Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 18
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for any thing else published.
Drivers of commercial-motor veinc.es and tractors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, are invited to send short contributions on any subject which is likely to prove of interest to our readers. Workshop tips and smart repairs ; long and successful runs ; interesting photographs : all are suitable subjects. Send a post-card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We will "knock it into shape" and prepare sketches, where necessary, before publication. The absence of a sketch does not disqualify for a prize. When writing use one side of the paper only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name will be disclosed. Payment will be made immediately after Publication. Address your letters to The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.G.
A Repair to a Cracked Water Jacket.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
L439:2] " G.S.C." (Slough) writes :—" The following is a description of a method of repairing a pair of cylinders belonging to an engine of a well-known maker. This had the water jackets cracked in a very awkward position, as shown on the rough sketch enclosed. [We have had
this sketch redraw/I.—ED.]. The crack was not discovered until the engine was on the test bench, and the cylinders were then taken off and replaced by a new pair. If this crack had developed on the car while it %vas in service, and, had no spare cylinders been immediately available, the best way to have carried out an effective patch would have been as follows: On this type of engine, the valve caps are of a very-deep pattern, and they make explosion-tight joints by means of conical seats at the bottom. These caps are held down by a bridge piece and stud, and this original stud should be replaced by one which is lA in. longer. Two lj in. bolts, I% in. long, should then be procured. and a shallow hole should be drilled in the head of each, in order to receive the pegs on the ends of the bridge piece. Two + in. steel washers, slightly larger in diameter than the valve caps, with a in. clear hole in the centre. and two "Walkerite" %%ashers of a corresponding size should he prepared. The valve caps may now be put into position, and, on the top of each, a " Walkerite " washer should be placed, the steel
washer going on top of this. If the two prepared in.
,.bolts, which, by the way, must have a running nut on 'teach, are then placed in position between the bridge piece and the valve caps, by judicious tightening of the nut on the main bridge stud and those on the smaller set screws, a first-class joint may be made on each of the conical seats as well as at the flat ones on top of the casting."
The Avoidance of Scale.
L693] " C.T." (Fulham) writes us a long letter from which the following are interesting extracts.—" I recently read a very-intere.sting series of articles on boilers for steam wagons and tractors, in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, and this made me think that a few lines with reference to the care and management of wagon and tractor boilers might be acceptable for publication on the drivers and mechanics' page.
• '1 do not think there is much doubt but that the principal troubles which drivers have with boilers of steam wagons and tractors can be traced, in the majority of cases, to a neglect to keep the boilers clean both inside and out. Accumulations of ashes and dirt wherever they may be, when water is continually dropping on to them, cause corrosion and such troubles. With regard to the insides of boilers, of course the principal trouble is the formation of scale. It has to be at once admitted that some types of boilers are much more liable to this drawback than others. There are any number of patent fluids and preparations for the prevention of the formation of scale, and there is no doubt that many of them are quite efficient, but it is very difficult to find a remedy which will deal with scale which has already formed. I know of one case where a quantity of caustic soda is occasionally put into the boilers, and these are then kept under a low pressure for four or five hours before they are washed out. Of course the engines are not run while the boilers are being treated in this way. I personally cannot see the use of this, as calcium carWpm*. which is the ordinary boiler scale, is absolutely insoluble in alkalies-even strong solutions at a high temperature. There is no doubt that the proper way to go to work is to prevent the formation of scale, and the only way to do this is to select a. well-recommended boiler fluid, and to use a small quantity regularly every day. Intermittent use of such a preparation is little or no good at all. I have found that if such preparations are not administered with considerable care, trouble is very likely to ensue from excessive priming. The best way is to use a small quantity every morning in the feed tank, anti, about twice a week. to add a little at the end of a day's work.
LCaustie soda is useful for the treatment of water which contains calcium bi-carbonate. More drivers and owners should, we think, avail themselves of our offer to furnish water analyses and reports.—En.] Good Delivery Service in Southampton.
• ' (Southampton) writes: -" 1 am a. :-cgular reader 'if your valuable journal, and I notice :hut you invite drivers and mechanics to send accounts of their experiences of different types of industrial motors under ordinary working condition. I beg to enclose you a photograph [We have reproduced this.—En.] and a few details respecting the consistency of the running of a 16 h.p. Thornyeroft, motorvan. 1 have driven this machine for the past 15 months, and with much satisfaetinn. The work on which it is employed is a retail delivery m'ound. and the average number of calls per day is :Jima 150. The journey is one of about 55 miles per day, ape is chiefly over country roads. Since I have driven this van, it has covered over 16,000 miles, and the engine has never given the slightest trouble during the whole of that period. 1 have only had one stop on the road: this %%as due to the clutch shaft seizing, but. in fairness to the makers, I must admit that I think this was my own L misjudged the quantity of grease which this particular shaft required. The best performance of the van was. I think, a journey from Eastbourne „to Southampton, a distance of 100 miles. in fq, hours. On this run I had a two-ton load aboard, and had to climb School Bill, near Lewes. Sussex, which is one of the steepest hills in the locality. I believe, but we got over it quite easily. Considering the amount of stopping and starting that I. have to do in the course of my journeys, I think that the way in which such wearing parts as sprockets, chains, brake shoes and brake drums stand up is remarkable. inonpt the features of this vehicle whichI have found to eive good results, for the class of work in which I am engaged, is the general simplicity of the engine design, and the previshm of thermo-syphon roofing in preference to the ,:.(linary pump syem. The fan consists of a set, it blades on the flywheel, and the fan belt and other attendant worries are therefore dispensed with. f ant
very satisfied indeed eith the .ew-tension ignition system with which this engine is fitted. My experience with .such systems on other umehines is that. as a rule, it is very difficult to lubricate the tappets. They often get stuck or seize. However, on this particular machine, these details are made longer and are stouter than usual. and it is quite easy to lubricate them, and, as a matter
of fact. I have had no trouble whatever in this respect. With regard to the petrol consumption. I find that, over a long period el running, this averages about 11": miles to the gallon. Lubrication is of the ordinary force-feed type, and I have suereeded in getting an average of 170 miles of running to the gallon of oil consumed. Since the firma, hy whom I am employed, started running this machine, they have inereased their country deliveries to nearly double the original area and I believe that a repeat order is shortly TO ,1414'ed."