SHORT CIRCUITS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 380, 15 November 1932, Page 2

SHORT CIRCUITS

To save good clothes carry the sleeve of -an old coat, or shirt,. in the pocket of the - car, to he used when working around the motor. -~ * * * ■;= It is reported that the Soviet Naphtha Syndicate, while reserying freedom of action, has resolved to" refrain temporarily from too keen competition so as to avoid conflict in the world oil market. :>: * -Is * The first of the 1932 Singer Juniors to compete in an Australian trial has won outright the Royal Auto Club . of I Australia test ,(N.S.W.), the event covering tests of reliability, speed and acceleration, hill climbing and speed judging. The S.inger gained 398 points out of a possible 400. :!: * =5 A Bill hefore the Frsnch Chamber of Deputies proposes to abolish the registration tax on motor cars and replace it with a super tax of "24 centimes in each' litre of petrol used." Petrol in France is cheaper than ever previously, and the new tax, while reducing the taxation on motorists would only increase the gallon priee of petrol from ls ld to ls 3d. • If the engine does not conform with the speed of the car when the throttle is .. open, . look for a slipping cluteh. Adjustment should be made at once or clutch plates will he damaged heyong repair. -Jr. *

In 25 years the average life of a car tyre has been increased from 3000 to more than 20,000 miles. Modern cars are built of steels which can withstand pressures up td 300,0001b., whereas the steels used in 1907 seldom would stand. pressuresi n excess of 80,0001b. .-is Hs * * Last year in America there were 10,150 vehicles in fatal accidents, and 9500 in non-fatal accidents, due to glaring headlights, or one ^ or both headlights being out, -according to J. R. Crossley, a vice-president of the New York Automobile Club. He added that there were 4140 vehicles in fatal accidents and 4000 in non-fatal accidents caused by tail lights being -out oi* obscured. $ * * * Worn aluminium pistons can he converted into useful ash trays hy cutting them ' through at the gudgeon pin roles, parallel with the crown. The rings should he removed and the piston surfaces polished. Obviously, the piston is inverted when in use, so that the tobacco ash is collected inside th'e crown. The two half-holes form convenient xecesses in which cigarettes can be rested. If the trays are to be nsed on polish tables, it may be advisable to glue discs of green baize to the crowns so as to avoid seratching. # * * * It is impossible to state precisely fcow often or after how many miles running an engine should he decarbonised, and modern engines are far less exacting in the matter than older types. Extremely wide variations occur in this respect, even with identical engines, owing to th'e difference in driving methods, in the brand and ' grade of luhricating oil used, and , among other things, in the hilliness of the district or country in which the car is used most. But a general hint can be given to enable the individual owner to judge for himself as to when it is desirable that the accumulated carbon in the cylinders should be removed.