MOTORDOM

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1931, Page 4

MOTORDOM

NEWS OF THE ROAD (By “Gearbox”)

MAKING MOTORS MIND.

Mr W. B. Franklin; Service Manager of General Motors New Zealand Limited, continuing his series of interesting articles, giving valuable hints to motorists, writes: — The purpose of the tyre is to protect the tube that holds the air, thus providing an air cushion to absorb shocks of the road. With normal load and correct inflation, the tyre should deliver satisfactory service, but if it is run at a lower air pressure tliaii is recommended, rapid tread wear will certainly occur and very often the fabric, breaks. Maintenance of the proper pressure is therefore the most important element of tyre care and the tyres should be tested with a reliable gauge every week, making sure that they are inflated to the pressure recommended. If the tyres are run with lower pressures than these, rapid tread wear, fabric breaks and other troubles will surely result. Careful and proper attention to air pressure should provide maximum service. Application of brakes too quickly and turning of corners at high speeds should be avoided, as well as skidding and running of tyres in car tracks. Front wheel alignment and adjustment of brakes should be checked regularly.

In starting the ear, it is.important to release the starting pedal immediately the engine begins to fire. Do not continue -cranking engine with starter if ignition does not take place promptly. If necessary to use “choke” in starting, do not keep the button out too long, as the cylinders will then be flooded with petrol. Do not race the engine immediately upon starting or drive the car at high speed until thoroughly warmed up. Scoring of pistons and cylinders may follow if this precaution is not observed.

The function of the oil filter is to remove from the crankcase oil, all particles of dirt and carbon not already eliminated from circulation by the oil pump screen. Whefi the filter is entirely free of dirt, its capacity is such that the quantity of oil in the crankcase will pass through the filter approximately every five minutes, at a car speed of 25 miles per hour. This rate of flow will gradually decrease until such time as the filter ceases to function, due to clogging, and while there is no definite limit to the life of the filtering unit, it is advisable to replace this unit after approximately 10,000 miles use. Different conditions of driving require varying charging rates to obtain the best results from the electrical system as a whole. For example: A physician’s car operated for short distances and requiring frequent starting and considerable use of lights, needs a higher charging rate than a car which is driven long distances, with little use of lights. A thermostat is provided in the generator, for automatic regulation of the charging rate to these varying requirements. The adjustment of the thermostat should never be changed. If unusual driving conditions should make adjustment of the charging rate necessary, this may be done by adjustment of the “third brush” but the operation should be attempted only by someone thoroughly fajniliar with the proper procedure. When the car leaves the manufacturer, the charging rate is adjusted to meet the requirements of the average driver. Dusty glass increases the glare of approaching headlights and for this reason the windshield should be wiped clean—inside and out —if a drive at night is planned. That the clutch is a dry-plate type does not mean that no feature of the ,device needs lubrication. The release bearing, one of the hardest working parts of the clutch, requires regular lubrication in the case of many cars. It is well to consult the lubrication chart of, the new car to make certain on this point. Adjustments to cylinder valves should never be made when the engine is cold. Valve stems will expand and so be longer when hot than when cold. If the adjustment is made on a cold engine, the valves may not seat properly when hot. In fact, adjustments to various engine parts should not be made when the motor is cold.

PREPARE FOR COLD WEATHER

When the starter issues a low growling noise and the car does not start promptly, it is usually a sign that the motorist has neglected to have his car serviced for winter driving. To prevent this it is advisable to have your car prepared for cold weather at once. Two m‘ajor benefits are derived from this precautionary measure. One is easier starting and the other is insurance against damage to the car. The condition of the electrical system and the carburettor adjustment regulate the ease of starting an engine. If the carburettor adjustments are correct and the choke used when necessary, a rich mixture will be compressed in the cylinder. Also, if the battery is strong and the electrical system functions pronorbr a hot spark will ignite the mixture and away goes the car. For that reason, all electrical connections should be tightened, the battery terminals cleaned, the battery kept full of distilled water, the generator commutator cleaned, the charging rate advanced, spark plugs cleaned and points set at correct clearance, the ignition timing adjusted and the carburettor set to give a richer mixture. All little things, but they mean saving time and temper.

The heavy grease used in summer should be drained from the rear axle and transmission and a winter grade lubricant substituted. Heavy grease congeals at low temperatures and when a car is started the gears merely cut a channel through this thick grease and actually run without lubricant until the heat of the gears have melted the grease to a point where it runs.

