MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 49, 22 November 1918, Page 3

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By "Clutch.")

The Eiijht-Cylinder Ennine. The cight-cylinder engino, an expert writer obiorves, hag the.advantago over tho four or six-cylinder types in so far that a more even .torque or continuity of turning effort is obtained, and it is questionable whether a twelve-cylinder would givo so good a result. Therefore, tho eight-cylinder engine may bo considered tho acme of success in motor-car engino design. _ Besides, the compactness of ilio eight-cylinder engino is a favourable consideration, requiring proportionately fewer cams, shorter crank-shaft and caso, and having a high mechanical efficiency. It is of vital importance that tho eightcylinder engine should bo accurately made, and for this reason it is best to rciy upon lli'e lending manufacturers. There is, of course, the additional complication, reduction in the area of bigend bearings, and the extra weight of cylinder block in ratio to power to reckon with, but the disadvantages aro moro than outweighed by (he improved torque nnd steady pulling power. Tho longer tho stroke and smaller the bore the greater the horse-power, hut {here is a greater thrust 011 the cylinder walls and consequent vibration of the engine. Tho sleeve-valve type of engine is giving every satisfaction. It differs in construction by the substitution of slidingvuJveo for the usual poppet or tappet valves. Tho quiet working of tho sleevevalve type, nnd investigation on tiioso lines continues. The aim is to obtain high efficiency with cjuiot running.

Battery Ignition. According io an English ' exchange there is a decided movemeut in America to reinstate the battery system of ignition. "Whether this ' system will ever become sufficiently popular in Great Britain, where the magneto is so much favoured (it adds) time alone will tell. It is pretty certain that British magneto manufacturers will put up a stiff fight should there be an attempt to foist the American battery system here. No doubt tho Americans are koen on ousting German productions, and seeing that the Germans claim to be the pioneers of the magneto, it is only natural that Americans should desire to have nothing further to do with it, no matter how efficient it may be. British magneto manufacturers have improved the magneto so much that it is now an indispensable adjunct, more especially since electric starting systems have been perfected.

Here and There. Brakes are perhaps most lightly regarded of any part of a motor-car, and yet how often is an accident avoided by ,their prompt application and efficiency. The tendency is to fix both sets on the rear wheels, but there is a deal to be said in favour of front-wheel brakes, and no doubt the difficulty of design oi' the latter will bo effectually overcome. Ths chisf tendency in brake design should ! e larger drums, especially with the direct-acting type. One of the lending firms of American automobile manufacturers has been taking a census of the occupations of its customers.' It finds that last year 55.1 per cent, of its output was purchased by farmers, though the agricultural interest represents only 33.2 per cent, of the entire population of tho.country. Professional men, representing 4.1 per cent, of the population, bought 7.3 per cent. The classification "public service"—including city and county officials, letter-carriers, and men in the employ of city, State, or national Government—covers only 1.2 per cent, of the population, but its purchases of automobiles come to 1.6 per cent. On the other hand, the manufacturing and chemical industries, though 27.9 per cent, of the population, buy only 10.1 per cent., and hotel proprietors and boardinghouse-kcepers, representing 11.5 per cent, of the population, account for only 3.9 per cept. of the trade in automobiles. Lighting-uptime To-day, 6.57 p.m. Next Friday, 7.5 p.m.