“SUN” SERVICE STATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 6

“SUN” SERVICE STATION

THE “Motordom'* section ol Th® Su n Includes In Its service to readers a Queries and Answers Department, the object of which is to give accurate information regarding mechanical and touring subjects. Whatever the particular puzzle may be in either diagnosing irritating troubles, or motoring Information of any kind, “Headlight*' will endeavour to help, or refer the point to men who are recognised automobile experts Id their respective lines. All communications must be accompanied by the Inquirer's name and address (not for publication), and sent to THE SUN “Service Station, Motordom," THE SUN. Auckland. Answers will appear weekly Ip this column.

S.S.—Do you think there is anything in the story about keeping the front windscreen clear from rain with a potato rubbed over the glass? I’ve tried it but without real success. An excellent formula for keeping the windscreen clear in wet weather, and one nearly as cheap as the potato idea, is as follows: Dissolve one dram of common salt and two ounces of glycerine in one ounce of water. With a. piece of gauze put, with a downward, stroke, a thin layer of this solution over the glass. “Brakes.”—While going up the Wuitakeres on {Saturday, I found the engine pulling badly, and getting hot, and on stopping to investigate the cause of same, I found the rear brakes smoking a great deal, and the brake drums very hot. After the brakes had cooled down, I tested the clearance, and found that the hand and foot brakes were apparently working normally, and I was able to drive up and back again on Monday without signs of further trouble. What worries me now is, should I have the brakes relined at once, or anything done to them? The cause of the trouble is a mystery, but the brakes seem to be working all right. The binding of your brake drums was probably due to the brake pedal (either hand or foot, or both depending on the make of car), being half on. As soon as you stopped the car to get out you

put the brakes full on, then later released them properly. G.F.P. —Within the last few days a, most peculiar whistling has developed in the carburetter of my calr. The car still seems to be pulling all right, but the noise attracts the attention of others, which I don’t like. * * # I had dicky birds in my carburetter once. They sounded like an aviary of canaries, and the trouble was a chip of wood. Yours may be something similar, especially if it developed suddenly. I’ve always suspected a mechanic of playing a joke on me, because by birdies began to sing when the ’bus came out of dock after an overhaul. After listening to the free orchestra for a couple of days, I took the carburetter off and found a small chip of wood wedged in the main air intake. The air rushing in past it was forced into a narrower funnel and whistled prettily. Look for something like that in yours. If it isn’t here, I can only suggest sprinkling canary seed around the carburetter to entice the birdies out. J.W.H.—Could you tell me why my starter motor jams occasionally? The car is an Essex, and the battery is o.k. This is the first time anything has gone wrong with the starter. The jamming would probably be due to the copper contacts on the armature being pitted and worn, causing a short circuit. They should be renewed.