CARE OF THE CAR

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LI, Issue 66, 19 August 1930, Page 2

CARE OF THE CAR

POINTS TO WATCH.

The stability of1 the steering mechanism is an extremely important factor in the safety of driving. Tod great stress cannot be laid upon the necessity for a careful inspection of these parts at frequent intervals. * * * The cause of a storage battery overheating may be charging it too rapidly or not enough solution to cover the plates. Results may be buckled plates, The battery temperature should be below 110 degrees. # # » The consumption of oil practically doubles while driving at 50 to 65 miles an hour as compared with the amount used at 30 miles an hour. The *car running at average speed pumps 'from 150 to 200 gallons of oil hourly. # * • The mileage of tyres can be greatly lengthened by changing them about. Tests have proved that the left rear tyre gets the most wear of all on the car, with the wear on the others going down the scale, in' this order: Right rear, left front, right front. • * * • vThe whine which is often so pro- '\ nounced in the transmission after the car has been standing in the cold for any length of time is caused by the I congealing iof the gear lubricant. This is a condition which causes no harm and which vanishes as the engine is run for a few moments. i * * * It is claimed that brake squeak can be prevented without loss of braking efficiency by painting the surface of the shoes with a mixture made of a little powdered graphite in petrol. At the first or second application to the brakes after this treatment they may not be fully effective, but thereafter it is said that their power will, if anything, be increased, while squeaking will completely disappear. ♦ * # Always keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, and keep wheels in a straight line when applying brakes on wet streets, especially smooth asphalt. If the brakes are applied when turning the car it will swerve suddenly. If the car goes in- i to a skid throw the front wheels in \ the same direction that the back j wheels are skidding and the car will I straighten out. * ■% * . How an engine can be boiling without that fact registering on the motor meter—not the engine heat indicator—is a mystery to some car owners. The explanation is simple enough. The motor meter registers the temperature of the water in the top of the radiator. If the water in the system is low it may not reach the header. Therefore its temperature will not be registered. # # * If the battery of a coil-ignition car becomes completely run down it is obviously not possible to start the engine in the usual way. It is not always convenient to wait until the battery is recharged from a separate source, and it may happen that a battery of similar capacity is not at hand. It will be found that a small four-volt dry battery or an accumulator of only two volts will be sufiicient to give a start. Connect the positive terminal to the coil and earth the negative to some metallic part of the car. Immediately proceed to start by hand, of course, speed up the engine sufiiciently to make the dynamo charge, then switch on the ignition and disconnect the temporary battery. The engine must not be allowed to slow down until it has been running for a time, otherwise it may stop, and the procedure will have to be repeated. ,

Engineers disagree with those car owners who think that the simple remedy for wear in the metal part is a heavier grease or oil. They declare that the idea is one that might well be discarded. For one illustration they cite the fact that all parts do not wear equally, in which case the lubricant is too heavy for some, with the result that excessive friction is created. That in turn causes more wear. * * # On many engines fitted with fans the blades are painted the same colour as the cylinder block and radiator honeycomb. Thus, when the engine is running the fan is practically invisible, and when making adjustments there is the risk that one's fingers may come into contact with the revolving blades, with painful results. [It is a good plan, therefore, to paint the blades a bright colour, such as red, which will enable them to be ! seen clearly at all times. * * * I .When -a bulb—headlight, tailiight, dashlight or any other kind—has burned out the careful motorist will not' throw it away the instant it is removed from its socket. Before doing so he will notice its specifications so that the one used in replacement is of exactly the same power. Car manufacturers are specific in stating just what size and type of bulb shall be used. Since they have arrived at their decisions asa result of thorough study the motorist would do well to abide by their directions.