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ROADSIDE AND GARAGE.

19th October 1926
Page 79
Page 79, 19th October 1926 — ROADSIDE AND GARAGE.
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Interesting Notes From Our Driver and Mechanic Readers.

Repairing Cracked Cylinders. FROST cracks in cylinders will soon be with us again; in spite of warnings, • somebody is always being had at

this season, of the year. It is not generally known that cast-iron can be soldered, and the writer—" F.S.." of Orpington—states that he has made a good many successful jobs of cracked water jackets as follows:— File a V notch the full length of the crack and about I in. wide, also file•the metal clean for i• in. each side of the notch, then obtain a piece of soft brass stick as used for brazing and rub it hard all over the cleaned surface, around and in the notch until it has a brassy appearance. Warm the cylinders until they are jtist too hot to fouch and have a hot soldering iron ready, apply soldering spirit and solder, and well tin the surface; then proceed to fill up the V notch and spread the solder over each side, the finished repair appearing in section as shown in the sketch.

We shouldprefer to use either of the following fluxes, as they do not rust like ordinary killed spirits of salts: " Fluxury," either paste or fluid. This is sometimes known as " Bonyman's fluid," and " Soldo," which is in the form of a powder. This tins and acts as a flux at the same time.

Removing Taps Without Damage.

DIFFICULTY is often experienced in removing taps from oil barrels, etc., as these often become damaged through being knocked about, consequently they are difficult to turn on and off. To extract the taps successfully " of Hayes, has used the tool shown, which can easily be made from 4-in. mild-steel rod. The sole idea of this tool is to impart a turning movement, which quickly loosens the tap. When making up the tool remember one bend has to pass around the bottom of the body of the tap ; the second portion and bend should be flattened sufficiently to pass under the plunger handle at the top of the tap.

Obviating Float-chamber Leakage. THERE are, no doubt, says "Fit.," of

Huddersfield, a great many users of Carburetters who do experience a waste of petrol in some way or other ; at least it has been My experience, and I have to deal with about fifty, and as it happens all our carburetters are of the Zenithmake.

Now, as one will see, the cover of the float chamber is merely held down by the pressure of a small fiat spring, and it will be noticed (if one should hennen to ride a few yards on the wing as I do occasionally) that this particular spring deteriorates in strength after a few months in use, which has the effect of allowing the lid 'of the float chamber to jump about, thus not only allowing the petrol to splash out, but also resulting in 'unnecessary wear taking place.

From time to time I have bent the springs a little to give them renewed pressure, and afterwards I fitted., new springs, but these efforts to hold, the lid firm proved useless, with further resultant wear and waste. This trouble has now been cured by employing a new method of holding the covers, which, in some cases, has stood the test for more than two years and appears likely to be good for another two. I might say that we have eleven of these carburetters with the lids secured in the manner illustrated.

-fa will be seen that two locking catches are now employed, these being made of spring steel 1-32 in. thick and in. wide. They are turned over at the top and held to the body of the float chamber by grub screws which, after fitting, are soldered to prevent loosening or leakage.

Repairing Electric Cables. IT is often inadvisable, owing to expense and loss of time, to install a complete. lenajt. of cable for the lights after a short as occurred. The method commonly adopted 5s to solder the two ends together and wrap with insulating tape. A better method is suggested by an.T.," of Cleckheaton. Let us suppose that after joining the ends there is a space of f in. or in. bare wire; take a piece of high-tension cable, cut off in. or in., slit this and remove the wire. It will now be found possible to slide this on to the soldered joint. Bind the sleeve thus formed with tape.

Laying Up Steam Wagons. IT is often necessary to lay up steam wagons for some little time, and if certain minparey d

cautions be not taken some

parts may principally the boiler. parts may principally the boiler.

,Before draining off the water from the boiler and tanks the engine should be run to a place where it stands as nearly level as possible, to avoid any water remaining in low places. The fire should next be damped down with damp ashes and the draught nearly but off, the water should then be run off from the tanks and the boiler, the remaining steam pressure will then slowly fall to zero.

When the boiler has cooled off a little the fire may be raked out; not much fire will have remained, however, if the fire has been,properly damped down.

The fire should not be drawn while it is still incandescent, as a large amount of heat is thrown up by the disturbed fuel, cold air is admitted which chills the plates, contracts the tubes and may cause leakage. Even when the water level is dangerously low it is better to damp the ire down with damp ashes than to draw the fire, as in drawing a fire such a large amount of heat is stirred up that it is liable to make matters worse.

When quite cold clean out the smokebox, remove the firebars and store them; remove the clinker and the ashes from the firebox. All ashes must be removed as nothing is more corrosive than ashes when they are damp, and they are often the cause of external wasting of boiler plates. It_ bucket or other waterproof covering should be placed aver the funnel top to keep out moisture.

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