Over the last nine years, according to one national automotive rust-proofer, an If you have a dead battery and are attempting to give it a Jump-start in sub-freezing temperatures, use extra care. - - A A PAGE 10 - WATEHLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER A, "t" Salt Institute says: According} to Car Care Council, the danger of an explosion from sparks near the vent holes is much greater when the battery is frozen. - - Instead, it should be removed and taken inside to defrost before it is put back into service. Further cauti ms regarding the use of a charger: 1. Charge only in a well-ventilated area. 2. Protect your eyes when making connections, keep sparks and flames away from the battery, which emits explosive hydrogen gas. Wear safety goggles. Salt - major society benefactor or a tough, vicious destroyer that annually costs car owners untold millions of dollars? d. MUke the positive connection first. Be sure the negative connection is to a good ground away from the battery if the charger is being connected with the battery in the car. 3. Be sure the electrolyte is up to the proper level. 4. Keep a damp cloth over the vent caps. 5. Be sure the charger switch is in the off position and that the charger is unplugged before connecting or disconnecting it. Frozen battery care The Council says one shouid neither charge nor Jump-start a frozen bat- Fiéiié'nt costly corrogion Waterloo County Datsun BOOK TODAY FOR YOUR WINTER TONE UP AND OUR FREE CAR CLINIC Complete 4 cylinder Pre- 95 Winter Tune-Up For Only Includes brake and tire in- plus nun-jinn. tax 4 spark plugs Points Condensor Diagnostic Check Compression Check Test Anti-Freeze Belts and Hoses At the same time, however, road salts and air pollutants - Henge of 9.05 million tons of salt annually has been used on roads. That's because salt is still the moat emeient, least expensive and sa- fest deicer. the Salt Institute says. Pl 888-7600 aultur dioxide, carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen in particular - brutally attack the exposed metal surfaces of cars, The more humid the air, the las- ter the pollutants dig Corrosion starts when moisture, salt, chemicals and metals resulting electrical current, electrons to the next. leaving disaster in their wake. The bigger the dose of water, salt and tttsemi- cals, the faster com sion spreads. Particularly vulnera- ble are those boxed-in areas of the car that are difficult, if not downright impossible, inside of rocker panels, quarter panels, doors, around hehdlight hour Experts recommend a combination of tac- ties to do a job here: Rust protection on the assembly line or right after, by a professional rustproofing service, plus constant vigilance and tender loving care. Regular car washes, repainting those little nicks and scratches that show up after you park in a public lot, and keeping door and trunk drainage holes clear are some of the basic things you can do to ensure a long-lasting, rust-free car body. This makes good sense, particularly these days when, with cars and other vehicles becoming more expen- sive each year, many owners are planning to keep them longer than they did in the past. Meanwhile, salt - that Jekyll and Hyde of motoring - is likely to be on the road for Enm “w irac.Y “my dune!“ . ttc,1Fe,t') owl? F ord "iscort Ford oas1'8 can use wur cast' tor ome' JGtte sod owe you f,','/,tol!1e,d ta' “(mm and 0'86qu (irttsc't costs, m Com tull WI MIR) UV ------rcrcC'i, 1tlllri) “u so van up.“ in the “who . budunrv u ' wt', iii'itl'i(7ii? ttiit't'iii?s a mbtmumoo“ mum 4“ Kh- uom. Wm can " A little Mun in boxed-in "on: such as rockor panda and tendon is sufficient to got corrosion working. By the ttme mating is visible, proven- tivo action usually is out of the am tion and major ro- palra are noodod. In this question-and- answer interview, Dar- ryl Hearn, chief engi- neer of the Salt Insti- tute, and international trade association, makes the case for salt - as well as the con- stant car care needed to counter its effects. Q. Isn't it true that the use of deicing salt on roads and streets in winter is causing cars to rust out long before they should? years to come. A. Salt does contrib- ute to rust, but cars will rust in any cli- mate. Car rusting is becoming less of a problem than it used to be because auto makers are designing cars better and provid- ing excellent protec- tion against rusting. tb-reath min-f Even so, dirt and salt should be removed as soon as possible from car bodies, along with caked mud and other matter that can collect in crevices, in fender wells.and underneath the car. Keeping a car clean all year 'round is essential to prevent Q. But isn't it diffi- cult to wash a car in the winter time? A. It certainly is more difficult to wash highly summit». to the ravage. ot oxtromo winter caused by doctric current eroded by tum, an, chemi- cals and various Unprotected l. WASH YOUR CAR REGULARLY, prefer- ably once a week, especially in winter, paying particular attention to pressure spraying wheel wells and the undercarriage. 2. WAX YOUR CAR AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR, once Just before winter. 3. DRY OUT WET CARPETING as soon as possible. This would apply to the trunk area as well. Be sure to check for water in spare tire wells. 4. KEEP ALL DRAIN HOLES OPEN - in doors, rocker panels, tailgates and other loca- tions. 5. TOUCH UP NICKS AND SCRATCHES as soon as you notice them. Rust forms very quickly on bare metal and can spread rapidly under the paint. 6. SAND AND PAINT ANY RUST SPOTS as soon " possible. When inspecting for rust, pay particular attention to areas around body mouldings. wheréwater is often trapped. T. AVOID KEEPING YOUR CAR IN A HEATED GARAGE UNLESS THE CAR IS CLEAN AND DRY. The warmer the tempera- ture, the faster the rusting process occurs when grime and moisture are present. 8. HAVE YOUR NEW CAR PROFESSION- ALLY RUSTPROOFED if this was not done at the assembly plant. Anti-rust program suggested the car yourself. pu- dcuhrly when tem- penning would! it. It is also essential to wash underneath the car, where most sine and salt collect. If your local car wash doesn’t have an underhody wash - and most don't - be sure to pressure spray underneath the car yourself. week spent at car washes can so a long- way toward making your car's body last. Q. Why not Just stop using salt on the roads? Wouldn't that take care of the corrosion prob- lem? A. That certainly would slow down the rust process. But to halt the use of salt in an effort to try to elimi- nate corrosion would be disastrous for many motorists on treacher- ous ice and snow. If you live in an area where snow and ice storms occur, salt is likely to be used be- cause it is the most efficient, least expen- sive and safest deicer. Even where sand and cinders are used, some salt must be added to prevent the abrasives from freezing.