MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 15

MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

LIGHTING-UP TIMES To-day ••• 6.44 Tuesday 6.40 Wednesday 6.46 Thursday 6.48 Friday ... Saturday ■ 6.50 Sunday 6.02 PUBLICATION RECEIVED The * .Vau shall Motorist ’ for August. ' PURE WATER FM BATTERIES AND RADIATORS The purity the -water used for refiUiiTg the (radiator and the storage battery will in the' tong run have' a very pronounced effect; on the condition of those units. Most motorists are aware that only 'distilled water should be added to the "battery when it is necessary to top-up the cells, but sometimes they are tempted to use rain water, ' or what is Supposed, to ’be an unt mineralised public supply. It must be emphasised that the word pure is used in a scientific; sense, and that even a - veiy slight, degree of contamination can cause serious deterioration of the plates *of the battery. The electrolyte or solution which surrounds ' the plates of the cells consists of distilled water and chemically pure sulphuric acid, in prescribed proportions. A certain aniount of the, water, which is the lighter constituent, evaporates, and for that reason the cells should be examined every few weeks, and the level of the fluid brought above the plates by adding distilled water. Only when, the electrolyte has leaked away or been spilt is it ■ permissible to add a solution of water and acid, and in such circumstances the topping-up of the cells should he done at a service station, where a solution of the right specific gravity is procurable. i But the periodical refilling of the battery must not be neglected, for when the material of the plates is exposed to the air it is soon affected. Chemical contamination is, also most harmful, Valid there is only one substitute for distilled water which is not utterly- undesirable. That is rain water which has Veen collected in a glazed vessel, after the rain has been falling long enough to rid the air of dust. Many cities and towns rightly boast of the purity of their supply of water, -but no matter how uncontaminated the source might be its passage through metal pipes will cause it to pick,.up.some chemical impurities. A year or two ago an accessory firm, in Sydney staged a very convincing window display, in which lamps, were ap placed in various circuits that the current had to pass through water of different degrees of pprity. It was demonstrated that with distilled .water there was no apparent conductivity, and the filament of the bulb did not oven glow, but with town, water there was _ slight illumination, and with mineralised water the high conductivity was indicated by the brightness of the filament. When refilling the cells it is best to wipe the top of the battery before removing the plugs, so that there will be; no risk of dirt falling into the solution; and the cells should not be replenished to too high a level, for then the liquid may splash out or creep up the terminals. - ■ Although chemical impurities are not so destructive in the case of the radiator, it is prudent to do all that is reasonably possible to check the collection of scale in the passages. If rain water is procurable it should be used in preference to the town water; even if it is drawn from an iron tank. That precaution is specially desirable when the latter is known to be “ hard ” and mineralised. One bad effect of - scale is that it interposes a film between the metal of the radiator and the atmosphere, so that the dissipation of, the heat is retarded. Although the radiator is neglected, it might take a year or more before the deposits of scale become actually troublesome. Frequently they can .be removed by Hushing out the passages with a mixture of washing soda and hot water, or one of the proprietary compounds. When the interior of the radiator is clean the formation of scale can be checked by adding a miscible oil or a special preparation of graphite to the clean water, the effect or both being to coat the metal with a film of miscroscopic thickness, which prevents foreign matter from lodging in its pores. A warning must be given against allowing a radiator which is heavily coated with scale to "remain drained, for then the deposits dry and set hard, and it will be • tar more difficult to dislodge them. REMOVING GREASE SPOTS \ After a car has. been to a garage foi repairs there are’ nearly always several grease spots on the paintwork which are unsightly and will leave a permanent mark if not removed. These spots can be removed with a cor polish, but unless it is intended to polish'-the whole car : this will result in a patchy appearance. In.the ‘Royal Auto Journal' it is suggested that the best method of removing the spots is to wipe them off with a soft cloth moistened with equal parts of benzol and petrol. There is no need to rub the surface. This method should not leave any mark.-

