Motoring.

Southland Times, Issue 18816, 8 May 1920, Page 9

Motoring.

(By “Headlight.”) It is gratifying to note at the first annual meeting of the South Island Motor Union, a desit® that there should be no enmity with the North Island Motor Union. When toe new body broke away there was a little unpleasantness with the parent body, and it is decidedly in the interests of motoring that there should be now signs of a wiffingnesß to “make it up.” The Union certainly did a wise thing when H passed a resolution asking that all by-laws affecting motorists adopted by local bodies should be submitted to the Union before being approved by toe Minister. There is a tendency amongst some local bodies to pass by-laws with very detrimental effects to motorists, especially if none of the members own cars. Tfaen, it is only fair that tfae other side should be given a hearing. When the* doom on one side of the body do not fit properly, either bind so that they are hard to dose or fit too loosely, with so much clearance that the catch will not snap, tfae trouble may be cored by placing wooden wedges under the body of the rear. Metal plates may also be used. In either case the wedge should be bolted through the frame, so that it will remain firmly in place. Sometimes tho wheel gets “frown” to the axle shaft, due to being a very tight fit' or to' l other cause and then toe thing to do is to attach a piece of heavy rope to

either side of thfc- wheel, leaving enough j room to insert a jabk between the rope and i the end of the spindle. Place the foot of f the jack against the rope and the head I against the end of the axle, and slowly | operate the jack to put a pulling force on j the wheel through the rope. You can exert a very large force by this method, and should be able to remove the tightest wheel.

An Australian engineer well versed in automobile engine practice, recently returned from a visit to America where be states, that he had an opportunity of examining and seeing tested a remarkably efficient new type of shove valve automobile engine. Unlike the Knight valve power unit with its reciprocating two sets of sleeves per cylinder, the new type engine known as the "American sleeve valve engine/* differs very considerably from anything yet seen in this type of power unit. For years automobile engineers in all fields have Bought the ideal engine. There has bt«n prolonged search after the right combination of cylinder type, valve siac, shape and method of operation, reduction of working parts, etc.., nith but partial success. The two cycle engine has not realised anticipation from r.n automobile viewpoint, whilst the Knight engine, although giving very sake far lory results, does not reach the ideal, and leaves room for improvement. The "American" - engines by actual laboratory and rpad tests of both a theoretical and practical nature, have proven beyond doubt that this unit is something exceptional. In this engine a single rotating sleeve driven by spiral gear is used, resulting in perfect balance and a wonderfully efficient motor. In this unit from 25 to 50 parts are eliminated, resulting in increased simplicity'. The engine is of the 4-cylinder type, 4in. bore and siu. stroke, weight 581 lbs. It has 2100 revolutions; it develops 50 h.p. and 60 h.p. at 2200 revolutions. The latter figures out at 9.7 lbs weight per h.p. developed, a remarkably low figure for a commercial everyday automobile power unit. Fitted to a car weighing 2760 lbs, giving a ratio of one horsepower to each 46 lbs of car weight, it accelerated from a standing start to over 20 miles an hour within 100 feet. It climbed stiff gradients on the top gear that far more powerful cars have to take on the second gear. A remarkable feature? is that the torque, or twisting action of the engine, is the same at all speeds of the motor. The smoothness of running was illustrated by the following demonstration; — The power unit was rested on three wooden supports laid on testing bench, no bolting down being done. The engine was run at varying speeds without the semblance of vibration, in fact a wooden peg stood erect on top of the engine when running at high speed. Such steadiness is remarkable. The designer of this power unit h.r«s evidently' evolved something out of the ordinary and if it fires up to its promise fit, has had two years’ test on the road) its influence on automobile engine design will be marked. The general run of tool kits which are sent out with motor vehicles are a delusion and 3‘ snare. Particularly is this the case with some makers. We have seen a kit of tools in a leather roll, no one of which would be tolerated in the workshop even of tbe amateur. In view of the big price paid for cars, and considering bow bad tools spoil good work, it seems a very penny wise and pound foolish policy on the part of the makers not to spend a little more money and give users a batch of really high-grade tools with which to make the necessary adjustments and running repairs. "A good workman never complains of his tools” is an old saw. But a good workman never tolerates bad tools.

