LAYING-UP A CAR.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 4

LAYING-UP A CAR.

HINTS FOR WINTER. PERIOD OK RECUPERATION. (■•rEcuLLi vrsmss ros tb« f«mi (Kv Maior F. A. «.-. Forbes-Lei th, " F.K.O.S . Author of "Ry lar to India.") Winter is upon " s . a " to ° f l ,lilk,v . and 1 feel that I must refer again to the" important business of storage, for the benefit of those, motorists who avo in tho habit of forsaking their hobby during the vol.! season. 1 again say impnrinnt, for this is a process which, if iiuproperlv effected, will cause your imi- to deteriorate and depreciate, in initio, whereas, if a lit tin rare is t-ikcii tin- enr mav be brought back into use in the spring in better condition for it> lon-: rest. First wash ano dean the car tlioroiii'hlv, ami remove all traces of moiMurc.' .lack up tho car by tho i-hiKsi* and build up supports for these witii blocks of wood. Assure yourself that the load is resting; even y on these, blocks, in Mich a manner Hint it will not be eii.sv to shift the equilibrium by any accidental push or jar that it may sustain. War on Eust. Next, remove the wheels, and strip (he tvrcs from the rims. Examine tho covers and tubes and have anv repairs done that are obviously needed. If the, tinis are rusty, have tiicni scraped, and coated with hhicUlcad, or dry, powdered graphite. Replace your tyres and tubes, give them a little less than half the normal pressure required when running, ami wipe each wheel round with a" rag smeared, with vaseline. Then wrap strips of newspaper round ami round them to keep out damp and dust, and lay them away in as dry a place as you can find. Drain your differential and gear-box of oil, and put in its place a little paraffin; let the car run for a few minutes, drain again, and replace tho paraffin with fresh oil. Give two or three turns of the engine to ensure distribution, as paraffin left in contact with the metal produces a form of rust. Repeat this process with the crank case. Examine Cylinders. The nest thins to do is to remove evcrv oil tup on the machine and assure'yourself that the oil-ducts are free from dirt and grit. Soak all the cups in paraffin, brush tbcm, dry well, and replace them, and. then oil up agnin verv liberally. Those whose cars are fitted with the grease pressure system should take tho same care in cleansing thoroughly the injection valves. It is as well to take this opportunity to ascertain if decarbonisation of the engine is necessary. Remove the cylinder head, and carefully scrape all carbon from them, and from the piston tops. Make sure Hint the valve scats are setting well and ore in no way pitted. If they are, grind them in with carborundum powder and replace them, not forgetting to readjust the clearance which will have been changed slightly by crindinc. Storing Batteries. Take all the sparking plugs out and clenn tbcm thoroughly, with a small knife. I do not recommend the practice of soaking these in paraffin, particularly the kind that aro fitted with mica electrodes. Adjust the points to a nicety, and replaco same. The batteries require especial core. Test the acid solution with a hydrometer, and assure yourself that the specific gravity of the liquid i 8 right. If not, have it replaced with a fresh supply. Take the batteries off the car and have them fully charged, and put in a place where the temperaturo is even and unlikely to be ( affected by frost. A still better way is to give tho batteries electrician who will attend io them and store same for you for a trifling fee. Emptv your radiator, and let your engine run for about hnlf a minute to allow the cylinder jackets and water pump to clear themselves of water, and then refill them once or twice with water and drain again in the same way to clear any sediment and rust that may have collected. Well Worth While. Clean tho nickel plated parts and smear with a thin coat of vaseline; rub any rust spots iu your paint-wort with emery paper until tho metal shines, and then coat the faulty places with blacklead, or if you have a car of light colour, use as a substitute castor oil instead of blacklead. Lift each spring leaf with a strong screwdriver, and insert powdered phite and oil, and wipe each spring, as a whole, with a liberal' supply of grease. Finally, remove your cushions indoors, and cover the car completely with a tarpaulin, or if you have not one of these available, a paper cover may bo bought from any accessory dealer for a few shillings. This will keep the dust out and savo a deal of cleaning. This may seem a tiresome job, but when spring comes, you can put your car on tho road acain in a couple of hours in good condition, and you will conic to the conclusion that your labour has been well worth while.