Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-17
HINTS FOR MOTORISTS.


over MINOR D1mcuit1es.
With the great increase in the use Of
automobiles there is always q certain pro-
portion OF the motoring recruits who
wish to drive their own cars, some from
motives Of economy and others because
they do not like to be entirely dependent
on hired chauffeur. In the majority OF
cases il is difficult matter for these men
to spare the time necessary for them to be
thoroughly instructed regarding the
mechanism OF their cars, and the result
is that there are hundreds of men driving
their own cars to-day that have no trouble
so long as everything works all right, but
who are compelled to send for aid the in
slant any slight disarrangement occurs in
the mechanism OF their machines. To
help this class of motoring novices to
understand their cars, +. W. Leavitt, presi-
dent of the Automobile dealers associa-
tion of San Francisco, has issued a letter
4 of instruction to motoring noviees reading
as follows:
1.-The reason why the engine runs is that
| gasolene vapor is drawn into the cylinder
| of the engine, compressed by the stroke of
the piston, and at the proper time ex-
| ploded by the action of an electric spark,
generated at the battery and intensified
| by passing through the coil. The force of
the explosion drives the piston on its
working stroke. The momentum OF the
| fly wheel carries the piston back into the
| cylinder, forcing out the burnt gases. 1t
also carries the piston along on its suction
stroke, drawing in fresh charge OF gas,
and returns the piston into the cylinder
on its compression stroke, when the cleo
trie spark again occurs and drives the pis-
ton on its working stroke.
This is called the four cycle type OF gas
| engine and is the type most generally en-
| ployed. II must be evident that the ma
chine must have gasoline, that the gaso-
| lene must reach the carbureter, that there
must be batteries, and the batteries must
be properly wired to the coil and the vibra
tor of the coil must be properly adjusted,
so that spark is delivered at the spark
plug. The valves must be working prop
erly to admit the fresh gas from the car
bureter and to let out the tAirnt gases
after the explosion.
"Assuming that the valves have been
properly set, they will probably remain
so, but a valve stem might become ciogged
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 compression and consequently
no explosion. II little kerosene is oc-
casionally injected into the cylinders
above the piston there is little danger of
this occurring. The causes that might re-
suit in an engine not starting or working
properly and the order in which they
should be expected are
''First-Troubles with the ignition sys-
tenn; wire may become broken or loose,
the batteries may be run down, the vibra-
tor on the coil may not be properly ad-
iusted or the points of the spark plug may
be fouled with burnt oil.
Second - Trouble with the gasolene
system; there may not be gasolene in the
tank, the pipe to the spray nozzle in the
carpureter may be clogged in the pipe or
nozzle. The gasolene may have water in
it., which is not uncommon, or the car
bureter may not be properly adjusted to
give the right explosive mixture of gaso-
lene and air.
"Third-Trouble with the compression
due to a sticky valve. This can be located
by cranking the engine over and If any
cylinder shows a lack OF compression ii
would be reasonable to expect that the in
let or exhaust valve might be sticking.
"Should machine stop on the road or
refuse to start, proceed as follows to locate
the cause OF stoppage: Look for trouble
in the ignition system or broken wire,
by turning the engine over with the start
ing crank slowly and listen for buzz
from the vibrator of the coil. In a one
cylinder machine there should be a buzz
every two revolutions OF the crankshaft.
In a two-cylinder machine there should be
a buzz every revolution. II the coil
buzzes it is a sure thing that there are no
broken wires. Then look to see il gaso-
lene reaches your arbureter by depressing
the printing pin in the carbureter. Ii
gasolene flows out of the carbureter it
shows that you are all right at that point.
"Having ascertained that you have
electric current as shown by the coil buzz
zing, and that you have gasolene at the
carbureter, it is only natural then to sup
pose that the spark is not occurring in the
cylinder to explode the gasolene vapor,
assuming of course, that the carbureter is
properly adjusted to mix the gasolene
with air to give the proper explosive mix
ture. 1t is understood, OF course, that too
much gasolene in the mixture will not ex-
plode properly, and the same result il the
mixture is too thin. 1t is then reasonable
to suppose that the points OF the spark
plug are fouled by burned or carboned oil.
Screw the spark plug out of the cylinder
and wash the spark plug out and cleanse
it with gasolene, and scrape the points OF
the plug to clean them. The points OF the
plug should be little less than one-six-
tenth Of an inch apart.
"You might test the spark plug by lay