South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-18
Motor Cars
MOTORIST PROBLEM SOLVED
FOR NEWS TIMES READERS
By VIM H. STEWART, JR.
Presi4ens Stewart AutOmOhas School Of New Yor4.

Motor Please tell me
how 10 clean the gasoIene screen.
also the oil tank / have a Maxwell
III" and il has been run nine thou
sand miles on one pair Of tires with
out being cleaned or OFerhauled in
any way. other than by myself. and
has never given one moments trOu-
BILE. aside from an occasional pune
ture. have been getting an aver
age of 90 miles TO the gallon. but
the last few weeks It has been a
little less. DO YOU think cleaning
VIII help any? Thanking you, l ann
I. NJ.
Cloeeing of gasoleue screen Is
shown by sluggish engine when the
throttle is opened. This is because,
some gasolene can get through the
screen. but not enough 10 take care
Of the increased speed. If greater
cloggiug occurs it Will pe shown by
the engine stalling after running
few minutes, but after standing a
short time while IL may 0e started
only TO stop again. If no work has
been done on the engine FOR 5000
miles the crank case viii be fun of
oily muck and the valves need grind
ing Better have it overloaded by
competent mechanic helping him
yourself so as 20 learn some of the
methods.
Motor Department - When does
the gas have more time 20 burn.
when the spark is retarded or adv
vauccdas TT. G.
Gas has more time To- harm with
advanced spark. If spark is retard-
ed too far there is very little left O.
the power stroke The exhaust
valve opens so soon that all OF the
power is lost BY advancing the
spark the power Of the explosion is
exerted on the piston during ,he en-
tire stroke This gives more power
and so makes the engine speed up.
IF advanced too far under the load,
however it viii cause a knock. The
rule for setting the spark lever is 10
move it as far I'm the advanced posi-
ton as possible, just short Of the
point where it viii cause z Vcking.
Motor Department-P1e please tell me
how to time the valves on my 1912
Hupmobue. The camsheft runs by
means of chain off fywheel. The
same chain also runs the magnetic
/ Also please tell me how TO time the
magnetic. which is a Bosch high ten
sion. L use no batteries. The en-
CINE block is off at present. VIII il
have TO he replaced before = can be
timed My valve stems ave worn
quite bit. VIII this be apt 10 cause
any trouble? n. w
Engine block must De replaced
Set camshaft so that waive move
ment agrees with marks on fiywheel
As dead center mark en- fywheel
( passes center of cylinder the exhaust
valve should be just closed end the
inlet on the point of open.rg. Now
set No / cylinder on beginning of
power stroke by cranking engine and
watching exhaust valve of last cylin-
der in block. When exhaust valve
has just closed No. cylinder is just
over firing dead center. Retard
spark and set magnetic breaker
points just about 10 break Note
which terminal of distributor is get
I ting current and connect that to
/ spark plug OF no. I cylinder. Wire
I remaining cylinders in firing order.
Motor Department II find my
/ Ford engine loses compression when
/ hot and I am afraid am losing
/ power on that account. As 1 know
/ but little about engines am unable
I TO locate this weakness. Please let
me know how TO find the W eak CYL
/ inders and what remedy u apply.
d. T.
Heat up engine 70 the point where
/ it begins to lose compression. Lo-
\ cate inlet valve stems ny noting
\ where the inlet manifold connects 10
/ the cylinders. Crank engine slowly
/ watching the inlet valve stems
/ When an inlet valve rises and low
I ers the corresponding cylinder is on
/ the compression stroke Your r-ou-
| bic is probably in the exhaust valve
filters. which should be She tehed
[ slightly. This may ne done without
I removing them by filling a little ~
a time CRANK engine until tho valve
/ litter is all the way down and crank
7 for a half revolution more. Raise
/ valve stem by means OF valve
/ spring litter so as 10 get II out of the
way. Only remove a little of the
I metal as 1t is easy 70 get The space
too wide, causing the engine to lose
/ power and become aoisy.
Motor Department. have been
. trying TO start my Ford engine by
switching on the battery but have
not been uniformly successful. Have
installed five dry cells connected In
/ series for this purpose. Spark seems
/ 20 be strong and regular. but engine.
viii not always start. Is there any
way 7 can make this nethcd more
reliable? Compression is good when
/ the engine is cold but is weak on two
/ cylinders when engine heats IN
Would this prevent starting on
spark. SR.