CAMPAIGN AGAINST JAY WALKING A new police campaign against “ jay walking ” in Sydney began this month. Fifty young policemen have just completed thoir training at the police barracks, and in the next few weeks many of them will be placed on duty in the city streets to supplement the traffic police already there. Transgressors will not be treated as lightly during this- campaign as they were when the first campaign began, early in 1934. The official view is that the public has had ample warning, and can no longer plead ignorance of the regulations. The superintendent of traffic (Superintendent Carter) said recently that the police were taking action in the interests of public safety. Although most persons were willingly co-operating with the police, others had grown careless since Ave aro trying to break habits which in some eases have been built up durino- a. lifetime,” said Superintendent Carter, “ but the public should by now understand the regulations. We hope that prosecutions will not he necessary, but in aggravated cases they may be instituted. If people breaking the regulations express regret, and go the right way when asked to do so, nothing more will be said, hut those who defy the police will find-that action will follow. THOUGHTFULNESS HELPS WHEN CHANGING WHEELS When changing a wheel it is addsable to place the car in such a posi* tion that the At heel will be on the near side. The motorist may then work Avithout danger of being struck by a passing car. It is advisable also to ensure, before jacking up, that there is room to‘remove the Avheel, for it is annoying to find, after all the preliminary work has been done, that the car is too near the kerb. Often the Avlieel will come off more easily if the Avheel nuts are slackened a-little Avhile tho aveight is on the wheel. A smear of grease on the hub and Avheel studs before replacing the wheel Avill prevent rusting; and perhaps save much trouble when tho wheel must be removed again. CARE OF BRAKES ESTIMATING EFFICIENCY A Avet, slippery road; a sudden emergency ; fierce application of the brakes and tho car sAverves violently. Everything happens so quickly that the inexpert driver is , unable to swing the car back into tho straight, and so, possibly, avoid a more unfortunate contretemps than need have been experienced. This sort of thing happensmlj too frequently. We can blame the bad road surfaces; such conditions should never be created, but the fault does not lie there entirely. Much is due to faulty brake Adjustment,; giving uneven application of shoo pressure on each wheel. This will readily promote a skid, not only on a Avet surface, but also in less dangerous circumstances, on road surfaces Avhich are x-egarded as comparatively safe. . „ Regular brake adjustment is one of the most important features of car maintenance. While the owner-driver can do much toivards keeping the system in order by lubrication of the pivots and bearings (as embodied in a mechanical layout;, it is definitely bettor to have them tried on a maketesting machine, when the actual efficiency of each set of shoes can be indicated. . From the data compiled in tins way, even prossure ...on tbe front aiid rear pairs of brakes can be obtained. , In tho majority of service stations and garages no charge, or only a very nominal one, is made for testing the brakes, a servicing charge being made, of course, for the correction of any faults, __________ AUTOMATIC GEARBOX You climb into tho driving seat of your motor car, start up the engine, engage the clutch, and accelerate. As the car gathers speed there is a gentle click, which means that the gear-box has changed its own gears to' suit the gathering speed. And so it goes on until top , gear is reached. You come to a steep hill, or the car is slowed down by heavy traffic. Iho obliging gearbox picks out a gear to suit the speed. In other words, tho completely automatic or robot gear-box. This is tho dream of motor engineers all over tho Avorkl. With Mr William Stafford Palm, a 25-year-old Cambridge B.A. it is more than a dream, writes a London correspondent. He claims to have discovered the truly automatic gearbox. More than that, ho has provisionally patented his idea. The Avriter saw a Avorking model in London recently. It Avorked perfectly—a fourspeed’ model. As Iho load was decreased or increased you could see the gears change entirely on their own. No gear lever, no declutching. It would be unwise at present to go into technical details. Patents are being applied for in all parts of the world. This much can, however, be stated. The gear is not of tho infinitely variable type, nor is the automatic change brought about by friction and slipping clutches. Apart from one little secret, the gearbox is practioally normal. It is also simple from the inanufacturing'point of view. Mr Palin spent all his spare time at Cambridge perfecting his idea. It has taken him five years converting theory into practice. On the engineering side ho has been helped by rjerr Felix Jung, an Austrian engineer. important motoring firm is now building a gearbox to put into one of its models as an experiment. If it is successful Mr Palm will win fame and fortune. Inventors of all countries are working on the problem. Its_ solution will be the next great motoring development. We are very near tho ideal at the present moment. With synchromesh, free wheels, fluid flywheels, pre-selector gears, and so forth, gear changing has been made almost fool-proof. But we are still waiting for five day when the driver will be relieved of all responsibility.

