High Road and By-Road

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17786, 10 August 1929, Page 24 (Supplement)

High Road and By-Road

MOTORING COST. It is curious that, in view of its importance to prospective motorists, no attempt seems to have been made to work out a formula of cost (remarks ■‘Focus" in the Auckland Herald). Take the largest item —depreciation—which many ingenuous persons say they do not count. By deciding not to count petrol or repairs the cost could be still further reduced by this method. Whatever people say, the fact remains that at one time they had say, £350 in cash, a little later £350 in motor car value, and in a few years only, say, £IOO in value. Depreciation depends chiefly on the price of the car and to a less extent on the distance run. Of the other items repairs and replacements depend chiefly on distance (given reasonable care), petrol on distance run, on the character of the car which in practice usually varies roughly with the price, tyres largely on distance run, car insurance solely on the value, whereas third-party insurance registration is the same for all cars without relation to distance. Depreciation is greatest in the first year, and then decreases; repairs and replacements increase with time;, between the two the rate is fairly constant. Any formula, then, should be in terms of car price and distance run, and the second of these may be expressed in terms of petrol used.. A suggested formula is: One-sixth of the car price plus three times the cost of petrol to give the annual cost of running a car. For example, a £2OO car does 40 miles an hour and runs 5000 miles a year. One-sixth of £2OO is £33, and 125 gallons of petrol at Is 10d a gallon is £l4, and three times that £42, making the total cost £75. THE MOTOR TOUR. j NECESSARY PREPARATION. I The tourist who wishes to enjoy ' his trip in safety and comfort can banish the little worries that sometimes accompany the average motorist if he will check up on mechanical adjustments s and replacements and take care of service details before he starts, according to Mr A. W. Grant, Service Manager of General Motors, N.Z. Limited. In listing the adjustments and servicing recommended before a touring trip, Mr Grant points out that they are for the most part simple and inexpensive, although vitally essential. The most important things which should be done are:— Motor should be free of carbon, and valves should be properly seated and adjusted. If spark plugs have been used over 10,000 miles, put in a new set before starting. Examine' fan-belt and replace If badly worn or stretched, and carry a spare fan-belt to boot. Flush and clean radiator.

Examine all lights, being sure that all are burning, and carry an extra set of bulbs.

Change il in crankcase. Have all shackles and spring clips tightened, and replace worn shackle bolts and bushings. Have steering thoroughly tested

A COLUMN FOR MOTORISTS.

and adjusted, replacing all worn parts. Have generator charge rate checked. Have distilled water added to storage battery. Replace battery cable if worn or corroded. Be sure car is thoroughly lubricated. Have ignition distributor points cleaned and adjusted. Be sure horn is properly adjusted. Be sure windshield cleaner is properly operating. Check tyres to see that they are ir. proper condition, and correctly inflated.

LIGHTING TROUBLES. S 1. See that battery fs charged, that cable terminals are tight anti clean, and that good ground connection is being made. 2. If all lamps are affected, look for trouble between battery and the main battery- terminal on the lighting switch. 3. If only certain lamps are affected, look for trouble between these lamps and the lighting switch or in their ground connections. 4. No light: (a) If lamps light w-hen engine is running, look for open circuit or high resistance between battery and lighting switch. (b) If ammeter shows low discharge or zero, look for open circuit or high resistance according to 2 and 3 above, or for w-rong base type in bulbs, (c) If amlmeter shows high discharge, look for short circuits or accidental grounds in lines to lamps which cause this condition when turned on. (d) If, with double-bulb head lamps, only the dimlmers light with either switch position, look for poor ground on lamp brackets. 5. Dim Light: (a) If ammeter shows low- discharge reading: High resistance in lines or at terminals. Poor ground connections. Bulbs of too high voltage for system, (b) If ammeter shows high discharge read-

ing: Short circuit or accidental grounds, according to 2 and 3 above. 6. Very Bright Light: (a) If with engine either idle or running, look for bulbs of low voltage. (b) If only with engine running, look for high resistance or open circuit between the battery and the point at which lighting switch main line joins generator battery line—usually at ammeter or starting switch. 7. Flickering Light: Loose connec-

: tions, loose wires, or poor ground | connections, according to 2 and 3 : above. Loose connections or grounds j in charging circuit from generator to i battery. Circuit-breaker dirty or | wrongly adjusted. Brush 'or comi mutator trouble in generator. Re- | versed connections at generator, | wrong polarity grounded.

THE HOOTER’S LIFE. After it has vocalised 150,000 honks, a motor horn is worn out. The period of life of a noisy but necessary accessory has been determined in the Chrysler engineering laboratories in Detroit (U.S.A.), where there are horns bleating and howling and snarling and muttering night and day until they give a last despairing grunt and cease to function.

But the Chrysler laboratory is not a bedlam, for all this noise. It is not even as had as a city street when some unfortunate driver stalls his motor, because all the tests are carried out in a sound-proof room. An insensate mechaniam counts the honks which the horn delivers under the urge of an automatic switch, and when the horn has ceased the mechanism has the total counted. The average is 150,000.

SMALL LEAK IN WATER JACKET. ] . Small leaks in the water jacket of the cylinders are very annoying, and generally are too insignificant to warrant the expense of removing the cylinders for welding. Assuming that the leak is very small, it can be repaired by putting sal ammoniac in the water jacket. This will rust the inside of the jacket so much that it will close the crack and stop the leak. This hint is specially useful to those motorists whose homes lie big dis- 1 tances away from towns.

If a wheel has to be removed on a hill and it is desired to release the brakes to facilitate the work the car can be kept from moving by tying one of the front wheels to the bumper with a short length of rope.