Motors and Motoring.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11855, 14 June 1924, Page 14

Motors and Motoring.

fi Trade and Other Jottings. ft

2b <By

“Torque-Rod.”)

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

PROTEST IN NEW SOUTH WARES. i Tho new traffic regulations which have come into operation in New South Wales are causing some concern to motorists. The clauses mostly objected to are those making it imperative for cars to have froiVb aind retur number ipilates, the carrying of a permanent white light on the extreme olf-side of a car, and the prevention of smoko being emitted from tho exhaust. In New Zealand front and rear number plates have been insisted on for some considerable time. They are an advantage to the careful driver, but to a speed fiend they may not be so acceptable, as the authorities may more easily bring him to ’•book” should ho 'be detected breaking the by-laws. In the event of a car being stolen it is a comparatively easy matter for tho thief to remove a number plate from the rear of a car, but if the figures are painted on the radiator or apron the task of removal presents formidable difficulty. In tho Dominion it is generally conceded that Ihe front number plate is a sound idea, and probably the same opinion rules in but what appears to rex the New South Wales motorists is that they are called upon to bear the expense. W r hen a motor vehicle is registered in New South Wales a back number plate is given by the department free, and should it become damaged or lost another one may be obtained for the outlay of 2s. No provision is made for a front plate. The prevention of smoke issuing from the exhauet is a matter over which a motorist has not complete control, but it can be curtailed, except in exceptional circumstances. The idea governing the regulation is a good one, as it cannot be denied that the obnoxious odour that emanates from burnt oil is most unpleasant to pedestrians', in addition to which they have just cause to complain of being compelled to submit to be enveloped in smoke. The best cars will smoke under certain conditions, but in many instances it is due to want of care in replenishing the oil-feed or overcharging the crank can.

The dimming of head-lights when passing another vehicle is a Done of contention in tho New South Wales regulations. Motorists consider it is dangerous, and instead of being insisted on it should be strongly condemned and made illegal. Experts differ on the question, but it seems reasonable to assume that if all head-lights were of the same power there would be little cause to complain respecting their brilliancy. Many carowners are not content with powerful head-lights, and add a <gpot light to their cars. This is undoubtedly the most dangerous light of all. It has its advantages, especially on narrow country roads that twist and turn; but it should 'be made an offence to use it on thoroughfares such as the Hutt road. SPEED TESTS SWISS COMPETITION. Taking advantage of the annual motor show at Geneva, and of tho large number of motorists from rll countries united for that occasion, the Swiss motoring authorities organised a number of competitkyis and speed tests of an interesting and attractive character. The most successful of these events was a rally, in which the competitors loft oinerent parts of Switzerland and had to make their way to Geneva, their performance being judged according to the distance covered, the time employed and the pcston displacement of the engine. A Fiat 501, driven by E. Keck, started from Lucerne, and was declared the winner, independently of all class distinctions, with 82 4-5 points. This car wee followed by R. Grans, who started from Zurich on an AustroDaimler and secured 82 points. Third place was won by 1. Wegner, on a Fiat, which came from Martipny and obtained 77 points. The next three in order of merit were Grandjean, on a Benz, who oleo started from Martigny and won 74 points; C. R. Schmidt, starting from Zurich on a Talbot, with 71 3-5 points, and Anderos, from Zurich, on a Minerva, with which he won 63 points.

CARBURETTER LEAKAGE

HOW TO EFFECT CERE. Those users of Ford vehicles who have been troubled with insistent leakage of pertol from the Holley carburetter, irrespective of float adjustment or of careful grinding of the needle valvo. may find the following information of some assistance. If the valve he examined in situ it will bo seen that it just passes tho hvel of tho base of the carburetter easting, protruding but slightly from the circular recess which guides it to the seat of Ihe petrol inlet. When grinding has lieon resorted to, it is possible that the valve may have worn to such an extent that it passes below Hie level of the casting, with the result that the cam mounted on tho float will'not raise'the valvo to tho full extent required to make it bear on its seat, as before this happens Hie coni fouls the sides of the 'circular aperture in which 'the valve is sunk. In such circumstances the leakage will be ci nstant. There are two methods of effecting a cure. One is by applying solder to the end of the needle valve on which the cam bears, until its effective length lias

