MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 22638, 3 May 1937, Page 15

MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

haps, which may be permitted because ic emphasises the vital importance ot maintaining tho correct pressures, of having all five tyres with well-marked treads, and of keeping the spare wheel and tyre in perfect condition. Tyro neglect is cumulative; tyre abuse does not take immediate effect; you might run for a month or two with tyres at half-pressure; and apart from heavy steering and a little sluggishness, in performance, you _ might not notice anything very serious until—one day a tyre wall gives way, and on examination, the others are found to be equally weak. Instead of lasting for 20,000 miles, you have to buy a new set of covers at 5,000 miles. Again you bump a kerb, or run with the front wheels As far as tyres are concerned, however, the greatest risk which people run to-day is in undertaking long runs with a spare in poor condition, so deteriorated as to bo unfit for use. Few motorists, ever change over the spare so that it may take its turn with the other four on the road. Thus the spare stays on its bracket for 10,000 miles and more. Then unexpectedly, on an urgent journey, a tyre goes flat. The spare is substituted; but it has been so long exposed to sunlight and rain that all the life and elasticity has gone. After another few miles the car-owner is once more in trouble—and this time he has no spare! What a completely unnecessary risk to run! Experienced motorists always change the spare preferably once every month. Again, when haying the tyres inflated to their proper pressure, tho experi. enced motorist always includes tho spare. AN UNWISE GAMBLE.

Some motorists run serious risks with the steering. Just think how many times you move the steering wheel on a 100-mile jaunt. Hardly a moment passes without some slight movement in the steering gear. Movement may mean friction, and friction means wear. Wear in the course of time brings about failure. To avoid failure, reduce wear to the minimum; see that all the steering connections receive their due allowance of lubricant. Occasionally inspect the steering bos for lubricant. If you like a gamble, there are lots of other ways in which you may indulge your tastes—don’t risk your own life and tho lives of other roadmsers by “ taking a chance ” with maintenance routine.

Similar results will follow if the carburettor is set to supply an unduly weak mixture or a very rich mixture: instead of.burning “with a bang,” combustion proceeds slowly throughout the firing stroke, so that an abnormal number of heat units pass through the cylinder walls. The amount of heat which disappears down the exhaust pipe is a)so affected by ignition timing, mixture strength, valve timing, and general condition of the engine.. An efficient power unit, by making the best possible use of the fuel with which it is supplied, wastes a correspondingly small proportion of heat energy in the cooling system and the exhaust pipe. The choice of suitable sparking plugs is also important. Especially in low-built cars, the exhaust pipe if often located in uncomfortable proximity to the front floorboards. In bad cases it is worth while to have a pipe' specially made which will provide more clearance. Alternatives are to wrap the pipe with asbestos fibre or to arrange a scoop which will direct air between pipe and flooring when the car is on the move. Sometimes the rear edge of the bonnet can be wedged open with advantage to allow hot air to escape.

by ** Radia to r”

LIGHTING-UP TIMES

To-day 5.33 Tuesday 5-32 Wednesday 5.31 Thursday 5.29 Friday 5.28 Saturday ... ' 5.27 Sunday ... ... ... ••• 5.25

ELIMINATING THE CLUTCH PEDAL

** Two-pedal , control is coming, writes the motoring correspondent of a London newspaper. . “ Since I wrote not long ago of the advantages for comfort and safety of eliminating the clutch pedal, and controlling the car by two pedals, one to go and..one..to stop, with a gear-box controlled by a finger on the steering wheel, I have learnt that at least one well-known British car, and probably more, will appear in 1937 with this radical change as a regular part of the equipment. “ One firm is contemplating adopting two-pedal control on its entire production. Others are experimenting with the idea of offering it as an alternative on certain models. “There are several ways of elimin ating the necessity for a clutch pedal. During the past 10 days I have tested cars fitted with two entirely different arrangements. One bad combined with a centrifugal clutch, automatically disengaging at idling speed, a gear box in which the gear trains are engaged by electric _ magnets; you “switch on” first, third, or any gear and that gear is instantly engaged. EASE OF DRIVING. “ In the other there was a hydraulic or fluid clutch and a gear box in which a little oil pump performs the functions of a chango-lever in response to the movements of a finger-switch on the steering column. “ While the control mechanisms thus differed greatly, the two cars were alike in having only two pedals each, for accelerator and footbrake respectively, , a thumb-and-finger gearswitch on the steering column, and in the way they performed, I gathered it might take an hour or two to get fully accustomed to the left foot pedal being the brake, but the ease of driv. ' ing, the ability to relax, with the whole business of gear-changing done by one finger without moving a hand from the wheel, was extremely attractive.”-

NEGLECT IS COSTLY

In motonng, many car owners suffer risks Unknowingly. There is nothing more.; dangepous, than faking a risk with maintenance, those little routine duties which are occasionaly put off “ until a more convenient season.” After a week of dull, rainy weather, Saturday dawns, bright and sunny. You telephone the office and say that you aye going to take advantage of such a promising week-end. You get out the car, drive along to the nearest service station, and fill the tank to its maximum. Then you glance at the dip stick, a pint should just bring it up to the “full” mark—but just one moment. ■ When did you last drain off the sump? Yes, it must have been about three mouths ago—during which time you have driven at least 1,800 miles, perhaps more—and now you propose to go away for the week-end with impure oil in the sump—and for another 300 to 400 miles you’ll have that adulterated lubricant circulating in the engine, doing all kinds of harm! Quite clearly, now is the time to drain off the old, spent lubricant, and replenish with clean, fresh oil. Don’t “ take a chance ” with the lubrication of your engine. Don’t risk a breakdown during the week-end; spend a few minutes and a few shillings now, before you start; and you’ll save hours perhaps, and pounds certainly, in the end. BE THOROUGH TOO. To the business man to-day, time is money,; everybody works at high, pressure, and the days pass in a feverish rush. That’s all very well, perhaps, during business hours. But in your motoring, remember the old motto, “ Don't hurry—there’s no time to lose.” Never hustle the service station fellow; give him plenty of time to drain the sump properly. Every three months or so leave the car for an hour, so that flushing oil (on no account allow .kerosene to be used for this purpose) may be employed to clear the impurities from the lubrication system. WHAT OF THE TYRE? Now that punctures and bursts occur so seldom, motorists run frightful risks with their tyres; a paradox, per-

