The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-09-07

A copper tank. adjusted to the ex-
haust pipe, containing two quarts OF
water 10 connected by copper tube to
intake manifold. The suction of the
intake stroke takes the vapor with
mixture to explosion chamber. Pro-
vided the small amount of water in the
vapor gets to the chamber, will it cause
more power, less carbon n tend to-
ward economy
There are many theories advanced
for the action of water in the intake
manifold, and all Of them are combated
just as strongly as they are advanced.
One Of the theories held quite widely
is that the water If entering In very
minute quantities will be transformed
into steam, which on coming in con-
act with the blowing carbon Will form
carbon dioxide, thus cleaning the cyl
inders Of carbon. 1t Is generally ac-
cepted that no increase In power is
given by the admission of water.
There does not seem to be any reason
why the economy should be better.
10 q long stroke motor capable OF
turning over faster than q short
stroke?
No, o so fast. Limiting speed Is
piston speed In feet per minute, not
revolutions per minute.
Can you give mo the different meth
DDS Of testing the effectual working Of
the spark plugs in giving equal n
uniform explosions, and If there 10 any
variation owing to the strength or pow
or Of the spark7
The operation Of the spark plug can
be readily determined by eye. All that
Is necessary to do Is to place the spark
plug points at the proper distance
apart. which is between one-sixty-
fourth and one-thirty-second inch for
magnetic use. and then after this ap-
proximate adjustment is made remove
the plug from the cylinder and start
the engine on the other three. The
color and intensity Of the spark which
jumps across the gap of the plug re-
moved from the cylinder gives a ready
clew to its performance when firing a
'io'S S' Inv oBoAh "oy I'LL a"N
way from a thin. fine line to a thick
dot OF flame. Something between the
two. or a hot blue spark. is most de-
sired.
Ny engine refuses to respond or
chokes down on too sudden and to
wide opening Of the throttle. Can you
tell me the cause of this?
The choking action of which you
speak is generally due to too rich a
mixture. Properly designed motors, IN
less improperly timed. do not suffer
from defective suction.
Will you kindly inform me what 10
the matter with the electric lighting
and starting system of my car? The
ammeter charges as long as keep the
car running above ten or twelve miles
per hour, but when slow down to less
than that for a little while and then
speed up to even twenty-five miles per
hour the ammeter does not indicate
charging, but remain at zero. Then
if the engine is stopped and started
again the ammeter continues to charge
as before. The car has been run $50
miles, and the test of the specific, grav-
ity of the storage battery is about
1880.
1t Is possible that all of the onnec
tons are not tight and that they occa- t.
sionally make Door contacts. decreas-
ing the output due to the additional re-
sistance. 1t is also found that oil in
the cOmmutator or brushes will cause
trouble similar to yours. This is due
to the fact that at low speeds the oil
will sufficiently insulate the brushes
from the commutator so that when the
generator just commences to turn over
and is producing only about one volt
the oil will prevent a circuit SO that
the output Is zero. At times when
running at high speed the brushes may
be able to touch the ~commutatOr, al
lowing the fields to become saturated
and the output normal. 1t Is also pos.
sible that the ammeter needle may be
sticking, and the vibration Of the car
at high speeds is sufficient to loosen 1t.
What would cause q grinding noise
in the d~ifferentiaI Of my car when
coasting7 II 10 all right when pulling.
The only cause Of a grinding noise in
the differential would be. first, a seri-
Gus misalignment or maladjustment Of
the two gears, and. second. a foreign
substance In the gear case. Any such
noise as this is more apparent when
the car is cOasting ahead Of the motor.
as this allows the rear wheels to take
up the back lash in the driving gears.
You should take the car to a first class
garage, where a mechanic can take up
the play and put the gears in proper
MESH.
What is meant by a cast steel gear,
a drop forged7 Are there vanadium
gears in use on many cars, and which
Of the three are the best. and which
costs the manufacturer the most to
produce?
A cast steel gear is one in which the
gear Is a steel casting. A drop forged
gear Is one In which it is a forging.
Vanadium steel gears are used on a