• by “Radiator”

AIR LEAKS < In cases where the behaviour of tho engine and an inspection indicate clearly' that air leaks and/or faulty fuel supply are present, it is advisable to dismantle the carburettor, and, if it is fitted, detach the inlet pipe. The cai;burettor should bo perfectly clean, with no trace of silt in the float chamber, feed bolts, and screwed caps. The needle valve and the throttle, whether of the butterfly or the barrel type, must be free from wear; if toggle levers are incorporated in the float chamber design, it is essential that these work freely and that the pivots are well fitting, and not worn. The float must be sound, as otherwise the fuel level will be affected, and this will also upset the mixture strength. The actual air leaks can be overcome by a careful replacement of all the copper-asbestos gaskets and washers fitted to the inlet manifold and carburettor flanges. It is important that those fitted to the inlet manifold flanges are of uniform thickness, and that all should he well-coated with gold-size before replacement. Especial care should be taken to tighten all nuts carefully, each one a little at a time. , . , If the car is fitted AVith a suctionoperated type of screen wiper, or extraair 'service, the tubing and valves should be checked'for cracks and leaks, particularly at the connection to the manifold itself. AMBITIGUS TRIAL 8,000 MILE RACE PROPOSED Preliminary details of what promises to be one of the most ambitious and daring cross-country motor trials that has ever been staged have been received. The event will be an 8 ; 000-mile race through Africa from Algiers to Johannesburg, and it is expected that many drivers of international repute will be anxious to enter the contest, Avhose organisation will be controlled by the International Association of Recognised Automobile Clubs, it is planned to hold the face in November, 1936. _ At present-it appears that the winner av ill receive a cash prize of £5,000, and additional awards amounting to a similar sum wilt also be made. The rules haA'e not been finally laid down, but it is understood that there is to be no handicapping and no restrictions as to tlx© size of engines or stylo of bodywork; but it is hoped to oner an attractive special prize for the first standard model Avhich completes the course. Motor cycles will not be eligible to take part in the race, and it is said that the regulations will be formulated to avoid irksome restrictions and to make the face a “first-past-the-post” eventEvery car must carry two persons, hut no additional passengers will be allowed to travel, and tho same poisons must pilot the machine throughout. Competitors can look forward to arduous and probably adventurous, experiences, for there 1 will bo no lunitation of tho hours of driving, or the distance covered each day, although controls will be established for the purpose of checking the ’ fact that each car travels the official route. When traversiug towns a strict limit of 20 miles per hour will be insisted upon, and drivers wilt not be allowed to overtake within a specified distance from ferries, fords, 'and bridges. It will be obligatory lor every competitor to carry an approved first-aid kit, and arrangements are to be made with the various authorities concerned to authorise each crciv to carry a pistol and a shotgun and a limited amount of ammunition. GARS FOR THE KING TWENTY-THREE IN THIRTY YEARS * The King is one of England’s veteran motorists, and has owned 23 curs of one make during the last 30 years. Actually the first Royal car in the world Avas a Daimler which Avas supplied to Kina Edward VII. (then Prince of Wales) in 1899, and the same make has been in constant use by the Kings and Queens of England for the 36 years to date. But whereas King Edward’s first car was a 6 h.p. twin-cylinder. King George’s present cars are 50 h.p. twelve cylinders. , Although not so powerful in official rating as those which were supplied in 1909," the present State cars aro the largest ever used, their smooth tAvelvecylinder engines developing a much greater horse-poAvOr than their predecessors. The 1909 cars Averc rated at 57 h.p., and at the time only/four were made, three being delivered to the King between 1909 and 1912. Abese three 57 b.p. models Avcre used by His Majesty until 1924, this demonstrating the long, service given by tho Royal cars—that is. for from 12 to 15 years. They were then replaced by further more up-to-date cars of the same horsepower, which saw Royal service until they wore superseded by the fleet oi “ double-sixes ” in 1931, two of tho original 1924 series, however, doing useful Avork to-day as shooting brakes. During the 36 years that cars 1 have been used in the Royal households, the Daimler Company has supplied them with 36 cars, some to his late MajestyKing Edward, others to their Majesties King George and Queen Mary. The first Royal car in the world, the 1899 model’of great historic interest, is still in running order, and is owned by the manufacturers, who frequently use it in connection with special displays. USE OF FRENCH CHALK Owner-drivers avlio change the air tulies themselves do not always appreciate the necessity for oaro in properly distributing tho French chalk Avhich they put inside the tyre itself. The amount of friction arising between the inside surface of the outer cover and the outside surface of the air tube is enormous, and the object of the French chalk is to lubricate tho two surfaces which thus colno into contact, A found tin with small holes bored through tho lid, like a pepper pot, is excellent for distributing the chalk evenly.

