WAYS AND MEANS.
Page 65
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Useful Contributions from Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.
An Unusual Breakdown.
AMOST unusual occurrence and a most ingenious means for overcoming trouble have been brought to our notice by " W.O.K.," of Ilford.
Ile was sent to salve one of his firm's A.E.C. lorries in which a floating rear
axle sikafs had broken. The broken axle shaft was diagnosed to be on the off aide, so he removed the hub cap, but was tumble to remove the short broken piece, as the fracture had occurred. near where the axle enters the differential. To remove this, he followed the usual Plan of removing the axle shaft on the opposite side, thinking that when that was out he could push the broken piece out with a long rod.
On removing the near-side shaft he found, to his surprise, that that was also broken in the same place, namely, where it enters the differential. This left him with two short Pieces of broken axle in such a position that neither could be pushed right through, so the only alternative was either to take the whole axle adrift or devise some plan whereby the short pieces could be drawn out, as the broken ends projected from the differential so that it could not be lifted out.
To overcome the difficulty, he obtained a piece of tube about 8 ins, long, and just the right size in the bore to pass ON er the broken end of the axle. The tube was split with four saw cuts, the ends bent slightly outwards and a ring made to slide up, and when near the end to contract the opened tube so that
it would grip the broken shaft. A long piece of hard wood was driven into the tube and the whole inserted in the axle sleeve. The tube was guided until it was over the broken piece, and the ring driven along with a long rod so as to close the tube over the axle, by this means one of the short pieces was drawn out. After this, the pushing out of the remaining piece was an easy job.. " W.O.K." says that he has had several shafts of the kind break, but never in his experience has he heard of both shafts breaking at the same time, and he would be glad to hear if a similar thing has ever happened to others,
Feed-water Heater Trouble and Repair.
A LETTER from " W.H.W.." of Heckniondwike, tells us that he was recently called to a Sentinel wagon which was giving trouble ; the symptoms were that it was using a lot ci water and was not able to make steam as it should. A large amount of water was running into the cylinders, and this got into the exhaust and deadened the fire, more so when running with steam shut off. He found that the driver had been running with both pump and injector in use. "
instructed the driver to remove the washer from the water connection of his pump and to replace it with a penny and a piece of soft packing, so as to stop any water from the pump from reaching the boiler, and to run on the injector only, starting with 'Et fresh fire. Tn this way the driver was able
been annealed was rebrazed into the union. " W.IEE.W." tells us that this is not the only case he has had to deal with of leaks occurring on pipes in the same position.
Be has had similar trouble occur in the heater of the Garrett overtype wagon, and points out that in such a case the water cannot get to the engine as in the Sentinel, but if the heater be fitted with taps, as shown, detection is simplified by adopting the following method. First close the top tap on the exhaust siphon pipe, then pump water into the boiler, at the same time running with free engine and keeping the bottom tap open. If water be seen running into the ashpan, then it will be known that the heater is defective, and if the driver thinks the leakage serious he had better run on cold water by closing the bottom tap,until a repair can be effected. Under ordinary conditions he says that both taps should be open, and when pumping into the boiler, with regulator open, water should drip from the drain into the ashpan.
Troubles with Aluminium Pistons.
THERE is no doubt, says " W.E.W.," of Brentford, that considerable ttabdi: vantages may be gained by using minima pistons in petrol engines. They are, however, subject to a few disadvantages in practice. After having been in service for some time they are liable to be worn considerably out of truth. Wear occurs at the small end, where the gudgeon pin fits in the piston, and this may be enough to be objectionable. Pistons may also give trouble by burning. This burning, if it occurs, usually takes place at the periphery of the piston, stint not so much near the centre, where one would expect to find the maximum temperatures.
Pistons in which the clearance between the cylinder walls and the piston over the top lands is excessive are very often troubled by burning. Burning does not attack certain parts of the piston only, but, in the majority of cases, it takes place at a point on the diameter opposite the sparking plug. Inclined sparking plugs seem to cause an increase in burning troubles, and design probably plays a great part.
The only thing that can be done in operation, beyond seeing that there is no mechanical defect on the pistons or in the cylinders, is to avoid anything which will cause an excessive cylinder temperature. Higher temperatures than are necessary often pertain, these being due to faulty ignition timing, bad valve timing, bad cooling, etc. It must be remembered that if one or more cylinders in a multi-cylindered engine be in a bad condition and cannot stand up to their work, more work will be thrown on to the remaining cylinders, and if the engine be required to develop anything approaching full power the efficient cylinders will be overloaded, with the result that they will attain higher temperatures. These temperatures may be high enough to cause burning and could be easily avoided.