Medford mail tribune., April 11, 1961, Image 16

Shell's automotive experts have developed many ways to make their own cars run better and last longer. The numbers on this classic 1930 V-16 indicate some of the areas deserving attention, as described below.
Shell
recommends 2
1 ways
to make your car last longer
Shell scientists dedicate their working lives to the
care and feeding of automobiles.
They can offer dozens of tips on prolonging the life
of your second biggest investment. Here are some
useful samples:
Americans spend more than 2 billion
XI dollars a year on automotive replace
ment parts. This expense is enough to give
every man, woman, and child in the U.S.
$12 birthday present.
.With a little care you can avoid much of
this expense and keep your car youthful.,
Here are a few tips from Shell's experts.
1. Break in a new car properly. A long
break-in period at low speed is no longer
necessary. But manufacturers recommend:
A. Don't accelerate at full throttle or change
gears abruptly. Sudden shocks to gears in
the rear axle and transmission can cause
lasting damage.
B. Vary your speeds and especially avoid
.. sustained high speed.
C. Try not to stop too suddenly it can harm
. brake surfaces.
2. Warm up slowly. Racing an engine to
warm it up ages it fast. A short warm-up
at moderate speed is good for your car even
in summer, and even more necessary during
colder months when the oil tends to move
sluggishly at first. Never race your cold en
gine to warm up, though, It may damage
critical working parts before lubrication can
be fully established. !
There's no need for long idling; but drive
slowly for the first few minutes;
3. Use your engine to save your brake lin
ings. Anticipate your slowdowns. Use die
brake as little as possible.
When you see you'll have to slow down,
take your foot off the accelerator early
and let the engine's compression do
some of the joh.
Always keep the master brake cylinder full
of heavy-duty brake fluid. Shell's Super
Heavy Duty brake fluid is designed to help
your car's brakes deliver top performance.
4. Have your engine's spark timing set to
proper specifications. The spark timing de
termines whether your plugs fire at exactly
the. right instarit. With incorrect timing you ;
lose power and cut mileage. Also your car
. may knock. Chronic knocking can eventu
. ally damage your engine.
5. Use a gasoline that controls knock. If
your engine persists in knocking, you may
need a gasoline with more anti-knock com
ponents, for a higher octane rating.
Today's Super Shell contains all of the
anti-knock ingredients required to help your
car deliver knock-free performance.
6. Learn to read tail pipe smoke signals.
Blue smoke means too much oil is getting
into the combustion chambers. .
Excessive hlue smoke is a warning that
, piston rings may he worn and need
replacing. Your mechanic calls this a
"ring job:' ,
Black smoke is an indication of too much
, gasoline in the air-fuel mixture. Your carbu
retor may need an adjustment.
WJiife smokeis mostly water vapor. Don't
worry about it. Your engine makes a gallon
of water for every gallon of gasoline burned.
On cold days some of this shows up as vapor.
7. Have your oil checked whenever you fill
' up with gasoline. An oil check is a simple
safety check for your engine. It is also free,
and takes less than a minute.
By the way, oil does not wear'out. But it
can be lost through leaks or burning. And it
does get dirty. Worse yet, oil can become
contaminated by combustion by-products-including
acid.,
To he really safe, use new Shell X-10O
Premium Motor Oil. It only costs about
$3.60 more per year than regular oils
no more than most premium. '
New Shell X-100 Premium Motor Oil fights
engine acid a brand-new way with an amaz
ing chemical shield that clings tightly to all
metal surfaces.
For most cars Shell recommends an, oil
change once a month in winter, every 60
days in summer never more than 2,000
miles between changes. :- '
8. Avoid high speeds and save your tires.
Every extra mile your tires last is money in
y6ur pocket. High speeds increase wear dras
ticallyby as much as 80 over normal
wear so it pays to go easy.
9. Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Your tires
will last longer because they will all wear
evenly, and at the same rate. Note: See your
Shell dealer for a set of valve caps; they will N
prevent air from getting out and dirt from
getting in around the tire valve.
