The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-08-27
THE GASOLINE ENGINE.
How to Doctor the Creature When j
Is Sick.

Is 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 load refuses
to do so again we should not condemn
the machine as a whole, but should
understand thai probably one small
thing is out of order, and we should
search for and repair this trouble. The
best general treatment for the disease
of the gasoline engine is to make free
use of the proverbial ounce of pre-
'vention in the form of gasoline, good
cylinder oil. good battery, a good
wiping rag, and a frequent and close
inspection of all bearings and work
ing parts. South Carolina has no law
regulating the quality of gasoline of
fered for sale. And the farmer must
sometimes accept an inferior gasoline
or do without. The low grade gaso-
lines contain cheaper, less volatile
oils, and do not vaporiZe easily, ,es-
pecially 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 vaporize the
gasoline after the engine warns up.
Care should be exercised in apply
ing hot water, not to get water in
the 'carburetor.
If gasoline contains water it 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
interior of the gasoline engine cylin
der a special oil having a high burn
ing point should be used in the cylin-
der. Ordinary machine oil or steam
engine cylinder 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 igni-
ton.
The writer ha- observed the case
of one gasoline, engine which was in
excellent condition being discarded by
the operator, on the ground, that it
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 a good grade of gasoline
cylinder oil and not more of it than
the manufacturers directions call for.
In running a gasoline engine
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 it will read
lower than six anperes.
One dead cell in 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 if the
battery box. is subject to any shaking
A source of trouble in gasoline en-
CINE operation is the occurrence Of the
spark at the wrong time. When the.
spark occurs in the cylinder the gase-
Gus charge is ignited and burns very
rapidly, producing the pressure in the
cylinder. Since a small amount o.
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