TROUBLES--HOW TO AVOID AND TO MEND THEM
The Battle of Motor Woe--Various Troubles which may happen at any
Time--How to diagnose each Trouble and how to repair it--Prevention
better than Cure--In spare Time, Practice in Repairing is
Valuable--Simple Instructions from the Tightening of a Nut to the
putting on of a Tyre
Your troubles with a car may be _nil_--they may be a-plenty. You may be
at fault, and again, the trouble may simply be one of ordinary
misfortune or due to the idiosyncrasies of your car: but to whatever it
is due, learn quickly to mend matters and laugh at them rather than
weep. I well remember the first time I started out alone without a
chauffeur. Somehow or other the car stopped (cars in those days were not
so reliable as they are to-day--and the one I had lent me had done good
service). For several hours I could not make out what was the matter,
wept bitter tears and was so down-hearted that it took me a day to get
over it: but most of the little troubles that arise are easily overcome
on a modern car, when once one understands how to locate them. Train
your ear to distinguish the slightest sound foreign to the consistent
running of the engine. A single misfire means that there is some little
thing needing attention; but always remember to switch off the electric
current before touching anything--if you do not you will get a shock.
There is only one trouble regarding which you are really justified in
feeling angry--that is a punctured or burst tyre. It _is_ possible for a
woman to repair a tyre, but I am sure I am correct in saying that not
one woman in a thousand would want to ruin her hands in this way.
Nowadays there is a repairer in nearly every village, and the best plan
is to drive very slowly on the rim to this nearest repair-shop. With a
small, light, single-cylinder car it will do no harm, but if you drive
too fast, or far, the inner tube may be damaged. However, it is
advisable to carry a “Stepney” wheel. These wheels are really
indispensable and should have the place of honour on a woman’s
[Illustration:
_Photo, H. W. Nicholls._
IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER TO REMOVE A FAULTY SPARKING PLUG]
car. This “Stepney” wheel is an ordinary wheel, fitted with flanges to
fix on to the existing wheel, and carries a tyre already pumped up--and
can be affixed to your car in less than ten minutes. No strength is
required to put it in place.
In regard to tyres--there are several good makes, such as Dunlop,
Continental, Michelin, and several others. The stock car you buy from
the maker will probably be fitted with one of these makes, but will have
plain or corrugated treads. As there is such a great danger through
skidding it is advisable to pay a little extra and have non-skid tyres
fitted. In addition to preventing the car turning round on a greasy
road, being steel-studded they will obviate puncture to a great extent.
I use them winter and summer, for although the country roads in summer
are dry and the danger of sideslip very small, when you reach a town you
will nearly always find the tramlines (if there are any) have been
watered, and it is really in towns where the non-skid tyres are a
necessity.
There are a dozen little things that may occur to you at any time, and
which you can easily remedy yourself, but before starting on a lonely
ride it would be well for you to practise the remedying of the troubles,
in fact, give yourself lessons in them. As I have already stated, you
may go almost a year without troubles of any kind; still, you should
know all there is to know about them.
_Sooted plug._--This is caused by the engine getting too much oil. If
the plug is “sooted” it will appear to be very black and oily-looking.
It is a matter of a minute to loosen the sparking-plug with a spanner,
and replace it with a new one; but if you are not carrying a spare plug,
and are not in a hurry for a few minutes, the dirt is easily washed off
with a little petrol.
_Faulty plug._--If the engine misfires it may either be owing to the
above-mentioned trouble, or may be caused by the porcelain becoming
cracked or loose in its seating. As this cannot be repaired a new plug
is necessary.
_Gap on sparking-plug badly adjusted._--If the engine is not pulling
well it may be owing to the fact that the two tiny points across which
the spark leaps are either too wide apart or are set too closely
together. If you get a good spark with the points in a certain position
it is a good plan to insert the blade of a small pen-knife before
finally replacing the plug, making a mark on the knife where it was
inserted. On a future occasion this will be found useful, as if the
knife is again inserted between the points of a new plug and the points
either opened or closed, to meet the marked portion of the blade, the
correct adjustment will at once be arrived at.
_To test battery._--It is necessary to do this periodically, as if the
battery is not showing a sufficient number of ampères the car will run
badly. The test is made with an ammeter (provision for which has been
made in the list of spares), the positive points making contact with
those corresponding on the battery, the ampèrage being registered on a
small dial. It should always show four or over. When it gets below this
point it is advisable to carry a spare battery, as a stop on the road
through a battery giving out is annoying, and a battery cannot be
procured at every repairer’s.
_Empty petrol-tank._--If the car comes to a standstill after a few
misfires, it may be caused through the petrol-supply being exhausted on
account of the tank having sprung a leak or the petrol merely being used
up. The former is a very unusual occurrence, rarely occurring on a car
with the petrol-tank under the seat. Where the tank is placed at the
back of the frame of the car it is often punctured by a sharp stone
striking it. Always, if going any distance, carry a spare can of petrol
and a funnel, and before filling the tank be quite sure that there is no
dust in the funnel or on the top of the can, as the smallest quantity of
dirt will choke your petrol or carburetter, and this takes a long time
to remedy.
