Your Studebaker— Its Care and Maintenance

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 284, 21 February 1928, Page 7

Your Studebaker — Its Care and Maintenance

k SUN special feature to assist the owner-driver to ** obtain the maximum results in performance by the proper care and treatment of his car.

The importance of giving careful attention and regular inspection to the modern motor-car cannot be over-esti-mated. If this is done systematically, considerably greater pleasure will be derived from motorring, as the car will always be kept in tune, and will not require adjusting at inopportune moments.

The Studebaker owner has included in his car equipment an excellent instruction book, which he should study and follow to the letter. We are giving here a few hints which should help the amateur driver to get more pleasure from his car.

These general hints apply equally well to the President Commander or Director models, but each model of course has more detailed specifications. For these refer to the manual. The main thing to remember is correct lubrications: The engine oil should be completely changed every 1,000 miles. Keep the oilpan as vV nearly full as possible. Use any good engine oil of recognised high quality. Remove the oilpan every six months and clean it thoroughly. Clean the oil screen in the oil-pan every month. The internal working parts of the engine are lubricated under a pressure system which is connected with the oil gauge on the dash. Always keep an eye on this indicator to see that the system is working properly, and take the car to a dealer immediately the gauge does not show pressure when the engine is running over 10 miles an hour.

Gear Box: Lubrication and cleaning: Twice a year completely drain the gear box and flush the gears and case with kerosene petrol. Refill to correct level with any good light gear box grease or very heavy gear box oil. Rear Axle: This should receive incidentally the same treatment as the gear box. The same lubrication can be used.

eiuteh; The throw-out bearing should be lubricated two or three times

a month. Do not turn the grease cap. more than a couple of times. Brakes should be kept clean and free from dirt and oil. Squeaking may be due to dirt when the linings should be washed with petrol. The steering gear should be lubricated with a very heavy gear box oil. The lubrication system for the rest of the chassis consists of an Alemite pressure grease gun, using a light cup grease, with which the chassis should be gone over regularly. This refers to steering knuckles, spring shackles, brakes, chassis, etc.

Grease cups should be screwed monthly on the rear wheel bearings, and twice a month on the fan shaft. The front wheel hubs should be filled with grease twice a year. We come now to other features which require regular attention.

The battery needs regular and careful attention. Keep the terminals clean. See that the level of the acid in the cells is kept above the top of the plates by the addition of distilled water. Test all cells with a hydrometer every month. Fully charged cells should read between 1.280 and 1.300. The radiator should be kept full with clean water. Once a month drain the system and refill with clean, hot water containing a-half cup of baking soda. Run the engine Mr five minutes, then drain the radiator. Flush out once or twice and refill.

Tyres should receive regular attention, and the pressure checked every week. Alwaj | run on the correct pressure for your model and body type. See that pressures in the front pair and the rear pair equal to one another, and as set out in the manual for the front or rear sets, as unequal pressures affect the performance of the car, making the steering heavy, the engine sluggish and increasing the petrol consumption. If every Studebaker owner gives attention to the points mentioned above, a considerable benefit will be obtained in the way of greater reliability, more satisfactory running and lowest possible cost.