DRIVERS EXCEED VEHICLES

According to a recent survey there are 32,000,000 drivers in the United States as compared with the last motor vehicle registration of 26,500,000. In determining the ratio of drivers to cars throughout America, the survey shows:

■ 1. That drivers exceed motor vehicles by 5,000,000. 2. That there are 1.2 drivers to every registered motor vehicle.

3. That of the 84,000,000 persons eligible to drive, one out of every 2.7 persons operates a car. The fact that there are 5,500,000 more drivers than cars shows the great' reservoir of automobile buyers that still exist. The much-discussed saturation point is far away. Insofar as the survey points to an enormous increase in the number of vehicles on the streets in the years immediately ahead, the necessity for caring for highway transport from the standpoint of safety and smooth flow is an urgent national problem. SPARE TYRE ECONOMY The carrying of a spare tyre—and of a rim or wheel aS the case may be —is now a necessity in motor usage, and a car is not completely r equipped for the road unless the spare tyre is available on the vehicle. The usual way of carrying the spare is to have it attached to the spare rim or yheel and inflated ready for use. This is the proper method and conserves .the tyre, which should never be allowed to get slack when not in use. But the point about preserving the spare tyre which is of importance is that it should be protected from sunlight. This is damaging to vulcanised rubber, because it carries on the process of vulcanisation and renders the rubber hard and harsh, so that it develops small surface cracks. When eventually it has to be put into use the tyre soon deteriorates by reason of letting in wet and also because it is too hard to wear well. It is also a good practice to change the tyre occasionally and give ; the spare a share of the actual carrying of the load. Putting it into use with the others adds to its life —this may sound paradoxical, but the fact remains that a new tyre exposed to the sunlight and to extremes of temperature gradually deteriorates, while usage keeps it supple and in good condition.

' Tyre covers are best made pf some material of light cdlour which will not absorb the light rays. Black covers are not so good as light-coloured ...covers although the black waterproof covers are valuable aids to tyre conservation and generally look less conspicuous on the car.

CARS AND THE FARMER It is doubtful is there is any other class of our population whose life has been so much affected by the motor vehicle as the farmer, or the' “man on the land.” The farmer of to-day is in touch with all the advantages of urban life, without certain of the The cultural advantages that are made possible by massed population are open to the farmer and his family by means of motor transportation on just as easy terms as they are available for actual residents of the city. The isolation, which used to be a burdensome characteristic of farm life, has been completely lifted by the introduction of the motor vehicle. But even this contribution to the pleasure of rural life is not the most important factor in the benefit given to the farmer by motor transportation. On the pfhctical, utilitarian side, the contribution is even greater. By means of motor transport vehicles the hauling time for farm products has probably Iffeen cut to a "darter of what it used to be. This means that the farmer’s labour bill to-day can be devoted principally to productive effort on the land, instead of being to a considerable part a payment for the necessary but unproductive work of carting. Where years ago a man’s whole day, and perhaps many days together, was needed for carting produce to market or railway, a quarter Of that time now suffices, and the rest is available for more productive "work. This item of hauling carries with it fc of course, the benefits that have accrued to the farmer from the multiplication of good roads, which never, would have come without the impetus given by the motor-car. Underlying all other industry is agriculture, the business that produces the vital necessities of life, and in the growing use of motor' transportation, the lifting of the burdens of hand labour from the farmer’s back, lies the best chance of making the younger generation realise that the farm offers just as satisfying a.career and just-as favourable opportunities as does other phases of industry. The spread of good roads is a pbwerlul argument to this end, and happily to-day the world is realising it.

MOTOR-CAR THIEVES Thefts of motor-cars are not unknown in the Dominion, but the position is very much graver in the United States and Britain, where new ideas are constantly being brought forward in an endeavour to foil the class who indulge in such a practice. It is reported that a new device, the invention of a young Englishman, has been brought under the notice of Scotland Yard officials, which it is considered, should prove successful in stopping such thefts. The device, which has been tried on a number of vehicles, is an electric alarm connected with the steering wheel, bonnet, door, spare wheel and other parts of a car so that anyone interfering with the vehicle immediately sets the alarm in operation. The invention is the more noteworthy in that it operates on an unusual principle. Instead of giving the alarm by making an electric contact, this is’ broken, with the result, that should anyone attempt, to cut a wire, a loud hooting takes place. An important feature of the invention is that it may be obtained at a low figure.