Hints for the Motorist

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13333, 21 December 1943, Page 3

Hints for the Motorist

6y ' ALBERT L CLOUGH

COMMON FAILINGS WHICH INVITE DISASTER

Au accident may be invited or averted by the small margin of a split second. Have you ever found yourself looking into the rear view mirror for more than a fleeting second while continuing to move forward? It is a common mistake for if the driver’s eyes are taken off the road ahead for as long as two seconds, the car may be plunged into disaster. Silent Mesh Transmission Admittedly the silent mash transmission is a valuable adjunct to safe driving yet in the hands of the inexperienced it may become the reverse. For instance, to use the modern transmission for a quick shift to second gear when going downhill over a slippery road may be highly dangerous and result in accidents. It is remarkably easy for any car with transmission having provision for synchronising the gears to drop into second, yet it may lead to a bad skid. The big. powerful engine acts as an equally powerful compression brake when the throttle is closed. Amplify this braking by using second gear and the rear wheels are slowed down while the front ones roll free, which tends to give the same effect of the old two-wheel brakes. Added to that is the sudden application of the engine braking power when the clutch is engaged, the obvious action being to let the clutch pedal up quickly because the gears have shifted so easily. This tendency to accident can be avoided by starting the decline in second gear, or preferably going slowly in high ygear, using the fourwheel brakes for any additional control. Mixing ■Controls The throttle control and choker functions are entirely different but the two controls on some cars look so much alike that they are often mistaken, with annoying results. If the engine, for instance, will not restart after having been warmed up, pulling out the choker button will make matters worse. Air is prevented from entering the cylinders and the engine loads up with still richer mixture which won’t fire. On the other hand, when the throttle control button is pulled out, the throttle will be opened wide and the necessary extra air will enter the cylinders. A Simple Test To be sure that fuel is reaching the carburetter, disconnect the fuel line where it enters the carburetter bowl. Get someone to press the starter-button; fuel should flow out of the open end of the pipe. ' Burning Oil The smell of burning oil seems to worry some drivers unduly. They immediately jump to the conclusion that something serious is wrong, such as scored cylinders-. Before opening up the engine, it is as well to make sure that the smell isn’t due to oil on the outside of the engine. Unless the valve cover plates are tight, oil will work out and cause the stench, particularly so with valve-in-head engines where slight oil loss xyi 11 permit lubricant to run down around the exhaust manifold.