MOTORING NOTES

THE CARE . OF THE CAR

THE modern motor car is built of Such high grade material, and the workmanship is so good, that-. it is veryieldoni the Oar stops through a mechanical fault. The efficiency of t he engine is reduced; however, unless constant attention be paid to the various Parts which together constitute the whole !machine. • To maintain a high degree of efficiency it is essen-, 11ial to inspect the engine and transmission at frequent inter: vals, so that any faults may be rectified at once. One of the most important points in this connexion is the tightness. of the thousand and one nuts Which are employed. The constant -vibration to Which they are subjected ; Slight though- it may be, tends to loosen theta; and. a loose nut mar ProVe to be very dangerous. Many of the nuts are, Of courie, held firmly in position by means of split pins, but on- the majority of cars not nearly enough of these pins are empleyed. The main task, which should be carried out frequently, is to test the tightness of the nuts most likely to Work loose: It is a peculiar thing that some nuts. appear to be much more affected by vibration than others—the position of these nuts varies considerably on individual cars—but the owner-driver will learn very quickly which require the most frequent attention.

Unless the controls be working properly the engine may be starved for petrol, or it may be impossible to advance and retard the ignition sufficiently. All controls should, therefore, be examined once a week and oiled and adjusted if necessary. It is by no means uncommon for a union in one of the controls to come loose if frequent examination be omitted.

Details were given recently regarding the quantity and

grade of oil that should be employed and the attention needed by the engine so far as lubrication is concerned. It may be mentioned here, however, that efficient lubrication is essential to the well-being of the car as a whole, and unless this duty be carried out regularly and in a proper manner, all kinds of faults will result. Without a film of oil or other lubricant between the surfaces of the different working parts undue friction will be set up, and excessive wear of all the parts will be quickly noticed.

When taking over a new or second-hand car the owner.

driver should accustom himself to the gentle, rhythmic purr which is the only noise that wifi. be heard when a properly tuned engine is running well within its power. If this be done, any alteration in sound, no matter how slight, will be noticed at once, and it will be realized that. something is amiss. The noise may be only a very slight " knock " when the car is called upon to take a gradient under load—this indicates that the spark is advanced too much or that the engine needs decarbonizing ; a thud will suggest that a big-end is worn and needs taking-up ; spasmodic firing will show that the car- buration or ignition is at fault. In a hundred other ways the driver will know for a certainty that some part requires adjust- ment. Whenever any untoward sound be heard the cause should be discovered instantly ; it may prove to be only a trifling matter, but, on the other hand, it may mean a serious breakdown if not attended to immediately.

Tracing a fault is rather a lengthy business unless some

system be adopted whereby.all mal-adjustments which cannot possibly be at the root of the trouble are eliminated at the outset. The matter should be considered in a logical manner if the cause is to be found quickly.. Take into account whether the fault is local or general ; whether the trouble has developed suddenly or whether it has been manifesting itself for some time. For instance, if a knock develop in one cylinder this cannot possibly be due to ignition or carburation faults, since if either were the cause all cylinders would be affected in the same manner and to the same degree. A sudden loss of engine power cannot be due, say, to a weak exhaust spring, low compression or too small a jet-opening in the carburetter, because the two former faults do not develop suddenly, while the last mentioned is a constant factor. In the same way, a gradual loss of power cannot be due to any mechanical defect, as such defect shows itself suddenly.

A NEW IRISH CLUB.

When the Royal Irish Automobile Club was formed in 1901 the Royal Automobile Club of England delegated to it the control of all matters relating to . motoring in Ireland. A somewhat difficult situation has gradually arisen as between the North and the South. X° put an end to this, a new club known as the Ulster Automobile Club has been formed in the North, with headquarters at Belfast, and this will carry out the functions of the R.A.C. in Ulster. The Club has the good Will of Motorists in every Part of Ireland. "

SPEED OF NEWSPAPER VANS.

Is there an understanding between the police and the drivers of newspaper, vans ? I rather think there must be, because no class of vehicle so persistently and recklessly breaks the law. Many times I have seen these vans dash along a busy street at thirty-five to forty miles an hour without being inter- fered with in any way. So important has this matter become, especially in London, that the question was recently raised in Parliament and inquiries were promised. Not only do these vans regularly exceed the rspeed limit, but they, break all other restrictions as well in their endeavour to deliver their papers without actually stopping.

AN ANTI-FREEZING MIXTURE.

Many suggestions have been made from time to time for

compounding anti-freezing mixtures for, use in motor-ca; engines. One of the best that I have ever tried proved its use during the recent severe weather, when the thermometer at one time registered 18 degrees of frost. The ingredients are alcohol, glycerine and water, in the proportion of 6 pints, 3 pints and 25 pints respectively. This makes up to rather more than four gallons, a quantity which is enough for most cars.

THE HUMAN AND THE PETROL ENGINES.

An amusing booklet has recently been issued by the Cox Carburetters, Ltd., Lower Essex Street, Birmingham, the makers of the well-known Atmos carburetter, describing "The Peculiar Similarities of the Human Engine and the Petrol Engine." Behind the humour the construction of a modern carburetter is lucidly described, and those who would like to know how it works should send for a copy of this