Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18
THE EXPERTS SAY.

Owners Of cars fitted with battery
| necessary trouble cleaning the spark
plugs and the like because Of mis-
firing, when this is due simply to dirt
or carbon on the track Of the dis
tributer head. II this track becomes
sooted so that the spark Jumps from
one terminal to another. pre-ignition
is likely to result. The easiest way
to test for such trouble is to substi-
tute another distributor head Of the
Same model and observe tho effect
upon the operation Of the engine. The
track Of the distributor head should
be kept clean with rag touched
lightly with vaseline. This will keep
1t polished and prevent the rotor but
ton from sticking and cutting.
Folding = top when 1t IL wet or
even damp will spoil 1t in q short
time. Gasoline should not be used to
remove grease or dirt, as it will dis
solve the rubber composition in the
fabric and cause blisters. A leather
top should be washed with soap and
warm water. Then apply a top Dress
ing.
All tops hold their shape better If
kept up. When lowered, however, tho
fabric should be folded in carefully,
away from the bows. to prevent
go far in frightening it's life. Cur
tains and celluloid windows that have
been blurred or scratched should be
treated with acetone varnish.
When rims are rusty they should be
scraped with a sharp tool. pounded
with wooden mallet until all the
fakes Of rust have been battered of
and then sandpapered vigorously,
The rims should then be painted.
Shellac is sometimes recommended
for this purpose, but is not satisfac-
Graphite paint or even ordinary paint
is much more serviceable, Tires
should not be replaced on the rims
until the paint is entirely dry, as this
might cause them to stick,
Sometimes the vacuum tank Of a
fuel system remains dry when there
is plenty Of gasoline in the main tank.
Generally this is due to foreign mat
ter making its way into the fuel pipe
between the two tanks and ebstruct-
ing the passage Of the liquid. When
this 10 the case the simplest remedy
consists in filing tho float chamber Of
the carburetor with gaseline-usualiy
'rawn from the main tank-and then
starting the engine. This will clear
out the pipe line by suction nine times
out of ten and the vacuum tank will
begin operating again, Sometimes it
is necessary to speed UP the engine
somewhat in order to loosen the OBJ
structien.
Occasionally the cause Of the
trouble is the steppage of the small
air. hole in the filler cap of the main
fuel tank. This should be kept omar
to give play to the pressure Of the
atmosphere on the fuel,
The average meterist can test the
cennecting-rod bearings Of his engine
by tapping the bearing caps lirhtlv
with q hammer to seq IL there ia anv
play. The crankshaft Should rim
snugly. but not too tightly; so that A.
can be rocked by hand when the corr.
preston is relieved by opening the
petcocks,
Practically the only repair that IA
safe for tho car owner te make an
his storage battery is patching un the
tar insulator which protects the calls
| at the top. When this becomes breken
or ameged In any way the hole may
| ing pitch and applying 1t while hot
with a wide bladed knife.
For all other repairs the battery
should be taken to battery expertat
| regular battery service station.