MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 8, 4 October 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By "Clutch.") A Remarkable Run. A 26,000 mile onduraime run without leaving tlio showroom is tho fca fc recently performed by an automobile at iiofjtou (U.S.A.). In arranging for a test which would show the. staying, qualities of their our, tho nifinufa.ctui'-; ers wished to -secure the nf.iximum of publicity beforo the crowds which daily passed their showroom. So they took' a car out of stock, blocked 'the wlioois clear of tho ground, and belted tlio rear wheels to nil electric generator. Tho electrical. load, on the' generator y>M fixed at such a valuq as to put .n. load on the car engine equivalent to that caused by climbing a 10.5 per cent, grade at about twenty-two .miles per hour at high gear, part of the power generated being used to light tlio showroom inside and outside. During tlio test period tho motor was. under continuous observation by newspaper men, automobile and technical 1 men. from the various-institutions in and ■around Boston. During the rim the car covered a distance- .'equivalent to .26,149 miles, and consumed 1163 gallons of gasoline, an average of 22.-19-miles per gallon. The oil consumption was 220 pints, being 950 miles per gallon. The distance exceeds the previous record for a similar test by over 4000 miles. ' " 1

The Gearbox. The wholesome respect which most owner-drivers have for tlio interior of the gearbox is, too often,, the cause <if. neglect. A slight - defect is noticed ;, perhaps, it takes the form df a.squeak Of a . rattle, but bccau.se the car conV tinucs to run well in all. other respects; .tho hint ol impending disaster :is nored, ;and, sooner or later,"tho ; driver .is stranded. Gears are peculiarly llablo to bo.abused because their, correct functioning depends on the human element. ' Trouble-is. usually heralded by a hum, a grind,' a rattle, a squeak, or somo other 'foreign noise. Worn .gears usually emit a humming or grinding noise, but this may, conceivably, be due also to lack of lubrication, oi wear in tlio bevel gear in the rear axle. In order to localise the sound, and make' sure that the gearbox is at •fault,'the engine should be started, up;Tho gear level will, of course, be in,| neutral, therefore any sounds whicji. lire heard, must proceed (from the engine" clutch or' gearbox." If the, clutchis now withdraw and the squeak gradu-' ally dies down, it proves that'it. emanates from tho female portion 'of the clutch or from the gearbox, and havr ing narrowed the field to that-extent, it should not bo difficult exactly to locate the origin of the sound.—"Light Gar." Improving Unsightly Bolts. \ There' is nothing so ufisightlv as -an unnecessary length of tlio screwed portion of a- bolt' showng above' tho nut. Supposing,, for instance, • that it is proposed to fit liglit lamp brackets on the front wing, liioy will bo in a very conspicuous position, but, often, they will ba secured by bolts which are far too long,' and the nuts and- washers placed on top so that they- oan be tightened up easily. Apart from the-fact that tho bolt, ends may loul the lamp, the .Job is ugly in tho extreme;-' Either tho 'threads' of - tho : bolts, shouldbo marked with a, file mheii- 'nuts and washers are in place,'tho.braclcot taken 3own again and tlio bolts shortened and rounded with a file,:.or cup-heade;l bolts should bo used in the first place, head upwards and nuts secured- underneath by split pins in order, to counteract tho vibration tP "whiph the fitting will bo subjected. Tlio outward'appearance is, then, all that can bo desired. ' .. Hero and There. ■ Nearly 2,000,000 fanners in Amorisa. own and drive,.motor-ears, and recentinvestigations proved that the -largest .'proportion 'of them were a. necessary part, of;the farmers', equipment.-' An interesting fact recently disclosed- by census is the atriotJy agricultural States of America have the largest per capita ownership of cars, -ranging down to ono to overy eight peoplo in lowa and Nebraska.' .

Additions are frequently made which require screws for fixing. . Whore practicable counter-sunk headed screws should bo, used, especially when the screws interrupt- a" vigorous rub 'with a chamois leather for cleaning purposes. Being flush with existing- work no difficulty is .experienced, but if, the screws stand up at alj the-leather will cntoli, causing-.inconvenience and delay. _ Few motorists pay 'sufficient' "attention to the condition of the plugs. If they are : not-, all right tl'idro is a loss of,efficiency, which means-a serions extravagance in petrol. The spark, gap should ho tslieeked -periodically' by means of..a gauge which can be liad for the purpose at any accessory shop. • They should also he cleaned at regular intervals, for carbon lVhound to accumulate. ■ As'a rule, . petrol. and a stiff brush is used, but the best way to deal, with them is to immerse them in- a; .strong solution of hoiling washing soda. Lighting-np time To-day, 5.59 p.m. Next Friday, fi.6 p.m.