOUT 15% LESS ENERGY TO CRANK OVER IF THEY ARE STARTED IN NEUTRAL WITH THE CLUTCH IN.

2) IF A VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR 1/2 OF A DAY OR MORE WITH THE TEMPERATURE BELOW ©10c, A GOOD IDEA IS TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON FOR 3 MIN. AND THEN OFF FOR 3 MIN. BEFORE TRYING TO START THE CAR. A BATTERY LOSSES 40% OF ITS CAPACITY WHEN THE ELECTROLYTE'S TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW 0c. THE PROCEDURE OF TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF WILL RAISE THE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF THE BATTERY AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR IT TO GIVE UP POWER TO THE STARTER.

3) DO NOT LEAVE AN UNDER CHARGED BATTERY IN A CAR OUTSIDE WHEN IT IS GOING TO BE VERY COLD. THE BATTERY CAN FREEZE, OR THE PLATES CAN BE WARPED, MEANING THAT THE BATTERY IS NOW JUNK.

4) ON A BITTERLY COLD MORNING, IF YOU BOOST START A CAR, THERE IS A VERY GOOD POSSIBILITY THAT THE BATTERY WILL NOT TAKE A CHARGE FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN. BECAUSE ITS INTERNAL TEMPERATURE IS SO LOW.THE SECOND PART OF THIS MONTH'S TECH TIP IS A REPRINT OF THE AUGUST, 1992 TIP CONCERNING BATTERIES AND A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT METHOD OF DETERMINING THEIR CONDITION. IT IS VERY USEFUL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR BECAUSE YOU CAN USE IT TO ACTUALLY SHOW A CUSTOMER THE REASON THAT HIS/HER BATTERY MAY LET THEM DOWN DURING THE COLD WEATHER.