Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25

According to the modern interpreta-
ton, . womans way is merely the net
work of today's good roads.
Have you ever tried to get into low
gear for q start only to find the shift
lever refusing to obey? The next time
this happens simply leave the gears in
neutral and engage the clutch minute.
When you press 1t to the floor again
the shift usually can be made. It's
Just q matter of changing the position
OF what Is known as the clutch gear in
the transmission. 1t has many advan-
tages over shifting to second and rum
ming the risk Of engine strain.
my car seems to explode in the muf-
! fer or exhaust when making long
pull" writes o. woman reader who has
endured this annoyance for two years.
II have been told the gas line Is dirty
and that on hard pull 1t doesn't feed
| fast enough. Others tell me that q
valve is too tight. What do you think
, 10 the Cause?"
The trouble rather indicates insufi-
cient clearance at the tappets for the
exhaust valves. II these do not close
| tightly, naturally there will be loss OF
sional direct firing Of this mixture. An
exhaust explosion Is the result.
If the car seems to run in jerks and
trouble is traced to difficulty pressing
the accelerator pedal gently, ask your
mechanic to install stronger throttle
return spring. This will help.
In any other season but Winter idlinG
the engine is q wasteful, pointless proc
| ess Here are few things that happen
| when the engine Is running at what
| seems to be an especially benehciAl
| speed:
Reduced air and water circulation
causes overheating. The oil does not
circulate normally. The engine usually
draws too rich a mixture and loads up.
Valves do not seat as we'll as at normal
speed and seats may become pitted.
While there ia a natural inclination
to steer to one side or the other when
obliged to make quick stop to avoid
danger, 1t Is q means OF increasing the
risk II the car Is equipped with me-
chanical brakes with provision for re-
leasing the brake of the outer front
wheel on turns. The moment the driver
turns one way or the other only three
brakes are working instead Of four.
Your instructor probably told you to
give it the gas" when he wanted you
the accelerator pedal you do not really
give" the engine gas. You simply let
it draw the amount Of gas II wants.
You can keep 1t from sucking in more
than you want it to. but you can't
make It draw more than 1t wants to.
That is. unless you have q super
charger, which Is simply device to
force additional gas vapor into the
cylinders when the engine has reached
its limit OF self-suction. As yet super
chargers are not standard equipment
for every woman's car. and thereby
hangs q bit Of useful theory.
In the cylinders Of the engine the
pistons are running up and down. suck
ing in gas vapor and expelling 1t again
after 1t has been burned. There is a
limit to the amount Of gas the engine
will draw, even when it has had an
opportunity to speed up. This limit is
dependent upon the speed Of the engine,
its size and the atmospheric pressure.
Unless the outside air were forcing the
vapor into the cylinders to fill the
vacuum created by piston suction. all
engines would have to carry blowers to
build up such pressure.
Experienced woman drivers know that
it's more sensible to let the engine
take the gas" opening the throttle no
wider At any time than the engine
shows response. Because Of the points
brought out above, many an engine
accelerates best at moderate speeds If
the pedal is not pressed all the way to
the floor.
While the floor mats Of the car will
stand for all the brushing they need.
there are two things about automobiles
that should be spared the wfiiskbroorn.
I refer to the top and the upholstery.