New-York tribune., 1920-03-14

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Yes, mixer to mix the mixture. They
call it a carburetor, but it's business is
mixing; for although it be one of the
complex things you saw at the show
with all sorts of valves and levers and
controls, the whole thing centers
around the mixing chamber where
gasoline and air are manufactured into
| a combustible mixture. The rest of il
is simply to see that proper proper
tions and conditions exist in that cham
Der.
Now, If you have not made study
Of the instruction book for your par
ticular brand of carburetor, lay down
I the paper and get out the book If you
have no copy, lay aside this article
until you get the book from the manu-
facturer and read it through and fino
out how it works. If you can visit the
service station they will show you a
sectional model Of your style and ex-
plain its working. Then you can come
back and read the remainder of this.
Rule No. 1: Let 1t Alone
Tho first thing to learn to do about
carburetor Is to let 1t alone. Lucky
it is that its mystery keeps so many
from fooling with it; but SO many
folks want to adjust it every time the
engine sputters. Because it is the
"lungs" of the engine, it is natural
that there should be cough at times.
But cough and sputter and gasp do not
mean necessarily that the carburetor
is at fault or out o. adjustment. II 1t
has been working we'll and you and
your friends or the garage man have
kept hands off the adjustment, you can
gamble that it is still correct. 1t taxes
fingers to change it. But you ougnt 10
what Is the correck adjustment and
how to make it.
If YOU were mechanical genius
would advise you to see some one DIS
sect carburetor and then go to 1t
with YOUR own; but if you do, don't
blame me if you have to take the thing
to the service station for assembly
it would merely indicate that you are
not a mechanical genius.
OF course, the proper adjustment is
the one which gives the greatest
power for the smallest gasoline con-
sumption. If too little gasoline is ad-
mitted to the mixing chamber the mix,
ture will be lean and the engine WILL
backfire, especially in starting, IL TOO
much gasoline, the mixture will be too
rich. causing sluggish action Of the
motor and probably black smoke from
the exhaust Blue smoke indicates too
much Vlubricating oil, and it IS steam
when 1t is white; black means but one
thing.
ment of the carburetor. The needle
valve controls the gasoline supply. This
usually has a small wheel for adjust
ing, with movable pointer to indicate
position. Turning the wheel to the lett
gives more gasoline and vice versa. BE-
fore changing the adjustment set the
pointer so you can change back to pres
ent adjustment if desired. Then close
the needle valve wholly by turning
it takes.
How to Adjust
Open the needle valve about three
fourths of one turn and see If the
engine will start. If so. does 1t run
smoothly or is there lot Of fuss
about it? If smooth press the accel-
orator sharply. Was there q quick
response from the engine, indicating
pep? II not, open the needle valve
hairs breadth and test again and con-
tinue until the adjustment is SO that
there is smooth idling and sharp re-
Spouse to throttle or accelerator. The
correct adjustment is the least open
ing which does not cause backtiring.
Since there is variation in all makes
and models Of carburctors, adjustments
should be made with the instruction
book at hand until you know all the
processes for your make.
The auxiliary air valve adjustment
must be made when the car is running.
1t may be set approximately when
standing, but when you see the garage
mechanic leaning over the engine when
running he Is tuning the auxiliary ad-
justment to a nicely. Perhaps you
would rather let him do this acrobatic
work, but if you are to learn. the car
you must essay it, too. Economy of op-
GRAFTON depends upon care in carbu-
retion.
Let me impress again the Importance
of the instruction book. The manu-
facturer knows more about your model
than any one else, and If it isn't in
the book only the service man can help
you. Incidentally, one Of the big serv-
ice stations in New York has man
whose sole duty is to find carburetor
troubles in some other part Of the car
and he does it, Some of the things
he has found which gave the carburetor
a bad Aputation were:
Things Really at Fault
Clogged gasoline pipe which let
through some gasoline, but not enough.
Leaky float valve in vacuum tank.
Broken inlet valve.
Loose inlet valve spring.
Leaky inlet manifold.
great variety of ignition troubles
which seemed to reflect on the carhu.
rotor.
Worn piston rings and others
gummcd fast in the grooves, disturb.
ing the compression.
Valves which needed grinding in.
Leaks about spark plugs, valve cans
and priming cups.
This is not the entire list. but hv
r1gntlng these he reestablished the repu.
tataon OF many good carburetor.
MOST modern carburetors have hot air
or not water devices to keep the miytnra
warm in cold weather, but as thew do
not work until the engine has warmed
up, it may be necessary to fiji the radiaA
tor with hot water for starting or no.
haps kettle Of hot water noursd -,
clotns wrapped about the intake mani
1oid may warm 1t enough.
There Is printing or choking dev;c.
to enrich ths mixture for startinr IN
most cases. ~
Respect your carburetor enough n ,s+
1T alone until it is certain the trouhIe ;s -
not elsewhere and then do 80 20