The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-12
Expert Advice For che
Automobile Owner
Queries and Replies Covering Matter. Il
Importance to the Man Who Runs a Car


If two engines of the same make and
model were set in the same frame, one
ahead Of the other, would the rear
crank shaft be strong enough 70 stand
the strain7
The rear crankshaft would have to be
strong enough to transmit the horse
power Of both motors. This would be
especially true II the timing was 50 ar
ranged that the power strokes of the
two motors were synchronized SO that
the minimum stress from both motors
fell upon the SHIFT at the same time.
In such case as you mention heav-
fer crankshaft should be installed in
, the rear motor.
My car smokes badly and has used
one gallon Of oil in 100 miles. it has a
| splash fabrication system. What Is the
trouble, and how cam remedy lit
When a splash system smokes the
trouble can generally be put down to
either too high a level In the splash
| trough, too deep dipping of the con-
meeting rods or bad piston rings. The
| first two amount to practically the
same thing, because if the level Of the
oil is too high the connecting rod is
sure to dip too deeply into the OIL, and
hence the effect is to splash too much
oil to- the cylinders. When the piston
rings are faulty the OIL leaks past the
rings, and after 1t reaches the com
bustion space is burned in large guam
titles, thereby causing the smoking
and sooting. The proper course for
you to pursue is first to determine the
proper level in the crank case.
The trouble with your oiling system
might be in the leakage Of airSin the
vacuum tank which controls the sup
ply to the crank case. If air leaks
into the cap at the top the oil will flow
out. Of the tank into the crank case,
and the result will be such as. you
mention. Therefore see that the filler
cap on top of the reservoir is abso-
lutely alright. If you win do this and
also see that the OIL level is not above
the plug in the, bottom your system
, will work alright. skY
Have the different makes of masnetos
different material for breaker, points
than platinum, and, if SO, what 10 ft2'
Are there different grades of,,platinum
points?
The SO called platinum points for
magnetos vary greatly in composition
and hardness. Different compositions
and percentages Of iridium are used in
the compositions, the average being
somewhere about Is per cent iridium
or less. In some Of the very cheap
grades no platinum at all is used, nickel
being substituted. These points do not
stand up for any length Of time.
Where platinum is used the only diff,
ference in actual grade Is in the varia-
ton Of the percentages Of alloylng sub.
stances used and also in the thickness
of the points. In some cases the plati-
nun is very thin.
Ny, plate clutch slips. Tried washing
Il with kerosene, but with no results.
Also had the crank case taken off, but
see no nuts to take up on. Have tried
both kinds of oil, but have met with no
success. What is tho eause7
Probably the clutch is being held dis
engaged by the sticking Of the pedal
shaft in its bearing or other members
of the operation mechanism are stick.
ing due to lack Of fabrication. thus not
allowing the clutch to become fully ell.
gaged when the pressure is removed
from the clutch pedal. If the mocha
: nism is found to be In good shape the
next cause would be insufficient pres
sure exerted on the plates. This might
be caused by weak clutch springs or
springs that have taken n permanent
set after few thousand miles of serv-
/ ice.
Automobile manufacturers Gun test
springs for their tension. and, while
great care is exercised in the strength
Of the steel wire which goes into them
and the heat treatment Of the same.
nevertheless occasionally springs will
pass by inspector. no matter how rigid,
that have not been carefully heat
treated, and after some little service
they will take a permanent set and
fail to exert sufficient pressure on the
plate to transmit the power.
The third and most likely cause IS
dirty and gummed plates due to neg
lecting to change the lubricating OIL in
the motor.
When run my car at about twenty
or twenty-five miles per hour II makes
grinding noise az though there. 10
friction somewhere in the transmission
system. Can you tell me the eause2
| Improper mcshlns Of the drive shaft
pinion and master gear is possibly
the cause OF noise appearing in the
diferential whom the machine is driven
at speed Of twenty or twenty-five
miles IN hour. If you will have the
drive shaft pinion and master gear re-
/! placed the trouble will probably be i'm
mediately overcome.
10 eantilever spring as easy riding
az any other kind?
Cantilever springs give easy riding
owing to their ability to check the re-
| bound. The eIliDtic snrinp as llsed on