Best Choice Cleaning and RestorationQuestion: How do you clean the air-conditioning ducts in your car? DeanneTom: The best way to do it is with a spray product, Deanne. The ducts are a nightmare to take apart.Ray: I'm assuming you have a smell coming from the ducts. If so, there are a number of products available at any auto-parts store you can use.Tom: You turn the key to the "run" position, crank up the fan full blast, and then you spray the stuff into the fresh-air intake, which is near the cowl -- where the hood meets the windshield. If you're not sure where the cowl is, it's where all those leaves and twigs collect.Ray: So you spray the stuff at the air intake, it gets sucked in and travels through the ducts, where it kills mold and mildew.Tom: We have no idea what's in the stuff, but I'm sure the instructions tell you to open the windows and let the car air out before closing it back up and driving in it.Ray: But don't experiment with household cleaners such as bleach: Anything that goes into those ducts will end up in your lungs.

Tom: If that doesn't work, Deanne, the smell might be coming from the AC evaporator, where water can collect if the drain is clogged. In that case, your mechanic can unclog the drain and then use a product that gets injected directly into the evaporator case.Ray: If neither of those approaches kills the smell, it could be coming from a mouse or other small varmint that, unfortunately, happened to meet its maker in your AC vents. In which case, we suggest nose plugs for the next eight weeks, or a fire.Tom: And by the way, Deanne, if your car has a cabin air filter, this would be a good time to change that, too. Q: I commute 130 miles round trip and am thinking about buying a diesel Volkswagen. I'm worried about maintenance costs. I read that diesels make up less than 1 percent of the U.S. market, so will it be hard to find diesel mechanics and diesel fuel at a reasonable price? TerryTom: Diesel passenger cars aren't really mainstream yet, but I don't think those concerns should hold you back these days, Terry.Ray: For years we were vehemently opposed to them because they were noisy, smelly, smoky, shaky and slow.

But a lot of that has changed.Tom: The biggest change has been that federal law now requires diesel fuel sold in the United States to be very low in sulfur. That, in turn, is allowing carmakers to make cleaner diesel engines that meet the same emissions standards as gasoline engines. That's a huge change for the better.Ray: So, as these new diesels hit the roads, diesels will no longer be identifiable by that cloud of gray soot that envelops them at every traffic light.do bamboo plants purify the airTom: Plus, better manufacturing and insulation have also made them quieter and smoother. air purifier static electricityAnd improved fuel-delivery technology has made them quicker. air purifier fire smokeSo a new, clean diesel is a worthwhile consideration nowadays.

Tom: In terms of the costs, diesel fuel is currently more expensive than gasoline, but not by a lot. But since diesel fuel has more BTUs (more energy) per gallon than gasoline, you can expect 25 percent to 30 percent better mileage. Of course, you'll have to look around to make sure there are gas stations convenient to you that sell diesel. But on a per-mile basis, diesel fuel should cost you less.Ray: Maintenance is probably a wash. While diesels don't need tune-ups, because they don't have spark plugs or spark-plug wires, they do require more frequent oil changes. Or, more expensive synthetic oil. So let's call that even.Tom: And in terms of more serious repairs, you might come out ahead with a diesel there, too. Well-manufactured diesel engines are known for their durability.And while everybody seems to be jumping into the diesel game all of a sudden, lots of carmakers, including VW, have been making and selling diesels in Europe for years.Ray: We haven't driven the newest VWs yet, but we stood in front of a new diesel Jetta recently, and we were impressed by how quiet it was.

Even after they started the engine. And we weren't even asphyxiated by the exhaust.Tom: While diesels make up only a small percentage of the passenger-car market right now, their share is probably going to grow over the next decade as gasoline stays expensive and mileage becomes more important to car buyers. Lottery results for Powerball, Florida LottoLottery results for Powerball, Florida LottoDo your homework before painting or sealing cool deckPuerto Rico birth certificates: How to get a new oneLottery results for Powerball, Florida LottoLottery results for Powerball, Florida Lotto Thousands of Smiling Customers! All Types Carpet Cleaning Commercial Cleaning Services (Click to See Services) All Types of Commercial Carpet Cleaning Commercial Tile & Grout Cleaning Commercial Area Rug Cleaning Commercial Spot Treatment Correction Commercial Water Damage Restoration Water Damage & Restoration Services (Click to See Services) See our water damage phoenix page for more info.

Auto, Aviation &A Boat Cleaning (Click to See Services)YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsFresh Air Question: I noticed recently that cracks have developed in the ducts that go to my Mazda's air cleaner. Although the car seems to be running fine, I recently tried to cover the cracks with duct tape; the tape came loose after a few days. How important are the ducts?--B.B.Answer: These are known as carburetor-preheater ducts, and they are fairly important to fuel economy, emission controls and performance. The ducts tend to deteriorate, often developing cracks or holes after three or four years.The ducts are designed to provide the carburetor with air warmed to a specific temperature. If the preheater duct is leaking, the air going to the carburetor will be too cold, resulting in a loss of power and in higher emissions.A leak in the fresh-air duct will also affect air temperature, because the air inside the hood that will be drawn into the carburetor is usually much warmer than the air drawn from the grille, where the air inlet is usually situated.

These ducts are easy to replace. Auto-parts stores now carry replacements for most cars. Replacement is certain to work better than your duct tape, which isn't designed for a hot, greasy environment.Q: I own a 1987 Ford Aerostar Mini Van. So far it's been a workhorse, even though pieces of trim keep falling off. I tried to change the spark plugs on the V-6 engine. I was able to change the plugs on the driver's side only, because there just is no way to get to the ones on the other side. Is there some kind of special tool, or does the engine have to be dropped to get the plugs out?--L.S.A.A: Although engines are getting harder to work on, fortunately you can still change a spark plug without disassembling the vehicle. The Aerostar engine compartment, like those in most modern vehicles, has little extra room. As a result, you need to remove the air-intake duct that runs from the air cleaner to the fuel-injection manifold.In addition, you need to use a socket wrench with a universal joint-type socket of the correct size for the spark plug.

You can probably get by with a universal-joint attachment that would plug into the socket.Q: I have a 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix. When the motor is cold, it starts right up. When the motor is hot, I have to hold the pedal to the floor for it to start. I figure I am getting five to six miles to the gallon. What do you think the problem is?--G.P.A: You have a stuck choke or a badly malfunctioning choke. A choke operates when the engine is cold by restricting the air flow to the carburetor, causing the air to move faster and pick up more gasoline.A choke that is stuck shut works just fine when the engine is cold. The problem comes once the engine reaches operating temperature. If the choke is shut all the time, the engine is getting much too much gasoline, accounting for your bad gas mileage.The chokes on older cars are fairly simple devices that operate with a spring that is sensitive to heat. When the engine reaches a certain temperature, the choke begins to open up. The choke is visible inside the carburetor when the air cleaner is removed, and it should be open when the engine is hot.