ROADSIDE AND GARAGE.
Page 31
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A Page for Drivers, Mechanics and Foremen.
Petrol Economy.
The sender of the following communicaticrn has been awarded the extra payment of 6s. this week: (2230) " A.A." (Birmingham) writes: —" There has been a lot in the motor papers lately about methods of effecting fuel economy in various types of vehicles; moreover, all sorts of devices will no doubt be on view and will be tested during the forthcoming trials, which, I understand, are to be carried out by the R.A.C. I wonder whether anyone else besides myself has ever tried the following tip :—Instead of seducing the size of the jet by the oldfashioned and brutal method of hammering or burring over the end, procure a piece of fine steel wire of from 0.005 in. to 0.01 in. in diameter. Push it up the jet fromthe underside instil the upper end of the wire is level with the top of the jet, then bend over at the lower end and solder to the bedy of the jet.
I have effected, in this way., economies of from 15 to 25 per -cent., due in part to the reduction of the jet areal but also,
I believe, to the better atomization of the fuel."
Salving a Damaged Petrol Tin.
(2231) " P.G .14." (Bristol) writes :— "Petrol cans are now 3s. each. Even when they were 2s. there was little point in treating them in the cavalier fashion which is customary in most garages.
Even with the best of intentions, however, they sometimes suffer damage either through being run over or by being used as temporary jacks to sustain loads con siderably above their capacity. In a busy garage, where every man is fully employed all the time to his utmost capacity, such a can is, from that time onwards, fit only for the scrap heap. I imagine, however, there are few shops in which time could not be found to repair these cans, and for suala eases. I suggest the following method :—Take any old piece of brass and turn it up to the shape shown in the sketch at A. It is tapped in. Whitworth. The method of use is as follows :- "Imagine the-petrol can to have sustained a dent such as that depicted in the second sketch. The base of the brass nut should be soldered to the can in the middle of the dent Procure a piece of flat bar approximately 1 in. by in. and drill a 7-16 in. hole in the centre. Arrange this bar as shown in the sketch, resting on packing pieces on the sound portion of the can, and with the hole immediately over the. centre of the aut.'
The dent can then be pulled out by the application of a A in. setscrew pushed. through the hole in the bar and screwed into the hole, in the nut. The process can be helped if the can is occasionally given a few light taps with a wooden mallet while the operation is going on. In bad cases it may be necessary to carry out the operation twice, soldering the nut into a new position in the event of the first effort not having been a successful one."
A Crankcase Boring Jig.
(2232) "AL." (Nott. ng Rill) writes: —" A short time ago we had an accident to one of our vehicles, which resulted in a breakage of the top half of the crankcase. This was welded, and apparently was perfectly satisfactory. Trouble occurred, however, when we began to erect the bearings in place, for I found that, in order to get the crankshaft to bed on the two end bearings, I should have practically to cut all the white metal from the centre one. This, of course, was impracticable, so what I did was first of all to becPthe abaft in place without the centre bearing. I got an old boring bar, on which was screwed at one end a fine thread. I embedded the nut for this in a white metal casting, which I trued up so that it could be held in one of the end .bearings. A. plain white metal bush served as a bearing . for the bar at the other end. I put the centre bearing in place before metalling it, and using this boring bar took a cut out of the phosphor-bronze casing, which fortunately happened to be fairly thick.
• Lamps Alight.
On Saturday May 28th, light your lamps at 9.30 in London 9.54 in Newcastle' 9.41 in Birmingham, 10.7 in Edinburgh, 9.51 in Liverpool, 9.40 in Bristol, and 10.34 in Dublin.