HINTS ON MAINTENANCE.
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How to Get the Best Out of a Vehicle, to Secure Reliability and to Avoid Trouble.
596.—An Assembler for Piston Rings Which Practically Obviates Breakages.
The British Piston Ring Co., Ltd., have forwarded to us a neat and useful little device which has been specially designed to facilitate the fitting or removal of piston rings. It takes the form of three thin
blued-steel blades, the inner ends of which are slotted and• slidably mounted o'n a single rivet, whilst the outer ends are bent down at right angles to fit the piston walls.
Quite a number of unnecessary breakages occur with piston rings through mishandling. These may be obviated if this little device be employed.
To use it, the rivet part of the device is positioned on the centre of the head of the piston and one blaclb brought into contact with one side of the piston, whilst the other two blades must occupy positions near the gaps of the rings, which are passed over the three blades, after which the two ends of the device next to the gaps are slid round to the back of the piston, passing under the rings, where they will overlap each other and can easily be withdrawn.
The price of this little appliance is Is., and it can be obtained from garages and dealers, or direct from the makers, whose address is Holbrook Lane, Coventry.
597.—More Cold-weather Tips Which May Save Much Trouble.
In cold weather there is far more danger of dilution of the engine oil than hi warm weather. Therefore, refrain, so far as possible, from using the air choke, as this permits a very strong mixture to enter the cylinders, and some of the condensed fuel may work past the pistons into the crank chamber.
The oil should be drained off and the crankcase refilled at _periods ranging from 200 miles to NO miles, according to the condition of the engine. It as important that only the best oil obtainable should be used, for it is essential that the oil be of sufficient body to resist the ,cutting action of the fuel when this works into the supply.
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It is also a good practice to drain off about pint of oil every two or three nights during the winter and while the engine is warm. In a. number of cases it will be found that the oil contains water, the result of the crankcase sweating due to rapid changes of temperature.
In draining off a small amount of oil the water will come out with it, and by doing this the possibility of running on an emulsion of dirty oil and water is obviated. Oil, when clean, will not emulsify with water, but after a; short period of service the oil acquires dirt and sediment, which form a binder between the oil and the water and result in the formation of sludge, which may eventually clog the oil leads and stop the circulation.
In aggravated cases of water penetration ice may be formed in the sump and cause the pump shaft to break when the motor is being started.
598.—Lubricating the Brake Shoe Pins of the 4-ton Maudslay.
Few parts of a motor vehicle cause more trouble than brake-shoe pins, if these cannot effectively be lubricated and are exposed to the deleterious effects of water and dirt.
Some trouble wasrecently experienced with these pins on a 4-ton Maudslay ; no means were provided for keeping grease on them, with the result that the shoes were apt to rust on to the pins and cause binding. Therefore, the pins were drilled in the _ manner illustrated and greasers fitted, these being
of gas size.
For the top pin of each brake an adapter was required so that the greaser would miss the brake drum; also the upper pin cannot be drilled in the same fashion as that at the bottom, for the rear springs are in the way.
The holes should be in. diameter ; smaller ones may tend to cause clogging of the grease, whilst larger ones will unduly weaken the shoes.