Donna’s Day: Honey-Glazed Salmon Junior Whirl • Science Fact • Did You Know

AUTOMOTIVE

Warning Signs of Potential Engine Trouble

Modern engines are a mixture of mechanical moveable parts and complex computerized systems. Many different parts work in unison to keep a vehicle moving. Engines can be challenging for experienced mechanics, not to mention downright confusing for people who are unfamiliar with what’s under the hood of their vehicle. But any vehicle owner can learn to recognize certain signs that an engine may be on its last legs.

Engine Shaking

An engine that is shaking while running may just have bad spark plugs or loose or damaged hoses, offers Sturtevant Used Auto Parts in Wisconsin. However, if those fixes don’t work, it could be an indication of a deeper problem that requires a mechanic, such as fuel intake system issues, compromised motor mounts or timing belt problems.

Excessive Smoke

An engine in trouble typically has to work harder. That results in heating up more quickly, which can lead to overheating. Smoke may be white, blue or black (each color indicates a separate problem). Any sign of excessive smoke is a reason to consult a mechanic.

Warning Lights

The dashboard tends to light up when the car is started, and one by one those lights diminish as the car’s computer checks that all systems are working correctly. If the “check engine” light remains on, it is notifying the driver of a problem. The issue could be a faulty sensor or something more ominous. Mechanics can hook the vehicle up to a scanning tool that runs diagnostics to ÒspeakÓ to the car’s computer helping to diagnose the issue, advises How Stuff Works.

Strange Noises

Popping or tapping noises may suggest that gasoline is igniting prematurely in the combustion chambers of the cylinders. Grinding noises may tell you that the starter motor needs to be changed or replaced. Transmission issues also can produce grinding sounds. Generally speaking, if the car is making sounds it does not normally make, schedule a service appointment.

Poor Fuel Efficiency

Engine trouble may cause the car or truck to consume gas faster than normal, according to the car information site Carsoid. The engine or one of its components may be faulty. Problems could arise in the spark plugs, oxygen sensor or fuel injector.

Metal Flakes

If you change your own oil, check to see if the oil has metal flakes, or ask the technician if he or she sees flakes when you bring it in for service. Flakes indicate the engine is creating too much friction and slowly chipping away at the components.

Trouble Starting

Failure to turn over is a clear indicator of engine troubles. It could be the battery, but if the battery is new, look for other causes. Engine trouble does not generally come out of nowhere. Certain signs can warn drivers their vehicles need servicing. (MC) 

The Role of Engine Air Filters

FOREIGN & DOMESTIC All cars come equipped with air filters, which are essential to optimum engine operation. The engine air filter is the first line of defense against outside air that is being brought in to the car engine to be burned along with fuel to produce combustion. The filter will capture particulate matter that would normally enter a vehicle’s engine and leave sediment. The automotive resource It Still Runs says dirty air can reduce engine efficiency and cause damage over time.

PUBLIC NOTICE Dirty air can compromise the air/fuel mixER:PDCA: Food Safety Auditor in Valencia, CA: Use chemistry, mi ture that is involved in combustion. Any debris crobiology, engineering & other sciences to study the principles under-that enters portals in fuel injection systems can lying the processing and deterioration of foods processing. Reqs: MS compromise that system. In addition, debris can in Biochemistry, or sim. fld. 7 yrs of exp. reqd. 70% of domestic & int. cause fuel to burn less efficiently, resulting in travel reqd. Apply to: PDCA, 25350 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Suite 300, Valencia, CA 91355. Attn: HR – Job code JBS-19-1012. poor fuel economy. There is no simple answer as to how often an

The Signal 5/29 & 6/5 2022

engine air filter should be changed. It largely depends on miles driven and the environment in which the vehicle is used. Those who reside in rural or dusty areas will need to replace air filters more frequently. Drivers also can install air filters more suited to dusty areas.

