LETTERS FROM DRIVERS WHO ARE USING BENZOLE.
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Increased Speed and Lower Consumption on a Char-a-hancs.
[1334] " W.R.P." (Newcastle) writes :—" 'There is keen interest amongst the owners of commercial vehicles in our district concerning the use of benzole on their machines. My employer, amongst many other owners in Newcastle, decided to give benzole trial. The machine I drive is a 28-32 hp. Albion, and it is u.sed for char-à-banos work. Its weekly mileage averages about 500. While we used petrol I could only average 51m.p.g., and the speed generally was 13 m.p.h. We have used benzole for about eight months, and are quite satisfied with the results. The consumption has been reduced, and we attain 8.9 m.p.g., and get about 15 to 17 m.p.h. We made no adjustments to the carburetter or governor. " There are many hilly roads in this district, and I take them on top gear with a load of about three tons with every satisfaction since using benzole, whereas, when using petrol, I would generally have to change speed to 6 m.p.h. when tackling a stiffish incline. Quite recently we took off the cylinders for the purpose of cleaning them and to see what condition the pistons were in after running on benzoic.. and we were quite surprised at the small amount of deposit found. If the valves, especially the exhaust, are kept tuned up, I consider very satisfactory results are obtained by using this spirit."
Good Results on a Karrier.
[1335] " E.L.B." (Horbury) writes :--" I am sending you my opinions on the matter of running machines on benzole, having had a considerable amount of experience in that direction, as I first used it in 1911. The machine I drive is a Karrier B-type of four tons load capacity and was delivered in Suite of the year I have just mentioned. It was then fitted with a Tylor engine and a Trier and Martin carburetter. We found that benzole answered perfectly until frosty weather was encountered, which at the time was so severe as to cause the spirit to freeze up in the strainer as we were filling the tank. For this reason my employer went back to a heavy grade of petrol. However, a little time later, I persuaded him to give benzole another trial. I might mention that, owing to increasingly heavy loads having to be carried, we had the Tylor engine taken out and fitted in place a 45 h.p. Drayson with a Claudel-Hobson carburetter. We first ran on petrol, and, of course, the new ins stallation gave a great deal more power, but it was not until benzole was tried that I realized the full capabilities of the engine. As soon as the motor was warm, it ran much quieter and smoother, and pulled a heavy load on top gear on routes where we previously, whilst using petrol, had to drop clown to third speed. Thoroughly to satisfy ourselves we again changed over to petrol, and, with rather a smaller load on board, the engine would knock in a way that demanded an immediate reduction in gear. I found the benzole which was first used—that is, two years ago—deposited a gummy substance around the valve stems, but the spirit which is produced to-clay appears to prevent any clogging taking place in that respect.
"Concerning the adjustment or alteration to carburetters, I might say there was nothing whatever done in this direction. We find that benzole is more economical, and with a normal load the wagon does 85 to 95 miles on 10 gallons, whilst on petrol we only obtained 70 on the same quantity. It has been said that benzole has a bad effect on the cylinder walls and valves, but I have never noticed, on examination, any burning or pitting of these parts any more than with petrol.
I have had some 14 yeses' experience with petroldriven engines, but have never obtained the same satisfaction as that given when benzoie is used." The Result of Intelligent Adjustment.
[1336] " R.T." (Bedford Hill) writes:-" My experience is that most carburetters will, with a little adjustment, run as well on benzole as on petrol. When in charge of a garage on the south coast, I fitted several S.U. carburetters to motors of different makes, and after obtaining satisfactory results when running on petrol, the owner of these machines suggested that I should tune up one of the machines to run on benzole. The machine in question weighed 33 cwt., and did 22 miles to the gallon on petrol. "We tried benzole without making any adjustment to the carburetter, and the consumption proved to be lower than when petrol was used, as we obtained 25 miles to the gallon with the new spirit. The results were carefully checked by having only one gallon in the tank at a time and using it up. The engine ran a little hot, however, and on removing the valve caps there were signs of deposit, which indicated too heavy a mixture. it was then an adjustment was made to the carburetter by drawing the petrol needle valve slightly out of its socket. "A further gallon of benzole was put into the tank, and exactly the same route taken previously was fol. lowed, and on this occasion the engine ran cooler, pulled much better, and put up one more mile to the gallon, thus giving a total of 26 m.p.g. On examination there was no perceptible deposit in the valves, and the flexibility of the carburetter was in no way impaired by the use of benzole. I may add that the spirit was a high-grade benzoic:, and was used to ensure easy starting up."
Important to Keep the Ignition in Order.
[1337] " T.G.W." (Welling) writes :—" I am sending you notes of my experiences whilst using benzole on tbree different types of machines under my charge. The class of spirit is Glico motor benzoic, which is used on all the vehicles. We first tried the spirit on an old type of engine in June last for a week, and the result was so satisfactory that we decided to use it solely in place of ordinary motor spirit, the results as regards mileage being as follow : threeton model, former mileage attained on petrol 6.86 mpg., present mileage on benzole 8.47 m.p.g. ; two-ton model, former mileage on petrol 7.8 m.p.g., present mileage on benzole 9.46 m.p.g. ; and the oneton model, former mileage on petrol 10.8 m.p.g., present .mileage on benzoic 14.68 m.p.g. The mileage per gallon may not at first sight appear very high, but the machines are used chiefly in London and the suburbs, and a considerable amount of stopping and starting is done during delivery of goods.
"Tire carburetter on the three-ton machine was left untouched. The two-ton and one-ton models both had their jets slightly reduced, but one point which I found necessary was that the ignition gear must be kept at its highest efficiency. I find this more essential to the success of benzole than the question of actual readjustment to the carburetter. My opinion is, get a good, powerful spark, and very little, if any, black smoke will issue from the exhaust. The jacket round the carburetter, where such is provided, must be kept clean, and the engines allowed a little longer period to warm up in the morning. I may mention that we have not finished experimenting yet, as I think of fitting an arrangement to allow a small amount of extra air to work in conjunction with the throttle. I also intend to fit a smaller jet to the carburetter, so as to obtain a more finely-divided spray. One of the machines has done 16,000 miles, partly on petrol and partly on benzole. When the cylinders were taken off, we found upon examination that the heads and pistons were practically dean. The carbon appeared to have been dissolved and was in a kind of plastic condition on the baffle plates which are fitted under the cylinders."