ENGINE TROUBLES.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 147, 26 August 1926, Page 7

ENGINE TROUBLES.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR THEM. The Principal Causes. (Keep for Reference) In the operation of the modern motor, trouble is not nearly so pre- . valent as the various remedies suggested from time to time would lead one to imagine. However, trouble does sometimes occur, and, when it does, the job obviously is to locate and cure it. Fortunately, the causes of engine failure are usually well defined and can be grouped under definite headings. In the following we list the main difficulties likely to arrive, and summarise causes to any one of which they may be attributed. When faced with trouble, never tamper aimlessly with your engine or car until you have a good idea of the real trouble. Note the symptoms and endeavour to locate the seat of the failure, and then consider the most likely cause of the disturbance and the best way to cure it. A supply of gasoline, vapourised and mixed with air in the correct combustible proportion, must be in the cylinders, together with a spark at the right time to ignite the gas. With these something must happen. If nothing happens it is safe to assume that your trouble is due to the failure of either one of those t\vo essentials. At least to these you can look first. ENGINE FAILS TO START. 1. Gasoline supply exhausted. 2. Gasoline mixture too lean or too rich. Dash control improperly adjusted. 3. Water in gasoline. 4. Gasoline supply shut off. 5. Gasoline line stopped up. 6. Switch off. 7. Water in carburettor. 8. Ignition circuit wires broken, grounded or disconnected at terminal. 9. Spark plug points improperly set. ENGINE RUNS IRREGULARLY. 1. Dirty spark plugs. 2. Poor compression. 3. Leaky intake manifold. 4. Gap in spark plugs set improperly. 5. Bad mixture. Dash control improperly adjusted. 6. Broken porcelain in spark plugs. 7. Valves burned or not seating. 8. Valves set too high or too low. 9. Broken or disconnected wires. 10. Inlet valve sticking. 11. If engine misses and the following explosion in the cylinder is accompanied by an explosion in the muffler the ignition is usually at fault.

ENGINE STOPS GRADUALLY. 1. Petrol tank empty. 2. Water in petrol. 3. Dirt in petrol line. ENGINE KNOCKS. 1. Carbon in engine. 2. Overheating. 3. Loose connecting rod or wrist pin. 4. Broken piston ring. 5. Worn main bearing. 6. Worn connecting rod bearing. 7. Mixture too lean. Gives gas knock. 8. Timing incorrect. 9. Backlash in timing gears. ENGINE HISSES WHILE RUNNING 1. Engine makes unusual hissing noise due to broken spark plug' porcelain. 2. Joint between engine and exhaust manifold loose. 3. Spark plug not tightly screwed into cylinder. EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM MUFFLER. 1. Engine being overlubricated (blue smoke). 2. Mixture too rich (black smoke). 3. Water leak into cylinders (white smoke). LACK OF POWER. 1. Loss of compression due to valves not seating properly and not holding compression. 2. Mixture too rich or too lean. Dash control out of adjustment. 3. Weak ignition. Timing incorrect. 4. Lack of lubricating oil or water. 5. Lack of petrol. If due to stopj page in the petrol pipe the engine will spit back through the carburettor when the throttle is open. 6. Dragging brakes.