AUTO SUGGESTIONS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 February 1936, Page 3

AUTO SUGGESTIONS.

. Faulty Coil. Cutting out of the motor, or missing, can sometimes be traced to a \ faulty coil. The coil may test all right tin the testing bench, but when warmed up under actual load it will break down, causing an annoying miss. The best remedy for such a condition is a new coil. Your electrician will make the change for you with the understanding that, if a new coil does not remedy the trouble it can be returned for credit. Drip Moulding. The drip moulding is one of the last places inspected about a car. Remove any rust that has has accumulated in the trough and touch up with paint. Petrol Tank. « Whoever thinks id' tightening the' petrol tank support bands or bracket bolts? The tank is to some extent out of sight and ouV of mind. (live the threads a good soaking with kerosene and oil ami the nuts will then] respond to a well fitted spanner. Loose brackets or bands allow tank vibration ami rattle, and will eventually cause a leakage if neglected. Canvas Hoods. When washing or cleaning rubber-; ised hood material, it is wise to be sparing with petrol. The central layer of thin rubber is rapidly deteriorated when soaked with it. Wash with soapj ami water to improve the appearance, first brushing one way to remove dustdeposits. Spark Plugs. Spark plugs in modern engines are working under strenuous conditions and various troubles render them inefficient. Porcelains crack, ami carbon forms inside, causing current loss. D;rt. damp or paint permits leakage from terminal to body, with consequent weakness of spark, and misfiring. From ten to fifteen thousand miles is the limit of useful spark plug life, at which time they have lost theiv sting, conductivity is poor, and fuel consumption is definitely higher. There is no doubt, that a new set of plugs and high tension wires restores noticeable pep to a tired eng-itie. Distributor Position. When removing the distributor, it is necessary to lift it clear of the rotor blade. Many a blade has been broken off by the neglect of this precaution. The distributor is usually positioned by a form of moulded key which must register with a slot in the housing. Unless the key and slot line up, the distributor cannot seat squarely, rotor contact will be uneven, and water will find entry to the ignition device. Cleaning Nickel. A good cleaner for nickel-plated fittings can be made by mixing two;ounces of plate powder with two large, tenspoonfuls of water and adding a few drops of methylated spirits. Rub 11n* mixture on with a soft rag and allow it to dry. Then polish with another finishing off with a .-hamois. The preparation should be kept in an airi ighl rece;-.1 ;ic!e. Lubricating Hints. it is customary 1" stress th--wisdom of regular u: tc::t nm i" •'"" iui-ri-- v J ion of ;::'! w»;-:.:ag paMs. nevertheless there are certain points at which no iubrh at hoi is permissable. 'th,, l.emiix .-ierier dri\e should lie cleaned from time to time and operated <)vy. Certain automatic choke linkages fund ion be.-,t when dry. The starter and generator brushes, although the armatures move relatively fast below them, are invariably self-lubricating, although a slight- smear of vaseline is useful for prevention of squeaks. Road springs should be lubricated just suf-. (iciently to provide against hard action! and squeaking. Over-lubrication produces excessive flexibility and can ac- I centuate wheel wobble.

Low-speed Jerking. When the car jerks at low speed I it is usually due to the engine misfiring from several causes. The points I of the spark [dug may he set too close, j the plug may he dirty, there may he loss of compression through faulty valves or leaking piston rings, the car- ’ hurottor may be incorrectly adjusted or contain foreign matter or water, or the ignition may be advanced too far. The remedy is a general overhaul at these points. .Rubber Mounting. Excessive vibration or shake of modern power units is an indication of over-flexibility of the rubber blocks which support them. This is due to looseness, or softening of the rubber. Try tightening the bolts; if the trouble continues new blocks will be required. Search for and correct any oil leaks which might be saturating the blocks and causing disintegration. j Wheel Wobble. ', Many distressing cases of wheel wobble can be seen on the roads. This is frequently due to the front axle being moved out of truth, or to a bent dumbiron. The case is one for a skilled mechanic. who should straighten the dumbiron and “true ,'up'’ the axle. Cars lifted with quarter elliptic or transverse front springs are prone to wheel wobble owing to missal ignment of springs or wear in the j radius rod joints. Spare Tyre Hint. Do not forget sometimes to cheek the pressure of the spare wheel tyreIt loses pressure almost as much as do the tyres in use, and, comparatively rare though punctures are today, may lie found to be ineffective when needed if this simple precaution is neglected.