Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-07-04
.:9|MPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
!. CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Expert Guerrlich Continues His
Discussion on Hunting Trouble.
Ignition Is Subject.
ny FREDERICK GUERRLICI<, ". T..
Lecture No. 200,

Lecture No. 200.
In the last lecture We saw how to
determine whether or not the sudden
stopping OF an engine was due TO
tho failure Of the ignition system
BY holding secondary wire near
the metal Of the engine and having
some one, crank IL tor us. IL there
trouble Is not due to Ignition, but
To mixture. and We SAW how TO pro-
coed TO find the mixture trouble
when there IL no one 10 crank the
englh:' the insulated portion Of the
wire can be caught under a compress
sion cock or other part. or "A spark
plug taken. out and laid on the cy-
Iinuers When current goes TO the
pinS. the spark can be seen as il
Let us assume that we failed TO
get spark and see how we must
proceed TO lind the caus.
where the engine suddenly stops
VIC need not touch the spark plugs.
M al four VIII not 20 bad sudden
that the wires between the plugs and
1ne distributor canno, he at fault.
me me M main m secondary lead. however
" II is. II probably is due TO :, short
circuit: Alter tracing this lead We
To the ground. and thus complete an
S eynuid ~ Of me secondary. II
tributor also. hut this. unless broken.
III seldom the cause OF trouble. Cau-
ton. Some distributor brushes do
not make an actual contact with the
segmcntS.)
Having satisfied ourselves that the
becondaiy - .. *. and an examine
closing nothing. our trouble is other
Gnc 70 Il wire being broken inside it's
the units. We must. therefore. now
hunt by making tests. For this pur-
pose II would be well to carry IN
your tool kit testing lamp. as shown
in the illustration. This can aIso be
at might.
Tn. Systematic trouble hunter IS
the quick trouble finder. 40 the ne xt
th!nE. 70 do is TO determine the or
assume thht "n have "A distributor
system in which the current goes
from the battery TO the switch; Then
th", coil. then the interrupter and
back through Ia. ground 10 III. bat
terry We would FIRST then test the
battery by holdins one wire Of our
3siy 4 3 If is%s sH;s 81 es
battery is the trouble. AZ tho con-
meeting Inks between the various
VIII have 10 Try Them. TIE next step
would be 20 test each cell. us one may
be bad. Should this be the case. this
ms cells VIII probably give enough
current 10 get US home. In the case
OF discharged storage battery. dry
ccHs can be substituted for IT, but
when this is done the generator must
DE disconnected.
The battery being o. X we Will
the ground. thus. II the positive Of
the battery is grounded. We VIII hold
one wire OF The testing lamp against
the negative terminal OF the battery
ana tue other against some clean
me,ai part o: the engine or frame.
rms VIII tel! us whether or not the
Er9unaed wire Is broken or the CON
neG'!ons bad The ground being o;
and the other against the terminal
rost ot the switch where the wire
rom the battery - connected 10 Il.
Aftcr testing tn" wire 10 the
, h~nGn: We vi! ,est he switch. by
against the binding post at the
switch 70. tho wire which goes TO
The, coll and the other against the
the switch Is u, fault, az we saw
tina; Ne were getting current to H..
After testing the switch. We can test
IN the same way the wire going into
the coil. thnt coming out. and that
connected 10 the intcrrupter In
testing the in;errunter. the breaker
points must be set so as TO he In
contact.
Should the lamp lIgh, at ali these
rnpicr, aud wc must he sure that the
points are opening and closing prop
Should you have made. the spark
test TO see II the ignition was o.
y and have gotten spark. and. at
the same time. feel certain that the
mixture is not at fault, then you
Will have To look for break or a
slipping OF some part OF the engine
For example. the distributor may
have Slipped on It's shaft and thus
caused the spark to be OUT OF time.
When this happens IL VIII be &C.
cornpanled by a series OF carhurctor
and muller explosions, as rule.
II would be well for readers TO
practice the steps for trouble hunt
ing given above.
II there is lack Of water or oil
the engine, after laboring. may stop
suddenly. When this is the case, how
ever, the engine will be "froze up"
and IL viii be almost impossible to
crank 1t.
Questions md Answers.
.. How DO you prevent the battery
from COrrolInEH My hartnry cnrrnn. !