MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 151, 15 March 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

Ute CLDicn.l

Filling Greasers. Prohablv no work in wv mnintMiiin.ee is mure flislikwl than Unit 'of refilling tliQ various greasers. The common method of digging out a piece of grease from tlio tin with ii palette knife and then ramming it into the small greaser is most unsatisfactory, because it is mossy and tlio air-pucket formed in the greaser prevents its being filled properly. A plan which is infinitely nleauer and quicker is to employ a home-made grease gun specinlly constructed for the purpose. The gun consists merely or a piece of metal lube, anything'from Bin. to 12in. long, and with an internal diameter slightly less than the inside of the.groaser. A plunger is then mado from a piece of wood, atid .should be an easy fit.in the tube. The tube is filled by plunging it into a tin.of grease, and the outside is wiped clean. Slight pressure with the plunger will then drive grease into the empty greaser. What is more, it will bo properly packed, because there is no foar of an air-pocket being formed. If necessary, the grease may be ejected in the form of a round rod and lengths broken off of sufficient size just to fill the greaser. It will probably be found that a couple of these guns will be needed, as usually two sizes of greaser are used on every car. The work of making the gun is, however, bo little that the time need not be grudged in constructing a tool of such inestimable advanta_ge. By their use. much less grease is wasted than iu the case when a paletto knife is the instrument used.

Adjusting Brakes. A common trouble with new. cars and vehicles which have received an cverhaul is the brake shoes rubbing on their drums. It is surprising how little care is used by the average mechanic in this important connection, particularly seeing that a brako partially on is, to a novice, a most mysterious causo of lack of power. _ To prove, that tho brakes arc adjusted properly, put the brake in the "off" position and push the car along the garage, listening for the shoes rubbing on the drums. It will sometimes bo found that the car.is most difficult to move, m which case the brakes should be slackened off and caro taken to secure the niits firmly.

Securing Gaunter-sunk Screws, Counter-sunk studs and screws are very difficult to maku really safe so that they cannot work loose, because neither split pins nor spring washers can bo adapted to them. If they arc 'used on a p'art of the car where there is'much movement or vibration, they work "loose "very.,, quickly a fl d before long the ■ threads ibecomo badly, worn, anil then it is. practically impossible to tighten them, The .hole then needs to be retappod and a larger stud fitted. Tho best, plan to overcome this difficulty is to screw up tho stud as tightly as possible, and then, with a ■ centre punch, mark the edges of tho hole at each end of slot in the screw head. Willi a small .drill a hole should then brt drilled into the wall of the hole, not horizontally, but with a slight dip, say, at an angle of 30 degres. JL piece of copper or. soft iron wire is now needed, and it is cut to a length so that it will reach from the bottom of one hole to tho bottom of the other, across the slot in the stud. The gauge of the wire should, of course, be slightly smaller than the drill which has been used. The wiro must then bo bent arc shaped, so that the ends can be sprung into the opening of 'the holes, •., AJight tap .with .a hammer will then cause the wire to straighten out, fill the holes, and bed down comfortably in the screw slot. The stud ie then perfectly locked, and yet can at any time be released by lifting the centre' of the wire, with a pointed tool, such as a split pin extractor, and a ,p.m of pliers.

Here and There. One of the large car manufacturing firms in Chicago has instituted classes on two days a week for instructional purposes—how to make small necessary adjustments, and to keep the vehicles in good running order generally. It is stated that'over 400 ownors were quickly enrolled in the classes, followed by the appointment of exports as,instructors. Special attention is to be bostowed on such matters as lubrication of the engine, adjustment of the valves, clutch, brakes, etc., grinding the valves, greasing and oiling the chassis, locating ignition and lighting faults, replacing fuses; with epecial attention to tho art of gear-changing. Lessons will also be given on driving, especially in handling the car' in street traffic. ■ • . Complaints arp often heard that the ■.action of the piston in an automobile cylinder tends to pump the lubricating' oil up into the combustion space ' A "simple remedy for this condition, according to an exchange, which is said to be satisfactory, is. to round off.very slightly the upper outside corner of the upper piston ring, and the _ lower cornor of'.the. lower ring. This docs not affect tho compression in.the least,, and the action is to permit the upper ring to pass the oil on the cylinder walls on the up stroke, instead of scraping it nip to tho top of the cylinder; while on the dowii stroke the surplus oil is scraped back. On the other hand, the up stroke of the loiver ring tends to carry the necessary oil for lubrication up the cylinder wall, while on the down stroke the rounded lower corner of the ring would pass over the oil thus distributed, and leave it behind. The intermediate rings should have both 'upper an 3 lower corner eased so as to disturb the oil as little as possible, allowing, it. to remain.and perform its function as a lubricant. If, when inflating an empty, tyre, the valve be arranged at the top dead centre, the closing of the plunger will bo assisted by gravity, thus allowing initial pressure to bo quickly gained. Lighting-up time:—To-day, 6.14 p.m. Next Friday, G. 2 p.m.'