MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 102, 24 January 1930, Page 6

MOTORS AND MOTORING

(By

HOLIDAY MOTORING ROTORUA CAMP SITE “THE ORIGINAL CAR” Despite the atrocious weather conditions that prevailed up to the last few days this season has been a record oue so far as touring by motorcar has been concerned. It would be interesting to know how many ears did set opt from the various towns. All the camping sites were full during the whole of the Christmas holidays, and all over the country could be seen cars parked in all the spots that looked suitable for camping. Taupo, Tokaanu, Rotorua, and Tongariro seemed to be Meccas of a vast number of motorists. The shores of Lake Taupo were lined with ears and tents. Rotorua broke all records in respect of the numbers of ears that visited the town. Over 1000 ears were cheeked through the camping site there during Christmas week. Added to that most of the people who stayed at

the various hotels and boarding-houses had their ears with them, so one can well imagine that Rotorua was an 'extremely busy place. It now boasts of speed limits and traffic officers. Steel and Canvas Towns. The Rotorua motor camp was a sight to behold. At first glance, one would imagine that someone had struck gold in Rotorua, and that there was a repetition of the old gold rush days, the only difference being that there were no motor-cars in the old days, whereas now the motor camps are “steel mid canvas" towns, the cars forming part of the dwellings. Some of the travellers had most elaborate tents and some just the opposite. Some slept in their cars and others used the interior of their car as a second room. Hot and cold water were available at the camp, and there were canteens where most things could be purchased. The camp Itself was laid out in streets and closely resembled a town in the making. Absolute cleanliness was insisted upon, and with the exception that the rain frequently gave it rather a bedraggled appearance, the camp always looked spic and span. , Rotorua’s big night was New Year 3 Eve, when the motor-car procession was held. At ton o’clock some hundreds of cars, the majority of them beautifully decorated, paraded the streets. This procession has come to be an annual affair in Rotorua, and many of the tourists go to great trouble in decorating their cars. A Venerable Mdtor-Car. Perhaps the most talked of car that appeared in Rotorua during the holidays was a seventeen-year-old Daimler that originally belonged to the late Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey. This car was enormously high and appeared more like an old stage coach, minus its horses, than anything else. Once it was il magnificent car, and was a sight to grace any street. It still bears traces of its pristine beauty, but it has long since been relegated to the ranks of hasbeens.” It goes—and. goes well—and that is the main thing. The owners are five students from Victoria University College, Wellington, and in it they toured the North Island. It certainly looked unique, and everywhere that the young men went they and their car were the. cynosure of all eyes. Without doubt, it was the most photographed car in the North Island. The owners. realising that their car could not possibly be ranked among the type of car known as “streamlined.” decided to make use of its age, so they painted “The Original Car” on it. They also realised that: many remarks would be passed about it and its appearance, so, to the amusement of everyone, they painted at the rear a sign bearing the words, “The same to you.” From all accounts this relic of days gone by certainly did its duty nobly, and helped to make the holiday of its' owners one that will never be forgotten —it could not be when they bear in mind the appearance of the monster, and the stir it created even in the smallest townships. OIL CONTAMINATION The lubricating oil in the system of any engine will gradually become contaminated in use and require periodical replacement with new oil. Apart from any question of oil consumption, proper selection of grade, or lubricating oil quality, which may be of the highest, impurities will creep into the oil during engine operation. These impurities are chiefly in the form of tine metallic particles (the result of wear on engine parts) and dust and moisture carried in the atmosphere which find access to the interior of the engine per medium ,of the intake air. A certain amount of oil dilution’ will also take place, due to unburned portions of the fuel being absorbed by the oil film on the eylin--dor walls, and eventually drawn down into the crankcase. When a highgrade petrol is employed, however, this action is considerably reduced. Such solid contaminating agents as tine metal particles can be diminished in quantity by the use of the right oil for the purpose, which will lubricate efficiently and so reduce wear to a minimum. The presence of atmospheric dust can Iwsf be el'minatev by the fitting of air and oil filters.

It is well to remember that a few drops of oil on the door hinges and on the moving parts of the lock are well wort 11 while, as they ensure easy swinging and shutting. Stiff doors which required a heartyt slam to close are apt to produce rattles in the body work very quickly, besides being most irritating to occupants of the car.

