The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-10
MOTOR EFFICIENCY
IN COLD WEATHER
Pointers for the Man Who
Wants to Keep Going
All Winter.

the motortst may pc excused III nc soine-
what petulently mlsquotes: Now il the
winter OF our discomfort upon u.s." Soon
the chilly mornings will begin to threaten
zero or at any rate n thermometer low
eroush to make trouble in starting the
frigid engine, as the owner likes to have
It start-on the first turn. Yet by taxi
ing few simple precautions the motorist
may obviate most Of the trouble and
have reasonable engine efficiency. even in
the Simplest weather. +
Hard starting In cool weather has
| always been a chronic disease In mo-
tordom. In the early days OF the
motor era we had superfine gasclene. but
the engines in which we burned 1t were
so crude that they, were difficult to start
any way. Now we have excellent en-
gines, but our gasolene has detoriorated
30 that starting troubles are, II any
thing. more prevalent than they were.
Fortunately this situation has led to
the invention of many devices and ma
terials designed expressly TO overcome
this reluctance on the part Of the cold
engine. Even in the sunny southland
and in California there are many MORN
ings In winter when the car owner is
glad to avail himself OF the help thus
afforded him.
| Undoubtedly the best method of get
ting an easy start in cold weather Is
printing. Those of us who are veterans
at the game have primed religiously for
years. opening the petcocks and pouring
In a little high test gas to start things
going. But this procedure has been
too slow for the present generation, and
there are OH the market now n number
OF printing outfits by means of which
the operator can sit In his seat and
prime from there These sets consist Of
a small tank holding say a quart and
placed out of sight under the dash.
From this a lead conducts whatever
liquid is used into the intake manifold
at the will OF the driver. who has con-
troll, usually in the form Of a pump,
conveniently placed. A primer OUTFIT OF
this kind may be purchased at cost
of anywhere from SIS to $40. It is easily
Installed by any one who Is mechanical
enough to be 1T to drive car.
Now as to the question OF what 10
put In the primer. There Is nothing
much better than 76 degree Pennsyl-
fuels from the other fields. This Is
practically tho fuel we used to get in
the old days when the motor car was
a newcomer on tho roads OF America
and 1t will fire every time on the first
turn IL there is a reasonably good spark.
Some OF the companies put out product
known. as petroleum ethe<," which IS
simply one OF the lighter products OF
dIstillation and makes an admirable
starting fuel. In the old days when
most of us lighted by acety!ene. It was
possible TO have the gas tank adapted
for use as a primer, and this too served
eXcellently well.
| There are number OF tried and
true old fashioned methods OF assisting
the start in cold weather; for instance,
there is draining the cooling system and
6llng It with hot water to warm up
the metal and make It possible to vapof
lie the ordinary gasoGene. The applca-
ton OF heat by any other means to the
inlet manifold may produce the desired
results, although the present grade OF
gasolene Is SO heavy that the old method
OF laying hot cloths on the manifold will
scarcely do. An Ingenious motorist Of
unconquerable optimism gets his winter
start by applying the fiaIue of a blow
torch to the inlet manifold, but this
method has obvious drawbacks How
aver, enough has been said to show the
car owner who has been troubled by
nard starting that equipment is avail
able to end his troubles.
But winter troubles do not end with
the start. With our present grades Of
fuel there is constant tendency 10
ward conservation Even after the gaso'
lene has been csrbureted and is on Il,
way TO the combustion chamber It 1:
quito likely TO condense on the side'
OF the manifold II these become chilled
For this reason II In necessary to us,
as much heat as possible I'm connection
with the carbure' on system. The al
/ for the mixture .h'uld be taken from
around the exhaust manifold. so that i
viii be heated. This is easily arranged
, by means OF so-called stove and fiex
J ibie tubing. Many carbureters are nov
fitted with hot water Jackets. and
, would be n good thing II all of then
had such equipment In cases where (
car owner has had unusual trouble wi:i
lowered engine efficiency In cold weather
II will pay him TO install n jacketeC
= instrument in place OF his old one. Thi
question OF engine efficiency is NOR
. important than might appear at frs
J glance. The Fuel Administration II
Washington has asked US all to be a
saving as possible with gasolene. Nov
, engine efficiency means fuel economy
! the two terms are synonymous. and 1
Is our duty TO get the last ounce o
power out OF every gallon Of fuel W,
use
Last winter was signalzed by the ap
, pearance OF a considerable number o
, so-called not spots" This slmpl,
= means an area OF the intake manifol,
heated. SO that the fuel vapor passing
over 1t is heated and goes to the com
, bustion chamber with plenty OF snal
/. and vim In IT, These hot spots ar
usually obtained through connection witt
the exhaust manifold. and they undoubt
eddy contribute to engine efficiency II
cold weather. In this connection II ma.
he noted that a hot spot does not con
tribute to easy starting for the simple
reason that the spot does not get no