Evening star., 1936-02-23
USEFUL AUTO TIPS
GIVEN FOR WOMEN
Economizing on Use of EIec-
tricaI Energy Possible
in Many Ways.
BY FREDERICK c. RUSSELL

Saving battery energy for the extra
strain of Winter starting is better ac-
complished by economizing on battery
use rather than by increasing the
charging rate. Where the latter alter
native is selected, there is the posi-
bility of overheating the generator as
we'll as overcharging the battery should
the car be driven for prolonged time
at road speed.
Generators today are charging well
up to their safe peak. That is why
all of the newer ones are air cooled.
Saving the battery, on the contrary,
involves no new electrical problems.
It is just question of willingness to
switch off the lights when cranking
at night, of horning less frequently
and Of using the auxiliary lights as
infrequently as possible. When there
is any question of the battery being
strong enough to spin the motor the
provident owner does not use the cars
radio or heater needlessly.
Add to your list of precautions the
Importance of avoiding overheating in
Winter when the cars hot-water heat
er Is piped into the cooling system. A
burst heater core may mean bad
scalding. as in the case of a woman just
admitted to the hospital. If the heat
er has been in use several years its core
may not be any too strong. Whether
it will stand the internal pressure of
steam is something that is better not
tried. Not only is it advisable to guard
against overheating, but to see that
defectors direct the heat downward
rather than up in the passengers face.
Perhaps I have not observed as
carefully as some commentators on
automobiling, but it seems to me that
it is rare thing to hear of a driver
who improves with experience at the
wheel. In far too many cases it is
quite obvious that experience seems
to make operators more careless.
Why does the automobile driver not
expect that she will become more
skillful as time goes on? Why are
most drivers classed as good, bad or
questionable after about a years ex-
perience and are seldom found to i'm
prove after that period? Who can
recall more than one or two drivers
who, once worry to unwilling pas
sengers, now operate with skill and
care?
I am told that this failure to ad-
vance Is due to inability of the aver
age driver to keep pace with increas-
ing traffic complexity, faster travel
and new controls. That leaves but
one answer. Enforced education.
Few women these days are foolish
enough to risk the danger of start
ing up the engine while the garage
doors are closed, but I wonder how
many realize that carbon monoxide
can be source of hazard even when
the car is out on the open road? This
danger is prevalent if exhaust con-
nections are loose and especially if
the engine is not In good mechanical
condition. If, for example, there is
considerable leakage of gas past the
plstons into the crankcase, the fumes
may come up under the hood through
the oil filler pipe. A good ventilat-
ing system will compensate for this,
but invariably where an engine is in
such bad condition it is not equipped
with ventilation. Be sure to see that
the oil filler cap is in place whenever
oil has been added.
There's no Use of any driver claim
ing she always opens the garage doors
before starting the engine, if in re-
ality she does not always observe this
caution. One glance at the inside
OF the garage door that closes near
the exhaust pipe will tell the facts
A round black spot of carbon on the
door is definite clue to careless
ness.