Your Erskine Six— Its Care and Maintenance

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 208, 22 November 1927, Page 7

Your Erskine Six — Its Care and Maintenance

ASUN special feature to assist the oicner-driver to obtain the maximum results in performance bp the proper care and treatment of his car.

After an Erskine bix has completed its first 500 miles (800 kilometres) it should be examined and the following items adjusted, if required: l —Front wheel bearings, steering knuckle bearings, front wheels (align), steering gear, fan belt, cam-shaft chain, valve tappets, carburetter, plugs, ignition timing, oil filter operation, oil pressure, generator charge rate, clutch adjustment, brakes, rear axle shaft bearings, spring clips and shackles, all chassis and engine nuts. Of these a majority lend themselves* specially to easy home adjustment, and owners faced with such adjustments should find the following hints of use. The valves should be set at clearances of not less than .000 inches when (warm. A smaller gap will cause missing. burnt valves, and speed up the need for re-grinding. To adjust the clearance, crank the engine until the fc>ush-rod of a valve is at its very lowest position. Fit a wrench over the milled side of the push rod and a second wrench over the locknut. Loosen this nut and turn adjusting screw up or down until the gap is correct by feeler gauge. Then tighten locknut. Before checking the camshaft chain for adjustment, crank engine one-lialf iturn by hand to properly take up slack, taking care the engine does not rock back after doing this. Then turn out the screws holding the oil filler to the side of the crankcase and determine the amount of back-lash by pushing on the chain with a hammer. There should be about one-eighth of an inch movement only, measured at the circumference of the generator sprocket. If greater, loosen the two bolts holding generator, back off adjusting screw locknut and turn adjusting screw in to swing generator and sprocket from engine. This will tighten the camshaft chain to the extent desired. In connection with the distributor, to adjust the contact joints crank the engine until the cam on the distributor shaft holds the points at their widest gap. With a screw-driver loosen the screw fastening the fixed contact plate to the base-plate, and turn adjusting screw until the gap is between .020 and .025 of an inch. Details for re-timing the engine will lie found in the service manual, but the job can be best effected by an Erskine service agent. The owner is advised not to attempt any adjustment of the clutch toggle levers. These are adjusted with special gauges at the Erskine factory and locked in position. • To adjust the clutch pedal, however, loosen the locknut on the pedal adjusting screw', located in the pedal shaft lever, and turn adjusting'screw so that the pedal has exactly one inch of free movement before beginning to disengage the clutch. \ The brakes are best adjusted, and re-

lined at a service station. It home adjustment js attempted carefully lollow the instructions in the service manual. If the steering knuckle requires attention—it should not —have it tested at a service station. It js not wise to attempt adjustments here. However, there are several points in the steering gear where oenclicial adjustments are easily made. End play in the steering camshaft can be discovered by placing the hand on the shaft at the point where the steering arm is fastened and having someone turn steering wheel back and forth. If the shaft moves endwise, loosen lock nut on camshaft adjusting screw and turn screw until play disappears. End play in steering column is quickly noticeable. To eliminate loosen the steering gear case clamp bolt nut and lock nut, fastening the adjusting screw at top of gear ease. Turn adjusting screw until end play disappears. Excess play in the steering wheel will occur from wear. When first noticed it may be corrected by taking up wear in the joints of the cross rod and reach rod, which should be tested with the wheels jacked up. If excess play still exists, it may be due to wear in other points primarily between the worm and cam mechanism. To eliminate backlash here loosen the three lower screws, retaining the gear housing cover to the gear housing one quarter turn. Then loosen lock nut on eccentric gear adjusting sleeve and bend the lock washer enough to permit the sleeve to turn. Turn sleeve clockwise until the steering wheel has only about half-inch of play. Only oil of recognised high quality should be used for the engine, a medium grade being best for summer and a light cold-test, oil for winter. Light gear box grease should be used in the hack axle, adding up to 25 per cent, engine oil in very cold weather, The same applies to the gear box. The universal joints require light gear box oil, and the steering gear heavy gear box oil. All oil holes or cups are designed for medium oil, and all other greasing points and Alemite fittings take a light grease. The service manual supplied itemises each lubrication point, and the intervals at which it should receive attention, and the instructions given should be followed closely. Charge engine oil completely every 1000 miles in summer and 500 in winter. In operation the oil gauge should read approximately “25” at 25 m.p.h. Any other, or no reading, shoiid he immediately investigated, beginning at the supply in the sump. If this contains the full amount of oil, and the gauge does not read at above 10 m.p.h., remove the screw plug from the oil pump cover and prime the pump with a small quantity of oil. If this does not remedy trouble the relieve valve at the carburetter side of the crankcase should ha remover! and cleaned