Water and Petrol.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 7, 1 May 1907, Page 253

Water and Petrol.

No one need tell the average motorist that water must be kept out of his petrol. He knows that well enough. What he does not know, or rather might know better, is how to keep the two irreconcilables apart. To help him in this direction, A. Foster, of New Zealand, has written a sensible suggestion

which we find in a contemporary, and hasten to reproduce with the accompanying illustration. — Mr. Foster says :—: — Having witnessed the struggles of an unfortunate friend who had had his tank filled with water instead of petrol, I became interested in the problem of how to guard against such trouble. Of course, care, and a fine gauze-lined funnel will solve the problem, but what is wanted is an apparatus always in use that requires no attention. I have seen all sorts of traps and catch boxes fitted to carburetters, but they would all be useless if once a few tablespoonfuls of water gained admittance. What happens is as follows : water always falls to the bottom of the tank, so does most dust and dirt. Yet nearly all tanks are fitted with a petrol supply pipe and drain tap that have a back nut projecting above the floor of the tank, and so it is impossible to empty the tank by these means. Even inverting the tank generally reveals much the same arrangement at the screw cap. By referring to the accompanying diagram it will be seen that a funnel-shaped projection, capable of holding about half a pint, is riveted to the tank floor. At the apex of the funnel a drain tap is fitted. Thus if the work is well done, and the joint to the tank properly made, all water quickly collects, and can be drained off from the tank. The supply pipe passes up to the level of the floor of the tank after taking a curve, so that the opening looks downwards, and thus prevents dirt falling directly into the pipe. By filling the funnel full to the level of the tank floor, no water can enter the carburetter, and any grit or dirt trying to enter the supply pipe must jump across the base of the funnel to gain admittance. Of course there is one essential thing to remember, and that is to turn on the drain tap after filling the tank, and make sure that it runs petrol and not water. I have fitted this arrangement to my car, and often invite sceptical friends to pour a half-can of water or so into my tank, and show them how I turn the drain tap to get rid of it. In fact,

I often put water into my tank, as it collects all grit and rubbish into the funnel, and I can thus keep it clean. I sent the idea to one of the largest English makers, and invited him to use it free of charge, as my experience of patents for the amateur has been very bad, but as they seem quite indifferent I am making a present of the idea to motorists at large. I see no reason why the fitting should increase the cost of a car more than a few shillings, as the publication of this article will prevent any patents being applied for. — A .Foster, New Zealand.