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• FORD . ' VAN POINTERS.

19th September 1922
Page 21
Page 21, 19th September 1922 — • FORD . ' VAN POINTERS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

By R. T. Nicholson (Author of "The. Book of the Ford").

IN MY last week's batch of Pointers I gave you a useful two pages of miscellaneous facts and figures relating to the Ford—some of them to the van and some to the truck, whilst, of course, some were applicable to both types of vehicle. I gave a number of dimensions, applicable to the chassis frame, axles, engine, spindles, springs, radiator, etc., whilst matters such as wheel alignment and universal joint lubrication, were touched upon—quite an interesting little bunch, in fact. Here are a few more from the same parcel:— 493 (Contd.).—Ford Facts and Figures.

Clutch.--The clutch has 12 small and 13• large plates, set alternately, large and small, a large plate coming first and last in the group. Tension of clutch spring is 90 lb. when out of working position; acting through leverage of clutch fingers, in working position, it gives a pressure of 324 lb, .See that you get it :

The Ford magneto gives any number of volts up to about 24, according to speed of engine. At 1,000 r.p.in, it produces alternating current of 1,600 alternations per minute.

High-tension ignition current has a voltage of from 6,000 to 10,009, according to voltage of low-tension current. There are approximately 16,400 turns of wire in the high-tension (secondary) coil, as against 222 in. the low-tension •(primary) coil. This would account for a " stepping up" of 80 to 1, but would not account for an increase in voltage from, shy, 24 to, say, 10,000, which would call for a "stepping up " of over 400 to 1. Other factors, however, too complicated to mention, enter into the result, and we need not deal with them here.

Coil contact points should be set with a gap between them of from .022 in. to .031 in.

Amperage taken by eon unit should be from 1.2 to 1.4, from a 6-volt battery.

Generator.—The generator turns in tho same dimeas the crankshaft., and in the opposite direction to the camshaft. The generator turns half as fast again as the eranksha rt, its gear having 16 teeth, as against the 24 of the crankshaft.

Its ordinary-output is 8-10 amperes, rising to 10-12 amperes at 1,500 rop.in., meaning, roughly, 20-25 hours on the road. It should give no higher output than 12 amperes at any road speed. Cut-out points should close at a voltage of 1, and should open at 0—i.e' . when engine is at rest. Starter.—It takes 150 to 300 amperes to start an engine turning, this discharge being, however, only momentary and depending upon the temperature and condition of the engine. Once turning, the engine takes from 80 to 150 amperes or more, until the charge fires, and the foot switch is released. . The Ford battery is an 80-ampere-hour battery, which means that it can give an output of SO amperes for one hour continuously. (It will give you full lighting for about 16 hours.) In starting the engine it will give you all the amperage you need for a short time ; but the capacity of the battery (in amperage), Of course, falls rapidly with the discharge. It must not be inferred that if it can give 80 amperes for one hour it will give 4,890 amperes for one minute.

Obviously, as the generator charges at, say, 10 amperes, and starter may be called upon to discharge

at over 200 amperage, it takes over 20 minutAs' charging to compensate for the amount of current-used in a single start. It is better to consider that half an hour's running at a good speed is needed to compensate for a single start. The voltage of, each cell in the battery, fully charged, is 2.2 or 6.6 volts for all three. A voltage of 1.7 per cell indicates complete discharge. The hydrometer reading of a fully charged cell would be from 1.275 to 1.300, and discharge should not go on until the reading is as low as 1.150. (The hydroFieter eading of each cell should, of course, be approximately eoual.)

Tyre Inflation.—It is a good rule with every motor to pump up to 20 lb. for every inch of cross section of the tyre. Thus, in the ease of •the .Ford, we have the following pressures to bear in mind :— Truck.—Front wheels (3i-in. cross section), 70 lb. to the sq. in. Back wheels (41-in. crass section), 90 lb. to the sq. in.

Van.—Front wheels (3-in. cross section), 60 lb. to. the sq. in. Bg,ek wheels .(34.-in, cross section), 70 lb. to the sq. in,

It pays to use a pressure gauge to verify inflation pressure. It pays much more than it costs—about 10,000,000 times.rn ore. Tyres which merely seem hard enough rarely are.


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