The Washington herald., 1911-10-08
CAPITAL Is MECCA
FOR AUTO TOURISTS
Great Influx of Cars Due in
Next Three Weeks.


will be great influx of automo.
biles into this city. This does not
necessarily mean that the automobile
population of Washington is going to
leap by jumps and bounds owing to a
| large number of people suddenly realiz-
ing that they have found the automobile
an Indispensable part of the family equip
| age. While the prospects for good sea-
son are bright and nearly all of the
dealers have orders booked ahead, and
are waiting delivery on them, the in
fluX is due to the number who have been
away during the summer months or as
it is more generally known "off season.
returning to the city.
Washington unlike any other city in
the country is strictly residential town,
and all who can leave during the
summer months. The majority of this
class are people of means and own
automobiles. Since the roads have been
improved through the Eastern States, and
summer resorts made provision for gar
aging automobiles, this class take their
cars with them.
Many of them spend the entire summer
practically in their cars motoring from
one place to another. remaining in each
just so long as fancy dictates or until
they tire of it. Before starting away
they had their cars taken down and
Overhauled. so as to insure no trouble or
a minimum amount of il while away.
Since that time many of these machines
have covered anywhere from five to ten
thousand miles without much of any
attention. After a journey of this nature
the machinery naturally needs looking
after, and il is almost safe prediction
to say that nearly every car that has
been away for the summer is either be-
-
are being made 10 do it within the course
of a few days.
OTerhauIing the Machine.
Bearings have worked loose cylinders
have Carbonizcd, the oil and grease in
the transmission and differential have
lost their life and must be replaced In
addition to this some of the parts have,
perhaps. become worn and need replace
ment, and as a result the car has become
noisy. The inspection and work on these
cars is far more than the ordinary look
ing over which a machine gets prelimi-
nary TO a few days trip in the country
II is complete overhaul.
The motor is torn down from radiator
to NY wheel, the gears all taken out
washed in gasoline, and If they show
signs of wear are replaced. while the
bearings if scored or worn are replaced
and the valves rcseated. Everything pos
sible is done to eliminate the slightest
noise and promote efficiency. for noise
and efficiency can hardly he said to go
together. Friction produces noise and
heat. both forms of energy, and hence
represent u loss of power.
Bearings are so adjusted that while
they prevent of free movement the work
ing parts are properly held to their place
This play is so slight that it can hardly
he noticed. but sufficient at the speed the
motor travels TO allow Of free movement
of all working parts without loss OF en-
ergy.
Loss of Power.
The greatest source of loss of power
is due TO improper seating of the valves,
due in many instances 10 their carboniza-
ton and thus allowing the compression to
blow by Grinding and seating valves on
the face Of it does not appear to be any
thing out of the ordinary. but to be done
right it takes a mechanic who under |
stands his work. Not only must the car |
bon lie ground from the valve itself. but
from the seat as well. and both must be
made to fit perfectly. The carbon on top !
of the piston head and in the top Of the |
cylinder are other reasons for the faulty |
working Of the motor. While at first
they may tend TO a very slight degree to
increase the compression. this foreign |
matter soon heats up and causes a pre- |
mature. explosion of the charge.
Leaky manifOlds are encountered at |
times and the hiss of the loose eN- |
haust is unmistakable. In this case the |
Joint is generally found to be defective |
owing to the gaSket having been burnt }
or worn out. a very satisfactory repair |
may be quickly made by merely cutting |
a new gasket andS fitting it in place of |
IT. + - l. I'D Of
pair. however that is made in carefully |
tuning up the motor to secure efficiency |
in all its parts, as very often at least /
part of the old gasket will find its way |
into the the manifold and cause trouble |
eventually.
If the exhaust pipe is carefully re-
moved and Clamped in a wise, and the |
file worked over the surface of the fiange
after the old packing has been carefully
scraped away, a much more satisfactory
Job will be made and the man who per-
forms the work will have classed himself |
with those whose automobiles far outlive
the cars which receive nothing more than
the average care. In filing the flange in
a horizontal manner a burr will be
raised on the inner edge of the flange
which should be removed This is done
by filing vertically.
Use OF the MuHer.
One of these points which require the
attention of the motorist who aims at
the attainment of the highest power
possible from his engine and yet is very
frequently overlooked is the muffer. A
nufier is designed for the purpose of
,iIencing the exhaust, which without it
would be very noisy. To silence the ex-
laust a certain amount OF power must
De sacrificed by increasing the back
PRESSURE against the exhaust of the mo-
or. After a time, especially If the
motor has been running with a super
abundance OF lubricating oil, the muffier
becomes clogged with SCOT and dirt,
hereby increasing the back pressure
Igainst the exhaust. Care should be
AIKEN to remove the muffler casing from
ime TO time to remove the deposit.
A slipping clutch is an evil that should
,e corrected as soon as 1t manifests it.
elf, for each time that the clutch slips
n additional glaze is given the leather
it is a leather-faced cone clutch, and
he trouble which at first seemed yery |