Evening star., 1927-10-02
CHECK OF AUTO PARTS URGED
TO AVOID NEEDLESS TROUBLE
Engine Defects Often Detected by Careful
Overhauling and Close Attention to
Various Parts of Machine

As in everything else, so in motor
dom IAN ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure" and the careful
motorist who inspects his car at rea
sOnably frequent intervals and takes
steps to check incipient troubles is
the one who gets a maximum of en-
jOyment out of his automobile at a
minimum of expense.
One mechanic who makes 1t a, part
of his work to find out why cars break
down. az they so frequently do, found
that in most cases the trouble could
have been avoided by a little inspec-
ton before the car started on its day y
crrands. He contends that the amount
of trouble that just happens by aCci-
dent is so small one can ignore it. He
cites the case of a mOtorist who
thought that the oil line suddenly be-
came clOgged up, whereas a little in
spection of the oil pressure gauge
would have shown that the trouble
was coming on by degrees. The pres
sure gauge was registering entirely
too high.
Ammeter Burned Out.
Recently a mOtorist and his family
had just returned from a 200-mile trip
when the engine stopped suddenly and
refused to start. 1t was perplexing
trouble for the inexperienced, but a
summons 10 the service station soon
revealed the cause as a burned.out
ammeter. The repairer said the gem
orator had been charging at too high
n rate. Around town this car had
not been driven fast enough to injure
the ammeter. but on the highway 1t
was different.
The repairer suggested that if the
owner had accelerate the engine and
watched the ammeter before starting
out on the trip he would have de
tected the high charging rate and
saved himself lot of trouble.
Much that passes for inspection ap-
pears TO he the basis for additional
trouble. Many aNcar owner lifts the
hood at the filling station to see
whether he has enough oil in the en-
gine, only to fail to note that the car
is not standing on level ground. If
the oil supply is tilted away from the
indicator, he probably will put in a
quart or so more oil than he needs.
If the supply is tilted the other way,
he is likely to be running with too
little oil in the engine without know
ing it. In either case the inspection
is sufficiently hasty to cause him
have were he to overlook the inspec-
tion altogether.
Like little knowledge. a little in
spection is dangerous thing. But
that is far cry from the seemingly
little" inspection which can often
fOrestall so much trouble. Most seri-
Ous electrical troubles have their
small beginnings in loose connections
and worn spots on the insulation.
Causes Of Trouble.
If the connections for the relay. or
cut-out, are not kept tight at all times,
the generator may be damaged. If
the heavy cable from the positive pole
of the storage battery to the starter
switch is allowed TO saw against one
of the floor boards. it may wear
through the insulation and cause a
short circuit at a very inappropriate
moment. If the fuse holders are not
kept clean or are allowed to become
rusty, there is no telling just what
might happen on the road.
1t is the loose horn button which
causes the driver SO much trouble
and embarrassment when the warning
fails. 1t is the dirty relay contacts
which stick after the engine has
stopped, thus allowing the battery to
discharge back into the generator.
1t is the loose spark plug which
causes that compression leak at low
speed and which di1utes the normal
gas mixture just enough to make the
car act troublesome in traffic.
The discreet mOtorist lifts the hood
and looks about before he sets forth
on the days transportation. He is
the one who discovers the loose igni-
ton wires. and who. in order to pre-
vent a recurrence of this annoyance.
uses the pliers to tighten all the
terminals. He sees where a nut
could be tightened to advantage or
trouble forestalled by a simple adjust
ment of carburetof, tappets and fan
belt.
When one gets the habit Of inspect
ing carefully before he spins, he will