For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 25
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TEN SHILLINGS is paid to the sender of any letter. SHILLINGS to the sender of the one which we select as published. Mention your employer's name, in confidence, Commercial Motor," 7-15, Bo which we publish on this page; and an EXTRA FIVE being the best each week. All notes are edited before being as evidence of good faith. Address, D., AL and F., "The sebery Avenue, London, E.G. 1.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, April 17th, light your lamps at 8.28 in London, 8.51 in Edinburgh, 8.41 in Newcastle, 8.43 in Liverpool, 8.36 in. Birmingham, 8.38 in Bristol, i and 9.23 n Dublin.
Running Without a Jet in the Carburetter.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the extra paymentiof 5s. this week.
(2,075) " S.G.F." (Stowm'arket) writes :—"I started out a short time ago withia lorrrloaded with if our tons, the journey in prospect being-one of about;.80 miles. As I turned out from the garage, I noticed that the engine was running rather erratically,1ont considered that it.Emight be due to the fact that it was not pro• perl,y warmed up, and did not trouble about it. The trouble however, c o n
tinued, an d when I had got about two miles away from the garage the engine petered out altogether. To my dismay, the first thing I dis
covered w a s petrol running from the exhaust pipe joints and from t h e valve caps. Secondly, I found that I was entirely without tool s, and should most likely have been 1 o n g. delayed but for the fortunate arrival Of a cyclist, from whom I borrowed a small spanner, with which I proceeded to take down the carburetter. When I had got so far, L found trouble indeed ; there was no jet in the carburetter 1 "Now, I particularly wanted to make the journey that day, no something had to be done, and after a little hard thinking I decided to-try the following. I cut a piece of leather from my braces, and tied it over the pillar for the jet, see sketch. [Which we have had. redrawn.—En.] I put a pinhole in the leather where the jet orifice, should have been, started tin engine up, and not only did it run well all that day but also for several others during the time that I was waiting for a new jet from the manufacturers."
Utilizing a piece of leather brc.ce as a carburetter jet.
A Choked Exhaust Steam Box.
[2,076] "RS." (Droitwich) writes:---" There is one source of loss of power in a steam wagon which is generally unsuspected. Perhaps as it is not one which frequently occurs it is on that account not easily recognized by any but the most experienced of drivers. All the more reason, I think, why those who have not the benefit of the knowledge which has come in the course of time, to us older hands should be advised of theldifficulty. I can think of no better medium for spreading the knowledge than the' D.M. and F.' page of your paper, and therefore suggest to you the advisability of publishing the aceompanying.sketch—[Which we have had,redra,wn. —En.]—and the notes which I have!put together on the subject. I can best illustrate the matter by describing an actual experience. Some weeks' ago one of our wagons was yin for repair. Amongst other things, it was reported to be'pulling badly; and it was surmised at. the time that the trouble:.lay in the cylinders. One of the first questions which I asked the driver was, 'Is. the exhaust box.clear? "Ile reply was as the M.P.s say, 'in the affirmative.' He added, moreover, that he had cleaned it out recently. Satisfied on theipoint, I set to work to examine, the engine, andimust,admit that there was plenty to do in#that department. I fitted the pistons with new rings, put in new valve bushes, new valves, and generally gave the engine a thorough overhauling. I then got steam up and tried the wagon on the road. It ran a little better than before, but there was obviously something still the matter, for the power, developed was not anything like what it ought to' have been.
I returned to the yard and. tested the cylinders, etc., for leakage, using the gauge. No fault could be found in that quarter. My thoughts then returned, to the exhaust box, and, without saying another word to the .driver, •I pushed a piece of iron wire into the box, through the exhaust nuzzle, and found, as I suspected, that the box was practically choked up. I thoroughly cleaned it out, and the wagon immediately responded and ran as well as ever it did when it was again on the road."