THE CARE OF THE CAR

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6863, 19 March 1929, Page 10

THE CARE OF THE CAR

Hints on Cleaning Leather. Leather -upholstery may bo cleaned by ■wiping with a sort woollen cloth {cotton or flannel lint) saturated with a weak solution of water and ammonia. Castile soap is equally effective in the cleaning of leather, but petrol or similar liquids cause cracking. A solution that is safe to use occasionally on leather is linseed oil, thinned with a little vinegar. This is applied with a cloth end allowed to remain a few hours; then wiped off. To clean imitation leather, ivory soap and water are recommended for the removal of spots, and an application of linseed or sweet oil, used sparingly, to brighten the finish. Drying a Distributor. If water is poured carelessly into a radiator when the bonnet is lifted some of it may fall into the ignition distributor, short-circuit the current, and prevent the engine being started. If tho car is in a public garage the best way of drying the distributor quickly end thoroughly is to push the machine over to a tyro pump, and by removing the nozzle dry off tho water with the force of the air. If such pressure is not available the work may be accomplished, though much more slowly, with e hand pump. Spring Shackles That Rattle. Mysterious noises may arise from lateral play in the shackles of the front Springs. They may resemble and bo diagnosed as a bonnet or mudguard rattle, as a loose underohield, or even Rs an /engine or radiator insecurely fixed to the frame. In the latter case the noise is quite a heavy thud. The bolts and nuts of the shackles should not bo so tight as to remove even the slightest play; the shackle-plates should not only be free to turu easily, but should have a faint lateral play as well, otherwise they will be stressed unduly when one front wheel lifts in relation to the other. But a sixteenth of an inch should bo the maximum amount of play if noises from thi.i source are to bo avoided. ■ Impromptu Thin Washers. Sometimes a very thin washer is required to take up a small, amount of wear at some particular part of the car. It is quite impracticable to file down an ordinary washer to the special degree of thinness needed, which is usually less than I,loooth inch. It is, therefore, useful to know that thti airtight tinned-cover soldered to certain sorts of cigarettc'tin3 is very suitable material for thin washers, lhc inner hole of the washer can be easily cut out with the point of a penknife, with compasses or dividers, or, foiling this means being available, the edge of a suitable-sized coin can be used to mark off the hole. The outer edge of the washer is readily cut with scissors. Slow Leaks in Tyres. Many cases of tyre trouble are duo to the fact that the tube has not been properly inserted. Beforo a tube is placed in the cover the nut above the metal plate at the base of the stem should be tightened. Many a mysterious leak is caused by the looseness of the nut, and should the tyre be run flat the valvc'stem will be torn from the tube. When the tube has been placed in the cover it is a good practice to shako or knock the tyre a few times to scat it firmly. After the tyro has been mounted and inflated, tho rim nut, which sets above tho rim, should be placed in position and securely tightened. If care is taken in replacing the tube, many of tho inconveniences due to pinches and leaky tubes be avoided.

DEFEATIN' GBUST. Immediately the paint on any part of the bodywork of a car begins to crack or chip there is a possibility that rust may form on the exposed metal beneath, and quickly spread underneath the edges of the crack. Bust should be removed at once by the application of a little kerosene, and a permanent cure can then be effected by painting the cracked parts with a quick-drying enamel. A tin should be kept handy in the garage for the purpose, so that any scratches may bo fouched up immediately they arc noticed. Temporary Pipe Repair." • • In the event of the coned seating of petroleum unions leaking slightly, a coating of common yellow soap made plastic and closely applied over the fitting is very effective, and will resist tho action of petrol or benzol, in cases where the other preparations fail besides lasting a considerable time. Removing Back Wheels. When removing back wheels, do not try to knock out pins with the wheels jacked up off the ground, as this may spring the axle shaft, which will cause the wheel to wobble. To avoid this, knock out the pin before jacking irp the wheel, or put the jack under the mb of the wheel. Removing Valve Caps.

In old models not provided with detachable heads, the removal of valve caps frequently is something of a problem when they arc provided with hexagonal recesses, and a suitable key or box spanner is not available. However ,an easy method of overcoming the difficulty is to take a nut the same size as the recess, and slip it in, with sufficient packing beneath it to Taisc tho nut above the top of the cap to a distance equal to half its depth. No difficulty will then be experienced in removing the valve cap by fitting a spanner.