Evening star., 1937-03-21
Y0UAND YOURCA
AIDED BY RUSSELL
Dim Lights While IdIing
Shows insufficient Cur
rent From Battery.
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

AASpAS AoSeSA Why BloDuDly "Ollu ollNC
little slower.
To understand why lights grow dim
at idling speed is merely a matter of
knowing how the electrical system
functions. Below car speed of
around 8 to 10 miles per hour the
battery itself supplies all the current
used for lights, horn and ignition.
AS engine speed increases there is
sufficient output from the generator
to exceed that of the battery. At
this point the generator cutout points
! close. Current feeds to the battery,
the excess serving to run the lights,
horn and ignition. If, therefore, the
lights become dim when the engine
idles, the indications are that the
battery is not feeding sufficient cur
rent. This may be due to several
detailed causes, but usually means
that the battery is in bad condition.
Loose or Sulphated terminals will have
the same effect.
Cutting Down the Dents.
Some idea of the long term nature
OF today's and tomorroW's safety cam
paign can be had from the fact that
keen students of accident prevention
are now working toward a reduction
in the frequency of small collisions
INDUCED in by the average motorist.
Small accidents are said to be a fore
runner of major mishap. Unfor-
tunately most drivers cannot seem to
learn the valuable lessons which even
minor mishaps should be able to pro-
vide
BY cutting down on the number of
dented tenders one feet operator ef-
| fected a marked saving in expense.
His insurers were able to cut their
losses several hundred per cent 1t
will mean that the major crack-ups
will be postponed, perhaps entirely
| prevented.
More Miles Per Tire.
For best tire results be sure to work
| in the spare rather than allow it to
hang in the rear deck until one of
the originals is worn threadbare.
There is considerable difference of
opinion regarding which method of
| change is best, but all service men
are agreed that change alone will
help to increase mileage. One sug-
geStlon Is to rotate the tires clock
wise every 5000 miles. That is, put
| the right front tire on the right rear
wheel, moving the right rear tire to
| the left rear wheel, and so on Put
the spare on the right front Wheel
as a tire in this position is subject
to the greatest amount of thread
"cupping"
Mechanic Joe Speaking:
I'm looking over a fleet of owners
record of car service, l found that
the matter of clutch pedal adjust
ment was given special attention
This seemed to be the only matter
the company cared to know about
| the clutches of its cars, and that is
about right. If the clutch pedal does
not come up freely the clutch plates
are never fully engaged, because there
| is not enough clearance between the
| toeboard and the shank of the pedal
| In checking the clutch it is also i'm
| pOrtant to see that the pedal is moved
down about an inch of travel before
Encouragement commences. This dis
tance varies slightly with different
makes"
Poor on the Average.
1t might be said that a driver Is
known by the consistently fine things
he does when at the wheel rather
than by the occasional bursts of in
Spiration. Follow most drivers for
any distance and you will note that
few of them drive consistently well.
They may be very law-abiding for
several miles and then, without word
of warning, lapse into the depths of
amateuriShneSS. 1t is a sad but true
commentary on modern driving that
it is subject to its recurrent hills
and dales." That was why it was
safe enough for the safety officials
of one city to present a S5 bill to
any driver who revealed a steadily
high level of skill and courtesy when
trailed for four consecutive miles.
Most of the operators went sour
shortly after getting off to a flying
start.
You may be interested in knowing
that very quiet engine usually is
less effective as a compression brake
when the car goes down hill imme-
diately following a steep climb. This
is easily explained by the fact that