New-York tribune., 1917-07-29

contributor TO the technical
journals, Mr.. Monierre has t0r,t-
ten an interesting article. for
The Tribune on the pertinent
subject OF icater application for
engine carbon troubles.
By CHARLES E. MANIERRE
Up to the present time a regularly
recurring trouble of the automobile en-
gine, as every car driver knows, has
been the carbonizing of the cylinders.
The knight type engine is the only ex-
ception to the rule. AS soon as the en-
CINE has been cleaned it begins to lose
power, until another cleaning is imper-
ative. The cleaning has been trouble
some and expensive, and the loss OF
power has meant waste of gasolene.
The carbon accumulation forms on
the piston head and on all the other eX-
posed surfaces of the combustion cham
Der in the cylinder. Until within a few
years the only remedy was TO scrapee
the surfaces with specially. formed
tools. Frequently this was a job OF no
small difficulty, and might even require
the taking down Of the engine.
One of the early substitutes Tor TINS
was a special chain which was put In
the cylinder and was thrown about
by the piston motion as the engine ran:
This was effective in some types OF
engine, but unsuited TO others
There appeared then upon the market
various patented and secret compounds
intended to be left in the cylinders for
a few minutes or hours. Experiments
were also made with alcohol and with
kerosene. OF these, probably the most
popular to date has been the expedlent
of leaving about half an ounce of kero-
sene in the hot engine cylinder over
night. If this is done every day or two
the engine will keep in fairly good con-
dition.
The burning out of the cylinders
with oxygen also proved a success. FOR
the last three years occasional expert
menters have reported from time 10
time favorably on the results obtained
by feeding to the cylinders small quah-
titles of water while running or using
comparatively large quantities at the
end of the days use of the car. IN
deed. the use Of a water spray IN TINS
manner is favorably mentioned in Bull
letin 392 of the Geological Survey en-
titled "Gasolene and Alcohol Tests on
Internal Combustion Engines" dated
1909, the quantity of water running as
high as to equal the quantity OF gaso.
lene used. With alcohol, in which OF
course the water mixed with the fuel,
so per cent alcohol was approved.
II is safe to predict that before long
most gasolene engines Will he
equipped for feeding water or water
yapor either to the intake manifold or
TO the carburetOr. A variety of pat
ented devices for this purpose are on
the market. Most OF them are con-
nected to the intake manifold; some
of them deliver to it air which has
bubbled through the water in the TANK
others endeavor to deliver moist steam
and others merely a fine mist of spray
A one e-eighth pipe threaded opening is
generally needed to be drilled in the
manifold.
Many carburetors are adjusted for
too rich q mixture. The device, there
fore, which delivers moist air both thins
the mixture and adds the moisture and
therefore brings hearty praise from
many purchasers. This device does not
so much appeal to the writer; he be-
lieves that an auxiliary AIR ValVe
adjustable on the dash or the
.
take manifold is an important accessory
and also that the carburetor should be
adjusted with this valve half open.
When very gradually opened or closed
! it will ordinarily make unnecessary the
use of the service brake.
/ II is a great saver of gasolene, par
, ticularly where the grade supplies part
of the required car speed. The devices
which furnish either steam or tlnely
divided spray seem more correct.
Usually a needle valve will be found
necessary. as the suction of the intake
manifold is very great and must be
controlled. There are still on the mar
ket small containers holding about a
half pint, and originally intended for
gasolene to be used for priming pur-
poses. These have needle valves, and
are efficient when connected to the
manifold and filled with water.
A quarter turn of the needle valve
may prove sufficient, and the container
will slowly yield its water while the
car covers three or four miles. In the
days run they may be filled three or
four times. II is not necessary that the
water attachment should be operating
constantly. II is better not to start it
till the engine has run several miles
and is thoroughly heated. In fact, if it
is feeding rather generously II Will in
terfere with the carburetion of cold
engine. Probably a gallon of water TO
ten gallons Of gasolene will prove to be
in excess of what is really useful.
In addition to cleaning out the car
bon, or perhaps as result OF II, a
greater spark advance is permitted.
There is also a diminution Of maximum
pressure of the explosion and the time
! l. 10 NJ Tor
This, of course, contributes 10 the
smooth running Of the engine.
In some quarters il has been suggest
ed that the water is actually burned.
This is an impossibility, as any chemist
will admit. If any part of the water Is
dissociated-that is, reduced to hydro
gen and oxygen atoms-the identical
amount of oxygen is again used IN re-
combining. Dissertation at atmospheric
pressure is progressive, in that as the
heat increases a larger proportion OF
the water is affected. Dissertation is
only complete at $500 degrees cent?
grade. Copper, iron and steam all melt
at much lower temperatures, and at
2,3l0 degrees centigrade copper boils.
No more water should be used than
is proved useful, and certainly none
should be added on any theory that in
itself il can give forth power IN the
sense that gasolene does.
The essentials of the simplest system
Of home manufacture are a suitably
supported tank, a copper pipe connec-
tion with the necessary fittings and
needle valve 20 govern the suction. II
convenient the copper pipe may be one
. eighth outside diameter tubing %. d.
I tubing). Care must be taken that the
tank is so placed that the suction of
the manifold will not cause the syphon-
ing of the water
As the needle valve is a necessity