“SPARE WHEEL.”)

EIGHT-CYLINDER CARS POPULARITY INCREASING Thj latest British.. American and Contimmtiil models show a distinct trend towards the adoption of eightcylinder engines. The American figures give a good indication of a similar swing from sixes to eights as took place from fours to sixes. In 1923 only 10.4 per cent, of all passenger car engines produced were eights. To-day the figure is 41 per cent. Among all American cars selling over 2200 dollars no. less than SS per cent, are powered with eightcylinder motors. The stiaigbt eigii. easily predominates. Twenty-one manufacturers in America have adopted the “straight eight” principle as against five using the I-type eight. Among European manufacturers there are forty-one straight, eights being manufactured, but not one \ -type eight. The reason for the popularity ol the eight-cylinder car is the resultant increase in smoothness and flexibility

of operation with the added efficiency that permits production of all and more of the power output of a big “six" at no. increase in petrol consumption. The makers of some of the newest “straight eights” are claiming 18 to 20 miles per gallon for their cars. REPAIRING BATTERY CABLES Due to the corrosive action of acid, the terminal ends of the cables gunning to the batteries of lighting and starting sets sometimes break away. This misfortune overtook a driver during a long journey the other day. He was able to effect quite a satisfactory temporary repair in the following simple way. He obtained a piece of fairly thick sheet lead and beat it into shape, with a cylindrical socket and a flat end, with a hammer, cut the necessary, hole with a pen-knife, and then clamped up the edges of the lead sheathing around the bared cable end with a hand vice. This simple repair, within the capabilities of any amateur, proved most effective.

LIFE OF A CAR DEPENDS ON OWNER. The average life of an Automobile—all opinions to the contrary notwithstanding—depends entirely on the care given it by the owner. That is the positive assertion of the service manager of one of the leading motor manufacturing companies in America. And the public, too, has awakened to the importance .of “service,” and what it means to continued motoring pleasure and long life to the automobile, he points out. “In this age of universal motor transportation there is much to be said on the subject of service,” he declares. “One of the major items to be considered by the automobile owner is the change of climatic conditions. The long, hot summer months, for instance, as well as winter rains and 1 severe cold, have a decided effect on the performance of a motor-car, though few people ever consider the weather changes.

“The condition of brakes is another very important item often neglected. Anyone who has ever driven a motor vehicle with faulty brakes has experienced that helpless feeling of applying the brakes, only to find that something is wrong and they are' of no use. Consistent inspection and care of the brakes should be a motorist’s prime thought always. - “Lubrication at regular intervals also is of great importance. The life of the car depends on the attention given in this direction. Oil and grease should be of good quality and changed often. The cost is nominal' and the results worth the cost. “Valves should be ground and spark plugs and distributor points. changed every 8000 miles. The expenditure for this operation is small and will be saved many times over in the efficient operation of the motor, to say nothing of the saving in gasoline and oil consumption and longer engine life.”

CURING WHEEL WOBBLE THE SPRINGS A FACTOR. There have been various devices Invented from time to time, designed to cure that mysterious trouble which some cars develop, called “wheelwobble,” but not many car owners are aware of any way of remedying this trouble if it occurs. Motorists who are experiencing this trouble with their cars and have not tried any of these cures may, perhaps, find a remedy in the following notes on the subject Wheel-wobble is usually caused by the vibrations of the road accidentally putting the two front springs in step with their own vibrations. When that takes place, there is a sort of up-and-down se'e-sawing movement which produces wobble or shimmy, as it is sometimes termed. Consequently shimmy dampers are sold, which are a kind of shock-absorber, linking either two portions of the steering mechanism, or the steering tie-rod and the front axle. Some manufactdrers have cured this fault of wheel-wobble by shackling their front springs in front, instead of anchoring them on the dumb-irons, so that it is doubtful whether those springs and the steeringrods will set up the same periodicity in their vibrations. As a matter of fact, high speed wheel-wobble is a very difficult thing to cure, as the devices referred to really apply toi ordinary low-speed shimmy. Designers of racing cars very, often have to take special means to prevent wheel-wobble by putting in a stronger spring on the offside than that on the near, or else provide entirely independent springing.

