Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11
REPAIRING OF AUTO
AIDS UNEMPLOYED
Spending a Little Money on
Family Car Is Declared
Helpful.

One Is so accustomed, nowadays, to
hear Of general unemployment and
bread lines that it frequently fails to
occur to any one that by spending a
little money on the family chariot it
can be made to run better at less ex-
pense and at the same time spread our
dollars where they can do some real
good. Some economist has figured out
that If every American spent IS or $40
for some article which he needs or can
use the depression will be overcome and
what President Harding called nor
mality" will be brought back What
better way can IS or $40 or $40 be put
to than to spend it with ones automo-
mile service station or with ones ia
vorite mechanic2 Could one buy q few
dollars worth of satisfaction more cas-
ny than BY bringing back the old snap
and pep into an old engine, or by saw
ing yourself gasoline and oil bills
through installation of piston rings and
a general check-up Of the power plant
that pulls the old bus over the road?
Can anything be more exaSperating
than to move out Of a warm house on
q cold Winter morning and find stiff
engine reluctant to start or possibly not
starting at all? A few minutes Of
checking over the valve setting, the set
ting of the distributor points, an oil
job will be more than apt to bring back
the smiles to ones face and at the same
time put few dollars In the pocket Of
a service station or favor1te mechanic,
which win aid in the general dissent
nation Of the only cheering word that
spells proSperity-looser money.
Delicate Mechanism.
The automobile engine Is literally q
wen oiled piece Of machinery. 1t Is as
delicate as sewing machine and must
perform under extreme conditions of
heat and cold at temperatures that
freeze and temperatures that burn the
oil. What wonder If 1t fails to make
the rapid transition from Summer heat
to Winter cold at its normal operating
efficiency? There are all sorts of aids
to Winter driving, but they cannot sup
plant the good old-faShioned method of
a complete check-up when Winter
spreads its icy blanket over the land.
One would probably be surprised to
know how many things can get out of
whack in an automobile engine. Their
number Is legion and failure of one
part, or lack of functioning, frequently
brings along a trail Of troubles in its
wake that may cost considerable money
to nix IN the long run. For example,
does the car use excessive oil? If 80,
one may find the remedy In several
ways, but probably q new piston ring
Job will cure the trouble If expanders
are slipped under the rings 1t may cure
that piston slap. And while that Job
Is being done, 1t is quite possible that
the mechanic may find your piston pin
they need replacing. And he may also
find that the connecting rod bearings
are out Of round, that they bear only
at two or three points around the
crankShaft, and that the consequence
is they be worn on the high spots and
throw excessive oil up into the combus-
ton chamber where it is burned up
Does the exhaust show a blush haze
after the engine Is warmed up? New
of oil, and resetting Of the connecting
rod bearings should aid In cutting down
high oil consumption. or there may
be leaks past the oil retaining washers
at the main bearings, or a gasket leak
around the crankcase. Only a thor
ough check-up by competent me-
chanic will cure these ills. What bet
ter time could be had to 60 over them
than this month Of January, when
there Is more than likely the possibility
Of snow anyhow, which does not add to
the pleasure Of skidless driving.
Gasoline Waste.
Per08pS ILefe 10 ShSOuue 01Ip
around the carburetor Of the vacuum
tank and one would be surprised how
much gas can drip away drop by drop
from q small leak. Gasoline can drip
through spots that water wouldn't think
of going through, and the gasoline con-
sumption may be cut down considerably.
Some cold morning after getting the
car started, it may go a block or two
and then quit, and nothing one can
do or find will make 1t start again.
The trouble probably lies in q few
drops of frozen water somewhere
along that lengthy gasoline line that
stretches from the rear tank to the
carburetor, and it is amazing what
q few drops of water can do to the
gas line. The real remedy is to thaw
out that gas line and then drain it
completely from rear tank to carburetor.
After that go over 1t with compressed
air, 90 it viii be completely free Of
water, gas or anything else. Then,
unless condensation puts some more
water into the gas line, one can 60
Authorized Service