FULL ECONOMY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 11 March 1943, Page 1

FULL ECONOMY

CUTTING OUT CYLINDERS ONE WAY OF STRETCHING THE LAST GALLON Some interesting research has been done in the field of blocking out cylinders in automobile engines by the research men of the Sun Oil Company, reports the “Christian Science Monitor,” in answer to a correspondent. In type motors, they suggest cutting out the front two on one bank of cylinders and the rear two cylinders on the other—not blocking out one whole bank. On a 6-cylinder motor, the cylinders are blocked out in the firing order 1,2 and 3. The process of blocking out the cylinders consists of three relatively simple steps well within the ability of any competent garage mechanic. To make the conversion, the valve tappets are taken out in the blocked-out cylinders, thus closing the intake and exhaust valves. The spark plug points also are pinched together, so that no spark will jump in the blocked-out cylinders. The installation ot a smaller carburettor jet and a complete careful readjustment of the carburettor completes the conversion. The carburettor in converted motors needs low' speed jets instead of high speed ones, thus preventing a too rapid flow of gasoline at idling speeds. The device of blocking out half the cylinders in a motor has been claimed to result in savings of 30 to 40 per cent on gasoline. The conversion, however, reduces available get-away speed and cuts down on the car’s hill-climbing performance. Some automotive engineers do not recommend the practice, declaring that in their opinion damage to the motor may result, the engine tending to get out of balance as a consequence of letting half the cylinders do all the work.