CONTROLS

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 June 1931, Page 12

CONTROLS

USE, MISUSE, AND ABUSE. COMMON MISTAKES. So much has been written and said about gear changing that there is a tendency for the novice to consider that driving efficiency has been attained when gears can be quietly engaged and a certain amount of road sense lias been assimilated, states a writer in the ■‘Autocar.’’ There is much more than this, however, in good driving, and a driver should know how to avoid straining his car or causing unnecessary wear in its components.

To those who have never given the matter a thought it may come as a surprise to learn that the average car is fitted with about a dozen levers and switches which are used in the actual starting and running of the car, quite apart from the lights, horn and other accessories. Each of these controls is capable of being misused and abused and in the following list even the experienced may find some point to which he can usefully give more attention in future. STARTING MOTOR BUTTON

This should be pressed firmly and without hesitation and released the moment the engine tires. Hesitation may cause sparking in the switch and cause burnt contacts. Failure to release when the engine fires causes the pinion of the starting motor to be thrown against the moving teeth on the flywheel, or other teeth where a chain starter (dynamotor) is used. Teeth may thus become chipped, broken, or jammed. Never use the starter when the headlights are switched on, as an unnecessary strain will be put on the battery. Further, if the engine does not fire within a reasonable time, do not continue to operate the starter, and thus drain the battery, but look for the reason elsewhere. With a modern car it is probably a temporai-y defect which can be remedied comparatively easily.

ENGINE: SWITCH. Never turn off the engine switch and leave the engine in gear when descending hills. This may serve to cool the engine, but the unburnt petrol drawn through the cylinders tends to destroy lubrication on the cylinder walls. STEERING WHEEL.

Even in emergencies never wrench the wheel sharply; this leads to skids. Avoid turning the steering wheel when the car is .stationary; but if this becomes necessary, get someone to help by pulling round the road wheels the way you want them' turned. The steering wheel should be held lightly but firmly. ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Never press the pedal right down suddenly when the engine is running slowly. ’ If you want speed press it gradually, so that you do not choke the engine. When on a long run ease the pressure on the pedal trom time to time—you may find that you have had the throttle 'wider open chan was necessary, and that you can get greater smoothness and economy without loss of speed. HAND THROTTLE.

Never open the throttle wide when an engine is cold. If the engine will not tick over, hut has to be revved up, find out what is wrong with it. Revving a cold engine is a-sking lor trouble with bearings. STRANGLER,

Never leave the strangler in action a moment longer than is necessary. |)o not run your car out of the garage until the engine will tick over with the throttle nearly closed and the strangler only slightly in use. Never use the strangler when the ear is actually running on the road. II the engine is difficult in cold weather, obtain a radiator muff or other similar device. Never rev up an engine with the strangler in use. An over-rich mixture will tend to remove the oil film from the cylinder walls, and must be avoided oil every possible occasion, quite apart from the waste ot fuel involved.

CLUTCH. Do not lie satisfied with a quiet geai change if there is a .snatch umm you let m the dutch. The clutch taxes tne strain of minor errors or j augment, but do not ask it to deal with majoi ones. When either the engine or the car is running, never hold out the dutch for a moment longer than is necessary. \Yhen you are stopped m trarfic, get into neutral and taxe your foot oft’ the clutch. Get into gear again only when you are called on or anticipate" being called on immediately. Never hold out the dutch and leave the engine m gear when descending hills. This puts a strain on the clutenth rust race which it was never intended to bear. If you cannot get back into gear quickly after coasting in neutral, either practise until you can or give up trying to coast altogether. SHUT TER CDNTROLS.

u'i.e.e the radiator shutters are controlled tiy nand, endeavour to gam the ocsi working temperature anu then hold it. ..mil's, shutters, or thermostats are now regarded as

essential ior efficient running m unitor, :irid it must be repeatoil that considerable harm can be done by using cue strangler continuously in their stead. There are many other ways m which tars mav he studied and undue strains may he" avoided, hut the mistakes referred to are so common that, with a dozen drivers, picked at random, ‘aoh mistake will probably be found once and some may be repeated several i imes

IGNITION CONTROL. IXi mil regard your ignition control ns a lienven-sent substitute lor a goarbox. On the other hand,.do not despise its use because you can rub along without it. Actually, toe [control should be set in conjunction with the eiK'ine speed and varied as the speed rises and tails. Without automatic control the ideal is impossible, but an effort must be made to keep the setLiu" as nearly correct as the drivei is Tilde to judge. Too much advance means pinking and roughness; too much retard gives overheating and loss of power.

HAND BRAKE

Never leave your hand bralce hard on when your car is at rest for a period in the garage. This may put unnecessary strain on the rods or cables and cause them to stretch. A better plan is to leave the car in gear and apply the hand brake lightly; this divides the strain. Elxcept to relieve the foot brake during a long descent, it is usually better to reserve the hand brake " for emergencies and for holding the car at rest.