Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07
MOTORING

One of the most common errors on
the part of amateur motorists is in
neglecting fabrication of small parts.
Nearly everyone will see that the
motor is given It's regular quota of oil
and that the transmission and rear
axle are properly filed, but the lubri-
cation of such things as fan, front
wheel, steering connections, spring link
and various lever bearings is entirely
lost sight of. Manufacturers place at
tractlve brass oil and grease cups at all
important points of the car where 1t is
practicable to do SO, in the hope that
they will be noticed and used, but in
too many instances the result is not
attained. Not only is fabrication neg
lected, but a cheap oil is used merely
to save q few cents per gallon. This
one thing often results in repairs Of a
very expensive nature. These remarks,
made by H. e. Coffin, the observing
vice president of the e. r. Thomas
should be borne in mind by the average
man whose tendency is to overlook
such matters as these.
sThe proper thing for removing dust
from the engine is a thick soft painter s
brush. So many split pins and projec-
tions abound under the bonnet that
waste only causes bad language.
Men who have graduated on cars of
comparatively low horse power fire.
quently get into the habit of coaxipg
them over hilltops by temporarily Slip
ping the clutch or adopting the same
method to enable them to start on the
third or fourth gear. A word of warm
ing should be issued against the prac-
tice being adopted in connection with
higher horse power vehicles. especially
when a leather cone clutch is used.
The friction generated in such cases is
very great and sooner or later will
have the effect of burning up the
leather. When changing speed, also, 1t
is always advisable to throttle down, as
otherwise the engine will race momen-
tarily, and great friction will be caused
when the clutch is let in.
There is one thing that every motor
ist should have in his tool kit which is
carried about with him in his car, and
that is some twelve feet or so of No.
12 gauge soft copper wire. The fact
that it can be used very much the
same as a bit of twine to hold small
parts together, as a means for locking
loose nuts, and will conduct electricity
makes it almost a cure-all. 1t is really
surprising how many temporary re-
pairs may be made with bit of copper
wire.
The leather covers fitted over the
Joints of the steering gear are very
necessary, as they prevent dust and
dirt from finding a lodgment upon the
working life to those points. If the
holes are oval they should be carefully
reamed out and correctly fitting steel
pins inserted. Keep the joints well lu-
bricated and covered with a leather
Jacket and an improvement on the
past state of things will result.
AS is well known, the torque or
twisting strain on the crankshaft of an
internal combustion motor varies with
the several cycles of action. In the
single cylinder engine we may take
first the suction stroke, during which
If the motor is property constructed
in valve dimensions etc., there shouio
be no load or resistance to the momen
tum stored in the fiywheel. On thu
succeeding compression stroke there i!
rapidly increasing resistance as the
compression rises within the cylinder
hence, as the crank passes the center
at the end OF the suction stroke, the
fywheele speed will be reduced to its
lowest point. Immediately following
ignition OccureS. ana Wnen the power
stroke begins there is tendency to-
ward a rapid increase in speed in the
f1ywheel At the end of the power
stroke the exhaust valves are of proper
dimension and the muffler does not
exert back-pressure, there should be
practically no resistance to the momen-
tum of the f1ywheel. Taking fiywheel
of proper design for the engine on
which it is used, the variation in speed
of rotation should be reduced to point
practically indiscernible. However,
under certain adverse conditions the
fiywheel fails to be adequate and the
variation in speed will be readily
noticeable.
1t is bad practice to run the engine
on full throttle for long periods. On
the level and down hill give it a rest
by advancing the spark and nearly
closing the throttle.