thePULSEWinterizing Your Car
By Richard Bonazzoli
Richard is a member of the Bonazzoli Racing Team and has been racing, building, maintaining and
customizing cars for over 25 years.
It’s happened to all of us. You’re in a hurry on a bitterly cold day, on your way to school, work, a job interview, a date. You clear 6 inches of snow off your car and optimistically turn the key expecting the engine to start. Not a chance. All you get for your troubles is an odd-sounding growl from under the hood. You’re going nowhere, caught in winter’s frigid grip.
Winter is a difficult time for cars (not to mention humans), but there are steps and precautions you can take to greatly improve your chances of getting through the cold season with no unexpected car trouble. You can follow these preventative measures yourself or ~ if you are not comfortable around the nuts and bolts of a vehicle ~ have your mechanic take care of them quickly and inexpensively.
Have your oil changed to a maximum of 10W30 weight. Anything thicker, like 10W40 or 20W50, is simply too thick for a New England winter. If you don’t know what weight oil your car already has in it, have it changed to eliminate any doubt.
Check to see if the battery terminals are clean. If they have white powdery-looking residue on them, clean them as soon as possible because this residue robs your battery of the power it needs to start your car on cold days. For cleaning, use a wrench to remove the black (or negative -) terminal clamp first, followed by the red (positive +) clamp. Use a brush (an old toothbrush will do) or sandpaper on the terminal and connector to remove all the residue. When both red and black are clean, reconnect the red first, then the black.
Check the tire pressure and tread. Printed on the side of each tire is the maximum air pressure (psi) the tire should have. Check to see that you are within a few pounds of the maximum without going over when the tire is cold (most gas stations have a gauge that you can use to check the psi ~ it’s right with the air dispenser) and fill the tire if necessary. Almost half the cars on the road have tires that are not properly inflated. While checking the pressure, check the tire tread depth by inserting a penny into the tread ~ if at least Lincoln’s forehead is not covered, then the tire needs to be replaced. Don’t take a risk with insufficient tread since bad tires cause more winter driving accidents than anything else.
Check the level and strength of your anti-freeze. Anti-freeze is the liquid that keeps the engine from freezing solid on those sub-zero days. Check the level by looking at the fill-line on the plastic bottle under the hood marked “Engine Coolant Only.” The fluid should be deep green in color. For around $1.00 at any auto parts store you can buy a tool that will tell you the strength of the liquid. Simply follow the instructions on the tool. The strength in degrees Fahrenheit will be listed. You want at least strength of -5 degrees.
Top off your windshield washer fluid. The washer fluid is a blue liquid stored in a plastic bottle under the hood. The cap for the bottle will usually be marked “Windshield Washer Fluid Only” and is really easy to remove. Fill it right up to the top with fluid. NEVER, ever put water into the mixture.
In addition to taking the above basic precautions, remember to treat your car gently during the winter. Letting your car warm up is one of the kindest things you can do for it (and, ultimately, for you and your bank account). If you start the car and head out immediately, you haven’t given the oil enough time to circulate and lubricate the car’s engine, so basically it’s metal parts grinding metal parts for the first few minutes of your ride ~ in other words, you’re wreaking absolute havoc on the engine and taking years off its life. So take a little time to prepare your vehicle for winter, treat it kindly, and it will reward you by always getting you where you need to go, no matter how cold the weather.
Driving Tips for Icy or Snowy Conditions
By Steve Hendricks
Clean the ice and snow off of your car~ including side view mirrors and all external lights ~ completely before heading out. Also make sure that your windshield wipers are unobstructed by any ice build-up and can move freely.
Keep your speed steady and slow — but not too slow. In deeper snow and when heading up an incline, it’s often necessary to use the car’s momentum to keep moving.
Keep your defroster on. Car windows can ice over quickly and unexpectedly ~ giving them a constant source of heat is the best way to make sure you’re not suddenly left with zero visibility.
Leave plenty of distance between you and other cars. The rule of thumb is to maintain at least three times the normal following distance on snow or ice.
Be especially careful driving over bridges and overpasses as they tend to get icy before other surfaces.
Stay on the beaten path whenever possible. Don’t blaze your own trail, especially going downhill. Take advantage of the cars that went before you.
Remember that “black ice” is real…and can be deadly. Don’t ever assume that a “bare” patch of road is dry, assume that it is icy and proceed cautiously until you know for sure.
Use snow tires. They make a tremendous difference in how your car handles in a storm and will often make the difference between getting stuck and getting home.
If the rear of your car starts to slide, turn your steering wheel in the direction you are sliding.
Antilock brakes are designed to overcome a loss of steering control. To make them work correctly, or work at all, you should apply constant, firm pressure to the pedal. During an emergency stop, push the brake pedal all the way to the floor, if necessary, even in wet or icy conditions. If your car does not have anti-lock brakes, pump the brake pedal quickly to slow down and stop rather than pushing on it hard.
If you do get stuck in snow, straighten the wheels and accelerate slowly. Avoid spinning the tires. Use sand or cinders under the drive wheels.