TORSION SPRINGING Recent developments' in connection ’with the use of torsion springs m several European makes of car been generally attributed to Dr r, Porsche, of Germany. This expert was responsible for the design ot the German Auto-Union racing cars, which have been so much to the fore in Europe during the past 12 mouths, ana in view of these machines incorporating independent springing, based on the torsion principle, on all four wheels, the credit lor the invention or this system was, in many quarters, credited to Germany. , That, according to a statement made in the English Press, is not in keeping with fact. It appears that the late Mr Parry Thomas, who 12 years ago was one of England’s leading motor racing experts, and sometime holder of the world’s land speed record, actually used the torsion spring system in several cars which he designed and built. In fact, so old is the principle that, even at that time, Mr ianj Thomas found it impossible to obtain a master patent lor this system 01 suspension. MOTOR CYCLING FIXTURES October s.—Paper chase. October 15.—Monthly meeting. October 26, 27, 28.—Labour Dm November 9.—Camberly scramble. November 19.—Monthly meeting. November 23.—Run to Brighton. December B.—Social run to Buckland’s Ford. -CLUB NOTES It was very pleasing to see a large fathering of about 30 motor cyclists, the majority with pillion passengeis, assembled at the club rooms before proceeding to the slow hill climb which was held by the cycle section of the A.A.O. on September 21. The afternoon was brilliantly line for the event, which was run off at Vauxhall. Several new riders were very welcome, incluciiuo- Miss Hall, a Indy member, who handled her Wolf confidently and exceedingly well. , „ The climb was run in the form of an elimination contest, competitors riding two at a time, starting with 3Uycls down hill and then proceeding up hill as slowly as possible for about a quarter of a mile. No footing or zigzagging was allowed, the slowest winning. Several riders were tempted to go just a little too slowly, this forcing them to dab a foot on the ground, while some stalled their motors; but only a few pairs reached the finishing line without one or the other being disqualified. After three sections had been concluded three competitors remained, E. Newall, B. Thomas, and W. Pettet. The former two were drawn for the semi-final, E. Newall having to foot when only a short distance had To€6H covered. In the final Pettet lasted the longest. The results were;— W. B. Pettet (Norton) 1, B. Thomas (Velocette) 2, E. Newall (Wolf) 3. At the conclusion of the event a few impromptu climbs were run, R. H. Stewart showing wonderful balance and ability by beating everyone who rode against him. Although hardly as exciting as a speed hill climb, everyone had a fine afternoon’s fun. The Wirrals team supplied the first and third riders, and this will help to reduce the lead which the Wigaiis have over them. PAPER CHASE. All motor cyclists are reminded of next Saturday’s paper chase, leaving the club rooms at 2 p.m. As in the past, this should prove an exciting sporting event, and it is to be hoped that there is a still bigger muster of riders. TOLD AT THE WHEEL Magistrate: “ What’s the charge, sergeant?” Sergeant: He’s charged with driving the wrong' way on the wrong side of the road in the wrong car in the wrong direction in a one-way sti'Cet, and furthermore he had the wrong number on the car.”