Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-29
.s|MPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
!. CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Ignition Troubles, Their Causes and
"a Remedies, Explained Fully
tSe by Gucrrlich.
OWNERS, PROBLEMS SOLVED
Questions From Many AutomobilistS
Arc Answered in illuminating
Fashion by Expert Who Knows
Autos Every Cranky Point.

ITO most people the ignition spark
making, systeiS OF an auto seems tVt,i
iIifcateu and yet ii is really quite SIM
,,le. and ITS troubles can GoneraiiN DC
located aud corrected easier thAii 'hoSe
OF either compression OF miNts't'
To hunt Tor ignition i'"Unl, one
mus, know that l. mas Two CIRCUITS
me hign tension. III wnlch Is lhc COZ. =
tie ulStriputor anu the spare PiuSS'
and the low tension, IN which Is tHt
battery. The switch, the cnii ana inc
lei us see where the trouble might
asNs!op We WIN MI Id JSk, Wy cI 'nt
,ui, is the Gattcry.sor magnetic. The
magnetic we Viii study SeparateiH: 80 SO
TEE US now take up the battery. lm ne
battery may De discharged. Ia II pc
n dry battery we VIII determine inns
by. the use of volt -ammeter, He
less than ten ampetes ,neNer BUY u
call giving less imam twenty. rms
only remedy for a discharged dry cell
s.,io replace it,, TO tell ~ sto'as.
FUSED If the reading * less ihAn
12pO, the battery nne@,,Sn rer iindgln.i
but the connecting links bti"tcn 'h1
tefis loose or dirty. III whith case no
tQtrcnt would issue tnereifom' ny
tattery may he out al o:utf' Wis.,.
Next 70 the battery comes inc
sN-itcn. This is often a source OF tr"u-
bic as the movable contact arm may
have become soft and bent ana 50
not be making !, contact. The rem
ndS is TO bend tins arm nach a&"'n
but If the trouble soon returns, IT
shSuld be replaced This arm arm, may h
h.Se become tarniSsGd and dirty the
dirt acting as an insulation.
$.After the switch comes the con-.
This seldom gives trouble. unless =
Inc switch be lief, on while the en-.
Eine is not running. the coil Will neat
TIP and the insulation which often -
2Hly WaNeu n"pSr "n s''T ,,oi WI trom re =
should only he taken 10 an expert on
This KIND Of work
The next unit after the coil is the
interrupted. Water or oil may have
he, short circuitcd. The remedy is 10
Wipe it dry and thoroughly clean.
The interrupter points may no. open
pti may not make contact. This can
he seen by having some one slowly
turn over the engine while YOU watci.
Them. When the roller 81 the int err
upter is againsi the hammer, or M u
open about l-S0 of an inch. or about
the thicknesS.of a visiting card. The
illustrator pws the position OF ;he
cam when ~ points are open. When
h.usl make Geac,.
In time the interrupter points may
become burned. or pitted. a. i; is
termed. This will offer resistance
totthe current and thus cause "A weak
ening of the secondary. THIS may he
shinccnt 10 cause failure OF the
spark. To remedy. get i doublc-faced,
thin tnger-nail tile and insert ii be-
tween the two points and so iilc them
hoth at once. II filed separately YOU
may, sc, Them as shown in figure
Which. II anything, Will be Worse than
the pitted points.
Efrhe wires are the cause Of more
igp.tion trouble than are the uniis in
the system. They may become loose.
broken or short cigcu!tet. Tho short
circuit may De due 10 the wire becoin-
iluon beng worn OFT q; >rn;s ana.
10 The fact that ths ter
imtrals between the binding posts and
lae insulation nave come in cci.:&c.
with the metal Of the engine