It is interesting to note that thf fourspeed geacbox is being considered more seriously by English designers of light cars. It has been said frequently that since economy is the object of the light car, then a fourth speed should not be thought of because it only increases cost. Those that have had experience of four speed care will contend that the point of economy is the very reason- why it should have consideration. A four-speed car should be more economical to run than a three-speeder. The main part of one’s running may be said to be on the level or on a slight down grade, when a moderately high gear can be used god ,the' engine run slowly. It would be a mistake to add another lower gear wiien the average car will climb most main road Hillr on the second. It is an extra high gear that is required, and if this was to be a ratio intended solely for very favourable conditions, then, of course, the di rect would be the third and the extra high gear would bo through gears. It is possible to have both the third and fourth equally direct.

The really quiet motor-cycle has been a S very long time coming, at all events so far [as standard machines are concerned, but I there is no real reason why it should be | delayed much longer, says a Home journal. | The problems to be solved are of the same ! type as those which r have cropped up in car design and have been successfully solved, for in cars, too, quietening the exhaust brought about the need for quietening transmission, valve, and distribution noises, which had previously been in the background. One must expect that an open engine of the four-stroke type should make a certain amount of Hatter, but there is no .reason why the present, standard of noisiness should continue. In view of the amount of inferior petrol on the market at present, it should be noted that quite mystifying effects may follow the use of petrol in which dirt or other foreign substances occurs. In the first place, the petrol strainer in the pipe line may be partially choked and cause insufficient fuel to reach the carburetter when I the engine is running at high speed. The symptom in such a case, is often a total cessation of firing when an endeavour is made to accelerate the engine, as, for instance, when a lower speed is engaged to rush a hill. The strainer may, however, ! become entirely choked if it has a fineI mesh gauze, when, obviously, the engine | will fail to run at all. There is, however, i nothing mysterious about this. But there I is often trouble in locating the defect when one or two isolated particles of grit manage to find their way to the bass of the jets. A solitary cause of obstruction may cause a most peculiar intermittent misfire. A piece of grit at the bottom of the jet may only occasionally be drawn into the restricted orifice. In the case of a multiplejet carburetter, this will reduce the richness of the mixture and cause a peculiar hesitancy on the part of the engine when the throttle is opened. Or, if the obstruction be in the starting jet, the engine may run quite normally in all throttle positions except that suited to slow running. The engine will then cut right out; in other words, it refuses to run slowly. The writer has known occasions on which such solitary particles of grit have necessitated a long investigation before the cause of the trouble was found. The reason has been that when the carburetter has been detached for an inspection, the fuel has drained off anil the grit has run back into the body of the carburetter, where it has remained out of right. It may have receded only round the comer, as it were, at the point where the restricted orifice of the jet opens out j into the larger diameter of the main bore, j In playing ‘‘hide and seek” in this a solitary particle may, therefore, give n.-e Ito what is seemingly a most mysterious ; fault; the cymptoma may be equally api p lie able to such causes as a faulty plug, a ' badly adjusted magneto, a shorting hightonrion wire, a sticking valve, and other similar troubles above and beyond a restricted fuel supply through one of the jets. , A fruitful cause of motor accidents, says a critic, is the tendency of inexperienced beginners to purchase high-powered cars. They quickly master the steenng and general management, and within the first month they axe careering along at a speed which rivals even that of an expert. Having failed, however, to serve their novitiate on slower ears, they have not gained that instinctive capacity for instant action which is essential in case of a sudden emergency. Consequently, when this emergency arises, they either lose their heads completely or else pause for an appreciable interval be fore deciding what to do. The majority ri accidents arise from this cause. For in., reason it shop Id be urged on all beginner to adopt as their motto “Festina lento" am: make a start on a small car of moderat.-. horse-power.