MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 232, 25 June 1920, Page 2

MOTORS & MOTORING

. , I (By "Clutch.") • . fi The Fuel Problem. . ' | Both. the; motoring, and .lay Press of 11 Great Britain devoted a groat deal of | Bpaco to the report submitted to tho i Government by the special 6ul>-comjuiit- .1 tee' appointed'" to inveatigate the fuel 1 problem. s ; ■ The main features of -tho T \ report are that the committee .consider tbiut the price of petrol is too high,' and that direct Government action, witli the oDjcct of..cutting., down.-,the .price, would _Ih* fully justified. -The .most im> portent recommendation made ' for obtaining that result is that theVohief European countries, should enter into an agreement by which they would refus® to pay nioro than a certain prico ' fof fuel; so that if the oil-ring, wish to re-. tain the- European market: it- would no i'longer be able to demand its own price* Butt the petrol : companies- recently an- , nounced that only- five' per cent, of' thoit i profits are duo to trading in- Great ■ Britain, and while they would be sorry 'to logo that market they could -woLl afford; to do so. That, of course,- may Be 1 mere camouflage; but. the •• matte? must Be'subject- to further investiga/- . Hon before any definite action , could ba taken. .Shortly after the last increaso in price' of petrol' in England the/ cost'; of-benzole-.also advanced, which tho special committee considered unjustified. As a matter of- fact,, the oil-ring' mag' , nates are rapidly- securing _cpntrol over tho output-.of British 'benzole ,on ao«cpunt of the .'fact that they, are offer-, • infj' for the crude bemwlo oil higher ■juices, than .the members of the Na* \ Rona! Beniiole Association are allowed to • accept. The Tesult- is > that some of the j members of the N.B.A.- have succumbed to. tho temptation, 'while other . 'benzols producers have declined to.-join tho asso ; ciation, -which thus, controls ■ only. soma ' j 70 per ; cent, of British benzole pro* v: j cfuecre.' There ia a growing belief,be-' i comiiis. more ingrained- with time, that i Slcohol is: the ona possible saviour of : the Wet - situation, and as regards its •' use In even the • Government Km- given- 'indications,., that it is aware, ~ \ of its, potentialities. In France th« j fuel situation is more critical than in .England, while in Italy!the-, .position I x is really. acute. ' That, the oil-ring ia - j deliberately restricting-production, is . a' growing belief. j

•Protecting Mudguards. j It "is' easy to scratch' and emeaj the i front mudguards with grease when' doing: '■ work; on the engine, : and' the motorist; j would do 'well to Mlow the' example vl \ j tho-beat-garages':in protecting these at ] times of engine'repair.'-.-Secure a : heayj . ] piece of clothe or other suitable material j —oilcloth or .. imitation leather—larg« enough to completely-cover the fender ■ from tip to the point where it attached ; to the running I board. Throjv this protective: cover o ( ver the mudguard when malting repairs or adjustments .'l'nder tha Hood and 'you will keep the enamel in much condition., : Motor-Cycle Lights. ) / ■ To those who have electric lightirig sets on their cycles, a writer in the "Motor Cycle" gives four:'points to; which the •> , unaccustomed user should attend:' 1. | 'Keep, your cdls> filled np witli. acid to , the correct'level.- 2. Don't'toito I ' it for ■ "granted -that the. dynamo "fa.: chiming) to inspect the ammeter by night 's,wiatch ! must'usually be struck. 3. Carfy a coin.,' , 'falete' set 1 of spare bulbs. '■ 4.- Carry a j length <rf ■ fuse wire. Contrary to popular, supposition, short circuits are. ! extremely-rare with lighting gets. . . Teaching Driving.' :/ ••• J None o? us like to risk'losing a few te'et'h oiT the'gear-wheels when 'leaching others to drive, and a very .easy way of overcoming this is to seal; the pupil in ' the.; car, "jack up one of the back wheels, ; flC'Curely scotch the other/ and then, hav- - ing discoursed learnedly o>i the ; rudi- i nientary idea of gear changing, start - tho' engtno and ; allow him or.- her to practise' changing lip and dowii until, . conversant with' "tlio; position of_ the lei er for' me various ratios>- aijfd also i■ : with' ;the general feel; of .the' controls. It ■usually found''tliafc the 'steering or ir car- wimes naturally'.'to Gvftryoite, and it iircmly' t'%\jrear%ttliaiisjnjj 'tli'afc precents' any'difficulties. • With tile-wheel ' jocVed jip mul" the liand : brake half on, : rorid-.-conditions are practically - MDro-' ducwl rni -m iriertifb of th<f single : -wheel-is not- sufficient to-cause any dam- ■ ; nge to the gears when-a dud chanc® is 'lllado. ; ■ ■

