MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 38, 8 November 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By..'."olutch.").

Tho Engine- starter. In thc>; "pre-war days the electric engine starter Vas generally regarded as a luxury yliich lie. commercial vehicle user coul 4 .not ju'operly afford. In a sense jt 7s, of cc/urso, a, labour-saving device, « l; ;tsoloug'<is it merely saves trouble and 'joes not necessarily "siivo timo or decrease working costs, it cannot be classified as a. necessity. ' Moreover, its use 'pre-supposes tho existence of an electric lighting equipment on the vehicle, and if the engine is. powerful and tho starting battery must therefore stand a high rate of discharge, it follows tho: the dynamo which supplies the battery must bo a good machine of substantial^ capacity. Dynamo, battery, and motor all cost money. This is the case against tho starting motor as ■it has stood in the post. Tho case on the other side rested mainly, on the supposition that, given a starting motor, a driver would ■be less disposed to leave his engine run-' ning while making short stops for picking up or delivering goods. In somo classes of service the economy of fuel thus effected might in the aggregate amount to a fairly considerable figure. At the same time the use t>f electric light might reasonably be regarded as saving a certain amount of time and labour, ami'. as affording- an opportunity for utilising the car.at night as an effective moving &dvortisoment.-"The Commermal Motor."' '••'.■•' Here and There.' Inexperienced drivers iappromoh stiff hills wiith a good deal, of nervousness, and occasionally come to a standstill half-way up. Apart, fram this there are some hills which the expert driver finds very difficult % olimb. . In these circumstances it fy. worth, while remem.hermg that; the-reverse gear"generally is W* 1 j* an '■'. the.-.'first gear forward; and that: the. car;Uerefore may bo safely piloted oyer &,> ]uU by- ascending b'nek- ? ft ™ 9 - -VA© same solution also applies j i? 'i*<-wr system is badly arranged, and tn_ a petrol does not flow into the carrip'6^o? owing to tho inclination of the. According to-an official of one of the .American automobile clubs,-every car in ' tho United States kills ono fowl per year.' .It is'.suggested,-:-therefore, that careless driving deprives the market, approximately, of two million pounds of food per annum in Now ■ York 1 State alone;. A. definite Poultry Conservation Propaganda is being pursued, tho headlino that appears over public, notices and similar statements reading, "Save Dat Chicken." .

■ A point that is very often forgotten in the minor overhauling of a car is the flushing out of the radiator and waterjackots. This should he done immediately after the T.un, and ,it is preferable to pouring Clean water, in as soon as tip. drain 'tap-is "opened:-.in this way tho not radiator js cooled down gradually. Tho flushing should be continued until all traces of scalo or rust have.disappeared, and' the ' water runs away clean and bright. The'result will fully justify the trouble taken over the operation.

The modern magneto, on English writer observes, will stand a good deal of external wet without its working being in any way'interfered with, bui .if it has the misfortune to .lie submerged in water by an accident it should, be re : moved from the car and placed for a day or so in an oven. The temperature of this should not exceed 200 degrees Fahr., as there- is otherwise a risk of the insulation being affected;; ■ • ' We have noticed several light cars lately, says the "Light Car,'" repainted by agents previous to reselling, in which tile Whole radiator has been painted over in one with the body. ' The effect seemed to vary -somewhat with different cars, but it is undoubtedly neat and practical. It .would be interesting to know how : this paint and varnish nnish. .compares- in durability with enamel. ' . Lighting-up time:—To-day, 6.40 p.m.; Next Friday, 6.48 p.m.