MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 246, 5 July 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By "Clutch.")

Keeping the Car Fit, An jxcellenl. set of rules for Ihe proper |||| caro and inspection of his car h,y llio j owner-driver is given by the niutoring Ml contributor to the "Sydney Sun'V-AUer |||| i\ fair amount of rosd work has been |SJ completed' in your car, il in considered that tlie i'unning-in of the bearings Rears, and axles should bo in order This is only lo be exerted in tho nalural order of llunjis mechanical. A. caretnl handling of a cf.r through, say, a- three mouths' period, .s necessary lo get tho parts ectlling down to their it'ork. •, 'I'lien an inspection might bo made with 11 benefit to tl e owner. HI Tho best caj' ln-ulo needs adjustment at time?. Just as a most expensive piano needs tuuing-up, so docs a motor-par. Mo j ear-owner should expect to drive day IJ in and day out without a "quiz" to as- L certain how things are progressing. Tuniug-iip a car means making suck adjustments as will put if. in (ho best running order, and applying oil to nil working parts, so that they work in the most ellicient maimer. The speed, quiet- . ness, anil general mechanical smoothness is then acquired to give 'hat sense of I! i satisfaction so much sought after. The power unit is, of course, tho thief essential iu the car, and it needs first attention. The engine compression should be tested, Uneven compression in the cylinders must be investigated. In the event of tho car being an old one, the piston and rings may be worn considerably. l'oor compression in all cylinders would characterise tliirf defect. Some owners are able to guage the compression by the resistance offered whilst slowly cranking. Valvc-seatings may _bo loose, and the valves require grinding-:ii. The points of the interrupter requiro attention now and then, -whether tho engine is fitted with majneto or battery j ignition. f. Carburettor examination may yield good results, although motorists generally arc lold .to keep their hands oft' this device. Yet it is as.well to look it over and see that none of the small screws, such as the throttle-stop screws, etc., have jarred out of position. Possibly tho petrol ieed can be cut down with advantage. Most owners run on too rich a mixture anyway. It docs not follow that because a littlo petrol is good a lot more would be better. The best results aro secured where tho engine is run oil n mixture that inclines on tho lean side. Crank-case troubles means much, therefore change the oil sometimes. Drain oil any old oil, flush out the case with kerosene, and then it may be charged with clean oil. Good oil, fed judiciously, with proper draining, is the best insurance the car-owner can get. ■ Hear axle and gear-set want overhauling at times, and (his applies also to tho differential housing. The proper grease, or oil, as the case may be. is necessary here to get the best results. Tuning-up meanst looking utter the universal joints, spring loaves, links, steering connections, and many other important parts where much wear could prove troublesome. Practical experience, of course, will teach drivers much iii the way of bring- , | ing their cars lo a proper pitch of satisfaction. One car may develop li weakness not met with in another car of similar design. Hut all motorists aro keen mi getting the best out of their machines, and a littlo trouble taken to sea. that each part has a reasonable chance to work efficiently will add materially to the success and pleasure of motoring. Jacking Up Made Easy. Tlie following method of using a jackis novel, insomuch as it dispenses with tho use of tlie slml't and handle, altogether. Light earists may not iiml it practicable— it depends upon tho weight of tlie car, but cyclecarists should be able i to adopt it witliout difficulty. Instead ol placing the jack beneath the axle and raising tho latter by means, of the shaft ami handle the foot is unscrewed by hand lo the requisite length, tho jack placed at au angle against llin axle, and tho car pushed up on it. Tho iirst attempt may result iu'tlie car going over tho far side of the jack, but a littlo practice is all that is required to gaugo tho pressure which it is nccessary to apply.— "Light Car." Here and There, , i An 'American motor gogglo manufac- 1 ' lurcr is marketing special glasses, which , are said to provide a remedy against tln» ■ dazzling headlight nuisance. Tho lefthand portion of cacli lens is coloured or 1 shaded to a point reaching almost to the pupil of the eye, but not-interfering with the vision when (he wearer of tho gogglo gazes directly ahead, holding his head in its usual position. When a car with utidi'mmed headlights approaches, tho owner of the protecting goggles has only to turn his head very slightly, about a ■ fraction of an. inch lo the right, and Ihe j rays of light from the oncoming vehicle J 'will pass through I lie shaded portion of | tho lenses. .In subslance the view of i | the road ahead is split iu two lengthwise, \Cith the portion directly in front well illuminated by the headlights of the c:ii' driven by the wearer of the safe 1 goggles, and ihe. other half shaded for iiim by the davit section 5f his eyo-pieces. I A spring in the goggles adjusts them to a face whose pupilary distance may b« above or below normal. During 1917 the members of the British lguilion Apparatus Association 1 manufactured and supplied over 300.000 British , magnetos. .. Tlie familiar warning notices erected : at various danger points on the roads in [England, says the "Light Car,", must appear very lame /.to motorists from tho United Stales Uncle Sam has a graphic method of calling attention to liid.den dangers. For instance, there is a dangerous corner on -the road from Asheville'to Wearciville, 31.C., and due warning is given to approaching motorists by a board upon which is painted tho vivid representation of a death's head. Underneath appears the sententious explanlation "Just Hound the Corner." According to an American authority who recently returned to England from Germany, the leaders of the motor iiidus- ■ try in th&t co uitry are seriously consid- - cring the abolition of water-cooled engines iu favour of air-cooled ou the I grounds of the time, labour and 'weight I iiived. I Petrol supplies have been requisitioned I by tho Spanish Government, and motorists in Spain aro now in the throes of a I petrol t amine, while gas is 10s, per tliouj| sand cubic feet. An English note:—Tho fathers of tho brido and bridegroom have each been fined plus costs for each of two offences for conveying a wedding party to the church and to tho station in their cars at Bromsgrove. Tlie chairman pointed out that if it had been a funeral there would be no oft'ence. Answer to correspondent:—"Zero": If you are as much at. a loss as your questions indicate, you had better get an oxpert h carefully cxamino and overhaul your car. Note the paragraph which appears, to-day on keeping the car lit. Lighting-up time:—To-day, 4.31 p.m. Next Friday, 4.158 p.m.