An engine filter is not the only filter in a vehicle. There also is a cabin air filter. The cabin air filter does not affect engine performance, but it does help to provide clean air inside of the vehicle. The cabin air filter helps to keep dirt, pollen, bacteria, exhaust gases, and dust from entering the HVAC system. (MC) 

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KIDS &FAMILY

Donna’s Day: Creative Family Fun Amaze Preschoolers with Science Tricks

By Donna Erickson

Signal Contributing Writer

Amaze your preschoolers and young schoolage kids with the exciting world of science with these three simple tricks. They are safe and fun to do at home when you’re looking for something new to share together.

Dry Hankie Trick

Stuff a piece of facial tissue or a hankie into the bottom of a tall plastic cup. Turn the cup upside-down and submerge it directly into a sink, bathtub or backyard wading pool filled with water. Push the cup all the way to the bottom of the sink, tub or pool, and bring it straight up and out of the water.

Pull the tissue or hankie out. It will be dry! (Remember, the key to success is to keep the cup perfectly straight when plunging into the water and pulling it out again.

Shiny Pennies

Your kids will be amazed to see a dingy penny or copper pot transformed magically into a shiny object, while you get a few of your neglected copper pieces sparkling at the same time.

Mix together 1/2 cup vinegar and 5 tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Drop tarnished pennies or small copper objects in the bowl, and stir them around. Watch as they change color. Eventually remove objects with a slotted spoon and place on a towel to dry. Buff with a soft cloth.

Magical Gloopy Glop

Here’s a bit of magic your kids won’t want to miss. This slithery goop appears to be solid one moment when you shape it like a ball in the palms of your hands only to ooze out between your fingers, over your wrist and down your arm seconds later.

Make the concoction, play with it

This slithery goop appears to be solid one moment, only to ooze out between your fingers.

and then come up with words to describe it!

Here’s the simple recipe for this sensory activity: 1. Measure 1 1/2 cups cornstarch in

a large mixing bowl. Add about 1 cup water and stir to form a thick paste. Add more water if it’s too thick. (For color, add liquid tempera paint, if you wish) 2. Now, roll the goop in your hand to form a ball. As you hold it tightly, it behaves like a solid. Squeeze it, and then let it drip through your fingers to discover its unique properties as it flows into the bowl in ribbons. Or, place it on a cookie sheet, press it flat, roll it in a ball or let it go. It’s amazing!

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”  © 2022 Donna Erickson

Distributed by King Features Synd.

22 · SUNDAYSIGNAL

JUNE 5, 2022 CROSSWORD TIME PUZZLES

SOLUTIONS

Opinion Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.

READER LETTERS

How Many?

What is the number of collateral deaths that is acceptable as a consequence of allowing those Americans who LOVE guns to stock up on them? Does it matter if there are children or the elderly involved? Enough prayers already, Jesus is not going to come down and save us from ourselves!

We have to admit that we are a violent society, that we have accepted that the solution to all of our problems is going to come out of the barrel of a gun, that the solution is not gun control, or arming everybody, or making schools into prisons. We have a cultural problem that is uniquely our own.

The USA doesn’t have a higher percentage of mentally ill people than Europe, Australia, or Canada. But, we have two or three times the gun deaths per capita. We have almost “cornered the market” on mass shootings! Texas is just the latest, and there is nothing we can do to prevent the next one. No one can deny that we have the best-equipped mass shooters in the world. Military-type weapons are designed to kill as many people as possible in the shortest possible time.

The Texas shooter bought two of the “AR-15” type guns. What did the gun store owner think he was going to do with them? Take out an entire herd of deer?

Gun control alone won’t solve our problem. Prohibiting the sale of assault-type weapons doesn’t begin to deal with the 400 million weapons already in citizens’ hands. According to police reports, guns are among the most stolen items in burglaries. The black market alone will be enough to keep arms in circulation. Please don’t accept the fiction that the “government” is just looking for a way to confiscate your toys. Confiscate 400 million weapons — get real! The Republican Party (the NRA) has always had as its warning, “Be afraid, be very afraid!”

