Tire Pressures

 There was an article in the "Heloise" newspaper column about over inflating tires.  This is wrong and here is the response I sent in.

Tire Pressure

Tires have two pressures, the maximum safe pressure that the tire will hold, and the pressure that the car manufacturer recommends for the weight and performance of the car it is installed on. The car manufacturers are very conscious of gas mileage and run higher pressures than they did years ago when comfort was the goal.  There might be other recommendations when carrying a heavy load or for towing, so read the owners manual for the correct pressures.

Putting more pressure in can result in decreased braking and handling, along with a rougher ride.  The slight increase in gas mileage will result in faster wear as all of the tire is not in contact with the road. Also, tires heat up after driving for a while, so if set to the maximum pressure, they might be even higher after a trip. 

As a race car driver, we often inflate the tire higher to balance the car and help with the rigors of racing - but our tire life is measured in hours, not miles.

With modern tires it is difficult to tell if they are low just by looking at them.  Every driver should be taught how to use a tire gauge, and tires checked every few weeks before driving.  With many modern cars the tire pressure can be checked through the dash display, but not all cars show the exact pressure of each tire; many will just show if a tire is low.  For every 10 degree drop in temperature, a tire loses about one pound.  So tires especially need to be checked for pressure during Fall and again in the Spring. 

Tires today are very good at holding their pressure.  If your tire loses more than 2 pounds in a week with a stable temperature, consider there may be a nail or similar object in the tire and have it checked out before more damage occurs.

Warm is good

 There is a news story running around saying that it is not good to warm up your engine.  Baloney!

It is one of those - catch you attention stories - designed to make you read it.  Click bait if you will.

What is the truth - a little more complicated.

Depending on how long your car has been sitting, the oil will run off the moving parts.  It will take a few seconds for the oil to get to all parts of the engine.  So if you car has been sitting at the airport for a week, jumping in, starting it up and driving off is probably not a good idea.  On the other hand - if it is 60 degrees outside, then after 15 - 30 seconds - driving away slowly will not hurt anything - slowly is the important part.

People only look at the engine as something that has to be warmed up.  They forget the transmission, wheel bearings and axle CVs also have lubrication which is affected by temperature.  If the temperature is below freezing, these lubricants need to be warmed up in order to prevent excessive wear and tear.

And what if the windows are frozen up?  What do you do then?  Well of course you should have a good scraper and should not drive if you cannot see properly out of your car.  You should know how to use the heating system and window defrosters.  

So here are some guidelines:

Below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start the car and watch for the oil light to go out (or gauge to reach its maximum)  then wait about 30 seconds. During this time, turn on your rear window defroster and set the controls for your front defroster with fan speed on low.  Depending on the direction you are going, put your foot on the brake and shift into either drive or reverse, and do not move for another 30 seconds.  When you start to move, keep your speed down for 1/2 of a mile if possible.  There was a time were I could drive to the next entrance, rather than immediately getting on a  highway near my house.  Within 3 to 4 minutes, the car's parts should be up to a reasonable temperature.  If the temp is below 5 degrees F.  you may need to warm up the engine a little longer, and /or invest in a block heater (or a Garage!)

BTW - I found keeping a spray bottle with windshield washer fluid can help clean off windows and even frozen door locks - do not use Hot water!

Over 32 degrees.

Basically the same applies but you can cut your warm up time to 10 seconds for both the engine and tranny.  The same goes for the other parts - you will notice that race cars go through an elaborate warm up procedure, even on 100 degree days.  Take it easy on your car just like you would your body.  Would you want to get out of bed and immediately run a 100 meter dash?

Today's car oiling systems are more complex than before and even though synthetic oil is much better that previous generation, getting oil to all the nooks and crannies in your engine is critical.  Remember to read your owner's manual to see when to change your oil and the proper weight oil for the temperature.  Extreme cold and driving with a heavy foot, puts you in the  category of more frequent oil changes.