MOTORING & MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 18157, 23 December 1922, Page 5

MOTORING & MOTORISTS

[By RADIATOR.]

“Radiator” extends seasonable greetings to all motorists, and wishes them good mads, fine weather, and an enjoyable holiday. HINTS AND TIPS. —Avoid Sudden Bumps.—• Hitting bumps at high speed doubles the fibre stress on springs, axles, tyres, etc., thereby shortening their lives. —Cylinder Compression.— All cylinders in an automobile should have equal compression. A faulty set of piston rings in one cylinder will cause an engine to run irregularly. —A Suggestion for Safety.— Do not allow anyone to ride on the running board, spare tyre, or bumper of the ear. Persons on bicycles, roller skates, or in carts should never bo permitted to hitch on to the car. , —Danger Points on Highways.— Wet asphalt. Sharp curves.' Pedestrians, especially children.. Cross-roads and railroads. Cars that flash blinding headlights. —Hand-made Terminals.— To make wire terminals, such as are used' on the end's of spark plugs, get a few short pieces of brass or copper tubing, which should be heated. This will soften the metal, and the ends can be flattened in a vyce and then 'drilled, which will form a neat, strong terminal. —Changing a Wheel.— The cermet method of changing a wheel is to place the jack in position so that the claw just “bites” against the underside of the axle, then, the tyre still being firmly on the road, to unslack the nuts. The axle having been jacked up, the nuts usually can be withdrawn by hand. When replacing the wheel the reverse procedure is not followed, simply because the weight of the car resting on the tyre makes it difficult to bed the wheel firmlv home on the fixed flange. Instead, witfi the axle still on the jack, the nuts should bo tightened up as far as possible. When tlio car is let down the brace may be used to give a final quarter-turn to each nut. —Correcting Faulty Alignment.—

An easy way of correcting wheel alignment is to take two kitchen chairs, place them in front and behind the car, with wooden batten across. The battens should have holes drilled' at both ends exactly the same distance apart, and should bo connected by two cords, also of equal length. The cords can then be adjusted until the distance between the opposite sides of one rear wheel and the cord is the same. By measuring the distance from the cord to the other wheels of the car any lack of alignment will he shown at once. The front wheels should be set so that they point very slightly inwards when the oar is at rest—say, to jin. The extent to which they point inwards or outwards may bo easily varied by means of an adjustable end to the tie-rod connecting the two steering arms of the front wheels. MOTOR CAR EXPENSES. Ask the man behind the wheel what is the greatest item of expense to keep a car on the road, and he will promptly answer “Gas.” Plumb his knowledge a trifle deeper, and you will find him confident that the next greatest item is tyres. In both of these almost universal opinions the car owner is wrong. Gas and tyros are about equal in their cost to the car operator, constituting between 10 and 11 per cent, of the charges he has to pay to keep his machine running. Repairs cost him 42 per cent., or about four times as much as dp either tyres or gas, and yet he never seems to be aware of this. And) the annual depreciation charge of 15 per cent, he is wont to ignore altogether. He is a queer bird is the average, every-day, motor-loving car owner. CONCESSIONS WITHDRAWN. Motorists who undertook tours of New Zealand in former years were, grantedi a redaction of 25 per cent, in shipping freights on their cars, provided their party comprised two or more persons; but this concession has lately been withdrawn. Attention was called to this tact at the last meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association, when it was decided to refer the matter to the New Zealand Automobile Union with a request that it urge the shipping companies to reinstate the concession. MEASURING THE GRADIENT. Sometimes it is interesting to know the exact gradient of a hill, and in the absence of a gradometcr all that is necessary is a piece of string, preferably weighted at one end, and a ruler. Place the wheel of the machine with the valve nearest the ground, and stretch the string across the centre to form a diameter. When it meets the other edge of the tyre, hold! it and' Jot the free end .hang vertically. Mark where the end passes the tyre, and measure the distance between this point of contact of the tyre with the ground. _ If the diameter of the wheel is now divided by the distance just found, the result is the gradient of the hill. Thus, on a motor_ cycle, for instance, having 28in tyres, if the measurement is found to be two inches, the gradient will at once be shown to bo 1 in 14. It is sometimes very difficult to determine by the eye the gradient of a given hill, even approximately, for the nature of the country beyond (in perspective) is frequently very deceptive.

