ECONOMY DRIVING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 392, 29 November 1932, Page 2

ECONOMY DRIVING

HOW TO CONSERVE THE CONSUMPTION OF PETROL. HINTS FOR CAR OWNERS. Petrol consumption is a problem that worries many car owners considerably just now. The necessity for exercising a strict measure of economy in running expenses (writes W. E. Owen in an English journal) makes it desirable that they shall obtain the maximum numher of miles from each gallon of petrol they buy, but theyare never really satisfied with thef results achieved. Now it should always be remembered that the maker's fuel consumption figure — which greatly impresses most owners — 1s usually obtained under more or less ideal running conditions, with the car in a perfect state of mechanical efficiency and in the hands of an expert driver. It will not he surprising, th'erefore, if the owner-driver, particularly of a car that is a year or two old, does fail to equal the catalogue figure, although, at the same time, there is no reason why he or she should fail badly. One cannot over-emphasise the importance of keeping the car in a good state of mechanical efficiency in order to economise, and this app'lies particularly to the question of fuel consumption. Equally important, however, is the manner in which the car is handled on the road, for if it is badly driven it is quite certain that an increased quantity of petrol will be consumed Qver a giyen distanee-. To begin with the car dtself, the engine should be decarbonised at reasonably frequent intervals so that it is clean inside; the pistons and rings should be a good fit, and the valves should be properly seated and adjusted and a good fit in the guides, particularly the inlet valves. Wheel-bearings and transmdssion should he well lubricated, and care should be taken to see that the hrakes are not binding in any way. Under normal conditions the loss of power due to friction is quite considerable in a motor-car chassis, but if the mechanism is neglected this loss will increase and petrol be wasted in consequence. Generally speaking, it may be taken that the maker's carburetter setting is the most satisfactory for all-round use on a particular car, since it is, or at least we have the right to expect, that it is, the result of actual experiment and experience with a large numer of vehicles of that typ-e. In some cases, however, where economical running is particularly required, it will be possihle to adjust the instrument accordingly, but it is a job that should only be attempted hy the inexpert after thoroughly mastering the instruction hook or after consultation with the service department. Special care should be taken to preyent leaks from the pipe joints, flooding of the float chamber, dripping from the air-intake, etc. Whenever^ .any adjustment of the carburetter is made it should he done when the engine is at normal working temperature. In making carburetter adjustments or diagnosjng running troubles it should be born© in mind that the symptoms of carburation trouble and ignition faults are often similar, so that one frequently gets the blame when the other is, in faet, the culpnt. There are many ways in which the driver ean help to secure more miles from his or her petrol. The first of these is, of course, to drive at a moderate speed, although this may not appeal to the more enthusiastie! Generally speaking, fuel consumption goes up enormously as the speed mcreases ahove the particular car's best and most economical cruising speed, and needless to say wear and tear mcreases very greatly as well.