Utilising Wasle' Heat. '.Many designs have been projected fof ; ffiiiov'ering .some i part'' at least' of- tlia , •' .ivnsto heat of. the exhaust.',, .Tlia first ' pliempt t®. to follom steji'm prablico. ono, ; üb'o the pressure of the exhaust gas to i , ' work'a i&s turbine' or somo'other. such . ' form- of engine.?' The second'ftvenuß for • inU'vancc has. been' to use tiio ■' tho'Hv/istc gases'to generate 1 steam, which' •' ■■■ in "tufn'ifl used in some form of engine. • The thiivr line, of research, vhifch at I prcßeut is being followedjiv an Enjrlisli j , liiventor, is '.to use. the waste beat Jo KPiieriite ;elcctrical ; ; power : directly. _ w means of <i therihopilo. This device il 'Wed on the simple fact that if twoj; different metals be jointed together, ana., > J tlitf ianotibii heated; a yoltace is (ft ■; once set up. A new kind'of-thermopils, ; fc used, consisting .of alternate pfotes ot . Iron"nnd riielcol alloy.. The ; «wt.oom« position of. this alloy, cannot, be .divulged, 4 >.t present, but it. Ts, reasonably cheap,; mid Its electrical -.resistance .is only ' little tbnn«tliftt of iron. ;.It 18-* not suggested at present that; , enongh j fiower .could be obtained to charge a<. ltaMiwj battery, although the, invento®ha 9 evoTy ho-iio .of attaining .this .afte?-; further experiment; but .there is^ no j dcubt -that th& invention, wen in .its 1 ' prestot "state, .is quite capable of beinj- , efficiently used for ignition. Useful Hints, . ~ 4 ■/ Don't drive fast .on wot"or greasy.. . roads; If you skid, .turn wheels, to di-: " rection'ln which car is ■ skidding, keeping clutch engaged. Practice putting on. "■ brakes with clutch engaged. .- • ■>. Don't do Anything to interfere with the pleasure ot-safety 'of other road! users. •'* „ ' ■Don't omit to givo all necessary wanw, ings clearly and in ample time. Don't assume ' that'' sounding- your, hooter will cause-the pedestrian to getout of the way- with all speed.. Ho (oj>i \ehe) may bo deaf,- blind, absent-minded,-obstinate, or just silly. Drive with care, so that if no notice is .taken of your warning you can-stop.|, t Don't keep too close to any other vtn .hide. It may pull up without warning, : ;And in case .another veniclo is too closo behind your own, it is'as well to' bo careful how yoil stop. ■' • V ' ■ -. Don't turn out to pass .another vehicle, unless you ar& euro tho- way ahead 19 quite clear. , When approaching croso roads it is best, not to, try to pnss. In any case, don't pass'on the wrong side.; ■ Don't turn'in front of the other vehicle too sharply after, you 'have passed*; - Give fair warning and enough room. : Don't resent other cars passing you« | TJlie. publio highway is not the place for; racing. - v ■ \ Don't let' your attention be distractcd ; from your driving. Keep,your'hands on,' , the wheel." If you . want 'to, uso . your . ; hands for any, ot'hor purpose it ; is best ; ■ to stop for a moment. ■" < Don't uso unnecessarily powerful head» 1 ': lights!, They increase the risk of accU • •' Jdeiitg ljy "dnzzltng "other road'®users.. In ; mists and . fogs strong lights are wors» ; than useless; ordinary oil 1 lamps give thaii Iv.-st results, a .shade being tied to cut 1 off tho upward rays. i' Lighting up Time To-day, 4.29 p.m. : Next Friday, 4.32 p,in. ; • v...' . j