Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-24
HOW TO FIX 1T.
If Your Auto BaIks Follow These
Directions and it Will Start Again.

proportion of the motoring recruits who
wish to drive their own cars, some
from motives of econocy and others
because they do not like to be entirely
dependent on hired chauffeur. In the
majority of cases it is a difficult mat
ter for these men to spare the time
necessary for them TO be thoroughly
instructed regarding the mechanism
their cars, and the result is that there
are hundreds of men driving their own
cars today that have no trouble so long
as everything works all right, but who
are compelled to send for aid the in
stant any slight disarrangement occurs
in the mechanism of their machines
To help this class of motoring nOviceS
to understand their cars, F. w. Leavitt.
president of the Automobile Dealers
Association of San Francisco has is
sued 4 letter of instruction to motoring
noviccs reading as follows:
1.-The reason why the engine runs is
that gasoline vapor is drawn into the
cylinder Of the engine compressed by
the storlle Of the piston and at the
proper time exploded by the action Of
an electric spark. generated at the bat
terry, and intensified by passing through
drives the piston on its working stroke.
The momentum Of the flyWheel carries
the piston back into the cylinder. fore
ing cut the burnt gases. 1t also car
rrs the piston along on its suction
stroke drawing a fresh charge Of gas,
and returns the piston into the cylinder
on its compression stroke, when the
electric spark again occurs, and drives
the piston on its working stroke.
This is called the fOur-cycle type of
gas engine, and is the type most gem
orally employed. 1t must be evident
that the machine must have gasoline;
that the gasoline must reach the car
hureter; that there must be batteries,
ana the batteries must be properly
wired to the coil, and the vibrator of
the coil must be properly adjusted, 80
that a spark is delivered at the spark
plug. The valves must be working
properly to admit the fresh gas from
tn" carbureter. and to let out the burnt
gases after the explosion.
"Assuming the the valves have been
properly set, they will probably remain
50, but Il valve stem might become
cloggcd or gummy, where it works in
its guide. the result being that the
valve would not seat at the proper
time. There would then be no COM
preston and consequently no explosion.
If a little kerosene is occasionally in
jeCted into the cylinders above the
piston there is little danger of this Oc-
curing. The causes that might result
in an engine not starting or working
properly and the order in which they
should be expected arc:
First Trouble with the ignition sys-
TEN; a wire may become broken or
loose, the batteries may be run down,
the vibrator on the coil may not he
properly adjusted or the points of the
spark plug may be foulcd with burnt
oil.
"Sccond-Trouble with the gasoline
system; there may not be gasoline in
the tank, the pipe to the spray nozzle
in the carhurcter may be clogged in the
pipe or nozzle. The gasoline may have
water in it. which is not uncommon,
or the carburcter may not be properly
adjusted to give the right explosive
mixture of gasoline and air.
"Third- Trouble with the compress
sion due to a sticky valve. This can
I've located by cranking the engine over
and if any cylinder shows a lack of
compression it would be reasonable to
expect that the inlet or exhaust valve
might be sticking.
Should a machine stop on the road
or refuse to start, proceed as follows to
locate the cause of stoppagc: Look for
trouble in the ignition system or
broken wire, by turnin, the engine
over with the starting crank slowly
ANA listen for a buzz from the vibrator
| of the coil. In Il one cylinder machine
| there should be a buzz every two re-
| VolutionS of the crank-Sh In a two
| cylinder machine there should be
buzz every revolution. If tho coil
buZZcS it is a sure thing that there are
no broken wires. Then look to see If
gasoline reaches your carburctcr by
| depressing the printing pin in the car
burctcr. If gasoline flows out Of the
| carburctcr it shows that you are all
right at that point.
Having asccrtaincd that you have
| electric current as shown by the coil
buZZing. and that YOU have gasoline at
the carburctcr. it is only natural then
to suppose that the spark is not oc-
curing in the cylinder to explode the
that the carburctcr is properly adj
juStcd to mix the gasoline with air to
give the proper explosive mixture. 1t
is Understood. of course, that too much
gasoline in the mixture will not OK
plOdc properly and the same result if
the mixture is too thin. 1t is then req
Snnablc to suppose that the points Of
the spark plug are foulcd by burned
or carhoncd oil. Screw the spark plug
out Of the cylinder ana wash the spark
plug out and cleans" it with gasoline,
ana scrap" the points Of the plug to
clean them. The points Of the plug
should he a little less than Onc-siX
t"cnth Of an inch apart.
You might test the spark plug by
laying it on the cylinder head. and
with the switch on crank the engine
over slowly and at the time the coil
huzzcs q spark should show at the
spark plug points. If the spark plug
is not placed on the cylinder or the
spark plug wire is not grounded
against some part Of the engine, tho
engine should not be turned over and