Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-09
well as one can if working In bodily
comfort?
Drain Off All Water.

If neither stove nor non-freezing COM
pound is employed, the only alternative
| is to relgiously empty the cooling water
out of the system before locking up the
| car for the night If this is the method
resorted to it is not suf1icient-especially
with the older types of cars-to open
the drain cock and trust to luck that all
the water will drain out. as many cars
have been built in which there are pockets
in the cooling system which cannot be
perfectly drained The circuit should
| therefore be carefully inspected to see
whether all the water can flow to the
drain opening, otherwise the pipes must
| be taken off Pockets are particularly
| liable to occur in the pump, with the
| result that the latter will freeze tight
and some part of it will be broken when
| it is next attempted to start the motor.
| It is therefore we'll, before starting an
engine afer a cold spell, to ascertain
whether the pump is free BY turning 1t
| by hand, if this can be done A burst is a
burst and it will sometimes cost just as
much to repair the ravages OF one caused
by imperfect draining OF the water re-
ceptacle as one due to the neglect to take
any precautions whatever. As long as a
car is kept in commission through the
winter 1t ought to be looked after prop
erly, and there can be but one way of
thinking about the matter of freezing
|. e. that an ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure.
Oil Thickens in Winter.
AS has already been indicated, other
cold weather difficulties relate to the lu-
IRRIGATION and to the carburation Oil
thickens greatly in cold weather. and
will not flow readily, if it flows at all.
through the feed pipes. In many modern
cars the oil reservoir is so located that
it is heated by the engine, and after a
short period of running feeds at the same
rate as in summer.
Where this is not the case the lubricat-
ing oil may be thinned down with kero-
sene to the same consistency as 1t has IN
warm weather. A somewhat nghter
grade of oil may also be used in winter
Making this change in oil affords an ex-
cellent opportunity of giving the motor
thorough flushing out with kerosene,
taking particular care that the oil feeds
are we'll cleared, SO that there will he
no obstruction to the flow of the thin Oil
by the residue of the same lubricant.
More flooding of the carburetor is apt
to be required in starting in cold than IN
warm weather but this should not be
carried to excess. If the mixture is over
rich it will be necessary to work OF the
surplus by turning the starting handle
until the mixture is reduced to an explos-
i've quality. Another cold weather mint
| is to drain the gasoline from the car
buretor If it has been standing for some
time as it is apt to become stale and
make starting difficult
Tires Also Suffer.
Tires suffer severely If driven carelessly
over rough, frozen roads. If there is
much snow about it is wise to be pro-
vided with something to give the tires a
grip on slippery surfaces. If no regular
anti-skidding device is fitted, 1t Is
simple matter to keep in the tool box q
supply of small chain to wrap round the
tires in case of necessity. There are,
however, a number of anti-skidding at
tachments on the market that do not in
jure the tires and will effectually prevent
slipping while they save time and an
noyance to the driver If the car Is to be
used extensively in the winter
| Finally, like many another thing that
| is either a success or a failure. according
as to whether it is logically pursued or
the reverse, winter motoring is merely a
| case of adequate preparation. backed up
by a little common sense and determine
| ton to insure full measure of the
| former Out, then. with your car and
| show the world that they are not fair
/ weather toys, and that you can even face
a few flakes of snow in them, and yet be
merry.