The Washington herald., 1917-12-09
Winter Warning Issued
To District Motorists
Owners of Cars Urged to Use Anti-Freeze
Mixtures to Protect Machinery
Against Cold Weather.

not freeze until the Thermometer
touches five deglS,s below zero. Not
the least of winter driving, how
ever, is the difficulty of starting the
engine. This applies to the morn:
ing, in particular, or after the car
has been standing for some time.
Tho best plan is to install a prim-
ing device, consisting of a small tank
on the dash and piping to the inlet
manifold. By this means some highly
volatile fluid. high-test gasoline, or.
better, petroleum ether. which may
generally be secured from the local
oil company, Is injected into the COM
bustion chamber. This light fluid
vaporizes in spite OF the cold, and
the result is immediate firing.
Keep Battery Charged.
Most motorists know that the stor-
age battery loses much of its ef-
fectiveness in cold weather. Double
cause, then, to keep the battery fully
charged. so that 1t will be able to
cope with the increased burden. More
over. IL the battery is allowed to
run down until the electroIyte is
little more than plain water, there is
lllNlC VI d II6cEt lndI Will
the unit out of commission perma-
nently. As a matter Of safety first.
the owner who proposes driving
through the snow and sleet storms of
winter should certainly provide him
self with some sort Of cleaner for the
windshield. Snowflakes mottle the
glass and rain spots II, so that the
driver does not get clear view ahead.
Obviously this may lead to accidents
Of any degree of seriousness.
The operation of the cars mech
anism Is facilitated by thermostatic
control of the cooling system, which
shuts OF the circulation of the water
after 1t drops below a certain degree
Of temperature. All cars cannot be
so equipped. and. lacking this sort
Of device, the driver should use a
radiator and hood cover. These are
made Of leather or oilcloth or some
similar imprevious material. warmly
lined. and they do much to keep the
temperature of the engine up to a
point where efficient operation is pos
sible.
No prudent driver will leave the
garag0in wet or snowy weather with
out having put on a set of chains.
Life Is short enough without de-
hberately risking the little span
granted. The covers that are COM
monty known as tire overshoes aIe
also worth consideration a. pro-
moters OF safety in winter driving.
Winter work calls for the use of light
oils in the Transmission and rear
axle, in place Of the heavy used dur
ing the warm wealth. Tires will need
more attention. and the slightest cut
should be plugged Immediately, SO as
to prevent water and mud from en-.
tering and rotting the fabric under
meath.
Keep Garage Warm.
30 far as the garage Is concerned,
the veriast tyro knows that 1t should
De heated II the car 10 to be usec
regularly during the winter. While
no actual damage may result in tho
mechanism from standing overnishY
In the cold. provided Of course. that
an antt-freexe solution IL used, the
whole respiratory system is so
thoroughly chilled that It may take
an hours running to get the metal
sufficiently warmed up to allow Of
really efficient operation.
Then there are many owners who
use the garage also as a workshop,
II tho room is unheated in winter.
IT is not going to be pleasant to work
there and many needful Jobs will be
slighted or entirely neglected. The
steam or hot-water system may be
extended from the house, or a coal
stove in a lean-to against the gar
age itself. with q fre-walI betyeen.
may be installed. Also there are a
number of types of garage heaters on
the market. some employing gas,
others kerosene or coal,