MODERN MOTORING

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 86, 11 April 1922, Page 9

MODERN MOTORING

(BY TORQUE.)

THE NEW BT-UW. it is very gratifying to the motorist to see that the new by-law to protect passengers when boarding a tram or alighting is not a one-sided by-law, to protect the pedestrian only. The motorist is to be protected also, and pedestrians are not allowed to stand out in the street and defy the motorist [ to tome any firrther. If a motorist is ' lined for passing a stationary tram car it is only right that the pedestrian is fined likewise for obstructing; the motor car. The pedestrian lose- sight of the fact that motorists pay very dearly for the use of the highways. THE GARAGE PROPRIETORS' MEETING. A large meeting of garage proprietors was held in their new rooms in Empire Buildings, Swauson Street, on Wednesday night last. Mr. Jones, the president, occupied the chair, aud Mr. Cousins, the secretary of the garauu proprietors of Xew Zealand, was present, and he gave the Auckland men a ; lot of useful information for their future benefit. Mr. Cousins has his headquarters in Wellington. The annual social evening and dinner will be held towards the end uf next month in the Town Hall. BEARINGS, ALL ABOUT THEM. Xot only in a motor car, but any bit of machinery there are certain parts that must be continually in motion in order to transmit power and enable the machine to perform useful work. The principal bearings in a motor car are the big ends and main bearings. Other important bearing.- are in the gear box and differential.- In order to proteec these most important parts (or ehall I say the most expensive paTts) in most cases only plain bearings which are merely small cylinders of some softer metal different to the shaft, inside of which the shaft will turn more easily when aided by oil. Where plain bearings are used it is of vital importance to use the best of oil and frequently too. The thin film of oil which separates the drive shafts from the inside of the bearing that support them must bo constantly renewed. Though not visible to the naked eye this oil film is composed of minute globules on which the shaft rolls, and at high speeds these small globules of oil do not etand up to the work, aud they break down ami get crushed out, and if they are not replaced by new ones the shaft comes in contaqt with the bearinge and the constant rubbing immediately starts \year or friction, the metal is coon destroyed, resistance is caused, loss of power, and in some cases a seize up, or the bearings get so hot that they melt. If the bearings do not melt, and frasli oil is jiut in. so much wear has taken place that the bearings will pound ati every revolution. This causes additional wear and loss of power, The only reason for the use of plain bearings in a motor car ie the fact that the oil is constantly ! getting forced to the parts by means pi I a pump. Where roller bearings are ueed. the rollers really take the place of the globules of oil. Still oil must be used even where rollers are fitted, but not to the same extent ac with plain bear- | ings. 11l the early days of motoring the makers always prpvided a small tank of oil pn the dash as well as the oil in the sump, and when the engine was started fresh oil was allowed to drip all the time, perJiape a,bout one drop per second, find that provided fret>h oil all the time. The older motorists will tell you that they seldom, if ever, had to take up the bearings. Unfortunately the sump today is the most neglected part of the ear. Jt should be drained and cleaned every 1000 miles at least, and worn oyt bearings and knocks would be no more. SENSATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT. Only two weeks back I mentioned that we were on the threshold of a wonderful change in the motor industry. News has just come to hand of at least qilb of the to undersell the Ford. This announcement comes from W. C. Durant, the president of tlje Durant Motors, who has contracted to build in quantities five passenger four-cylinder cars to retail at about $348 (i 81) in English money at the 4.30 dollar rate cf exchange. This wonder is to be created by several big motor concerns, all pi whom have decided to supply certain parts, and it is to be asseofljled by the Durant Motors. The only advantage the different firms will get is in the supply of spare parts to follow, It will be a modgrn five-passenger., up-to-date in every way, and their great aim i≤ to put on a car that will be much cheapento run on oil and benzine, and they will limjt the output to 10,000 cars per year, which they claim will show them all a profit. The principal companies concerned in the enterprise have recently formed a long chain of service stations throughout America. The names of some of the companies are the Contij nental Motors, Timken Detroit Axle Co., Brown Lipe Gear Co., Boag and I Beck Co., and Spicer Manufacturing Co., all well-known concerns. If a car can be produced to compete successfully with Ford, and that seems the entire purpose of this new concern, there will be a great demand for such a car and for replacement parts, and it is from these parts that the different companies will get the profit. HenTy Ford has been quoted as saying that he could • afford to give his cars away, for the replacement business would repay him alone. The same can be said of these companies interested -in the new car. They can afford to give Durant the parts to assemble the 10,000 cars per annum for nothing, and the replacements which will have to come from them will pay them afterwards. The new Durant four-cylinder cars are being turned out at 100 per day at present, and the first of these models will appear in Auckland in a few weeks' time. Henry Ford and W. C. Durant are the two principal men in the Amerieaa motor world, and everything they say and do i≤ watched with interest. Dodge Brothers announce that they are laying put a factory for the manufacture of a new model, which will sell at the same price as the present cax, but it Will be a much lower Jjuilt car, with sharp streamline effects. The new car will probably 'be ready for this season's summer "market, and the new bodies will' be built at the factory for the first time. Studebaker output of- cars have increased from 3-SOB ears per month, ipr February of last year to 10,683 for February of this year, and the Studefioker .Corporation' expects to turn put 93,000 for 1»22.

A DANGEROUS PRACTICE. Many motorists when they hose down the car lift the bonnet first* and put an old coat or over the engine to protect it from the water. The bonnet, is then closed down, and in nine cases out of ten the car is washed and dried oil' and the cover over the engine forgotten. 1 saw a case of this kind myself quite recently. Au old pair of khaki trousers had been left covering the engine after a wash down, and when the car had run about a mile or two they got alight, and it was only a bit of good luck that the car was not destroyed. One leg of the trousers had been burnt right through where it was lying on the exhaust pipe. In this case the owner did not wash the car himself, otherwise he might have thought of it when he got the first smell of burning rag. KEEP DOWN UP-KEEP. A great many motorists have trouble with their motor overheating, and it is little wonder when the water in the radiator is like soup and full of grit and rust, and the circulation is almost shut oil' at'the various cylinders. The best way to remove all the grit and rust is to heat the engine up with a little running, put a handful of ordinary washing soda in the radiator, and when it has run through for about five minutes drain the lot off and let a hose run through the whole system until the water conies out quite clear. Change the oil in tluFcrank case often, and the same with the gear box and differential, and at all times keep them up to their correct level with the best quality oil. Do the grease cups at the same time, then all the working parts will be kept in good condition.