Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-23
THE GASOLINE ENGINE.
How to Doctor the Creature When II
10 Sick.

How to Doctor the Creature When |,
10 Sick.
The following instructive article on
the diseases of the gasoline engine
and the remedies therefor, has been
sent out from Clemson College:
When gasoline engine that is known
to have carried q load refuses to do SO
again we should not condemn the ma
chine as whole, but should under
stand that probably one small thing is
out of order, and we should search for
and repair this trouble The best gen.
eral treatment for the diseases of the
gasoline engine Is to make free use OF
the proverbial ounce Of prevention In
the form Of gasoline, good cylinder oil,
q good battery, good wiping rag, and
a frequent and close inspection Of all
bearings and working parts. South
Carolina has no law regulating the
quality Of gasoline offered for sale,
And the farmer must sometimes accept
an inferior gasoline or do without. The
low grade gasolines contain cheaper,
less volatile oils, and do not vaporize
easily, especially in cold weather.
Pouring hot water on the carburetor
will help to get the engine started in
case there Is this trouble, and the heat
from the engine itself will usually va
porize the gasoline after the engine
warns up.
Care should be exercised in applying
hot water. not to get water into the
carburetor.
If gasoline contains water 1t may be
removed by straining through a piece
Of very fine wire cloth or through a
piece Of chamois skin.
Regarding cylinder oil, on account of
the very high temperature of the in
terror Of the gasoline engine cylinder a
special oil having a high burning point
should be used In the cylinder. Ordi-
nary machine oil or steam engine cy-
Under oil should never be used as the
heat Of the gasoline engine cylinder
chars these oils and covers everything
inside the cylinder with a deposit of
carbon that soon prevents contact In
the sparker and stops ignition.
The writer has observed the case of
one gasoline engine which was in ex-
cellent condition being discarded by
the operator, on the ground, that 1t
could not be depended upon, when the
only trouble was that the operator,
despite repeated advice to the con-
trary, insisted on filling the lubricator
with any oil that looked black and
thick. Use good grade Of gasoline
cylinder oil and not more Of it than the
manufacturers directions call for.
II ignition occurs any after the end
one secret Of successful operation Is to
know your battery. Every gasoline
engine operator should have battery
ammeter which may be bought for a
small sum, and with this the battery
should be tested frequently. A good
quality of dry cell suitable for ignition
should read from twenty five to thirty
amperes when new, and cell should
be thrown away when 1t will read
lower than six amperes.
One dead cell in a battery greatly
reduces its power and should be re-
placed as soon as discovered.
Battery connections should be exam
ined frequently, as they are very dis
posed to work loose, especially II the
battery box is subject to any shaking.
A source of trouble in gasoline en-
gine operation is the occurrence Of the
spark at the wrong time. When the
spark occurs in the cylinder the CASE
GUS charge is ignited and burns very
rapidly, producing the pressure In the
cylinder. Since a small amount OF
time Is required for the maximum
pressure to be established after igni-
tion occurs 1t is necessary for ignition
to occur slightly before the piston
reaches the end Of the compression
stroke in order that the piston may be
started on the working stroke with
the greatest pressure acting on 1t.
II ignition occurs any after the err
of the compression stroke, very great
loss of power results. When it is neces-
sary to change the time Of ignition 1t
can best be done by trial, the adjust
ment being made to produce the great
est power in the engine. This is very
easily judged after a little practice.
Regulation Of the gasoline valve In
the carburetor will vary with different
atmospheric conditions, and should al
ways be set to secure against greatest
power.