MOTORDOM

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1934, Page 4

MOTORDOM

NEWS OF THE ROAD

(By

“Gearbox” )

SAFE HANDLING.

SPEED AT INTERSECTIONS

An average of one-half second elapses between the time a motorist decides to apply his brakes and when he actually does so. This fact, established by recent studies, is cited by the public safety department of the California State Automobile Association in a statement discussing stopping distance and safe speed at street or highway intersections, states the “San Francisco Chronicle.” During that half second’s time a car driven at only 30 miles per hour will travel about 22 feet, the department points out. ,i\lost cars with good four-wheel brakes need 50 feet in which to stop when travelling at 30 miles per hour. Adding the distance for the half-second interval, this makes a total of 72 feet travelled before the car is brought to a stop. Since most streets are not more Ilian 60 feet wide, the danger involved in approaching intersections at more, than the legal speed is declared to be obvious.

The statement draws attention to the speed limit of 15 miles per hour fixed by California law for travel across intersections where the view of the driver is obstructed. The term “obstructed” is defined by law as meaning when one cannot see all traffic within 200 feet of the intersection on entering streets during the last 100 feet of approach to the crossing. WEATHER PROOFING There are two respects in which a car may require weather-proofing. Either it may admit rain to the occupants, or it may have the annoying habit of refusing to start after standing out in a downpour. Hoods and roofs of closed cars often become porous in their old age. but an extra season or two may usually be obtained by correct treatment before the oni lay for recovering need be faced. There are several dressings on the market which will overcome the trouble quite successfully, or where it is not serious a cleaning with shoe polish may be sufficient. The latter has the advantage of imparting a finish that looks like new, and it will withstand folding of the hood. Holes may be patched from beneath with tyre patches and rubber solution.

A closed car top that is in really bad condition' may be made serviceable again, and more or less respectable, by painting liberally with black paint, after the aluminium beading around its edges has been removed. While the paint is still wet, stretch calico over the top evenly, replacing the beading to hold it in place. Then paint the calico, preferably with one of the regular hood dressings. Some of the earlier closed bodies were not fitted with beading of the usual gutter form over the doors. This is quite simple to add if it is found that water enters along the door tops.

Draughts at doors and water leakage around the windscreen are common faults with open and closed bodies alike. For methods of excluding draughts, a study of modern body finish at the doors is the best plan, for usually it is then comparatively simple to devise something on similar lines that will meet one’s own case. Dealers specialising in supplies can supply packings for the purpose. Draughts also may enter at such places as pedal and brake slots and past badly fitting floor boards. Rubber packing cut from old inner tubes is useful at such points. ' Rubber windscreen mouldings are available in great variety from the manufacturers of rubber materials, and there is scarcely a case of windscreen leakage which cannot, be dealt with by means of a suitable moulding of this kind, and at a nominal cost.

Although most side curtains are fairly effective when new, they usually sag before long io a condition where they are, of little use, and still less ornamental. The stiff sidescreens used on more modern cars, on the other hand, are usually quite satisfactory, ’nd allow a much wider range of viscn which is essential with modern raflic conditions. Such screens can >e obtained from any trimmer at mod'rate cost, or a set may be obtained rom a wrecker which it might be posble to adapt at home. Weather screens also may be made I home, using aluminium beading to arm a double frame, which is screw’d together so as to clamp the cellul>id between. Making them neatly and accurately, however, is a tiresome job. Most of the starting trouble in wet weather is due simply to leakage of water through the centre bonnet hinge on to plugs and distributor. A simple remedy is to form a strip of tin into i trough, which is fastened beneath the hinge so as to catch the water and spill it to one end of the engine, where it can do no harm.

Further, to ensure against trouble of I his kind, see that the plug insulators and the outside of the distributor casing are kept free from dust, so that a film of water is not likely to bo formed. The insulation of the hightension wires also should be in good condition. TECHNICAL EXPERT ARRIVES Mr. F. C. Johnson, who has been associated with the Dunlop Rubber Company for over 20 years, for the most part on the technical side, has arrived in New Zealand as technical representative. During his service with the company, Mr. Johnson has been organising overseas markets, and for the last four years he has been in Egypt. It is 'interesting to note that in the last two years in Egypt he has been concerned in carrying out experiments with the Egyptian Army in crossing deserts in cars equipped with extra low pressure tyres. He accompanied a convoy of army cars over a Libyan desert area, never crossed before. The tyres were extra low pres-, sure, namely. 91b. to the square inch. Mr. F. F. M. Ferguson, who is the manager in New Zealand for the Dunlop Rubber Company, came to New! Zealand IS months ago from India.

