Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-29
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
FOR THE AUTOMOBILES

Answers to Last Weeks Questions.
/. A practical test for an ignition
coil of the vibrator type is to con-
meet an ammeter in the primary Cir
cult, attaching one ammeter ter
mlnal to the terminal on the coil
and the other ammeter connec-
ton to the battery terminal Re-
move temporarily the usual con-
nectlon. Use the common six
volt storage battery or four good
dry cells. To test separate the sec
onoary terminals quarter of an
men and adjust the vibrator of the
coil until the ammeter reads about
one and one-half amperes. The coil
IN good condition should give a con-
tlnuouS flow of blue sparks of good
volume. Pitted vibrator points will
not give constant spark a bad
connection within the coil, or a poor
terminal Will give an unsteady read
ing at the ammeter. If the coil is
short-clrcuited the ammeter will
sho" a reading greatly in excess of
normal. A vibrator spring that is
100 strong or not strong enough will
also cause inefficient sparkling
2. To adjust a front-wheel roller
pearlns, turn the bearing up tight
by means of the adjusting and lock-
ing nuts, spin the wheel to overcome
backlash. then back off the locking
nut and loosen slightly the adiustins
nut until a barely perceptible plav
| is noticeable in the bearing. Then
/ tighten the lock nut. There should
be just enough play to allow the
| valve of the tire or some other slight
weight to slowly turn the wheel back
and forth. until finally the weight
comes to a stop at the wheels low
| est point.
| 3. Automobile brakes for rear
wheels are divided into thre, general
| classes-internal expanding band, In
ternal expanding shoe and external
| contracting band. When brakes are
applied the first entioned brake band
of some thin metal expands against
| the inside of brake drum; the sec
| ond has heavier shoes" which are
| operated by cam. expanding against
| the drum: the third brake is drum
| with a thin band contracting against
| it on the outside. Both bands and
! shoe have a friction lining of some
| asbestos composition which is more
| heat and wear resisting than metal
| although some brakes of the ex-
| panding-shoe type are made with no
! lining. Another type, known as the
1 transmission brake, is located on the
| main driving shaft near the trans
| mission. 1t is similarly constructed
| and usually used for emergency, OPP
| Grating by hand lever.
3; 4. Inc easiest way TO apply paint TO
! a radiator without A brush is to pur-
| chase or make a spraying outfit. in
| surfing better job with less trouble.
| 1.-The outfit consists of a can, such as
| a gallon gasoline can, an air pump and
a hose attached to the pump and pass
ing through the can near the top. An
| other tube extends from the air hose
! down into the liquid within the can,
and is placed with its upper end out
side the can and close to the noutl,
| of the air tube. Thus when the pump
handle is worked up and down the
! liquid is drawn to the mouth of the
| air hose. and is forced in a spray
| from the hose under pressure of air
| from the pump.
| 5. The cause of vibrating in
| speedometer indicators may be loose
! unions at either end of the driving
shaft, fiber gears not meshing prop
erly. too sharp a bend in the shaft
! or lack of lubricant. The latter is the
chief cause of noise in the speedome-
| ter drive. When the SpeedometeI
does not indicate look for loose con
! Injection. broken shaft links, stripped
gears or gears not engaged.
| 6. To time the valves. one method is
to mesh the timing gears, with the
marked tooth of one gear exactly in
F.: line with that of the corresponding
tooth of the gear it engages. Another
| way is by using the fly wheel. when
should be marked for top dead CEN
ter of each piston's stroke. also the
position when each valve opens ano
| closes. AS an example, on a four
! cylinder engine The inlet valve opens
at five degrees past top center ana
closes at forty degrees past bottom
center. The exhaust valve opens at