MOTORING NOTES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3812, 23 September 1936, Page 6

MOTORING NOTES

CLEANING OCT THE COOLING SYSTEM When making plans to clean out the cooling system don’t forget that reverse flushing the engine block is just the opposite of reverse flushing the radiator. For the latter process you direct the water and air stream upwards through the radiator core, attaching the nozzle to the lower outlet of the radiator. For cleaning the engine block it is necessary to direct the water and air stream downward through the top outlet of the engine. The engine thermostat should, of course, be removed before this flushing is begun, dnd the lower water hose should be disconnected so that the rust laden water can exit freely. In flushing the block the water pump will also be cleaned. Pump Maj- Be Weak A weak fuel pump can cause quite a lot of trouble in starting, especially if the carburettor leaks. Allow the carburettor to go dry and the chances are that the engine will not be cranked fast enough to make a weak fuel pump lift up a sufficient amount of petrol for a start. The remedy in such a situation is to remove the air cleaner and pour some petrol Into the air Intake while someone presses on the starter button with ignition switched on. A little petrol is enough, because the idea is not to fill up the float chamber of the carburettor but to send some fuel into the engine intake. Just as soon as the engine fires and spins over rapidly a few times the fuel pump will fill up the float chamber and the engine will restart normally. Hold Wheel Higher Up. Where you hold your hands on the steering wheel has much to do with the way the car follows the road. This is well illustrated by the difficulty many drivers experience when they are out for a leisurely jaunt through the open country. Invariably' they will slump back in the seat and hold the wheel at the bottom. In order to keep any car to a straight course it is necessary continually to jockey the wheel. Such movement of the wheel is more easily accomplished when the hands are above the half-way point on the wheel. Held at a lower point the wheel seems to require more conscious attention. The car actually seems harder to steer. Drivers find themselves thinking all sorts of things are wrong with the steering —and the otherwise restful drive becomes a needless worry. Higher Gear Saves Money One of the popular steps in today’s motoring is the trend toward use of higher gearing. This is making marked gains in popularity among owners of light cars where much acceleration is needless and at all times wasteful. By selecting a higher rear-end gearing it is possible for the owner of a lighter car to enjoy marked Increase in economy. Also the engine does not turn over at such a high rate when the car is at road speed, thus reducing vibration and making the trip more enjoyable. Available' gear ratios are such as to make it possible to climb most steep hills in high gear.

It is best, however, to select a gearing in keeping with the country in which the car will be regularly used. For Those Who Tour When covering unfamiliar ground it is a good rule to keep in second gear after you go over the crest of a hill, if you have found it necessary to climb the hill in that gearing. The chances are that decline on the other side will be just as steep as the upgrade. Also it is wise practice to drop into a lower gear if you find that motorists coming up the hill are running in second. Engage the clutch gently after shifting down to second on a decline, if the road surface is wet. The engine acts as a very effective brake in second gear, and any sudden application of this braking power may throw the car into a skid. Speed Hits Fixed Costs It is admitted that car operating costs mount rapidly with increase, in speed, but depreciation, garaging, insurance and licensing, greasing and washing and fuel used for starting are not unaffected. A car picks up more road dirt when driven faster, especially on a rainy day. More greasing is needed when speed is higher. Depreciation is generally supposed to hinge on decreased valuation due to model changes and obsolescence, but speed itself has a way of inflicting punishment on a car. This is immediately noticed by the prospective buyer. Asked and Answered Q. I have been told that when the engine of my car won’t re-start on a hot day I should dechoke. How can this be done on a car that does not carry a three-way choke? L.M.M. A. Simply open the throttle all the way and press on the starter-but-ton for a minute or so. The effect of this is to clear the cylinders, filling them with a much leaner mixture. This will permit the engine to fire normally. Q. All the customary service rules have been followed in an unsuccessful effort to check overheating of my engine, but the trouble continues. It does seem as if the engine lacks pep, although it has been completely checked over. This included grinding the valves and rechecking both valve and ignition timing. There is no clutch slippage, nor do the brakes drag. S.A. A. It would be well to suspect the muffler. A clogged exhaust system will develop back pressure, thus making the engine sluggish and causing it to overheat. LONG CAR LIFE. CORRECT DRIVING THE SECRET. Correct driving is the secret of long car life. This was explained by a prominent Christchurch motorist, whose own vehicle has done over 200,000 miles with the minimum of replacements and overhead expenses. He emphasised this factor, which, he said, was appreciated by only a few drivers. The essence of the whole subject was perfect handling of the car under all conditions, one of the outstanding features being the correct timing of clutch and accelerator, always having the engine speed to correspond with the car speed. He went on to explain that the average motorist looked on driving as the mere use of the gear lever and brake pedal. Correct synchronisation of clutch and brake were also required when stopping.' This meant that the brake should be released slightly just at the point of coming to a standstill. He emphasised the use of the various gears. Many drivers, he said, did not trouble to change down to a lower gear, even when the car speed fell below ten miles an hour, yet this was one of the most important factors. Higher gears should never be used if the speed of the car demands lower ones. Drivers should learn to use their lower gears without hesitation. Another Important Factor. Correct cornering was another important thing. For a left-hand turn in adverse conditions, the best speed was about ten miles an hour, and for a right-hand turn, fifteen miles an hour. He stressed the necessity of using only the highest grade of oil, which, although dearer, was far cheaper in the lohg run. The result was most noticeable in the low oil consumption and smooth running of the engine. The engine should always be warmed up to allow the oil to circulate properly before any driving was undertaken. His own car would still travel two thousand miles on a gallon of oil. In the matter of actual attention to the car, he mentioned the few things that needed regular inspection. They were:—-Valve clearance, spark plugs, draining of oil at correct periods, and the platinum points of distributors. The brakes should always be kept perfectly equalised. Referring to replacements in his own car, he said that the big ends had received attention once, the cylinders had been rebored once, at 80,000 miles, and new brake lining had been fitted. There had been one or two other minor replacements. A car correctly driven will always be in excellent mechanical order, he concluded.