Your Willys-Knight —

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 202, 15 November 1927, Page 7

Your Willys-Knight

Its Care and Maintenance

a SUN special feature to assist the owner-driver or jLJ rider to obtain the maximum results in perform- ** **■ ance by the proper care and treatment of his car or motor-cycle.

For the owner-driver, the Willy sKnight 70 is a car which requires singularly few adjustments, during the ordinary period of its existence, other than periodical and careful lubrication. For the man, however, who likes “tinkering a little” during the weekend, the following hints will prove of use in obtaining improved performance. No part of the car should receive more careful attention than the brakes as their failure to operate properly at Critical moments may have serious results. The footbrake should be used Tor all normal braking purposes, and (he hand brake only in cases of extreme need, or to hold the car when it ts left standing. The adjustment of both brakes is simple, and should be performed with ill four wheels jacked up off the floor. The front wheel brakes* adjusting screws should be tightened until the wheels are almost locked, and then slackened off until they just spin freely. For the rear wheels, disconnect the brake pull rods and adjust screw to get 1-32 inch clearance between drum and lining. The brake bauds must be kept free from oil and grease, both of which will glaze the surface of the brake lining, causing the brakes to slip. If greasy wash lining with kerosene. An excess of oil, or oil of poor quality, will short circuit the spark plug points. When this occurs clean them with an old tooth brush dipped in kerosene. When badly fouled, soak the plugs overnight in kerosene. Spark plug points should be set .025 of an inch <.63m.m.) apart. The timer contact points should be kept smooth and clean, as dirt will cause them to pit and burn. They can be kept clean with a small tungs-ten-point file. If replaced, contact |K>int* should he adjusted by the small

screw which holds the stationary contact point in place. When making adjustment be sure that the fibre block is at the highest point of cam. With block in place, loosen the lock screw and turn contact screw until tiie opening between the contact surfaces is .018 of an inch (.46m.m.) in width. Remove toe board and hand-hole plate on bell-housing and loosen three clamp screws in rim ‘of fly wheel. Turn the clutch cover in direction opposite to fly-wheel rotation, as indicated hv arrow on cover, until distance from rear face of release sleeve to clutch cover is 2 3-16 inches. Tighten clamp screws and recheck this distance. Should it be less than 2 3-16 inches, loosen clamps and turn cover in the direction of flywheel rotation. After correct setting has been obtained be sure all clamp screws are tightened. This completes clutch adjustment. Occasionally, it will be necessary to take up slack in fan belt. This is easily done by loosening five nuts which hold pulley in unit with cylinder block, then rotating pump body on its eccentric mount, thus increasing or decreasing the tension of the belt. The proper functioning of the water pump depends upon the correct adjustment of the fan belt. The timer should be carefully lubricated every 250 miles with vaseline. The special cup should be kept filled with a good grade of pure vaseline, as lubrication of this unit ensures accurate and even distribution of electrical current to the spark plugs. Each week—or every 250 miles—pour seven or eight drops of engine oil in the oil hole, at each end of the generator. Do the same with the starting motor, and also to the fan-bearing oilfiller hole. It is not advisable to add fresh oil to a partly used supply in the sump, as fresh oil is immediately contaminated and loses its efficiency. It is advisable to completely replenish the engine lubricant once every 500 miles.