MODERN MOTORING

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 118, 18 May 1920, Page 8

MODERN MOTORING

The Auckland Automobile Association have deeded to bold a petrol consumption test shortly, and have detailed a sub-committee to carry out the proposal, which is a most laudable idea. A little while ago we bad the word "efficiency" quoted very freely, the idea then prevalent .being to cave money wherever possible. And if the test ould be done without warning it would prove to a lot (if the owner* that their much boasted 24 miles per gallon is or in other word*, for even .-iikc of benzine they buy they waste fully half of it by ineflicienov of the engines, etc. It is remarkable how soon the eflicicney of an automobile falU away, especially an regards mileage for each tin of benzine, unless the owner is silways willing] to do liis "bit." and keep the < ar in first-i-Jaes order. It i* no exaggeration to sny that ■2. r i rier cent, of the cars on the road use double the quantity of benzine they should do. and at least another 40 per cent, take "Xt per cent, more benzine than they would if properly tuned up and looked after. It has developed into a habit with some owners to put a "tin of juice"' into the tank when it wants it without ever checking up what it does in the way of mileage. Auckland's main street ami business part of the town be:n;< situated abnost at sea level necessitates a motorist piuisin<r over a. fairly formidable hill to get out of town, has caused a .-omewhat insane idea u> grow, that unless a ear will climb up three out o! the four main hills "on top" that the ear i? no good or is out of order. Many a ;» ara <; c has been asked to adjust a carburetter which wlien adjusted by the mechanic for inn.xiruuni consumption, would be brought back in a lew minutes because it wouldn't do Queen Street "on top.' , A richer mixture will i::ake a ear pull harder on the hills, with the result it "pulls'' harder on the motorist's purse in eonsequen.ee. Maximum power to climb' any hill on "high" and maximum miles per gallon don't usually go together. For the .benefit of those who arc not experts it may not be out of place to give an outline oi what the private owner should sec to in order to cut down his benzine consumption. I will enumerate most of the points it will be necessary to look to, which affect consumption. First, jack up front wheels and spin them to make sure bearings are in good condition. Worn wheel bearings waste a lot of power, and should be scrapped at once. Then e.heek tip alignment of car wheels. The front wheels should have "a toe in'" at front of about liv to Jin, t'uat is the distance from tyre to tyre at the front should be above distance closer than at the back of the came wnecls. Xcxt, is a most important item. .Tack up rear axle and teet wheels for brakes See Unit the brake bands when in released position are released, as it is quite possible to lose eight or ten miles per gallon of benzine due to dragging brakes. Tyres should be kept well inflated. Any observant motorist will have, noticed when pushing a ear with a' nearly flat tyre what extra strength is required. Having made cure of the free running qualities of the chassis, then you can turn your atten-, tion to engine; but remember that un-j less you look after the wheel gear periodically it is useless to try and save beozine at the engine. For the engine it is necessary to make euro all valves are tight and ground to good seats, that the piston rings, valve caps (if used) anil spark plugs are not leaking—some of the compression. Even small leaks should be remedied, for it is obvious that say in a six-cylinder engine running at 1000 revolutions per minute if you lose only 61b of the cxplos'on pressure per cylinder, you lose in one minute 15,0001b of pressure, or nearly seven tons of pressure that is wasted energy. Xcxt make sure'that the ignition is timed to ta-kc place at the time recommended by the makers of your engine, and that the pines are all clean and in good order. When you have checked over above details (they are not 6O formidable as they seem) you can turn your attention to the carburetter. •It is impossible in these columns for mc to ffiva explanations of how to tune up carburetters. There are hundreds of

(BY TORQUE.)

