The old banger won’t pull the skin off a rice pudding. What gives? Here’s what to check: The timing system. Here you can adjust the exact moment that the mixture in the pistons is ignited by the spark plugs. This is quite common, specially with the arrival of Lead Replacement Petrol. If you have a timing light, it’s literally a five-minute job to get it sorted. Cars vary as to what degree the timing should be set. If it’s too advanced, you’ll hear tinkling noises from the engine and lots of backfiring on the downhills.
HT Leads carry the electrical charge up from the coil to the distributor, and from there to the spark plugs. There’s no sure-fire way of testing them, so you’re going to need to spend a few hundred dollars and replace the whole bundle. A slight misfire is the first sign that they’re on their way out, as is a loss of power. Jump start service in Singapore can come to the rescue in the event of a breakdown.
If the air or fuel filter are dirty or your car continually cuts out, the fuel filter could be the guilty party. Buy new filters – trying to clean the old parts is a fruitless exercise. lf none of the above is the cause, get the head gas flowed and fit larger inlet valves. A good job will cost well under S$1000 and you could end up with around 15 to 20 percent more power, assuming your pistons and rings are still in good nick.
Before signing a contract, be sure to know everything about the franchise, not only its amount, but also whether it applies to every visit or repair of the car. In the first case, you must pay a fixed amount for each visit, regardless of the number of parts repaired, while in the second, the deductible applies to each piece. In spite of its innocuous appearance, this difference can have a considerable effect on the expenses to be incurred.
For example, if your car repair deductible is S$100 and you need to have the air conditioner, fuel pump and alternator repaired, you will have to pay S$300 in total, whereas it would have cost you only S$100 with a deductible applicable to the visit. Needless to say, a S$0 deductible is still the most economical. You will have to pay extra, but if your vehicle requires frequent repairs, you will save money.
To recover the vehicle once repaired, or the vehicle found in working order, following a flight provided that the vehicle is found no later than 6 months after the date of the flight.