MOTORING NOTES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 52, Issue 3756, 15 May 1936, Page 9

MOTORING NOTES

DRIVING A FULL-TIME JOB. The following is an official pronouncement of the National Automobile Club of America:— If there is any place in the world where silence is really golden, it is in the driver’s seat. When the tongue wags the mind lags. Driving a car is a full-time job. It cannot safely be combined with sociability, love-making, sight-seeing, windowshopping, or day-dreaming. Just remember that if you are travelling at even 30 miles an hour you will go 44 feet in that single second that your head is turned or that your mind lapses. If another car is approaching yours at the same speed, your speed is automatically doubled as far as your relative position with that other car is concerned. LOOK AFTER THE UPHOLSTERY Nothing looks so bad or detracts so much from a car’s value as leather upholstery which has been so knocked about that it has become tom «nd chafed. This is most frequently caused by people carrying heavy and bulky articles in the rear compartment, and is a common sin among motorists. If this practice must be followed the rear seat cushion should be removed entirely for the time being and the parcel packed with old rags or pieces of sacking at the points where lit comes into contact with the leather of the squab and door panel. It is rather

pleasing to see that manufacturers are beginning to take some notice of the manner in which many motorists use their cars as a light truck and are providing very capacious luggage compartments in such a manner tnat the leather is protected from harm. Finally, occasionally take a screwdriver to the various fittings and test the screws which hold them in place. It is surprising how these work loose in service. WHEN ROADS ARE SLIPPERY. It should be obvious to every driver of any experience that brakes should not be used while a car is actually negotiating a corner, where the road is or may be “treacherous” (writes M.W.B. in the Morris Owner). This implies that before the corner is reached the speed of the car should be reduced to or below the maximum at which the corner can be taken safely. But in the case of a corner proving to be more acute than the driver imagined (or slippery when he expected it to be dry), implying that he finds himself taking it faster than he would wish, it will still be inadvisable for the brakes to be used actually “on” the Corner; braking may encourage a skid to commence, and this applies almost as forcibly to braking effect gained from the engine (by the full release of the accelerator) than to the use of the brakes themselves. What’s to be done, then, in such a case? If the speed does not seem to be greatly in excess of what the driver would prefer for his peace of mind, he can depress the clutch pedal and “roll” round the remainder of the corner. That would be

safer than merely releasing the accelerator, for there will be no braking effect to encourage a skid. Some drivers maintain that it is safer to depress the accelerator enough to make the engine pull round; but as any sudden acceleration of the engine will be almost if not quite as likely as braking to start a skid, the writer considers that the average driver will be well advised to cut out engine completely and roll round the corner with the clutch disengaged. But supposing the excess above safe speed is considerable, making a skid appear to be certain unless the speed is reduced? What then? The only hope M>f successful braking lies in the fact that nearly always the extreme edges of the road —the gutters —are covered with grit, even a road with very little camber. That being so, and assuming the way is clear, the car should be steered to the very edge of the road before the brakes are used. If the whels on one side of the car can secure adhesion sufficient for braking, all will be well; but even so, braking should be as light as possible, for even on a dry road it is never prudent to use the brakes while actually cornering. WATER PROOF GREASES. The choice of lubricant for water pump bearings is a matter of considerable importance. The use of unsuitable grease will result in wear, combined with leakage, and if the owner tries to correct this by injecting excessive quantities it may mix with the water. The grease is then circulated, and causes deposits which impair the efficiency of the radiator. Waterproof, greases are available

which give excellent results and need not' be ; applied in excessive quantities. Such greases are often fairly stiff, so that the grease cup may not screw down very readily. However, it is only necessary to take up the slack in the cup at intervals. While the engine is running small quantities of grease will absorb into the gland and bearing, and eventually a gap is created which can be filled up by turning the cup until resistance is felt. It is much better to attend to this at intervals of 400 miles or so rather than to force the greaser for a couple of turns after a long period of neglect. SOME USEFUL TIPS. If cylinders continue to fail to fire after plugs have been cleaned,, check the valves as a possible cause. A weak valve spring is a common cause of misfiring. Headlight reflectors become dull and coated with film, which lessens their efficiency after they have been in use for some time. Eleven cars tested at various speeds showed an average of 16.7 miles per gallon with dirty plugs, compared with 18.7 miles per gallon with clean ones, according to “Popular Mechanics” (U.S.A.) The average fuel saving by installing clean plugs was 10.7 per cent.

An old bath towel makes a good duster or polishing cloth for the

hood. One of the distinguishing marks of a good driver is that he does not turn his head to the rear when talking to passengers in the back of the car. There is a point beyond which his eyes do not go; he keeps the view ahead.

It is good policy to get ahead of a bad driver if one happens to be in his path. His mistakes are apt to lead one into trouble.

If the rubber blade of a wind shield wiper is allowed to become worn, .the metal holder may press against the glass and scratch it.

No form of spring tightener should be used with tyre chains, inasmuch as these are apt to make the chains too tight and cause unnecessary wear on the tyre.