Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31907, 7 February 1969, Page 9

Auto Gossip

by

A.J.P.

Discomfort Means Trouble • Almost traditionally, this month brings some of our hottest weather—so watch your driving. An uncomfortable driver is rarely a good driver, and even more rarely a courteous driver, and motorists are not often more uncomfortable than when they are creeping through heavy traffic in a car that feels like a blast-furnace. A hot, sticky, tired motorist gets irritated very easily, and an irritated driver often does silly things. So keep cool. Those Clocks

There must be a reason why car clocks are so often unreliable, the vibration, -or dust, perhaps? Yet some clocks go on for years keeping perfect time, so the reliable car clock is not impossible. I have had three cars with clocks, and only one clock was reliable. The cost of repairs is not inconsiderable, which is probably why so many owners never bother to have a faulty clock put right. Fuel Gauges

A faulty clock may be a nuisance, but it does not cause real trouble. Not so a faulty fuel guage, another instrument that is often less reliable than one would wish. Whenever you take over a new car, it is always worth while to conduct a few experiments to see just how much fuel is left when the gauge shows one-quarter full. The easiest way is to calculate from the tank capacity how much should be left, and then fill the tank completely. Obviously if the car has a 12gallon tank and it takes 111 gallons when the gauge shows one-quarter full, something is amiss. Many motorists have come to a halt, miles from anywhere, because their fuel gauge has been telling lies. Temperature A faulty temperature gauge can cause serious trouble, -for

some day a faulty hose may result in your car losing all its water, and without a gauge your first warning of this may be a nasty hot smell. And in many cars, by the time the smell is evident some damage has been done. So if your car’s temperature gauge is not working, you had best get it repaired. If your car has no temperature gauge, you may find fitting one a good investment ,