_Choked petrol-pipe or carburetter._--You may possibly believe at first
that this trouble is caused by the petrol running out, so look in the
tank, and if it contains petrol you may be sure that the flow is checked
in some way. “Agitate” the float of the carburetter and it will most
likely be found that there is no petrol coming through, therefore there
must be a stoppage between the tank and the
[Illustration:
_Photo H. W. Nicholls._
IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER TO ADJUST THE TREMBLER OR SCREW]
carburetter. At the bottom of the carburetter there is a little joint,
connecting the carburetter with a small tube through which the petrol is
carried. See first that the petrol-supply is turned off, then loosen the
joint and take out the pipe, then turn on the petrol and see if it comes
through as far as that. If it does, the trouble must be in the
carburetter jet. It is a simple task to remove this with the carburetter
jet spanner, and an ordinary hairpin would then remove every obstacle.
_Water in carburetter._--This may sometimes cause the engine to run
badly, and is not an unusual occurrence. On the top of the carburetter
being removed the water will easily be noticed. It is heavier than
petrol and the little drops of water in the petrol look like drops of
lead. In order to guard against suspected water you can filter the
petrol through a handkerchief laid in the funnel.
_Sticking valves._--With the inlet valve this trouble may be caused by
oil and dirt. If this is the case it can be taken out and washed in
petrol and replaced. The car may not run as it should do on account of
the inlet and exhaust valves being pitted and needing grinding in. To
grind in use a little emery-powder and oil, and plenty of “elbow grease”
until you succeed in eliminating all the little pits and making the
surface quite smooth. (Be careful to clean off all traces of the emery
after grinding.)
_Platinum point and screw adjustment._--The platinum point on the
trembler blade or screw occasionally gets worn uneven. When contact is
made, if the adjustment is not correct, the point will get worn down on
one side and the engine will probably develop a “knock” and you will not
be getting the maximum horse-power out of it. It is a simple matter to
smooth the points, but a delicate touch is necessary. The filing must be
done with your finest file, and a very few touches are necessary. Should
you not happen to have a very fine file with you, the points can be
smoothed with emery-paper, but care should be exercised in its use.
Again let me warn you to have the electric current switched off before
making any of these repairs or adjustments, and particularly before
removing the trembler blade, screw or plug. When the trembler blade and
screw are replaced they will require readjustment. When you think they
are set at the proper point, switch on, and give the starting-handle a
few turns as if to start the engine, at the same time hold down the
inlet valve, by pressing down the small button on top of cylinder. While
turning, watch the spark between the two points. If it is feeble the
adjustment is not correct, the screw is either tight or too loose. After
a few attempts you will be able to adjust very quickly and almost
unerringly.
See that the points are kept free from oil.
_Loose terminals._--The car may run badly on account of a loose terminal
of the wires on the sparking-plug or battery. This is simply a matter of
thoroughly tightening up the various little nuts with a spanner. It is a
good plan to just look over these occasionally, for when the terminals
once begin to work loose they will gradually get worse and you will
probably have a stop on the road.
_Irregular petrol-supply._--If the carburetter is getting too much or
too little petrol, it should be remedied by readjusting the needle valve
in the carburetter. When once it is properly set it will sometimes go
for years without readjustment.
_Punctured float._--I mention this trouble as I have personally
experienced it, but it is very rare and may not occur in the whole life
of a car. The float is a hollow cube, for the purpose of regulating the
height of petrol in the carburetter. The float, if punctured, allows the
petrol to enter, causing it to remain at the bottom of the carburetter,
gradually taking in more petrol. The effect of this is that the float
does not perform its office, as it becomes weighted with the petrol, and
this holds open the petrol inlet, which overflows out of the
carburetter.
I believe I have now enumerated all the troubles that you are likely to
meet with, and which you can look after yourself, but because the list
is long do not think for one moment that every time you go out in your
little car you are going to experience them. You may drive for weeks,
months, almost years, without
[Illustration:
_Photo, H. W. Nicholls._
BE SURE THAT ALL NUTS AND BOLTS ARE TIGHT--A RATTLE IS ANNOYING]
a tiny bit of trouble, if you are careful. The looking after the little
things saves a heap of trouble. The testing of this thing, the dusting
of that, the tightening of a nut, the loosening of a screw--all these
may be commonplace trivial matters, but if attended to will pay in the
long run.
Prevention is better than cure, and the careful motoriste who looks
after her car as she looks after herself will have little use for the
hints in this chapter of mine.
Above all, whatever may arise, try to forget to weep and remember to
laugh. Then you will have won half the battle of “Motor Woe.”