Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-13
THINGS MECHANICAL
ABOUT THE AUTO

axle cases have a screw plug at
a the bottom of the differential case,
so that the procedure of swilling with
kerosene can be carried out in precise
ly the same way, but 1t is, of course.
best to jack the wheels UP and turn
them round by hand a few times to
stir up the kerosene and the oil before
letting out the mixture. As a rule back
axles want very little grease, and
good thick oil is all that is required,
and 1t Is much better to put In little
and often than to put in a large dose
at one time, as the oil works its way
along the axles and then back along
the wheel hub out on the brake
drums, whence 1t splashes the tires on
the inside badly. However, very few
back axle cases have any means by
which the user can tell whether he has
put in sufficient oil-and a careful man
likes to be on the safe side-so the only
thing to do is to put in enough, and
then, If 1t comes out on the tires, to
let out a little through the screw plug.
Very few back axles require more than
about three pints of oil, so far as our
experience goes. though in warm
weather 1t is just as well to put in two
pints of oil and about the equivalent
of another pint pot full of grease. Some
makers will inform the owner on ap-
plication how much oil and grease
should be applied to the gear box and
back axle, but a good many do not
seem to know, though of course they
know how much 1t takes to fill crank
chamber to the proper level On chain
driven cars, where the countershaft is
away from the change-speed gear box,
the treatment should be the same as
for the back axle.
When a motor which is equipped with
magnetic ignition does not pick up
well and seems to fail to secure
spark sometimes at slow speeds, 1t may
signify a loss of magnetism, but such
failure IS comparatively rare. 1t Is pos
sible. however, to roughly test mag
neto simply If one will press thumb
and finger, respectively, on the arma-
tllre spindle and magnet and turn the
armatIlre. he should experience q slight
shock. In any case 1t will not pc SUI
ficient to cause discomfort, put II very
slight the magnets are probably weak.
BY placing one hand on the splhule
and the other on the magnet and Sc
curing somebody to turn the arma-
ture by cranking the engine, smarter
shock should be felt. If the magnetic
is all right the fault will probably be
found in some inaccuracy IN the tlin-
ing. This is generally slight advance
on the correct point, and II retardlng
the ignition does not curt 1t the mag
neto should be retarded by readJust-
ment. This, however, Is a matter ioi
skilled experience.
Automobiles that are upholstered In
light colored leather frequently present
an appearance of untidiness which can
be easily overcome. To clean ana re-
move stains from light colored leather
the following mixture may be used with
oil n 1
cool and add one drachm of sulphuric
acid: shake well and then add half
drachm of oil of lavender, one pint OF
vinegar and the white of one egg beat
en- to a froth. Keep in a tightly corked
bottle. Rubbed on the leather with
soft cloth it greatly improves the ap-
pearance and removes the stains.
IT is estimated by foreign authority
that the life of driving chain shouio
be fully doubled when 1t is inclosed IN
a proper case, which AFFORDS IL ample
protection from dirt, and plenty of lu-
brication. This would bring the dura-
bility of an average chain under care
full usage up to something like 1o'0VO
miles. One of the most frequent CD
iections to the chain drive is that or
The liability of the chain to break I'M
der severe duty. 1t is pointed out by
the same authority, however, that
well designed chain wears out or pltcn
and therefore becomes useless from the
economic standpoint long before It's
effective section is reduced to the DAN
ger point. His advocacy of TINS sys-
tenn is further extended by calling at
IGNITION to the fact that with this ar
the only weight unsupport-
ed by the springs is that of the wheels
and axles. This brings about far less
amount of tire wear than occurs where
10 this is added the weight of a live
axle casing, and in some cases the
weight of the transmission change
speed gear as we'll as a portion Of that
Of the driving shaft.
In connection with the usual rules |
for valve grinding it is commonly rec
ommended that piece of cotton waste |
be placed in the cylinder casting just |
at the mouth OF the valve port to pre-
vent any of the abrasive form entering |
the cylinder proper. 1t is quite as inn
portant that the waste be removed ar
ter the process has been completed, and |
the average amateur is almost certain
not to think of it for himself, although
It is so obvious rule.
One little kink in the handling of an
air-cooled motor consists in taking
grades on as low a gear as may be done
mus luC IlOlOi
10 run at fairly high speed. even though
he rate of car travel be comparatively
ow. By this means the speed of the
tan is kept up and the circulation or
air about the cylinders retained even
when the natural draught of the car is
80 slight as to be of little or no aid for
hat purpose. Efficient cooling depends
solely upon the quantity of air circu-
ated about the motor, and it is neces-
;ary to maintain a good fan speed ex-
eept when the car speed is high enough
80 that the former element may be
displaced by the induced circulation.
Certain it is that the majority of mo-
or car owners do not realize the inn
nense Importance of compression in
he internal combustion engines they
Use. There are many cars in use not
one of which will give anything like
he results which they showed shortly
lfter leaving their makers. This fail
ire is mainly due to loss of compress
sion In the cylinders Roughly speak
ng, the maximum power of the engine
aries directly with the compression,
10 that a loss of compression is at once
made apparent by the reduced hill
climbing power of the cars. 1t is we'll
Snown that economical results can only
,e obtained with high pressures. The