South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-07
MOTORISTS PROBLEMS
Solved for Readers of
The News-Times
By William II. Stecart, Jr.

kindly tell me how 20 clean this
without injuring the surface? a
friend tells me that he took his
storage battery out OF hts car ano
placed Il I'm a warm cellar for the
winter Can this be done without
harming the battery He says that
he tests f. occasionally. with what
/ don't know. VIII appreciate an
early reply g. T.
Try using a little alcohol on
soft cloth. then brighten with very
light silver powder polish. Use soft
cloths and no damage will result II
is always best 20 remove the storage
battery to a warm place in order 20
forcstau the liability OF freezing.
When a battery Is fully charged 1t
IS not apt 10 freeze, except in very
low temperatures. The safest way
is 20 remove II as your friend did
and then test Il occasionally. A bat
terry should not be permitted TO
stand for any great length OF time
without charging Testing OF the
eIectrolite is done with a hydro
meter.
Motor Observation-Disclosures II be
possible or advisa BILE 10 fasten some
device 70 the brake so that the fol-
lowing driver would know when TO
keep clear Of my car? II would, OF
course. be illuminated at night, and
as that IS the most dangerous time.
a red light would be the best
Please let me know what yOL think
Of the idea. as have such a device
all worked out on paper. On &C
count OF the current agitation for
safety first It ought to go big. r.
T.
Many such devices. including In
dicators 10 show which way the car
IS going TO turn. have been tried out
and proved satisfactory. 1t is a
great help 20 the driver Of a fol-
lowing car. II you have good
idea. try it out with a working
model.
Motor Experimentation rec
ommend some substance which can
be applied 70 the leather washer of
the pump so as not 10 allow the air
20 filter through and thus cause loss
OF time. I have been told to oil the
leather but the oil will after a time
be forced through the leather. A S
a little neatsfOOt oil or castor oil
applied to the leather washer Of
the pump should remedy the trouble
YOU speak oF. If this does not do,
il would seem advisable 10 install a
new washer.
Motor Experimentation can
test out my magnetic? My engine
runs on battery but refuses 10 run
on magnetic. 1 have a high tension
magnetic and there is no service sta
tion near where 1 live. READER.
Disconnect wire from magnetic
armature 20 switch. Run engine on
battery or have some one spin II for
you. Ground wire or sCrewdriver
and touch other end TO binding post
on magnetic armature, touching IL
and drawing II away. If no spark
appears the circuit breaker or the
armature windings are at fault. If
good spark is shown, short circuit
collector ring brush. If spark is
good trace current to ends of dis
tributer wires and spark plugs. II
no spark appears at the collector
brush. secondary winding may be
burned out or short cirCuited. Be
sure that distributor points are all
right and that no dust or oil has
accumulated on i.
Motor Departmental have been
told 10 let in the clutch slowly when
starting, but to do so rapidly for the
other speeds. Also to let in clutch
slowly while reducing speed. Please
let me know why this is necessary.
NOVICE,
The clutch is engaged gently
when starting since il is difficult to
move "A car from standstill ard one
does not want to break the gears or
other parts by letting in the clutch
suddenly. The car is then speeded
up so that il viii be going at the
rate of second speed and not lose
the momentum. The same rule
holds for the other forward speeds.
Theoretically the car should be go