What to Do in Emergencies.
Page 21
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During the present state of affairs. we shall substitute this new feature for our usual " Drivers' and Mechanics' Contributions"; these we shall resume when more normal circumstances rule in our industry. We repeat our recent .statement, that we are desirous of assisting the "new man at the wheel," of whom there are many at the present time for one reason or another. Our usual "D. and M. " pages have included many tips as to workshop procedure, etc. ; some of these we are temporarily dropping, wInlst we are selecting more appropriate suggestions with care, Drivers and mechanics may still send in contributions, which will be paid for at the usual rates.
Repairing a Fractured Eccentric Strap.
The illustration herewith depicts a practical repair to a fractured eccentric strap on a steam wagon, the break occurring at the thinnest part of the section. In a case of emergency, with a little care, quite a satisfactory repair can be made to the damaged component, thus saving delay until a renewal can be fitted.
The drawing is almost self-explanatory, but we will describe the manner in which the job should be tackled. If the wagon be stranded some distance from a town, a local blacksmith could very well do the job.
A suitable length of mild-steel plate about in. thick, its width equal to that of the eccentric, should be bent to shape to a wire template. It must then be -drilled at each end and bolted in position. Our -sketch shows an eccentric strap fitted separately to the palm of the eccentric rod, but this form of construction, of course, is not always manufacturers' practice, but providing that the reinforcing piece be securely bolted in place, this class of repair will well -serve its purpose. To prevent the plate springing one or two short N in. set-pins should be screwed into the strap near the fracture.
Short Circuits in the Wiring.
'When a short circuit is suspected, it is often an easy matter to locate it by testing the ignition in some dark place, as the spark will be readily discovered passing from the metal which is in too close proximity to the high-tension wire. The short should 'be looked for while the wire is in position, as the -very act of detaching it before an initial search will -only delay matters.
If it be found that the insulation round the wire -has been chafed away, the Dart should be tightly 'bound with insulating tape. It is advisable so to fix the wire that recurrence of the trouble will be guarded against, a very satisfactory method being to thread it through a length of indiarubber tubing. All insulated wire should be kent as free as possible from oil, lubricant being detrimental to the covering material.
'Weak Compression.
'When a vehicle, after a period of service, is climbing a hill or hauling a heavy load, it may be noticed 'that the engine is not pulling with its usual power. 'This is probably due to loss of compression, which
may arise from several causes, some of which can readily be put right. To test the compression, the first thing to do is to switch the current off and pull the starting handle round on the compression stroke of each cylinder. It will then soon be realized whether the handle comes round with but little effort.
When the faulty cylinder is located, it will be as well to ascertain whether the sparking plug requires tightening up, or possibly a new seating-washer is necessary. Another cause is that a valve probably requires grinding in, or one may have got seized in its guide through congealed oil. Should the leak not betray itself in any visible sign, it may be due to the fact that the slots in a set of piston rings have got into line, or that one of the rings is broken. When the former fault is the reason, it is, of course, necessary to turn the rings i round n the piston, but before replacing them again it is advisable to peg each ring in its correct position to prevent a recurrence of the trouble.
A Broken 'Valve Tappet Made Serviceable.
When a driver has the misfortune to experience a broken valve-tappet on the road, it very often means that he has to run the machine home with one cylinder less working. We here indicate a repair to a valve tappet which, although not applicable to all types of engines, may suggest a repair to others than the type illustrated, leaving the running of the engine quite unimpaired. In the left-hand view of the drawing it is assumed that the fracture has occurred just above the adjusting nuts, and at the smallest section of the metal. The right-hand view shows the completed repair. The adjusting portion of the tappet is shown bored out just below where the break occurred. The top portion of the original piece is discarded altogether, and a * in. or Ar in. bolt of suitable length is screwed through the casing and secured in position by a couple of locknuts. Should the tappet be solid, it of course means that the metal must first be tapped out to accommodate the screw. The tapping in. this case must be carried out to some considerable depth, so as to allow for raising and lowering the bolt to obtain the proper tappet clearance, after which the outside locking nut must be screwed tightly down.