CAR SALES IN ENGLAND.

PRICE-CUTTING TO END

The problem of price-cutting in general and second-hand car allowances in particular was the subject ofa statement issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. A “blue book” of approved dealers is beingpublished, the intention being that the sale of cars to the public shall be conducted solely by these firms. A plan for the standardisation of allowances for second-hand cars taken in part- payment is nearly completed. In their statement, the Society said: “For many years the motor industry has been troubled by the activities of those on the fringe of the trade who have been indulging in price cutting and unfair trading. These traders, not having overhead expenses of properly qualified dealers, haev been ready to share their discount with their customers. and so sell new cars at less than manufacturers’ list prices. To preserve the profits of the trade to properly authorised dealers, occupying premises with accommodation for displaying cars, and with proper repair and service facilities, it is now not permitted for new cars to be supplied for resale to traders without these qualifications.”

The “blue book,” published by the Society, contains the names of only those dealers entitled to receive trade terms on new cars. Dealers appearing in the book are divided into two categories:—Those who have the greater investment in the trade, by reason of their providing extensive showrooms and demonstration cars, who are called stocking dealers; and those who qualify by reason of their accommodation for cars and service facilities and who do not continuously stock new cars (called casual dealers). By general agreement among the manufacturers, trade discounts on cars for resale which may be allowed to casual deals will be limited as from September 1, 1934, stocking dealers by reason of their greater stake in the industry, being entitled to full trade terms.

It is not intended that the business of selling cars shall be a closed profession. Any trader in the country whose name does not already appear in the blue book may make application for inclusion.

A further plan has recently been considered by all sections of the industry, and it is hoped that this will be in operation in the near future. The object of this is to control prices at which used cars may be traded in part exchange when new cars are sold. The society points out that the granting of allowances in excess of the true value of secondhand cars has longbeen a great source of trouble in the industry. It is proposed that these values should be carefully assessed by a firm of chartered accountants from records of prices gathered throughout the country. These arrangements, it is claimed, will give the public greater satisfaction and after sale service facilities. The statement that scores of casual traders will be thrown out of business, it is added, is without foundation. THE STORAGE BATTERY Now that cars have so many accessories which make a call upon the storage battery it is particularly necessary to see that that unit is kept in good order and well charged.

Not only does the self-starter exact a heavy toll, which is greater in these days of high-compression engines, which are very hard to crank, but the almost universal adoption of coil ignition also drains the cells, while powerful headlamps and parking lights, electric screen wipers, and traffic signals, tonneau lamps, cigar lighters, and other equipment all help to deplete the battery. It is therefore prudent to see that the accumulator fitted is one of ample capacity, so that even if ranch night driving is done there will be a good reserve of power and the cells will not constantly be on the danger line between half-charge and a lower hydrometer reading, which should be taken as a warning that a bench charge is necessary. Deterioration of the plates is likely to be aggravated if the cells are not kept well charged and if permissible, the charging rate of the generator might be increased by a few amperes, so that the battery receives a fair charging current even when all the lights are in use. The safe rules are to test each cell with the hydrometer at least every fortnight, to give close attention to the state of the main terminals which tend to become corroded because of the seepage of the acid solution, and nevei- to top-up the cells with anything but distilled water. l£ has been demonstrated time and again that any other form of water, not excepting rain water, is almost invariably contaminated, and in some circumstances will quickly undermine the health of the battery.

GENERATOR NOISE The tappet heads can usually be removed quite easilj*- from a side-valve engine when the valves and springs are out, by unscrewing. They are then ground flat, and it is not always necessary to re-harden them, as the hardened surface probably has merely sunk and not actually worn away. Noise from the dynamo of a car is worth investigating promptly. If of a rumbling or pounding variety it is due usually to slack bearings, and at that stage costs little to rectify. Should it be allowed to continue, however, there is risk of the armature fouling the pole pieces, with serious results. Squeaking arises from the commutator, and does no harm. Do not attempt to deal with it by lubrication, but have the brushes properly bedded down. This will improve and steady the charging and prevent burning of the commutator. The method of seating the brushes is to pass a strip of fine glasspapei’

around the commutator and grind in the brushes on it to the correct curvature by revolving the armature. This is essential when new brushes are lilted. Similar paper may be held against the commutator when it is revolving to clean it, but if it is badly burnt, pitted, or out of round, it must be removed for facing in a lathe. Rapid brush wear is due to the mica projecting between the segments or to the commutator needing refaciug. The mica should be undercut slightly below Hie level of llic <oppei’ with a niece of hacksaw blade. Use glasspaper afterzards to remove any burring of the copper,