ON COLD MORNINGS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19512, 10 June 1933, Page 12

ON COLD MORNINGS

STARTING THE ENGINE. With the approach of cold weather, starting difficulties will become more apparent, so a few practical hints which will facilitate quick starting should not be out of place. Difficult starting is usually caused by incorrect carburettor adjustment, dirty or worn-out plugs, weak spark, weak battery, or air leaks. On particularly cold mornings turn the engine over by hand to free the pistons and bearings. Depress the clutch pedal when using the starter motor, to relieve the load created by stiff oil in the gearbox. Do not turn on the Ignition switch until the engine has turned over a few times. This induces a rich mixture, but the spark should be retarded a little when switching on, to prevent back-firing. The throttle should be opened only slightly and the choke used sparingly, for if chocked too much the mixture will be too rich and the cylinders will be flooded.

CARE OF BODYWORK. Anyone who takes notice of the cars which pass him in the street observes that some modern types may have a rather shoddy and neglected appearance, while much older models stii retain a semblance of newness. By such signs can one distinguish between the happy-go-lucky owner and the careful owner. Just as the long life of the mechanism may be influenced by considerate treatment when it is new, so will consistent care of the bodywork bring its own reward. A new car will retain its sheen and glitter for some months, although it may be sadly neglected, so it often happens that cleaning and polishing are ignored or skimped. If the vehicle is taken in hand from the first, the car owner will find that the calls upon his time and energy are small. It Is generally accepted that a suitable polish should be used on lacquer finishes, although formerly it was often held that no compounds should be applied to enamelled or varnished surfaces.

If some trouble is taken when the bodywork is new, and if it is given a good cleaning and polishing once a week in the early stages, the lacquer will be come well mellowed in colour, a high gloss will be obtained, and, most Important of all, provided a suitable polish is used, a good protective film will be formed on the surface. When that condition has been established, the surface will stand the weather well, but it is always advisable to wipe down the car with an absorbent rag or chamois when it is returned to the garage after driving through rain. It is not enough

merely to give heed to the body panels and the bonnet, for corrosion on the undersides of the mudguards must be prevented, the best precaution being always to hose off accumulations of mud before they have hardened. Plated parts, such as the headlamps and the frame of the windscreen, should be wiped dry. Abrasive polishing compounds should not be used upon them, and it is a good plan to rub them occasionally with a rag which has been lightly smeared with vaseline or fine oil. Door hinges and locks should be lubricated periodically, and the roofs of closed ears dressed with a suitable preservative.