MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 27, 26 October 1917, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

£BT CLDTOHJ

Gear Changing. Commenting on the art of gear changing, an expert remarks that many motorists adopt a "slap-bang" method, with a disastrous result on the gear-box, and apparently make no effort to achieve proficiency. "Doublo de-clutching, if mastered," iie adds, "and it is simplicity itself* when it has been practised a few times, will enable even the novice to handle liis gears with quietness. Double de-clutching is theoretically correct only when applied to changes from & jug ll gear to a lower one, or, as it is called, 'changing down/ It is often applied, however, to changes 'up* by men. who assert that their gears simply wont slide in without doin£ so. The reason is, or course, that the pause 1 has been too long or the clutch stop is too fierce in action, bo that the layshaft speed has fallen too low to permit of the gears engaging quiokly. By proper timing of the pause this should never occur in changing up. To change up by the simplo expedient of banging the gear lever through the gate is to play havoc with the gears, as it is only when the clutch stop is brought into action by depressing the clutch pedal that the layshaft speed can I bo lowered sufficiently to allow of silent engagement. The only way is to ' two distinct and separate movements or the gear, because, though you may now and then make a lucky change, it is liko the billiard player who relies on ilukes to pull him through his game, in changing down to a lower gear rlie method of procedure is different, it* is obvious, of course, that the engine moves more vapidly in proportion to the speeu of the car when Oi lower gear is used, so that in changing, say, from top to third gear the engine has to be speeded up so as to ensure that the gear wheels you desire to engage are moving at approximately the same number ot revolutions. To effect this the engine must bo accelerated, momentarily, with the clutch engaged, so as to communicate the engine speed to the third gear. This gear should then bo moving at approximately the same speed as the gear wheel winch communicates the speed to the live axle transmission, and the'speed of which is regulated by the pace at which the car is travelling of its own momentum. Aow for the practical part: —To change from top gear to third, or, where thore are only three forward gears, to second: (1) Depress clutch; (2) move gear lever from top gear position to neutral position j (3) release clutch, i.e., allow clutch pedal to come back quickly; depress accele* rator pedal until the engine has 6peeued up to correct number of revolutions (this can only be determined by practice); (5) release accelerator pedal; (b) depress clutch; (7) more gear lever irom neutral position into lower gear. n. will, then be found, if the engine speed is ..correct, that the gear will slip in without sound. Tho level* should not bo jammed in, but should be gently gloved on the principle known as 'feeling it in. The engine having been accelerated at movement 4, gradually decelerates the throttle is closed at movement 5, and it is obvious that if it is speeded up a trifle too much it must, as u slows down, reach the exact speed required to effect a silent, change. To the absolute! novice doubtless this will seem complicated, but ill practice it will l be found the work of a. few seconds/'

Saving Petrol. Willi the cost of petrol high it will bo well to study out ways of saving it. A frequent cause of waste is running tho engine idle. A great' deal nioro petrol is then used thnu when tho engine rtius under load. So stop your engine every tirno you liavo occasion i;o stop tue ear i'or a few minutes. Cheap Motoring. That wo will have better ears after the war is a foregone conclusion, but whether they will be cheaper or even aa cheap is another matter. Turn-over is one of tho governing factors as regards cheap production, but, if the woutd-bo buyer is 'not tempted by moderate prices, ho will not invest, for everyone ■ has been heavily hit, and living expenses will be very much higher alter the war than they were before. 'J'lio "Light Car" states that "there are several firms contemplating reducing prices after the war, and in each case this is to bo attained by increased output." No doubt they will havo all the facilities for a largo output, but the question is whether tho demand will bo adequate. It may prove so if the price is tempting. Tho largest demand, however, would be for an ultracheap light ear on simple linos, for it would appeal lo the great majority of tho buving public who cannot afford to incur large motoring expenses. Jho various types which were Hold before the war between .£2OO and .£'J75 were no doubt excellent valuo for tho money, but there is another class that has lo bu catered for, and this can only be done by speuiaL design, simplicity of construction, and avoidance of all expensive accessories such as scli-shirters, olc<jtric lighting sets, otc. A really efficient aircooled I'ngino would materially assist towards the production of a cheap light car.

Here and There. [t is just us bad (a have parts fit too tight as it is to have,them too loose. A. bearing which is too tight will loosen rapidly, luid .will pound while so doing. 11. is bad practice to have the bearings taken up merely by refitting the movable half. The wholo bearings should bo refitted, if the part is to give really gcod service. J>m't use the clutch and brake pedals as fool rests. The road vibration will cause the feet to unconsciously depress in jerky manner both pedals. Don't drivo inure than 1000 miles without changing all the oil in the crankcase.

"Speed is expensive," is the way experienced motorists translate "haste makes wasto" of the copybook. There never was a truer thing said. If ever anything made for extravagance and discomfort it. is driving a motor too fast. Tlio following is said by an exchange to be a good recipe for u decarbonisev:— Methylated alcohol, HO parts; sulphuric other) 18 parts; ammonia solution (3 per cent.), 52 purls. If, after running ihe machine until the engine is fairly hot, half an ounce oF the mixture is poured into Ihe cylinder and left, there for twenty-four hours, the whole of the carbon will he found to be, looseued, and it will be blown out through the exhaust completely when ihe engine is started. Wheu being towed or lotting another ear, don't hurry; take corners slowly ami look out for pedestrians who may try to cut between the cars, not observing tin- tow rope. liighting-np time; To-day, G.'J3 p.m.) next Friday, G-.'i- p.m. To Motorists.—Have one-fourth Benzine by using Speedier Vaporiser on your encine. Car size, u.is.; Cycle size, lfis. Thirty days' trial. Cash refunded if not satisfied. R. Miller, Main' Street, Greytown North.—Advc.