MOTORING TERMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 848, 17 December 1929, Page 13

MOTORING TERMS

EXPLANATIONS FOR NOVICES Motorists speak a sort of language of their own, and to the novice some of the terms are rather strange. The following terms, taken from an English magazine, are given with their meanings: Pick-up is a term referring to the accelerative ability of the car when it responds in greater or lesser degree to j an extra supply of gas after depresI sion of the accelerator pedal. When driving at night a large numI ber of motorists dim or dip their lights. These two terms have entirely different meanings. To dim means that the current in the main head lamps is switched on to a second filament of lesser power than that normally used. On some cars provision is made for the lamps to be dimmed by means of a resistance switch. Dipping is carried out by turning lamps or reflectors downward and, on some cars, at the same time sideways, so that an oncoming driver is not dazzled. Blacking out means that the head lamps are switched off and only the side lamps are left on. Coasting is a term used for an operation that emulates the free-wheel bicycle; that is to say, on a long and safe descent the driver will place his gear lever in neutral, when the car will glide noiselessly, since the car will not be driven by the engine or be endeavouring itself to drive the engine. Other terms which may mystify the

newcomer to motoring are those used by body-builders. For example, one might naturally imagine that a sixlight saloon would be one having six windows (two on each side, one at the rear and one at the front—the windscreen). Such, with two windows at each side is, however, a fourlight saloon, for only windows at the sides are counted in this connection. A coupe is an enclosed car with accommodation for two, or sometimes three, persons inside, and having in some instances a dickey seat at the back for two or more passengers. A sportsman’s coupe is a four-seater in effect, with the rear seat or seats fitted close to those in front the back seats are usually intended only for occasional i use, all seats being under the main roof. The sportsman’s coupe is sometimes known as a close-coupled saloon or as a chummy saloon. An open four-seater is still known as a tourer or touring car, a term which is becoming out of date, since closed cars are gaining wider and wider popularity for all purposes. OIL CONSUMPTION The most frequent cause of heavy oil consumption is leakage from one of the crankcase joints, but supposing that no leakage takes place, the average engine should give about 1,000 miles a gallon. There are exceptions, of course, and some engines will not do more than about 800 miles a gallon, while others will do very much more. One should look carefully for any cause of leakage, the most likely points being the sump joint, the timing gear case joint, the cylinder crank case joint, round the valve tappets, or through the rear main bearing into the clutch pit. If new pieton rings are not likely to be necessary yet, it may be that they are not working freely in their grooves, owing to carbon having formed therein.