Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-09-17
THE AUTOQ
Answers TO Last Weeks
Questions.

/. To test the secondary wind
ing of an induction coil connect
a volt meter and a six volt stor-
age battery to the secondary ter
minals. The volt meter should be
connected in series that is, break
the wire leading from battery to
coil and attach each terminal OF
the volt meter to an end of the
wire that is broken. If the cur
rent will not flow from the bat
terry the winding is open. If the
winding is in good condition the
volt meter will show a reading of
half the storage battery voltage.
2. In turning a car in a very
narrow street, the advantage is to
turn the front wheels as sharply
to the side as possible. If the
turn cannot be accomplished in
one operation of the steering
wheel do not go forward to the
curb with wheels hard to one side
but straighten them and turn
them as far as possible in the OPP
posite direction while the car Is
still in forward motion while a
few feet from the curb. Back the
car when it has reached the curb,
meanwhile completing the opposite
turn of the wheel. Before the rear
wheels reach the other curb in the
second operation again turn the
steering wheel to its first turning
position and move the car forward.
This should be sufficient manipu-
lation to bring the car in the di-
rection in which you wish to tray
ell. The forward and backward
motions are similar to those en-
ployed in q garage when it is nee
essary to move car a short dis
lance to the left or right Of where
it stands, and the success of the
operation depends on proper
handling of the steering wheel,
3. A gasoline engine must first
be cranked to produce continu-
Gus driving power because gas
must be drawn into the combust-
ion chambers of each cylinder,
compressed by the pistons and
ignited by sparks at the plugs be-
fore it will expand and give driV-
ing power at the pistons When
cranking begins, and when the
engine begins operating under its
own power the action of drawing
in gas, COMPRISING 1t, igniting 1t
and forcing out the burned gasses
continues automatically.
A. To insure low resistance to
flow of electricity through join
ed wires or a wire permanently
attached to a terminal always
solder such connections, then tape
them. Soldering will prevent cor
rosion from adding resistance TO
the current land Will greatly
strengthen the connection.
5. Commutators of starting
motors and generators should be
cleaned once or twice a season to
insure best results. Loosen up the
dirt or gum on the surface of the
commutator with kerosene ap-
piled carefully with a cloth. Lift
the brushes while this is done so
that none of the liquid will touch
them. When the gummed surface
is loosened wipe commutator with
a clean cloth. To maintain the
space between segments OF the
commutator groove out the mica
insulation between segments. Start
the groove first with a three cor
nered file, then finish undercut-
ting with a hacksaw blade. The
mica should be cut thirty-sec-
ond of an inch below the surface
of the commutator. To smooth
the commutator use very fne
sandpaper. Lift the brushes and
wrap the sandpaper around COM
mutator so that both ends Of
paper will touch and work back
and forth until bright. Polish with
cheesecloth.
6. Sparkplug electrodes, main
ly the center point, are made of
nickel alloy. Most other metals
would expand under great heat in
the cylinder head and crack the
porcelain insulation of the plug.
7. To adjust a carburetor for
high speed work cut down the
mixture until 1t is so lean that
the motor will miss on low speed
when running idle. Then adding
Just a little more gas to the mix
ture. Test the adjustment on
high speeds, quick acceleration
and hill climbing. A weaker mix
ture can be used for speed than
8. The more technically cor
for heavy or slow work.
rect name for the automobile pow
er plant is the word engine, al
though 1t is popularity called a
motor.
g. Cylinder lap in engine OPP
Grafton is name applied to the
distance two pistons travel to-
gether on power stroke. 1t means
the tapping of power strokes or
explosions. In a four cylinder
engine there is an explosion to
every half revolution of the crank
shaft, one power strike beginning
as another finishes, therefore
there is no tapping of strokes. In
the six cylinder engine the second
power stroke begins before the
first ends, distance of fourteen
degrees on the flywheel, therefore
there is fourteen degrees lap. In
the eight there is forty-four de-
gree lap and in the twelve three
cylinders working together ON
power stroke from lap of four
teen degrees.
10. A good tire preservative is
"a liquid rubber paint made from
unyulcanized rubber. Applied with
"a brush, 1T win preserve the tires
BY filling small cuts. preventing