If I haven’t made myself a target yet, I have one more topic. Let’s stop the prayer vigils, and all the rest of the Christian religious references. Nothing amazes me more than the call for people to “pray” to the deity that couldn’t or wouldn’t stop the event that caused the loss in the first place. Personally, I see no evidence that there is anything to pray to. God didn’t create us, we created God! It’s high time we gave up our imaginary friend, and started to deal with our own messes.

Saugus proved that it “can happen here.” Lightning does strike twice. According to Google we have had nearly 200 mass shootings since the year started. In the 10 years from 2009 to 2019 the U.S. had 188 school shootings. The country with the second most was Mexico, with eight. It is far past time to stop this carnage.

And, let’s get the language right. I heard an interview this morning where it was said the 19 kids “passed away.” THEY DID NOT! They were murdered. Let us not “namby pamby” it.

Gary Morrison Valencia

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ETHICALLY SPEAKING

You’ve Graduated. Now What?

As graduation season comes to a close, I have some advice for those who are entering a new phase of life called adulthood. And, the advice is good for the rest of us as well.

Social scientists today tell us that adolescence, once a description of ages 12 to 18, now is expanded to age 30. Statistics prove that many “twenty-somethings” are unsettled in their careers, relationships and even addresses until then. Tragically, this is having a negative effect on our society. Here are some thoughts on leaving adolescence behind in favor of a satisfying adulthood. To make them easy to remember we’ll call them the 4 C’s.

Character: More than anything else, invest in who you need to be. Character is the result of convictions combined with courage. It is knowing right from wrong, and courageously pursuing right regardless of the consequences. It is being faithful to the highest values, persistent in their outworking, and consistent in ways that make others look to you as trustworthy, and capable of handling greater responsibility.

No amount of talent, energy, or position can put in what character leaves out. Understand that this world is not easy, and those who fail to form a solid ethical foundation will most often end up with empty lives, no matter how large their portfolio.

Competency: With character as the foundation, successful people are diligent in the pursuit of excellence in all areas of life. Good enough is seldom good enough. In the world of sport, it is usual for those who have just won an important game or match to tell the media that they can still play better, prepare better, and reach a higher level of performance.

In a world that changes its expectations daily, and invents new technologies, systems and ways of thinking every week, those who become complacent with their present level of competency will soon find themselves outmoded. What’s more, it is the passionate desire to get better that keeps the mind hungry for knowledge, and the heart radically focused on improvement. While contentment is an ethical position that allows us to enjoy the moment, complacency is never something you should allow to rent space in your life. Chemistry: Here I don’t mean the class in organic processes, but rather the ability to get along with people. At its center, life is about relationship. We were created by God to gain emotional and spiritual life from what others contribute to us. But, if you are arrogant, or cynical, or mean-spirited, or lazy, or mean, or angry, or simply unable to engage others with courtesy and authentic interest, you’ll never amount to much no matter how you score success. You’ll never be part of the team because people won’t want you around!

The best things in life have never been things, or the wealth that can buy them. People matter, and those who understand this, and collect friends as though they were diamonds, will have happier, more satisfying lives.

Capacity: For most, adulthood is much longer than we realize when we take our first steps into that world. What you will be at 50 depends on how well you build a capacity for change, growth, knowledge and flexibility. Regardless of the world you’re entering in now, I can guarantee the world will be significantly different in 30 years. Don’t get left out because you’re happy with who you are and what you can do now. Grow your capacity to be valuable in the future by committing to be a lifelong learner.

Every year thousands of diplomas are handed out to smart, industrious graduates. But, sadly, too many of them think the journey has ended, and the marketplace owes them a lucrative position. But the converse is truer. Graduates owe the marketplace, and our society, the debt of starting a new journey in adulthood with humility, respect for those who have gone before, and a radical desire to look out, not only for their own interests, but also the interests of all of us.

So, to all the grads… congratulations! Now, get to work and prove to us that you really did learn something.

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking”

appears Sundays. 