Connecticut western news., 1921-10-27


 Prepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture.)
 Thousands of farmers in all parts of the country use gasoline engines as source of at least part of their power. The number in every branch of farming is increasing rapidly. From the production of crops to their har- vest and preparation for sale, and even their transportation to market, the gasoline engine facilitates the business of farming. Tractors, gas engines to run belt machinery and mo- tOrtrucks are enabling farmers to in- crease their operations. It is, there fore, good business on the part of the farmer to use them whenever time, la bor and costs can be reduced.
 Though the gas engine, whether the stationary type, tractor, truck or au- tomobile is a great labor saver when operated efficiently, 1t Is also at times the cause of a great labor waste. Often large crews hired to help with thresh- ing, hay baling, cutting ensilage, etc., draw full wages for hours spent in idleness owing to inefficient handling of the engine. A man will sometimes spend much more time and energy in starting a gas engine to pump water for stock run a milking machine or for some other similar purpose, than would be required to do the work by hand. Such lost time Is to great eX- tent preventable. Gas engines are not difficult to operate, and delays from engine trouble are usually due to the operators lack of knowledge of some of the details essential to proficient operation, say specialists of the United States Department of Agriculture.
 Keep Engines In Repair
 The first essential in gasoline engine operation is to keep 1t in good repair, say the specialists. All catalogues and directions furnished by the manu- facturer should be studied carefully. Most manufacturers publish instruc- tiOns on the care and operation of the engines they manufacture, and in or der to get the most satisfactory re- suits from an engine the owner should study and put into practice these in- structiOns.
 Every one who operates a gas en- zine should learn first to stop and req son as to the probable cause of any trouble which develops. In tracing trouble a definite system should be followed. When an engine refuses to start the trouble will, with a very few exceptions, be due to some interrup- tion of the supply or the proper mix ture of gas and air, or to the failure of the electrical system which fur nishes the spark to fire the com pressed mixture. Every system to To- cate trouble should take these two points into consideration.
 Testing the Ignition System.
 With all engines using spark plugs 1t is comparatively easy to ascertain whether electrical or ignition system Is working properly. Remove the plug and by taking it apart see if the DOT celain is not broken. See that the points are properly spaced and re- move the deposit of carbon. A space of about one thirty of an inch the thickness of a worn dime-is the proper distance between the points.
 To test the spark connect the wire with the plug and place the latter so that the metal base touches the en- zine casting, then crank the engine and note whether a spark jumps the space between the points. This spark should be heavy blue, bluish-white, or fiat" yellow one looking like a small flame. But if 1t is thin and greenish, or showing red, the chances are 1t is too weak to fire the charge of gasoline. In such case, or if there is no spark, trouble may be in the wire connections, or the magnetO, or if dry cells are used they may be too weak. See that all the wire Is prop erly insulated and not soaked with oil and that all connections are tight and clean. If there Is no trouble in the wiring and dry cells are used, the latter may be tested by attaching the wires direct to the points of the cells. Though magnetos seldom give trouble, If there is every reason to believe that 1t is not functioning properly, 1t should be taken to an expert for re- pairs.
 See That Fuel Is Supplied.
 When an examination shows that a good spark Is being obtained at the right time, the next step is to see "'hether the engine Is receiving the proper mixture of fuel and air. Ex- anime the Carburetor and make sure that the gasoline reaches 1t properly. Sometimes water gets into the car burctCr and gives considerable trouble. lDf ti..> ic>.-vL ,.t C,,.':u@ctCr GEI