The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-07-20
of
Motorisn

When a clutch starts slipping bad
ly it is needless to race the engine in
the hope that the car will move
faster. Rather operate the engine
slowly with slight change in speed,
so as to attempt to cause the fly
wheel to. carry the clutch around.
When the engine is raced it makes
matters worse all around, for the
clutch does not hold and there is
possibility of burning it up alto
gether.
For common travel near home the
spare tire should not be carried on
the car where it will deteriorate al
most as fast as if in actual use.
Before taking the car out of the
garage inspect the tires carefully,
and if tread cuts need repairs put on
the spare tire in place of the injured
one while repairs are being made.
Electric cables that rub on sharp
edges of battery box or other parts
will soon wear thru the insulation
from vibration of the car, and a
short circuit will occur that may be
hard to locate These parts should
be well protected with adhesive tape
and frequently inspected.
Short circuits may be found in
countless places. Generally they are
found in the battery itself, around
the battery where electrolyte has
been carelessly spilled, or in the
wiring some distance from the bat
terry. Then, again, one might occur
at such a point in the electrical sys-
tenn as not to directly affect the bat
terry, yet seriously interfere with the
working of some other part OF the
equipment, with the resultant waste
of such energy as would render the
battery powerless to operate even
the lamps of the car.
An automobile dealer says that
any one who wants to have a nne
running motor should put a couple
of quarts of light or medium lubr1-
eating oil in with every ten gallons
of gasoline pumped into the tank
This is praticulary efficacious, ne
saws. in the case of new motor. 1t
will be limbered up in considerably
less time and will give better service
thereafter.
If a short circuit is found and can
not Immediately be repaired, discon-
meet one terminal lead Of the battery
and tape the dangling end. To test
a battery for 'shot" comply care
fully with the following instructions:
Change the battery at night, upon
completion of the charge unbolt the
terminal connections and thereby $50
late the battery so that 1t cannot pc
affected by outside influences. rake
reading.
The following morning take an
other specific gravity reading. Ii the
reading is as high as at the end OF
the charge the battery is o. X. ana
the supposed "short" is in the wiring.
IF. however, the reading in one or
more cells should fall during the
night. then the battery itself is short
ed. Fl,
Motorcycle owners frequently Will
find that dragging brakes are
source of loss in power. Many rloers
in order to prevent the bands pear
ing on the drum loosen them to such
an extent that the bands cannot pc
brought into action quick enough.
IF a new dime can be pushed in cage
wise between the band and the drum
at any point, but the band anchorage
nm an external brake, there Will pc
enough clearance for ordinary run,
ming and at the same time the bano
will he near enough to the droW 10
allow of instant brake application.
MANY motorists still believe that
in hot weather the air in a tire ex-
pands to the danger point. II Is
true TO course, that on a warm Gay
the air does expend, but SO sllgnIiy
that it's effect is negligible. Ine
practice of running tires at less than
the recommended pressure instead OF
erecting a saving has cost motorists
thousands of dollars, for 1nternai
tire heat-the thing the driver Is try
ing to avoid-results not from tne
temperature of the outside air but
from constant bending Of the tire as
it rolls along the road. Running the
tires underinfiated simply increases
this bending on the sides.
Spark plug porcelains crack from
a variety Of causes. A chance dow
from wrench while tightening, pull
ing too hard in the ignition wlre'
dropping the plug or defect in man
ufacture are frequent causes. But
the usual trouble is from screWlng
them too hard into the cylinder. AS
the plug heats up and expands IL
cracks the porcelain.
Do not neglect to take a few spark
plug cores with you on your trip:
The metal parts Of spark plug Will
last almost indefinitely, but the cores
must break in time, and that usually
means buying a new spark plug. AS
the cores can be bought for frac-
ton of the cost Of a new plug, IL
means economy to carry few with
you. Also carry few extra gaskets.
Denver Post.