10. Check wheel alignment and balance.
The shock of hitting curbs or dropping into
deep holes can cause misalignment. ,
Tliis literally drags the wheel at an angle
to the line of travel. Nothing wears tires
out more quickly. ' ' ,
An out-of-line wheel can increase tire wear
as much as 50 per cent. An unbalanced
wheel pounds the tire against the pavement,
wearing the tread unevenly. '
Have an expert check wheel alignment
; and balance at least twice a year. Proper tire
inflation at all times is also essential.
11. Save your battery with 111 worth of
baking soda. Dirt and corrosion can actually
cause current leaks and can shorten your
battery's life by many months. If corrosion is
visible, wash the battery off with a solution
of baking soda and water. Use a wire brush
if necessary. Then rinse thoroughly with
warm water. Ask your Shell dealer to check
your battery terminals.
Caution: Never allow the soda-water
solution to get into your battery; it could
neutralize the acid which makes your
battery work.
12. Change your oil filler element every
other oil change. Abrasive specks as small
as l1000th of an inch in diameter can
shorten the life of your engine. The oil filter
element in your car has the exacting task of
keeping tiny, dangerous specks of metal and
other abrasives out of the engine, while
allowing oil to flow freely.
The filter catches and holds these foreign
particles until it can hold no more. But when
the oil filter is clogged up, it cannot work
effectively.. ,
Replacing the filter dement every other
oil change helps your engine to last longer.
13. Get a lubrication job regularly. Dirt
and moisture can work into chassis joints
and- bushings, causing friction and wear.
Grease can also eventually pound out, leav
ing the parts unprotected.
; See your Shell dealer for a Shellubrica
tion. He has the charts, equipment, Shell
lubricants for your car, and the skill for a
really thorough job.
14. Have your car's cooling system checked
twice a year. In time, the inhibitors in your
anti-freeze lose some of their ability to pre
vent rust, corrosion and sediment from form
ing in your cooling system. ; ,
Let your Shell dealer check the cooling
system including hoses and hose connec
tionsno less than twice a year. When he
drains and refills he will add a special Cool
. ing System Protector.
' IS. Keep door and body panel drain holes
clear to foil rust. You never see them, but
there are little drain holes at the bottom of
body panels and doors. They can get clogged
so that the panels actually hold water. Rust
forms more easily and can eat holes right
through the metal.
You have probably noticed this ugly sight
in other cars. Make sure drain holes are
always kept clear.
16. Keep road salt washed off. Nothing can
damage a car's appearance more than the
chemicals used to clear icy, snowy roads.
They can eat not only the finish, but the
body structure itself. Make sure you get it
all off not only from the paint but from
the bright metal parts, as well.
17. Use these tips to help your car stay
new looking longer. A good coat of polish
provides a film that protects your car's finish.
But before you polish your car, always wash
it and always in the shade.
Some new car finishes need only a good,
washing to keep them bright, but others re
quire waxing. It's a good idea to check your
owner's manual. Older cars are almost cer
tain to benefit from a good waxing.
18. Protect chrome against rust invasion.
Chrome, itself, can't rust. But it actually has
millions of tiny holes which can let the
moisture right through to the metal beneath.
Dirt invites this invasion, so clean the chrome
thoroughly and frequently, and wax it for
further protection,
19. "Bandage" minor scratches in your
car's finish. Small scratches in the finish
expose bare metal which can rust. Until you
can have the scratches refinished, keep rust
from forming with a coat of touch-up paint
or even a strip of cellulose tape on the
scratches. Use clear nail polish on scratches
in the chrome.
20. Pamper carpets and upholstery.
Ground-in dirt wears out carpets before their
time. Give them a weekly whisking or vacu
uming; shampoo once in a while.
21. Let your Shell dealer help your car last
longer. Your car may have cost you thou
sands of dollars. After your home, this is
probably your biggest single investment. ,
Treat it carefully. Feed it well. Let your
Shell dealer help you on both counts. You
will save money and increase your driving
pleasure, too.
A BULLETIN FROM SHELL RESEARCH
where 1,997 scientist are working
to make your car go better and better.