RUNNING COSTS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19149, 4 November 1927, Page 4

RUNNING COSTS.

CUTTING THEM DOWN. EXPENSIVE SLACKNESS. (SPICIALLT WKITTSJT /OB TITE P^ISS.) \ By Major F. A. C. Forbes-Leith, F.R.G.S. ;'Author of "By Car- to India.") .Vow that the summer driving season is at hand, a little advice regarding economy of any kind should be welcome. Nearly every car that is in operation uses far more fuel than is necessary, and the reasons for this are

prions. , The interna! combustion engine will operate on fuel mixtures that range from about eight parts of air to one of gas, to fourteen parts of air to one of gas. Though 'tho engine will use these widely-varying mixtures,-it will run better on a leaner combination, but rarely gets it. Once it is found possible to convert petrol into, a dry gas (and this will shortly be done), we shall be able, to more than double the mileage that we get with the present pattern in an internal combustion engine. In the meantime, let us be as economical as possible under present conditions.

Carburettor Waste. The first place we should look for fuel waste is in the carburettor,. This apparatus should be adjusted to give the leanest possible mixture, consistent with satisfactory running. In most instances, ' the car owner can do this himself: but if he is not able to make these adjustments, he should never hesitate to spend a few shillings in engaging £he services of an expert to do it for him. another channel of waste is in tne ignition system. Tf you are not'producing a spark that is strong enough thoroughly to explode Vour gases, you are again wasting petrol. In this instance, you are also diluting ( your oil with petrol and making it less efficient for lubricating purposes. It must be remembered that the petrol in any unexploded charge of gas will run down tho cylinder walls and into the oil sump;- and while it is doing so, it is washing the film of oil from the cylinder walls and causing a deal of minecessary wear and tear.

Faulty Ignition. Improper ignition also means greater carbonisatiou. Carbon in the cylinders will waste more fuel than would be thought possible by the uninitiated. By cutting down the power output of the engine, extra carbon forms which compels the use of an excessive amount of fuel to accomplish a given amount of work—in the final analysis is simply waste of fuel. -

The valve system must also be very carefully watched, or it will be a 'prolific source of fuel waste. When "the valves are not. seating properly, or in any other way allow a portion of the fuel charge to get away, direct waste occurs, in addition to loss of power that demands expenditure of extra fuel

- The clutch may, on occasions, become a. terrific waster of fuel. If it is slipping, power that is generated in the engine is being allowed to slip away without any actual contribution to the running of a car.

Dragging brakes are obviously a direct cause of power waste. .If they are not properly adjusted, and they set up friction when the ear is running, an appreciable • amount of power is wasted. Brake adjustment on the modern car is- so simple that it is not necessary for the motorist to obtain mechanical assistance to put this right.

Economy in Driving. Finally, the car owner may ■ easily consorve the fuel by the way in which he drives his car. Long, idling periods eat up a tremendous lot of petrol that performs no useful function. The.driver should learn to shut off ignition and coast on long hills, with the throttle closed. In this instance, it is absolutely essential that your car should be adjusted so that you can turn the throttle completely off; otherwise, one of these days, you will blow up your silencer.

• Many car owners use petrol in cleaning the car in the garage.. This is quite unnecessary. There are' many brands of good automobile soap obtainable, which when used with water aro much more effective, and less damaging to the paint than petrol. If the average car owner would realise that by taking a little care in the ÜBe of motor fuel he can save- a pint or so of the fluid every day, and that the grand total would mean- the saving of hundreds of thousands of gallons a day, we could put off any fuel shortage for a good many years; and do not make any mistake about it, the time is approaching when'we shall have to conserve every pint of fuel pending the advent of the ideal vehicle —the electric automobile.