Srle! accounts of holiday trips, roads, and places of Interest are invited lor this column.

BETTER MEASURE FROM THIS BOWSER. It is not generally recognised by motorists that in most instances they obtain very much better measure through a petrol pump than when petrol is bought by the case. Any pump owner could testify that ho can never pump from his petrol tank the number of gallons he believes he puts in. In other words, there is short measure in cased benzine caused by leakage and) evaporation. AT RANDOM. When installing a demountable rim on a wheel, be sure that the head of the rim is just flush with the edge of the felloe all the way around. A good driver is one who' has his car under control at all times. In whatever ho does he is cautious that he may not endanger the safety of pedestrians, other motorists, or his own car. No one but a fool drives with defective parts. The brakes of a car should always be in good condition, and the operator should know when to use them. Tyre inflation should be done in instalments rather than all at once. Driving too oiose up to another car will not save time. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. Many complaints have been made by motorists that for some unexplained reason the oil consumption of their car has considerably increased. It is probable that the greater part of the increase is due to leakage past the piston rings. It should be noticed whether or not the exhaust ia more or less smoky all the time the car is running. This would show that the piston rings require attention. The crank-case leakage often experienced might bo remedied by a generc,' tightening up of the crank-case nuts. Finally, if the engine has done a considerable mileage, it will pay to have a complete overhaul of the engine done if the leakage becomes serious.

A QUESTION’ OF BALANCE. Few motorists realise what an important factor balance is in tba running of their engine. So sensitive is the presentday auto engine that a few ounces of mud on onei side of the flywheel will affect the smooth revolutions of the engine. In this connection a surprise awaits the keen motorist who is desirous of getting the “sweetest” running from his engine, if he will carefully weigh the pistons and connecting rods when his engine is .next being overhauled. Even with the most expensive cars on the market it is surprising to find a want of care in attaining an evenness of weight in such important reciprocating parts as the piston and their connecting rods and hearings. In some cases there ia a difference of many ounces, which all tends to vibration and unevenness of running. A little time spent in bringing these parts all to the same weight is well worth while, and will make a notable difference in the running of an engine. CONTROLLING PETROL PUMPS. During the last session of Parliament an amendment to the Weights and Measures Act was passed. This amendment is far reaching, and! amongst other powers it confers on the Government is that of controlling and regulating the use of petrol pumps and measures. Previously the Government had no authority to control these measuring devices, but tho new amendment gives all the power necessary. The regulations under the Act nro being drawn up by the Labor Department, which is in future to administer this Act. A draft copy of these regulations has been supplied to the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, and extracts of tho portions likely to affect motor traders have been sent to every local association for consideration.

The new Act comes into operation on January 1, 1923, and from that time on it will be unlawful for any person-to own or use a petrol pump for trade purposes unless same lias been inspected and stamped by the officers representing the department. Tlhe penalty provided is drastic, and in addition to the fine prescribed the petrol pump will be confiscated by the department. The Act gives the Government power to condemn a pump or measuring instrument if it is not provided with a denominated measure in which it is evident and visible to the purchaser that the proper quantity has been delivered, or is of a pattern approved by the London Board of Trade. ANOTHER OAR, That people will go on buying automobiles and over more automobiles the.ro is no longer a.ny question (says the San Francisco ‘Examiner’). But that they will continue to demand not only more cars but better cars is a sober thought that should be kept ever fresh in mind. Remember, a man’s first automobile generally comes hard. It may go hard, too—in the sense of performing reluctantly those tasks which it should perform lightly—but it ia his “ car," whether it have two speeds or three; whether it be spick and span ,or rusted through in spots, sagging at one corner and blowsy. Ho knows its whims. Ho is used to the backlash in the steering gear; he can shift gears in the dark; ho is not afraid to crank it ,whon the batten - goes dead. It is a good old boat, but how he longs for a better one! Hie joy of buying “ another car ” must he experienced to be appreciated'. It is one of life’s greatest sensations, something to be anticipated for years, approached with caution, almost with reverence; fervidly appreciated.