MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2680, 28 January 1916, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

IBy Clbtoe.l

An Engine-Starting Point. Not every tyro, it is remarked by a motoring expert, lecognises that tho starting of an engine is aifectcd by the character of tho contents of the cylinder when the job begins. For example, my garage now holds a car with which every beginner would deem it necessary to tickle the carburetter for a cold start, and its owner actually brought it to me to have the carburetter tuned. Before tinkering with jets, and leyels, I made various experiments, and' noted that—(l) the engine would start from cold at one turn if liberally "flooded." - (2) The engine would always start at tho first quarter turn when hot. (3) Tho'engine would always start from cold at the fifth or sixth pull-up, without flooding. It was, therefore, obvious that any interference with the carburetter would be a blunder. One might, indoed, set the slow-running device to such a point of richness that the engino_ would start from cold at tho first jHill without" any tickling of the carburetter; but in that -case, petrol would be wasted whenever the engine was shut down on to the pilot jet, and the slow running would probably bo impaired. The real trouble wa3 that the compression joints leaked so badly j that if the car istood idle for on hour or iwo, any remnants of gas escaped from the cylinders, and the carburettor had to contend with something like 2000 c.c. of neat cold air when the next start was due. In consequence I left tho carburetter severely alone, but ground in the valves, tightened various gas joints, and looked to the piston rings. After these attentions, the engine not infrequently started at the first pull from cold.

An Engine to Start an Engine. Since fcho war began, says a motoring writer, I have inspected tivo or three miniature petrol power units, designed for the express purposo of serving as starters to larger engines in seaplane, aeroplane, or motor-boat work. These small petrol engines range from large motor-cycle size down to smaller and lighter outfits than the general public have ever examined, but in all cases the principle is the same. A tiny engine, of from 250 to 500/ c.c., can easily be started by means of a nine-inch crank handle, and when once started can > soon put a 200 h.p. engine into Bong. The other day a party of petrol enthusiasts were inspecting the latest and lightest of those auxiliary sets, and one of the party suggested that a small auxiliary petrol engine might well be applied as a substitute for the' elcctric and mechanical engine 6tarters now in vogue. He instanced the case of a motorist who had taken the power unit of a Wall auto-wheel, and fitted it up to start a big racing car, and he pointed out that, such a starter could be manufactured for about £10; whereas the electric seta rarely work out at less than £30 to £40. It is questionable whether anj such development can be expectcd. unless and until some other illummant replaces electricity. If electricity be employed for the, lamps, there wiil 'be no appreciable cash economy, and very little simplification, in substituting petrol as an engine-atarter. If, on the other hand, electricity should ever lose its present vogue as an illuminant, it is quite possible that modified editions of the tiny engines now applied to light-weight bicycles might bo utilised on cars. It would be tho simplest '""IS m the world to mount such units behind the main engine, and to employ a pedal for starting them up. lam not sure that I would not even now give' them the preference for colonial vrork m districts where competent electricians aro few and far between.

Elaotrlo vehloles. We liavo always regarded the electric vehicle as one of great possibilities for town travel (remarks "The Motor"), cuid Vt 6 aro watching with ever-growiug interest the progress which is being made in this type of vehicle in the Mates. The Electric Vehicle Association of America recently held its- annual meeting at Cleveland, 0., and the utteiances of the leaders of the electricvehicle industry of America are ivorth recording, for they show optimism winch woulu seem' to point to even greater developments 111 tho vorv near future. Mr. George H. Kelly, of the Baker K. and L. Co., in his speech on tho occasion of the sixth convention, saiu that 99 per cent, of the users of petrol cars m the big cities were to-day eligible customers for the electric passen- ?*!'' Speaking before upwards of dUO delegates representing the electricyeliicle makers and the central stations interests of America, Mr. Kelly declared that the electric passenger car could supply all_ the needs of the city ear owner, citing among other things the tact that its possible speed was well over the legal limit in the towns. Dealing with the subject of battery capacity, he asserted that the mileage per battery charge mot all the, requirements of the owner, but, he added, the electric manufacturer could nob compete in price with the low-priced petrol car. . Mr. Kelly expressed the belief that ln .„ Y® J' ears ' time the electric ta'xicab will have practically out-numbered petrol typos. A big problem in the electric vehicle to-day was the scarcity of good garages in which the electrics could bo properly cared for. In order to be assured of proper care one must go to an electrical specialist. It was easy enough to sell tho cars, but it was difficult to maintain them and to obtain repeat orders under existing service conditions. In this matter the central stations could be or the greatest assistance in cooperation with the manufacturers. New battery service schemes were going to have a helpful influence. •One of the speakers dealt with electric taxicabs, which, ho said, opened a new. field of electric-vchicle activity to many. It was necessary to give these vehicles "boosting" charges, as they stood on the ranks by tho kerb. It was generally necessary 'to get permission froni the city authorities to install such cniirgiiig boxes. Tho highest grade in Detroit was a 9.2 slope of 210 ft. in length. From a. standing start, flii electric had attained a speed of 9.4 m.p.h. With a current consumption of 410_ watts per ton-mile. The battery equipment of these cabs, as built for Detroit service, said the was 59 cells, Edison A.G. The cars weighed 39501b. empty, and the ampere draw at 24 m.p.h.' was 61 on the level. The helical bevel drive wau used in tho rear axle. A total distance of 106 miles was completed. Tho motor had a 60-60 rating, and a speed of 1100 r.p.m. • Car speed at tho end of a day's run at the point of battery drop was 22 m.p.h. In figuring the co3t of depreciation at 20 cents in the tabulation, tho spoakor was allowing a lifo of 10 years for tho now ■•vehicles, although, of course, there was no exact way of telling how long they were good for. Here and There. Lighting-lip time for motor-cars and motor-cycles: To-day, 7.29 p.m. Next Friday, 7.21 p.m. Reference has been made recently to an effort by the American National Automobile Chamber of Commerce to bring about some agreement as to the dato on which tho new models of cars for the ensuing year should be announced. It is stated, however, that the attempt has not met with success, tho membors of the Chamber of Commerce having "agreed to disagree" on the matter. The reDair of gear-wheels has always

| proved a difficult matter. Owing to the small size and severe work a gear-box is sujected to, it does not stand the ordinary method of pinning or dovetailing a now tooth, a process which ean be ap•plied to larger gear-wheels. The problem, 'however, is solved by the welding process,, which enables damaged teeth to bo "built up" with new metal. Chicago is not the only American city in which thefts of motor-oars are prevalent. In Philadelphia, to the end of September last, approximately 150 cars had this year been reported to the police as having been stolen. A special branch of, the detective service has been allocated 1-0 deal with such cases, the efficiency of which is seen in the fact that no fewer than 135 of the missing cars have been recovered and the thieves in practically every instance sent to prison. Aluminium alloy pistons cast in permanent moulds are rapidly becoming standardised in the United States. Already a single firm which is specialising in these pistons has orders for half a million, and it anticipated that by the beginning of this month it would have orders for over a million on its books.