A GOOD HINT

It pays to keep the tools dry and clean and take some pains to prevent the entry of water or dampness. Rustling of the tools in metal boxes is arrested by placipg a piece of camphor therein. Dampness seems to find its way to tool boxes below the seats or floorboards, and in some instances to those placed in the rear trunk of modern sedans. i

CHANGELESS ROUTINE

Do you ever run risks? Jlot necessarily on the road. There are other risks; for instance, in the garage. You take a risk in making an adjustment with closed doors and the engine running; and when you rev, up a stonecold engine first thing in the morning. In one case you risk asphyxiating yourself, and in the other you risk serious wear on cylinder bores and big ends and various other parts, before the lubricant has had a reasonable opportunity to circulate. If you take a risk with open eyes, good and well. It is your own affair, and you must be prepared to accept the consequences, however unpleasant they may be. But the risks that you don’t know about—these are by far the most dangerous.

CLEAN WHEELS

It is strongly recommended that the wheels be removed from their hubs at least once a month for cleaning and greasing. This would apply mote especially during wet seasons, when mud and water are plentiful. If this precaution is neglected rust may set up between the wheels and hubs, making removal a difficult matter when thoroughly dry. This device, while generally applicable to all types, should be heeded particularly where the Continental type of wheel with multi-splined hub and conical cap is used. Daimler, Crossley, and Cadillac are examples.

KING PIN REMOVAL

Removal of king pins frequently calls for the services of a powerful press. While it is sometimes possible to remove them with a drift with the axle in place, in other cases the pin will not budge, but only burr over. Removal of the axle beam (or the vertical arm in an independent suspension job) is advisable where the pin is stubborn. More direct and solid blows may then be struck.

TYRE PRESSURE

To correct an erroneous idea held by many motorists that in very hot weather tyro pressure should be reduced, the Dunlop Perdriau Company points out that any increase of pressure due to running in hot weather is so small as to be negligible. On the other hand, these tyre experts say that the increased flexing of the walls of improperly inflated tyres generates considerably more heat in the covers than if the tyres were inflated to the pressure specified by the manufacturers.

As an illustration of the accuracy of its statements the company affirms that if a tyre is inflated to a pressure of 251 b with air cooled to freezing point and the temperature of the air in the tyre is subsequently raised to 90deg Fahr. the pressure would increase by only 31b to 281 b. In view of these facts, the company advises that the best rule for motor owners in all ordinary circumstances is to adhere to the pressure chart, as they generally allow for any slight increase due to extraneous causes.

TAPPET CLEARANCE

When adjusting tappets,, always check the clearance after tightening the look nut, since there may he a reduction of one to three-thousands thereafter. This will indicate that some practice is necessary before the operator learns just what amount to allow. Thus, if he wishes to set the clearance at six thousandths, it will be advisable to adjust to eight thousandths; when the lock nut is tightened the clearance will be about correct.

IMPROVING APPEARANCES

The bodywork of old cars, the paintwork of which is becoming thin, can be improved in appearance by using boot polish instead of ordinary polish where necessary. This, of course, applies only where the paintwork is brown or black. In the same way, black boot polish on a stiff brush is excellent for smartening any rusty parts of the chassis that r'"v show. , Care should, however, be ( to avoid such parts that may com. contact with clothes.

TIGHT WHEEL NUTS

To lopsen tight wheel nuts that defy the ordinary type of brace, place a tyre lever across the U of the brace. Then place a long lever, such as a jack handle, between this lever and the normal hand grip of the brace, with tho result that the leverage is increased three-fold, and the nuts will come away. Bear in mind, however, that sqme wheel nuts are left-hand threaded, and they will be found on the left-hand or near side hubs.

WATER IN THE FILTER

Many modem cars are fitted with a gravity filter, and if the petrol tank is not proof against rain, there will como a time when the glass bowl of the filter becomes full of water, so that the incoming water forces water into the carburettor. The fact that petrol is lighter than water fails to overcome the difficulty when the point is reached m . water level reaches the outiet. This fault is peculiarly baffling, as all ordinary tests appear to show that petrol is available, and even after the fi ter has been drained out, some difficulty may bo found in starting, due to the water that has been sucked Incidentally, when replacing the glass portion of the filter it is absolutely essential that it should a «fi* nst .t&o. washer pro- ™, e V of l4 ’ otherwise air will enter and tho pump will fail to function.

MDTDR CYCLING

A,A. (DTAfiO) FIXTURES May B,—-Slow hill climb. V, y meeting. May 22.-—Paper ch».ge. June s,—Sporting trial. June 15.—Annual meeting, TOLD AT THE WHEEL A writer declares that new thoroughfares should be opened up. But he trwL exp A ecfc . the . gas v water, and ejeconce* y peop 6 *° everywhere at