Evening star., 1935-04-28
HELPFUL ADVICE
GIVEN FOR WOMEN
Simplest Cause of Low Oil
MiIeage-Leakage Often
Overlooked.
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.
Part of the safety story is watch
ing out for green drivers at red lights.

ParL OF The SaIeCy SIoTy Is WhlCA-
ing out for green drivers at red lights.
Because so much has been written
on the subject of checking high oil
consumption many owners with this
sort of trouble completely overlook the
simplest of all causes of low oil mile
age-leakage. The most prevalent
type Of leakage Is loss of oil around
a broken or poor fitting crankcase
gasket. Much oil leaks out of loose
timing gear case, and II the motors
rear main bearing is worn or the re-
tainer is not effective oil will also be
allowed to suck through into the
clutch housing. One thing to bear in
mind is that driving over rough roads
is apt to encourage oil leakage through
loosening the oil pan at the bottom OF
the crankcaSe. In recent Oil econ
omy run the cars crankcase was es-
pecially stiffened by a reinforcing
angle-iron bar.
In spite of the fact that safety stu
dents are continually pointing out that
darkness is driving hazard do not
know of any law anywhere requiring
that car speeds be lower at night than
in daytime. When the matter was
discussed at meeting of safety eX-
perts it was dismissed as of no special
consequence.
1t is diScouraging to service men to
have owners become provoked when
it is explained why certain trouble
with the car developed. 1t almost
tempts some mechanics to try dealing
in sugar pills. When an owner was
told the knock in the motor was due
! to an excessive accumulation of car
bon she should have been more inter-
ested in asking why this should have
developed in the first 5000 miles in
stead of blaming the car. From the
mechanics diagnosis she should have
made certain preparations for avoid
ing a repetition of the trouble. such as
giving the car an occasional hard run
up a steep hill to help burn carbon
from the spark plug points and the
valves.
How much, if anything, do you save
on your purchase of various things
for the home by using your car wisely?
ask this because recently in the city
of Detroit some 1900 motorists In a
single day bought a great quantity of
staple groceries at substantial saving.
A survey made by woman who is in
terested in the economies that can be
effected by the use of cars shows that
the automobiles convenience-its
greatest assets also a handicap
where savings are concerned. Where
women are obliged to walk to the store
they plan their purchases more care
fully and arrange for one trip day
to be sufficient. Where a car is al
ways available anything that is over
looked the first trip to the shopping
center can be picked up on second
or third trip.
A woman who has piled up high
mileage record in the past IL months
offers what seems to be a worth
while tip to those who have long dis
tances to travel. She points to after
luncheon drowSlneSS as a particu-
larly insidious hazard and one that
too few people take into account.
Night has been overplayed as a pro-
voker of sleep. in her estimation. She
has found through daily experience
over long perod that taking 40 winks,
with the car safely parked off the
road, is the best way of getting
through the afternoon without that
dangerously drowsy feeling.
Speaking of safety reminds me to
pass along the tip to beware SEEM
ingly light sprinkling of sand or dirt
on the surface Of modern road.
Sand on a dry surface actually re-
duces tire traction, causing one or
more of the wheels to lock and slide
during sudden application of the
brakes.
When an out-of- State driver passed
around me at the crest of hill I
began to realize that in these days Of
complicated motoring it is important
to figure that when anything like this
happens it is mark of wisdom to slow
down and keep over as far as possible
to the right. Should a third driver
approach he would be quite likely to
dart to the left, seeing that some one
is approaching on his side.
And if the man folk offer as an
alibi for their poor driving record the
fact that they have more hours of ex-
posure to traffic, counter with the
argument that if practice makes per-
feet, exposure ought to be an advan-
tage. A woman who did not drive her
car throughout the Winter tells me
that she was extremely nervous the
first day out and that lack OF practice
gave her a new and decidedly unpleas-
ant feeling. For safety's sake, she Is
going to keep driving.