New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-18

Ono Of the essentials for keeping
a gasoline engine running 10 q method
of cooling. The heat Of combustion
within the cylinders. II uncontrolled,
would soon infame the cylinders to
cherry red. or worse. the parts
would expand and the lubricating oil
would be burned off the cylinder walls
and from every other nearby part
There are a few air-cooled engines,
but the majority have . water jacket,
or water compartments around the
cylinders, which is connected with q
radiator, in which the water is cooled
Cooling systems may be Of the thermo-
syphon type, where the heat produces
a circulation of water or with pump
to insure it. The merits Of the two
systems need not be discussed. Each
has its good and bad points. It must
be remembered. that with the the1mo-
syphon system the water must be kept
above the connecting pipes in the
radiator. and in the pump system the
pump must be kept working properly
and enough water supplied to cool the
motor.
Can Be Too Much Cooling
Although cooling is required, too
much interferes with the efficiency of
the motor. The proper degree Of heat
would be the highest at which the
lubricating oil will function and the
water not boil away: This is approx
are various ways of regulating the
temperature for summer and winter
driving. In the former there is
tendency to evaporation, the radl-
ator, must be filed oftener and the
radiator air passages must be kept
free:
In winter it Is necessary to put some
sort of dope in the radiator to prevent
the water freezing when the car is
standing. and it is also necessary to
lessen the amount of cold air passing
through the radiator if it lowers the
temperature much below 200. This
is accomplished in various ways, by
covers. shutters and the like. In an
emergency an old newspaper or card
board may work.
The instruction book will tell Just
what kind Of cooling system is on
your car and the specific care needed.
Aside from keeping the pump in order,
where there is one, the greatest need
is 70 keep the system clean. There is
so much mineral matter and sediment
Is necessary to clean the cooling sys-
tenn regularly. To do this all the water
should be drained off by means Of the
drip cock under the radiator. Then
put in strong solution of washing
soda and water and run the engine for
several hours with it in. Drain this
off and refill the radiator with fresh
water. 1t is we'll to look for leaks in
the radiator after this treatment, for
# there is tiny leak the sediment may
have closed it temporarily. Removal
Of the sediment. will open the leak.
Don't Try to Repair It
Right here it Is proper to advise the
novice not to attempt to repair the
radiator. It is made up Of thin plates
of metal soldered together, with small
interstices for the water and large
spaces for air to pass through, and it IL
& job for an expert to repair it. A
friend who is professionally able to
handle soldering iron fell down badly
In trying to repair leaks in an old radi-
ator~on his car and had to 60 to the
expert finally.
If. you have a leak develop on the
road, stop at drug store and get 4
nickePs worth Of flaxseed and dump Il
in the radiator. or like amount Of
mustard. If you are where you cannot
get this faxseed poultice or mustard
plaster. and there 10 a horse about, put
In some manure-anything which will
work into the leak and stop it for a
time. There are preparations which
may be carried, bat they are not better
than the above.
Sometimes in winter It may be found
necessary to take off the fan belt to
keep the temperature high enough for
proper combustion, but in the summer
1t is necessary to see that the belt is
tight enough to turn the fan to the
maximum. Particularly this may be
true if the road has many steep or long
hills. Incidentally, It Is we'll to stop
at the top of such hills to let the engine
cool of bit.
Ordinarily, II the engine ovsrheats
in summer 1t is wise to suspect sedi-
n1ent in the system somewhere, and
after using the soda solution previous
ly mentioned, open up the connections
ct the top Of the radiator, turn a hose