MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 39, 9 November 1917, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

IBs Cl/UTOH.I Economical Driving. An American expert offers the following hints to motorists anxious to economise :—"When approaching a corner allow the motor to slow down tho car. This will save brakes and will not work any»hardship on tho engine. It is the common custom for a driver to speed into a. turn and if the course is not clear slum on tho brakes, disengage the clutch and raco the motor. Tho sudden stopping of the car with the motor racing has a tendency to strain tho engine and in time does more harm than good. There, is also caused an excessive wasto of gasoline and oil, while tho brakes in time burn out. Another mistake commonly m ado by the average dnv.-r is the manner in which tho car is bromine to a stop. Do not race the motor when a stop is being effected, as it lia; a tendency to loosen tho bearings, and in time causes more damngo than if the car had been put through a difficult stunt. Then, 100, in starting from tho kerb, speed up tho motor just enough to pull away smoothly instead of Tacnig the motor and throwing in tho clutch. This method eliminates all possibility of straining tho wheels and .differential and loosening the universal joint, lhis also works for economy in that a reduction of upkeep expense will bo effected."

'at Engine Improvements, and Speed. ,?s Although the petrol engine made av .;(• tion the possible, practicable pursuit now is, tho aeroplane is returning t j; R compliment, and, from the concontral X Z attention, bestowed .upon the acromoti the engine has been so vastly improv •- and developed thfct great advances ha • been made in the design and constri ■„,. tion of enginos for automobiles, most tho'improvements having been. m« poratcd. As a mattor of fact, what m bo termed an almost.complete aviatr ■ ■ power unit has been installed on raci' ' nutomobilos, with remarkable results regards speed. Tho most recent demo station of the increased efficiency or t. new typo of engine, fitted in a Packa car, was whore one W. Rador set lip. « ,e " records for short distances on the Sheer "' head Speedway, near New \°>*- 1 Bpcodwav is about-two miles in circui it-' forence, 'but tho puce attained[came vei of closo to that reached in. tho recon ii- established on tho famous Daytoiia-U '? mond Ucach-a' straightaway run, • ' 3 course, and therefore, more advantages .„ when tho objective, is speed. ,s The highest' speed reached 1 by Kadi ii- was 130 m.p.h., when a quarter of ami in was covered infi-Osec. Half a mile- v- '» compassed -in 13.955ec. equal to a SP« '" of 129 ni.p.li., whilo tho time for aiu c mile was 28.755ec., showing- a speed ( < .? 125.1 m.p.h; During a run of 10-mib is an average speed of 123.7 m.p.h. was mail i- tained, the distance being covered i d 4min. 50.88scc. It is slated that Rad( • v actually covered' 400 ft. per' lap extri lfl owing to the tremendous'speed forcin ?: tho driver outwards and high up■ o d tho banking of tho track. •At tho tim d tho mail left tho new records had nt t. been passed: by tho contest board < tho American Automobile Associatioi <j to make-them official;'-tat it is olmos J certain they.will, be accepted A com J parieon with tho records .established 0 | 1 Brooklands. (EngO .track shows that *l l figures . for ■ alwve distances havo bee) f altered, thus making new worlds re : cords for a circular course., iho .kilo 1 metre (1093 yards) m 15.8Sscc.,' the mil : in 25.405 ec, and also the two miles re cord of 51.285e0., all made by the late K Burman on the Daytona Beach, rcproscn the fastest'speeds ever accomplished b; the'motor-car. Homety's record of 2mm ', 34sec. for five miles; also at Daytona : was broken,- after standing Hi years ) Regarding 'tho ten miles record . dj • Bader r .there. is no straightaway ride t( | compare with it.'. ' " . ; End Play in Crankshaft. > End play, in the crankshaft is apl • (o bo noticed first when the car if ; throttled down to about, fiv« miles nr. ' hour, when there occurs what is commonly called bucking, accompanied .. bj knocking. If tho play is excessive the knocking -will be hoard as the speed increases: This condition may be caused by the end of tho main bearing bocoming flattened Or worn so much that the'shaft can raovo back and forth, and as it does so, it pounds against the bearing ends still moro. In many cars with four-beaTing chankshafts iho second bearing from' the rear is designed to fane the thrust,' aad so replacement of that oho hearing will remedy tho trouble. In three-bearing shafts the contreor rear bearing is usually the one requiring replacement. In tho four-bearing shafts it is best simply to change the one bearing instead of attempting to remove the play by using two or. three bearings with thicker flanges. Here and There. If you find it impossible to locate a leak in a radiator, place it in a largo tub of water and pump air into it. Ot course the outlet will bo plugged with any material at hand. Work in a good, strong light, and you will find; every leak. . . . The latest notion is a device for washing the air More it -passes through the carburettor into the engine. Needless to say, it is an Amorioan invention, and seems to be agood thing. Probably two-, thirds of tho wear on the internal moving parts of the motor is due to- dust ' and grit sucked in through the carburettor, and which it is the purpose of this "air-washer" to keep out. Without attempting any detailed description, it may be said that the essence of the device is a small water-tank, and tho air on its way to the carburettor is compelled to pass through the water, which soparates all foreign matter from it and ensures that nothing b.ut.pure air can pass to the motor. . , Do not neglect the differential just because you filled it with grease once upon a time. Inspect it. occasionally to make sure the grease or oil has not worked out. If the differential needß lubrication it absorbs an enormous proportion of .tho power of the motor and it will soon become noisy—a trouble lor which there is no cure. If gears or differential become noisy a temporary relief may be obtained by . Jiang a heavier oil or grease, but this trouble comes l>ack as tho lubricant gets low. Tho noise is due to wear, and the wear is usually duo to neglect, so take proper care of your differential if you want to kA P frequent' cause of tyre trouble is under-intlation The tyro bends too much, and so heate up and breaks. The layers of fabric separate, and the treaa opens up. Use a pressuro gauge and keep tyres up to proper pressure. Don't allow children to drive. Wobbling wheels aro a common ailment in motordom. At least once ini two months, and, better once every month tho car owner should jack up ,t to wheels of his car, grasp opposite spokfc, ana shako then, to see it excessive end play has developed. Kear wheels anpntolarly liable to looseness, and this condition induces rapid tyro The wobbling may bo caused by bearing wear or by a bent shaft. ...... Don ? t drive fast with a tyro that is soft or nearly worn out. < If you aro driving, dont try to talk, to persons in the tonneau. Lighting-up time: To-day, G.tt P-m-> next Friday, Cl 9 p.m.