He’s Polishing Up on What Wax to Use
Question: I have noticed in the past few years that more liquid waxes for polishing cars are coming onto the market. I have always used paste waxes in the belief that they have more body and will last longer. Liquid waxes are easier to apply, but will they hold up?--N.E.S.
Answer: The formulation of a polish into a paste or liquid says little about what kinds of natural and synthetic waxes are in the product. It also says little about the quality or durability of the wax or, surprisingly, the ease of application.
The durability and protection of a wax job depend most on how well you clean the car. A lot of liquid and paste waxes contain cleaners that work as you rub the wax into the finish. But others are pure wax.
Any wax, liquid or paste, that you simply smear over embedded dirt is not going to protect the paint well. You really need to rub out the dirt, whether you use a liquid or a paste. In the case of a really grimy car, a quick rubbing with a cleaning compound is helpful.
You’ll find that many of the best-selling waxes come in both liquid and paste versions. The waxes in the two versions usually are the same.
Q: My 1982 Chrysler Fifth Avenue stalls out when I turn sharply around a corner with my foot off the accelerator, cutting off the power steering and power brakes. Why?--N.P.
A: A variety of problems in your carburetion or ignition system could cause the stalling. You need more clues if you want to get the answer without a lot of trial-and-error repairs.
The Chrysler Fifth Avenue is a rear-wheel-drive car and thus has more engine movement in cornering than a front-wheel-drive car; ignition and carburetion parts attached to the engine move more.
Hard cornering can cause fuel sloshing in the carburetor. In certain cases, the carburetor float can be disrupted, causing flooding or fuel starving of the engine. Also, the carburetor has various tubes and passages that can be affected by fuel slosh.
The ignition system could also cause the problem. The coil, which generates the electrical charge that fires the spark plug, is bathed in oil. If the oil level in the coil is low, a hard turn can cause the oil to tilt. The spark can be momentarily lost, causing a miss or a stall.
The other thing you should check is wires that may be vulnerable to shifting about and shorting out in a hard turn.
Q: The power-steering pump was replaced on my 1981 Ford Futura. It now has a growl. The engine is under a great deal of stress and dies when the wheels are turned too far in either direction. I have changed the power-steering pump and the hoses three times. I also replaced the rack-and-pinion-steering unit with no results. Can you diagnose the problem?--E.D.
A: The problem you describe can be caused by air trapped inside the system, but that should have been fixed several times over when you had your previous work done. The air should have been purged from the pump, seal reservoir and hoses.
One easy-to-overlook area is in the routing of the hoses. Air can be trapped in the hoses if they are positioned so they have an upward loop. Trapped air can tear up the inside of the pump because it causes a loss of lubrication. Possibly the hose was incorrectly routed in the first repair, causing all of the subsequent problems.
Ralph Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but will respond in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, You section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.
