Your Dad Was Wrong

A lot of traditional automotive wisdom just doesn't hold up.

Most of us grew up thinking our fathers had encyclopedic knowledge, particularly about those things important to a young man coming of age: sports, women and cars. But as we learn from experience, we realize that much of what we thought was gospel when Dad spoke was wrong. Not only were some of his nuggets based on misinformation, the automotive technology he was talking about has changed tremendously over the years.

Read and learn.

Dad said: "Let the engine idle to warm up on cold days."
But: Idling just wears the engine without budging the odo. Les Ryder, chief powertrain engineer at Ford, says, "Engines run best at their design temperature." To get there sooner, start by driving at moderate speeds. Your engine will be okay: Modern oils flow fine in cold weather.

Dad said: "Restarting the engine uses more gas than idling."
But: Why do you think all these new hybrids shut down the engine at traffic lights? It takes almost no fuel to restart a warm engine. If you had a car that was hard to restart, and the carburetor (remember them?) flooded regularly, this may have had a germ of truth, but no longer.

Dad said: "Don't replace wiper blades, just clean them with solvent."
But : Mineral spirits and other petroleum-based solvents kill rubber. Occasionally wiping the blades with alcohol removes dirt, but the rubber blades still deteriorate with age and sunlight, and must be replaced regularly.

Dad said: "Fill up with premium every few tankfuls."
But: Unless your owner's manual recommends it, you're wasting money. Regular-grade gas has the additives to keep your engine clean. In fact, modern engines rated for premium will run relatively well on regular—you'll lose a little zip, but you'll save a few bucks.

Dad said: "Keep cinder blocks in the trunk for traction."
But: If you have a pickup or rear-drive car, some weight over the drivewheels can help in the slop. But a front-drive car already has the weight over the drivewheels: Junk in the trunk will unload them, hurting traction. Extra weight hurts handling and mileage, so don't overdo it.

Dad said: "Pump the pedal before starting in cold weather."
But: This was true when cars had carburetors and chokes. A couple of extra squirts of gas meant a richer starting mixture. It also set the choke. Fuel-injected engines automatically adjust mixture for temperature—pumping the pedal does nothing. So fight that impulse and just turn the key.

Dad said: "Fill the radiator with pure antifreeze."
But: Wrong. Coolants are mostly glycol, and too much glycol can damage gaskets. Pure glycol freezes before a glycol/water mix does, so it provides less cold-weather protection. Also, glycol isn't as effective as water at removing heat from the engine.

Dad said: "Oil never wears out—just top it off once in a while."
But: Technically, this is true. But as Robert Sutherland of Pennzoil notes, "The oil's critical additives do get depleted." Besides, changing a car's oil and filter eliminates built-up crud.

Dad said: "If you park for a long time, disconnect the battery."
But: The car always draws some current and can run down the battery in a month or so. But if the battery is disconnected, the engine computer has to reprogram itself—and driveability suffers until it does. Plus, you'll have to reset the clock and radio. The fix? Attach a trickle charger.

Dad said: "No need for snow tires, all-seasons do a fine job."
But: Don't blame Dad. When all-season tires appeared, the tiremakers spent a lot of time and money convincing us of their year-round capability. Today, they're happy to explain why snow tires are better. Bridgestone engineering manager Mark Kuykendall says, "Snow tires have treads that remain pliable in the cold and are aggressive to catch the road surface."

Compiled from the email of:

Bro. Nicandro S. Dalman
Dole Philippines
Email: ndalman@doleasia.com
Website: www.dole.com.ph