South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-25
MOTORISTS PROBLEMS
Solved for Readers of
The NewS-TimeS
By William II. Ste1Cart, L.

by FVILtfCtTIE II
Motor Department.-Wul you
kindly advise me in your next issue
the following: I got a new Ford IN
Decem Der and the cylinder toward
the radiator has leaked oil from the
first day 7 got 30. I took 10 up 20
the salesman from whom I got 10
and they took 10 in the repair shop
and made the spark plug hole big
ger but that only stops the OH from
leaking through the plug. can
only run about half q mile, then
J have 20 get out and clean the plug
for it won't miss. Thanking You ia
advance. c. 5.
The piston rings En- number one
cylinder do not prevent the oil from
passing the piston. There may be
several causes for this: (a) Cylinder
may be out OF true or scored. OBJ
Piston too small or out OF true. Co
Piston rings dead or badly fitted.
Since the other cylinders cause no
trouble you can hardly blame the
oil. The sooner you eliminate the
cause the better. as a missing en-
CINE will sooner or later work seri-
Gus injury 20 other units Of the
chassis II you find the cylinder
true then a new oversize piston with
rings properly fitted should remedy
the trouble.
Motor Department:-Can you tell
me how 20 get my engine 20 start?
] have a 40-hOrsepower four-cylin-
der. I have timed II and ground in
all the valves. Ny spark works
finely. I have adjusted my carbure-
tor. but cannot get my engine 70
start I got two explosions after
printing the engine. Ny intake
valves work by suction and my eX-
haust works from the cam shaft.
The factory that made this car Is
out OF business. If you can allevi-
ate my trouble I would appreciate
II. II. K.
The trouble may be due to wrong
replacing OF the valve cages When
grinding valves which seat IN a
cage. as IN your car. IL often hap
pens that the cage Is not set back
in place right. Make sure that the
openings Of the valve cages face
those OF the inlet pipe. With the
valve cages installed wrong no gas
can reach the combustion chamber.
Motor Department:-In taking
the valves out OF my motor L no
ticed that the exhaust valves par
ticularly are very much spotted. One
valve is slightly warped VIII you
kindly advise whether It IS neces-
sary 10 get all new valves, or
whether IL is necessary TO get enc
new valve only2 K. M.
You have allowed the valves 10
go too long without grinding; hence
the pitting of the valve seats. It
viii be necessary to grind these IN
til the pits or spots disappear and
clean, smooth seat is obtained. AS
To the warped valve stem. il is best
TO replace that In replacing il oh
tain a proper seating Of he valve.
The exhaust valves especially should
be ground frequently. In order 20
obtain the best results from a motor
81 is advisable to reseat all the
valves about every 1000 or 5000
miles. II this is done there is less
work and much better results are
obtained.
Motor Department. should be
pleased 10 have you give me the fol-
lowing information I'm your col
umns. Is il necessary to have dis
titled water put in a storage bat
terry? Would not other water do as
well. and how often should 10 be
filled with water Would il be pos
sible 20 keep a storage battery in a
car all summer without having il
recharged, If Il were used only occa-
sionally2 1 have a primer on the
dash and have been filling this with
kerosene once a week and cleaning
out the engine. Would it be advis-
able 10 substitute wood alcohol for
the Kerosene r. w.
It is necessary TO use distilled or
fresh rain water because ordinary
well or spring water contains solu-
BILE salts. which viii ruin the bat
terry. The cells should be examined
every two weeks and the necessary
amount OF water added 10 keep the
plates covered. The battery should
not stand more than one month
without recharging. Alcohol may
be used instead Of kerosene. but
may not give as good results
Motor DEPARTMENT. took the
wires of my generator. but failed to
mark them. How can I tell which
S. the positive and which the mega
tive wire2 L. Il.
Run engine so that generator will
produce current race ends or
wires in glass of water with a lit
tie salt or soda in IT, The wire
giving of bubbles is the negative
one. Be careful TO connect so that
current from the positive of gem
orator viii enter positive OF battery.
Motor Department: give
me the symptoms of overheating so
that a laymau may understand
them I own a new car and have
driven II 5000 miles. but am not
very well versed in technical terms.
b. #.
The symptoms are unmiStakable.
Steam at filling cap of radiator is
the first and most pronounced
symptom. Loss OF power, knock
ing. particularly on a hill; odor of
hot metal and Of burning oil are
others When switch Is opened
engine continues 10 run. This may
also take place when engine is car
BOMBED. but in that ease the radia-
Tor would not be stcamiuE.
Motor Departmeut--I have "a
1916 siX-cyliuder car. HotChkiss
drive The last few months I no.
tice that when the back seat IS
loaded there is "a dragging or swish