TIME FOR AN OVERHAUL

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 21

TIME FOR AN OVERHAUL

Get Ready for Summertime Running

Just as the busy housewife conducts a spring cleaning, so should the careful motorist overhaul his car and make it shipshape and ready

for summer running. It does not matter how careful the owner-driver may be, dirt accumulates in the winter months. Mud adheres to the springs, the axles, under the guards, and running boards, on the housing and elsewhere That mud and the grime of winter should be removed.

The days are lengthening, liner weather is ahead and with it the lure of the long trips away from the home garage. The overhaul of the car should not be delayed. Winter has an ill-effect on ears. The paintwork suffers, parts rattle loose; rust has made its appearance in many directions, the engine becomes sluggish, electrical equipment is affected, tyres call aloud for attention. Cold weather and humid atmosphere are hard on the engine—the lubricant becomes impaired more quickly _ in winter than in summer. Unvapourised petrol in the cold engine “dilutes’ - the oil and breaks it down, the moisture in the air condenses and contaminates it, and “sludging” effects accentuate it Similarly, the lubrication of the ■chassis and other parts suffers through water and grit working into the bearings. Rattles are a bugbear of pleasant motoring. A rattle-free car is a much more pleasant thing to drive than one which complains every time it encounters a bump.

Therefore, it is essential that one should begin the touring season by cleaning the chassis thoroughly, using a little petrol in the water to remove obstinate grease which is unsightly as well as a dust and grit collector. It will then he more readily possible to tighten up loose nuts and stop rattles, squeaks and creaks, many them most irritatingly elusive. Pieces of an old inner tube will prove very serviceable in this work. <

Make certain that the springs are tight, free from rust and properly oiled. 6 Spray oil between the leaves, and see that the shackles are greased and effective. A broken spring is sometimes caused by a shackle that is too tight. See that air the greasing nipples, some of them hidden from sight, are clean, and doing their important job.

Cliange the oil in tho spmp and rejuvenate the engine with the correct grade of lubricant. If you are In any doubt about the correct grade of oil consult your service station or garage man.

The battery, usually overworked and forgotten, should be topped and tested, and it should be immovable in its bracket.

Summer running is less hard on the battery than winter work because of cold engines and the greater use of lights coupled with shorter runs. If the battery is fully charged, the c'narg-

ing rate can be altered if considered necessary. Having a iirst-class battery is an insurance against quite a lot of avoidable worry.

The radiator should receive attention. Topping up all the year round is not fair treatment for the radiator and cooling system. The water with its rust and sediment should be drained out, the cooling system thoroughly flushed and refilled with clean water.

Many radiators have leaks and that trouble is usually caused by neglect, leading to rust. Valve clearances,.distributor gap. and spark plug points should be checked, and adjusted if necessary. It is the studied opinion of many motorists that plugs should be changed every 10,000 miles. Others work their plugs to destruction. The tyres should get a thorough inspection. Very smooth tyres are not safe, particularly on modern paved roads when they are wet and greasy. The treads should be good and firm, and the pressures should be maintained at the requirement set by the makers who know how to make tyres much better than motorists know how to use them. Small stones and fragments of glass embedded in the rubber; should ue removed, and the tyres should be coated with a proper rubber paint. Changing the tyres round is a good plan, and don’t forget to give the spare some use sometimes.

Wheel alignment is an important consideration in the life of the tyres. High speeds, low-wheel brakes other factors play their part in the gradual misalignment of wheels. A wheel wobble at 20 miles an hour is. barely noticeable, but at 40 miles an hour becomes a danger? Alignment is easily tested, and simply adjusted. Front wheel brakes put additional strain on the front axle. When these brakes are jammed on suddenly, as

they often are, the strain is increased still more. Unevenly adjusted brakes which take hold unequally aggravate this stress.

Unheeded misalignment robs motorists of' an increasing amount of tyre mileage each year. Regular inspection of alignment is the only thorough protection from the trouble, and most garages are properly equipped to make a reliable alignment test. Brakes should comply with the standards set down in the national regulations, and headlights, too, must conform with the regulations. If a long tour is contemplated the tool kit should be overhauled and missing tools replaced. Even if you cannot handle thein yourself they may be useful to someone who tries to assist you on the road.

Spare globes should be included in the equipment, and a couple of spark plugs are essential. You may travel thousands of miles without needing them, but you may be miles from a garage when they are required.