NEWS AND NOTES.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 293, 20 June 1929, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

Many conscientious car owners make a point of periodically removing each sparking plug, cleaning the points with a wire brush and setting the gaps correctly. So far as it goes this is an excellent idea, but it is often overlooked, however, that the insulation of the central electrode, which is normally out of sight in the body of the plug, is apt to get coated with a thin layer of carbon, which acts as a conductor and results in current leakage. It is more important, therefore, to dismantle the plug and attend to this part than it is merely to clean the points, for, provided the latter are not actually coated with oil, so that a spark cannot occur at all, there is little object in cleaning them. A step toward the silencing of traffic noises is being taken by the London General Omnibus Company, which has successfully completed bench tests with a new type of engine, which is now being fitted to a vehicle so that tests may be continued under actual service conditions. The engine, which develops 100 horse power, has two overhead camshafts, which have hitherto been used only in racing cars and luxuri- | ous passenger vehicles. The crhnk- | shaft has seven main bearings, while the cylinders are made of a single piece of casting. Another engine which is to be tested has a single overhead camshaft. Eventually the engine which gives the best all-round performance will be adopted in the near future by the company.

By means of strengthening the axles and providing four rear wheels instead of two (making six in all), ! tank trucks are being turned out at Home capable of carrying 6000 to | 7000 gallons of liquid. These are being largely used in the milk trade or for the conveyance of petrol, crude oil, molasses, etc. It is not generally known that the tank trucks used in New Zealand by the oil comnanies to replenish the bowsers are divided into compartments. It would never do to have, say, 2000 gallons ! of any linuid swishing from side to j side, so the divisions are put in and ! the full load allowed is restricted to 1 15 tons weicht. In the case of some I of the very lar-m trucks the Governj ment inspector insisted on one of the compartments being sealed up before the truck was permitted to be put i Veto commission as the weight (when all compartments were filled) was considered to be too great for the i axle strength. I It is often the case that an other- * "wise perfectly good tyre blows out | in one place. Naturally the owner i does not wish to discard it, and so i he puts a sleeve inside, this generj allv being made from an old cover. | This makes a very strong repair, but ' the sleeve often works round the j tyre, leaving the burst portion ex-

posed. To obviate this the sleeve can be secured at each side, near the beading, with a couple of small coach bolts and washers. The nuts, of course, should be outside, the round heads inside having no injurious effect on the tube.

Many motorists. have probably noticed that their headlights do not seem to be nearly as brilliant when driving in the rain as they should be. The trouble is due to the diffusion of the raindrops that collect on the glass. Each one acts as a tiny lens, and the rays that should be directed toward the road in front are reflected off into every other direction except the right one. If the headlight glasses are wiped over with a rag which has been moistened with glycerine the rain will not collect in drops but will spread evenly oyer the glass and will not affect the lights to

any great extent. The Automobile Association of Great Britain, with which the Marlborough A.A. has decided to enter into a friendly understanding with regard to membership, has .over 385.000 members, including 40,000 ladv drivers, and its staff exceeds 1000. There are 400 telephone installations on the main roads of Great Britain, and every rqember has a key. 1