different makes requiring individual treatment to get best results. Over 30,000 patents have been granted in the world for carburetters and kindred devices, and the owner of !i car will be well advised to get a book of instructions relating to his particular carburetter, and follow maker's instructions. making an adjustment, which should be done when engine is hot, don't be discouraged if you don't get ■what you hoped for. You may have to alter your driving methods to euit, but persevere or aek a friend or your garage for advice. Most mechanics * are only too willing to help an owner who is really endeavouring to get his car running well. Then, at last, after you have satisfied yourself that your car is doing as well as you can wish fnr, step it out to the petrol consumption test. Even if you don't get a prize the know-! ledge gained and the benzine saved will | well repay you for your trouble. MOTOR TKAGTXON. The recent poll of ratepayers in Palmerston Xortli to elect a councillor was really decided on a question of trams versus buses, the winning councillor being an advocate of the latter proposal. Another sign of the times, proving that motor traction is gaining i favour. A brief review of the situation! may not be out of place. Palmerston is practically a level town, and is built on an area of land of approximately three! miles long and two miles wide. In this) urea are Palniersjfcon's business premises; and residential homes. To serve such a j scattered population with tlie usual • track-system tramways was always i considered a costly business; nnd to doj it in a manner that would serve mostl of the residents meant expenditure "fj thousands of pounds, laying many miles I of expensive tracks and overhead equip-1 ment. The roads in the town are good.] and with the expenditure of less money; than the cost of tram tracks they could j be made suitable for fairly heaw motor! bus traffic. The residents, therefore,! are fairly unanimous that the motor' buses are the ideal public conveyance for their particular requirements. Iti is possible for the buses to travel on any streets to suit the traffic. Whether' they -will ultimately adopt electric bat-! tery buses, or benzine engined, remains i to Tso seen, but "Torque' , opines it will; be the electric battery bus, as the level' roads and the frequent stops and starts necessary give the electric an advantageYeare ago we all thought the bus we* doomed when trams came alon~ after the horse buses, but the reliability and mobile capacity of both electric and

petrol trucks arc now ousting tlie tram? for certain requirement.?. Even at tlio present time in I'.S.A. petrol trucks are competing with uip electric street trams and railways, mid carrying passengers cheaper in rimno cases, with the rosult tlint the trams in some cities are lveinir run at a loss. THE TAXI mjSZHZCZ. The die '. iii- week "v.lirrcin ;: taxi driver uas convicted for I'M* i-iusu'J (i 10l of comment nmonist tliose wlin earn their livins plying for liirc. It is freely admitted that the'fanilcniandeil was gros*l,v exe-ps-ive, but it is pointed out that the City Conr.ril"tarilT was fixed rfonic time when benzine wos about 10 a case and oil nnd tyres fully 23 per c?nl. rhenper thin piii-ps riiSin;; now. Kithcr there was a "μ-ood thin-" in tl>r taxi hnsin"es th.-n or cUr Ihe scalp of faro wants revision. Under tile rirciimstances it in no uncommon tiling Tor •' little c\:ra aliove Die fr.re to he demanded to meet-the inero;iMn£ rost ol keeping tlic cars on tlie road, and as usual that loiiK-sufferni!! f-pecio.*. ihe public. lias to pay unless ttipy are familiar with the legal fares. The co-t, of keeping a taxi on the road in !>!.•■ condition insisted on by the A.C.U mean* a expense, as the i--ars are exposed to all finds und weathers. XT IS RUMOUREDThat towing ears through the mud in some parts of tho Wfiikato must hr a profitable business. That the proposed petrol consumption test should lie really interesting. Tlia< on -ome cars a =elf-starter means you oHr-n ili) it yourself. That some of the "Bowsers" must be "Wmvr-ers" —always "bone dry " at present. That motorists arr- lucky that their "radiators" are not dependent on tho electric licrht power house. The Orakei and Prmmurp districts are considered much safer than Mt. Albert lor joy ridineThat a gear box on a truck is often :i •"do;; box"" as well. That the fust annual dinner of thi , garage proprietors takes place this evening. That it is not advisable to ask a taxi driver the faro to Kings Court. That the motorist who insists on climbing every hill on "liiph" may some day find himself in the difficult position of trying to control a car running backwards.