New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-21
What Do You DO When That New Automobile Arrives?

ticulsr method Of efecting these
/ changes.
To change from neutral 70 first the
clutch should be withdrawn, and after
waiting about couple Of seconds for
the gear shaft to slow down the lever
should be gently pushed into the first
speed notch. For the other changes up
/ the driver should declutch and olsen
gage the gears by leaving the lever
Z midway between the speeds for mo-
ment This, again, gives time for tho
gear shaft 10 slow down, and the gear
! should then be meshed by very gen
/ tie, rather feeling, movement of the
/ lever To change down on all gears,
/ the throttle should be closed to about
! quarter and at the same time the clutch
should be withdrawn. The gear lever
I should then be brought to the between
gears position and the gear shaft
I speeded up by a momentary engage
ment of the clutch. The gear Lowell
should then be put into its notch and
/ the clutch let in and the throttle
/ opened.
When climbing hills, do not wait to
I see how far you can go before shifting
/ into "low," but as soon as you feel
/ that the engine is about to labor. or
( the speed of the car has fallen low,
/ shift 10 the next lower speed, taking
care TO shift quickly. so that the en-
CINE will not be allowed TO race" and
the car meanwhile lose its momentum.
The amount of success that the new
driver will have in gear shifting de-
Ponds upon practice and skill.
How TO Use the Brakes.
Having learned something about
climbing a hill, there is also something
to learn about going down an incline.
If the hill is only short one the
clutch may be disengaged and the en-
Z CINE allowed to run slowly. If the hill
is a long one, the engine may be
stopped altogether, and with the clutch
out, the car allowed to run down by
gravity; the quiet coasting will be
, found a welcome change. On nearing
the bottom of hill the clutch should
be gradually let in, SO as to start up
! the engine again. II the hill is very
steep the car should be kept well in
hand from the very top. The first
speed should be put in and the ignition
switched off; thus the engine will be
converted into an air pump or brake,
which will serve as sort of an aux
| iliary brake.
Both the foot and the hand brakes
/ should be tested soon after starting
/ out on a run. If the car shows dis
position to get away down a hill, the
/ clutch should be let in gently, with
| the ignition switch off or the throttle
/ quite closed. This will serve TO limit
! the speed of the car
| Broadly speaking, and in a general
way. the brakes should be applied as
. ,,o..fbla
/ car come dashing up TO it's destlns-
/ ton and pull up in a few yards. THIS
| only shows that the driver has more
/ control over the machine than he has
/ over himself. Nothing is gained by
/ such action unless it it bad reputa-
ton and prematurely worn out tires,
| As a general rule, do not operate sud
I denly either the spark or throttle
/ levers. The changes effected by these
means should always be made gradu-
ally. And, finally, practice with your
/ car until the control of it becomes per-
fectly automatic. Until then you can
never trust yourself to do the right
/ thing in an emergency.
Changing the Spark.
| In the matter Of acceleratlon, very
/ GOOD rule is TO speed the engine always
! a trife in advance of the load, out
/ never sufficiently to allow II TO race.
| Thus. when hill is to be taken the
! acceleration will come before the rise
/ commences and will be gradually IN
creased TO full power. when. II neces-
I sary, the change of gears will be made
/ before the car has dropped much below
normal speed. Similarly there should
/ always be a slight acceleration just be
| fore the clutch is let in. When the
latter is released. of course, the re,
tardation should be accomplished
simultaneously. The speed and power
may be varously controlled IN one or
three ways: BY the quality OF the
mixture. the throttling Of It and by
varying the time of ignition. Not 10
90 into elementary details, 1T IS SUI.
fcient to say that the best method OF
regulation is by the throttle. leaving
the mixture constant and the timing OF
the ignition practically so.
In some cases il is necessary 10 con
troll almost wholly by the spark, out
this should not be done unless IT - aD-
solutely necessary, since II involves
Z heating the engine when it IS run Tor
any length of time with late sparh'
There are motors so contrived that the
ignition is actuated automatically, but
this method involves complex mechah-
ism. and is not OF particular advantage
when il comes TO retardation. How
ever. for acceleration IL can be consid-
/ arad n convenience but not a necessity.