New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-08-16
PROPER CARE IS
DUE TO MUFFLER
Purpose of Device Is to Diminish
Noise Of Exhaust and Permit
Gas to Escape.
CL0GG|NG SHUTS OFF POWER
It Must Be Taken Apart to Clean and
All Carbon Deposits Removed
Ream Out Small Holes With
Three-cornered File.

why Is a mufler, used on a carr
IL a common question among motor
lists, and they sometimes add: "Wha
care does it need and to what trouble
is 1t subject?"
The purpose Of the muffler Is to di.
minish the noise Of the exhaust. The
gas escapes from the exhaust valve nj
high pressure and the resulting noise
Is dlsagreeable unless silenced. II
Is necessary to reduce the pressure
from each explosion and to allow the
gas to escape so that a great deal of
Its force is dlssipated and its dlsjoint-
ed nature completely changed. The
gas then passes out quietly with only
a slight pulsation or throbbing.
The methods by which this Is
brought about are very simple. A gas
passing along an ordinary pipe would
be slowed down and spread out. This
arrangement would require too long
a pipe. So battle plates are used to
make the gas turn corners and force
Its way through small holes in the
plates. In some mufflers the gas en-
tiers an expansion chamber. All this
time 1t is losing heat and so contract
ing and thus 1t slows down more and
more. The final effect is, as stated, to
have the gas issue from the muf-
fler in a steady. quiet manner.
Leave Muffer Alone.
The care Of the muffier Is to leave
1t alone until 1t becomes clogged. 1t
does Its work without any attention
and requires nothing from the driver.
The only time we think Of 1t Is when
we wish to find out II the engine Is
missing explosions. Then we cut out
the mufler and listen to the sound of
the exhaust. Do this cautiously on the
road, as there are laws against 1t in
many localities. If the sound Of the
exhaust Is not sufficiently loud 1t may
be increased by ~retarding the spark
and opening the throttle part way.
The sound Of each cylinder will then
be brought out distinctly and any
weakness will be noticed Immediately.
cIoggIng Only Trouble.
About the only trouble to which the
mufiler is subject is that It becomes
clogged with SCOT. This may be caused
by too rich a mixture from the carbu-
refer, indicated by black smoke from
the exhaust, or 1t may be caused by oil
working up on top Of the pistons, CIV
Ing the blush white smoke character
lstic Of too much lubricant. Another
cause Is where the carbon has been
scraped loose from the cylinders. but
allowed to fall on the piston. This is
into the muffler, and 80 helps
to clog. In order to clean 1t, II must
taken apart and all the carbon de-
posits removed. If the small holes are
closed with SCOT they must be reamed
with a three-cornered file or bear
ng scraper. The parts are then reas-
'embled carefully and replaced on the
ar.
1t Is easy to tell IL the mufier Is
where there is a cut-out. Run
he machine up a fairly steep hill. If
he a speeds up with the cut-out |
,pen 1t shows that the mufler is
A well-designed silencer
'hould not cut down the power Of the
'ngine more than 3 per cent. This diff
erence will hardly be noticeable on an
hill. So the fact that the car
lows down would indicate back pres
ure due to clogging. :