The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-03-29
YOUR AUTOCAR
NOW NEEDS A
SPRING TONIC
CHIEF ENGINEER OF PAIGE
DETROIT MOTOR CAR COM
PANY GIVES SOME HINTS
ON PROPOSITION

ON PROPOSITION
G. Clark Mather, chief engineer
of the Paige-Detroit Motor Car
Company, says the time of the
year is approaching when men re-
turning home in the evening win
find their ordinary restful homes
about as inviting as a storage
warehouse-spring housekeeping
time, in short. That should be
their cue to do a little spring
cleaning on their own account,
giving their automobiles the bene-
fit of an intensive check up. This
not only greatly benefits the car,
Ebut has the added advantage of
offering the man of the house
something to do in that trying
period when his presence in the
house is quite undesired by the
women-folk.
Winter is the hardest season of
all for the motor car. It's hard on
every unit-carburetor, battery,
starter, generator, engine, tires,
brakes, etc., carry their heaviest
loads in the season of low tenn
peratures, rough travelling, long
nights, and hard usage.
At the end of the winter, an au-
tomobile is certain to be Improved
by a few simple operations that
remedy the ill-effects of the cod
weather running. Some of the
things done to car to make it
operate effectively in the winter
actually handicap it when warm
weather comes, and the driver
should counterfeit these effects
carly in the spring.
Non-freeze solutions of any sort,
no matter how effective, are not SO
good for the engine and cooling
system as plain water. Therefore,
instead of merely draining the
system and refilling with water,
the spring cleaning should include
a thorough check-up on the entire
cooling system. Especially should
the rubber water connections be
inspected. Make sure that the in
side of the hose is smooth and
clear, so as not to obstruct the
flow of water.
Both the radiator and the cylin-
der block should be thoroughly
flushed out, to remove sediment
and scale. This can best be done
with the hose connections remov-
ed. letting the water flow directly
from a hose through the radiator
and the cylinder block. If much
scale is present, fill the radiator
with water containing small
quantity of soda or I've, then rum
ming the engine for short time TO
loosen the scale and rust. After
using this solution, care must be
taken to flush out the entire sys-
tenn thoroughly with clear water.
Not only should the engine oil
be changed, but the oil pan should
be removed, scraped, cleaned with
kerosene or gasoline. and thor
oughly dried.
Similarly. the transmission and
the rear axle housings should be
cleaned thoroughly. Many motor
lists fill these units with . light
oil for winter use, to insure easy
flowing at very low temperatures.
For warm weather use, there is no
need to 60 to the other extreme.
Thick, heavy oils are not essen
tial. Light oils are best, but II
they are too light, they will leak
from the housings. That is the
test; if it leaks, it's too light. Use
an oil just heavy enough to pre-
vent leaking; there is no advan.
tage in heavy lubricant.
i All screens and strainers, OF
course, should be cleaned. They
are to be found in the engine oil.
ing system, in the vacuum tank
and in the fuel line.
The entire fuel line should be
cleaned out--a simple Job when
compressed air is used.
Very likely your carburetor was
set for . rich mixture for the cold
weather. You'll save gasoline and
get better performance If you have
the earburetor adjusted TO give q
leaner mixture. This is the best
done by service station experts.
/ Don't forget your battery. II
| will need attention oftener when
the weather gets warm, Evapora-
ton is slow in the winter, and
rapid in the summer. Have it in
spected now, made correct, then
keep in that way by regular atten-
Il ton.
There are many other things
that might wen be done IS part Of
the spring cleaning campaign
Those have mentioned are essen
| tial: adjusting breaker points
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