been extended sufficiently to come beyond the level of the uperture. Alternatively, a new needle may be utilised. In either ease, set the earn so that it closes the valve when the float is parallel with the base of the casting, which is tho correct level for this particular r akc of carburetter. HEW ECONOMY FUEL BETTER THAN PETROL. Several tests have been made in England! during the la*>-t few months with pynol, termed a now economy fuel, which Unve proved satisfactory; in a test made by the “Motor” (Eng.) the consumption wqs 24 icr cent, better than with petrol at" an r.vcrage opeed of 25.5 m.p.h. The fuel is manufactured in Germany by the Benzol Verband, and is known as benzole, bocauso the Germans use benzole to blend the gas-oil, fuel-cii, or other hydrocarbons, whereas in the fuel as used in England petrol is blended. The British rights of thm fuel have been acquired’ by the Oil Supply Corporation, Ltd., f.4a, Parliament street, London, S.W.I. From analyses made with oils taken from identior-.l motor engines running on pynol petrol for a period of two months proved that, in relatiou to its effect on lubricating oil, there is less dilution than with petrol. In the change-over of fuel from petrol or a fifty-fifty mixture to pynol it was marked by a noticeable increase of acceleration, easier starting, and the capacity of tho engine (without alteration) to take a greater ignition advance without pirking.

WATER IN ENGINE ' AGGRAVATED BY COLD WEATHER. Some people claim that oil and water do not mix. This may be true enough, ; but you will find that both lubricating ’ oil and petrol absorb a. considerable per--1 contage of water and introduce it into ! the “innards” of your car. Cold wea- : ther aggravates this condition, and if you will make a practice of draining the used crankoaso oil from tho engine every three or four hundred miles, as you should, you will greatly prolong the .life of your motor. Water 10-oks nice under bridges and is fine to swim in, but as a lubricant it is not all that it should be. It gets into the engine through tho medium of lubricating oil, and is carried into the carburetter by the petrol. Perhaps there are sufficient strainers between the petrol tank and the power plant to prevent the water from interfering with engine operation under ordinary conditions. But in districts where there are frosts, let the weather get very cold, and the film of water collected on these strainers will almost invariably freeze, with tho result that no petrol can get to the engine, and it coasCs to run. The car may start from a warm garage and this condition dovclop somewhere along the road, -irith greet inconvenience to the motorist, j By all moans flush and drain the fuel tank at least twice each year —clean out the petrol pipe and clear out tho fuel strainers and settling basins. Take great core, in clenninr the wire gauze strainers, that the size of tho mesh is not increased, as that will destroy their usefulness as strainers. INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT CRUDE OIL AS FUEL. 1 A decidedly interesting development in connection with automobilism is reported from Berlin, Germany, where a Mercedes chassis has been running on crude oil, with an engine of the Diesel or semiDiesel type. A compressor is fitted to the engine, which supplies tho necessary , compressed, air, and tho induction is under pressure. No magneto or sparking plug is used in this engine, thus doing away with a small but important item that sometimes gives trouble. A 35 li.p. engine, in a standard two-ton chassis with an omnibus body, was tested, and it was found that with crude oil fuel it gave at least equal power to that developed by the petrol engine as we understand it. Further, it is noteworthy to add that the vehicle, with its heavy-oil power unit, covered a considerable distance over bad roads at a speed of CO kilometres (approximately 38 miles) per hour. This vehicle was fitted with on ; electric starter, to which it responded I promptly. TRACTION IN A TYRE* Traction in a tyre is the ability to grip the ground under practically all conditions and to carry the vehiclo ahead through good or bad going. Speed ig a relative term. Pneumaticequipped trucks can maintain higher average speo:l, of cour&e, in comparison with thj sol’d tyre truck. According to the “Goodyear News,” trucks equipped with pneumatic cord tyres are maintain-ln.-r speed-s averaging 25 per cent, higher than the same trucks could when solidequirpcd. Thto speed is made possible only because tho pneumatic tyro lias the remarkable cushionin'!? power that is required. to prevent ruinous depreciation of truck and cargo—because it has tho tractive emcioncv to insure continuous progress over difficult loads. The groat resilience, powerful traction, and additional cushioning power of straight sido pneumatic cord tyrru will increase considerably the average speed of the truck, ivhicli will travel easily over rough roads as ivell as smooth, and in running farther each day will make Possible the transportin'? of nioro poods *- Advt.