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Idle Cars


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     So what did you do this weekend? Well we were off to Detroit for the Woodward Ave Cruise. Part of my day is hosting the “Neighbourhood Mechanic Television Show”. So along with the production crew we were off the Motor City for the weekend. The cruise was started 14 years ago by the Detroit car clubs to raise money for the local charities. On this weekend over a million people attended the event plus another 40,000 cruisers with their cars. The Woodward cruise runs along (what else) Woodward Ave a total of 10 miles between 8 mile road and Pontiac Michigan.
     By the way Woodward was the first paved road in Michigan and proudly wears the title of Hwy 1. Wow, what a great event. The Detroit area may have it’s problems, but, for a car guy it’s absolute heaven. Our trip was only marred by the extreme waiting periods at the border. We crossed at the Bluewater Bridge at Sarnia. We waited over an hour in line. Thousands of cars idling in 29 degree weather. The question was asked, what’s the best policy when faced with this problem. I should point out that there were old cars (cruisers) and new cars in the queue.
     The older stuff suffered greatly in the heat. These cars overheated and suffered vapor lock issues. Vapour lock is a condition in which the fuel turns into a gas in the fuel line. As the system is set up to pump liquids not gases, the fuel stops flowing. Once the engine is shut down the system will heat soak and easily develop vapor lock. The car won’t restart until things cool off. Driving an older car means not shutting off the engine if possible and just waiting it out. Driving a more modern car? Roll down the windows and shut it off. Modern cars will idle all day without any adverse effects; however, idling with the a/c on, radio playing etc. will cost you about an I/8th of a tank of fuel. Besides it’s just easier on the equipment to turn it off.
     Finally get to the border and the border agent asks the usual questions. When did you leave, where were you, etc. Last question “buy anything”? I answered “See any women in the car?”…. Have a nice day. Canadian officials are just so much nicer.