Limitations of your son”s Blazer are probably good
Dear Bob: In 2000 I gave my 1991 Chevy Blazer to my son, who was attending SUNY/Binghamton. I told him that, if he took care of it, he could use it during his last few years of college. If he abused it and it broke down, he was back to his bicycle, the bus or his feet.
He graduated and started working in the Albany area. He said that the vehicle met his needs and thus he was not interested in purchasing another one. He has taken good care of it and has done the routine maintenance on it.
In January 2005 he and a friend decided to move to San Diego. At that time the vehicle had 206,000 miles on it. He called me from Flagstaff, Ariz., and said that the Blazer must have a governor on it, as it would not go faster than 90 mph. They made it to California, and Andy said that he would have no qualms about turning around and driving the vehicle back to upstate New York.
Sincerely,
— S.Z., Schenectady, N.Y.
A: I have no answer for your problem, mainly because I don’t see that it’s a problem.
Why do your son and his friend want to drive at speeds of more than 90 mph? Not only would this be unsafe in a 14-year-old vehicle, but the speed limits in Arizona and California are, respectively, 75 mph and 70 mph. If the only thing stopping them from doing this is the vehicle’s limitations, then I say that those limitations are a good thing.
If you ask me, trying to go at such speeds constitutes abuse of the vehicle, whether it has broken down or not, and he should go back to “his bicycle, the bus or his feet.”
Dear Bob: I recently bought a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. When it came time for the first lube and oil change, I was able to change the oil and filter without any problem.
Then, when I rolled under the car with the grease gun, I was surprised to find that there are no grease fittings for the front wheels. There is what looks to be a grease boot, but there is no fitting anywhere near it. Instead there is only a flat metal plate where there is normally a fitting.
Is this a “feature” on some newer cars? Or do I need to install grease fittings?
Thanks,
— J.S., via e-mail.
A: This has been a point of contention for some people in the industry — that is, whether after a certain length of time one should insert fittings and regrease the sealed-for-life units.
More and more new vehicles are using sealed-for-life units such as CV boots, sealed bearings and other lubrication points. This, as you note, is a “feature” and not an oversight. You don’t have to install grease fittings, because the sealed units should last for as long as you own the vehicle.
It ain’t broke yet, so don’t try to fix it.
AMERICAN DRIVERS FIGHT BACK
Here’s a tip that will help you get better gas mileage while fighting terrorism and cutting our nation’s dependence on Mideastern oil:
Dear Bob: Because of the rising cost of gasoline, we are having a discussion on the best way to save gas when starting a car and warming it up.
Some say to start and drive the car with no warm-up, others say to warm it for 10 to 15 seconds and then go, while yet others hold to the practice of warming it for one to three minutes.
Would you please settle this issue?
Sincerely,
— J.R., Kansas City, Mo.
A: I have addressed this subject previously in past “American Drivers Fight Back” columns, but this is one that can have a major impact on fuel economy, so I don’t mind repeating myself.
A cold-engine vehicle should be warmed for no more than 15 seconds before starting out — most car manufacturers agree with this, and in their owner’s manuals recommend minimal cold-engine idling. This is all the time you need for oil pressure to be established and for oil to get to critical parts of the engine. After 15 seconds you can place the car in gear, and then drive at slower-than-usual speeds for the first mile or so. After that you can gradually accelerate to your desired speed.
The vehicle warms faster when in gear and moving than when standing still, and that’s the whole point of this exercise: to get the vehicle warm as fast as possible. When the car is moving, the gasoline that would be wasted in long cold-idling, during which the engine also doesn’t warm as fast, is instead used to move the vehicle. In other words, though not yet at peak efficiency, you are getting some miles per gallon, vs. the 0 mpg you would get during cold-idling.
Besides, a moving car warms not only its engine but also many other parts, including the transmission, the axle, the tires, the wheel bearings and more, all of which must be warm to achieve top fuel efficiency.