It pays to become accustomed to the “feel” of your emergency brake. Very seldom used, the emergency brake may not be in proper condition when the emergency arises.

AFTER THE TOUR DO NOT NEGLECT THE CAR The car, laden with the-entire family and its luggage, pulls up at the front gate. It comes to a squeaking, hot, hesitant stop. One by one the passengers pile out, seize a piece of luggage, rush into the house for a bath, a change of clothing, food ,and a night of rest. The annual mototr tour is ended. Five minutes after the car has come to a stop it stands dirty, dejected, and deserted in the driveway while its passengers of a few minutes before have gone to remove the traces of the trip they enjoyed so heartily. In a short time, the next day at the latest, the family will emerged rested and refreshed —happy to have had the trip and yet happy to be back. But what of the car? Unfortunately for the quality of care it reecives in too many cases, it will be required to take up just where it left off when the tour ended. No rest, no refreshing bath, no homecoming food and drink in the form of fresh lubricants and water for the radiator, i While they have discovered that pretour preparation of the car is essential, many car owners are declared to be unaware of the necessity after a tour of “tuning up,” which is what the necessary work amounts to. The reason the tuning up is needed should be quite obvious. The car has been taken out of its accustomed, routine and driven long hours at speeds that are higher than usual. It probably has been fed a variety of petrol and oils, whereas' at home its diet is more or less standardised. It has not been given the' routine attention such as thorough lubrication and inspection of the battery and cooling system. ' One of the first things that should suggest itself ia the tuning up process is the valve mechanism. It is an inevitable fact that when a car is driven at high speeds for long hours the valves have>a tendency to get out of adjustment. That means noisy operation for one thing, and, beyond a certain point, a loss of power, acceleration, and heavier fuel consumption. While the valves are being adjusted, it is an excellent plan to suspect the presence of carbon. Strange gasolines and oils are prone to create carbon if they have been purchased haphazardly and many a motor traveller must admit that he takes pretty much what is given him along the way. With compression ratios where they are to-day, it makes a great deal of difference whether or not carbon is present in the combustion chamber. Cleaning it or having it cleaned out now and then is one of the prices which the motor-car buyer must pay. ' i The same may be said for the oil filter. If it is the kind that needs a replacement element periodically, after tiie tour usually is an excellent time to do the job.

Last, but by no means least, there are the safety features. The brakes have had more intensive use perhaps than at any other period of their careers, and, in the final analysis, it is use that diminishes brake efficiency.

DID YOU KNOW THIS?

You can kick a tire all you want to, but no toe is educated to tell what the air pressure is. The only thing that will do that is a gauge. One does not cost much and it is virtually indestructible. If you put one in a car pocket, it’s there when you need it. An English coroner has received a number of abusive letters because he suggested that careless pedestrians should be fined. “Pedestrians are regarded as super-fine or fine-proof,” remarks one journal. Even on cars with four-wheel brakes the rear wheels take the greater part of the braking load, and, of course, they have to get traction to propel the car. Here are two reasons, therefore, for using the tires with the best treads at the rear.

The law’ prohibiting the use of motors in St. Helena has been repealed. A German acrobat is said to be pulling a car round Europe by means of a rope held between his teeth. Flushing of the cooling system at regular intervals is a valuable phase of car maintenance. This little operation, requiring but a few moments’ time, is soon easily overlooked. Water often drains to the lower part of the spare tire cover and then staying there until It evaporates. The presence of this water can go a long way towards rotting the tire fabric. An Italian aviator and automobile mechanic, now living in Havana, has invented and perfected what he calls an aeroplane-automobile—a vehicle which can run on land apd fly in the air. It has the appearance of a regular two-seated roadster, but the inventor says it can be converted into a monoplane withip a few minutes. ‘ When one wheel drops itno a mud hole the car is usually as disabled as though both wheels were off solid ground. Here is the remedy: Disconnect the brake rod on to the wheel resting on solid ground. Then pull back the brake lever as far as possible. This will lock the wheel spinning in the hole and allow traction to the other, and the disabled wheel will be dragged out.