Evening star., 1920-02-22
DESCRIBES WHAT
MAKES AUTO RUN
Expert Declares Good Driver
Has Little Fear of Not
Keeping Going.

For the new automobile owner, the
following article on what makes the
car go and how to keep it going. pre-
pared by H. c. Brokaw. technical di-
rector of the West Side y. NJ. c. A
Automobile School of New York. might
be of interest:
The test of success long has been
not that fellow could start some
thing, but that he could finish it" says
Mr.. Brokaw. ut we'll may be said
that one is not an accomplished auto
driver until he can get back on his
own power. regardless of what condi-
tions he is up against. Any one can
be toNcd back---if he has the price
There is little fear of this for the
driver of an up-to-date car once he
has learned the simple things of op-
Grafton; it is ignorance which leads tc
trouble.
Three Things That Count.
1t takes three things to start an
engine-gasoline mixed with air, com
preston and ignition-and these must
be continuous if the car is to keep
running. In addition to keep running
there must be a system of fabrication
a system of cooling and free ex-
hause. Now. this looks like formi-
dable list of things to master: really 1t
can be done by a child. To begin
with the first on the list. for instance
1t may be taken for granted if the en-
gne is started and runs. the carbu-
rotor is adjusted properly and VIII
stay so until human fingers alter it
Therefore, the only trouble in the
gasoline supply. would be in failure
to keep a supply in the tank or the
stoppage of the pipe line by dirt. the
remedy being obvious.
Compression may be determined by
cranking over the engine by hand and
noticing the resistance of each cylin-
der in turn. Lack of compression may
come from leaky valves, which need
grinding in; lack of fabrication in the
cylinder, since oil forms a seal be-
tween piston and cylinder walls; that
the piston rings were gummed and no,
functioning, or that there was a leak
at plugs. petcocks, or. if the cylinder
head be removable. in it's gasket. But
an engine will run with pretty poo,
compression, though it may not de,
liver much power.
Ignition Trouble Maker.
Ignition is much more likely to be
at fault than the other things men
toned. The modern car with starting
system is quite a complete thing SC
far as it's electric plant is concerned
for there is the starting motor, gen.
orator. the storage battery. timing de-
vice. possibly a magnetic and an in
tricate system of wiring, with cutout
and regulator. ammeter. lights, horn
and maybe other devices to give trou-
BILE. Barring broken wires. loose ter
minals and dirty contact points, the
troubles should be few. The car in
struction book gives chart of wir-
ing. Take it and trace each circuit
r, =
and then find it on the car itself.
fabrication is perhaps the most i'm
portant feature of operation Of the
motor. Without it the motor would
be ruined in a few minutes. One
metal part moving over another pro-
duces friction. and this generates
heat. Heat would destroy bearings
made of softer metal, and it would
cause expansion of the metal parts
sufficient to make them freeze" and
stop the engine. fabrication means
the placing of film of oil or grease
between two moving parts to reduce
friction, and in the cylinder it has the
sion noted above.
The lubricating system may be
force feed. splash or circulating
splash. The latter is the one most
! used. The book tells which is on your
car. The oil is carried in the bottom
Ol the CRANK case, CdlleO Ine SUmp, Al
level determined by the manu-
facturer. 1t is pumped up to a dial
on the dashboard. where you may OBJ
serve it's flow, and runs from there
by gravity to the oil troughs in the
crank case. and possibly to some
other mechanism. Narrow projections
on the connecting rods dip into the oil
| in the troughs and splash it over the
| interior. Rapid motion of the parts
produces a sort of oil fog in the crank
| case, which deposits a fllm of oil upon
parts where the splash does not reach
| lubricating all moving parts sufh.
| ciently.
Faults Of Lubrication.
The faults Of fabrication arc toe
! little or too much oil. It is necessary
| to keep the sump filled to tho re.
| quired level. If there Is too much
| oil it almost invariably works uI
past the piston and forms carbon in
| the combustion chamber. Inasmuct
as unburned gasoline is as likely tc
work down into the sump, thinning
| the oil there, and carbon, minute
metal particles and a little road dust
also get there. it is necessary tc
| change the oil in the crank case often
The book tells you how often for your
! in summer and winter. Don't TAKE
! contrary advice from any one. KeeI
/ the pump, pump screen and pipes
clean by running kerosene through
| them when changing oil. Half .
gallon of kerosene in. the sump anc
running the engine a minute will dc
the trick; then drain it out.
The cooling system may be thermt
siphon or pump feed, for water, unles:
| it is an air-cooled engine. The water
supply is carried in the radiator. ant
| it is necessary to see each time befor'
hot hGr 10 "
| Garry a folding pail to fill up on thu
road if need be. The water is to keel