ENGINE -STARTING TROUBLES.
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Interesting Contributions from Our Driver 'and Mechanic Readers.
More Attention to Driver's Requirements Needed.
ATTENTION is called by "D.S.R.," of Fairview, to many little things in the design of a lorry that have apparently been overlooked by designers. Among other items he mentions the difficulty that drivers so often have in starting on cold mornings, and he expresses Lis surprise that some device has not been standardized which would overcome this difficulty. That there is n real call for some improvement in this direction may be judged from the great number of letters we have had from drivers since the matter has recently been called attention to in this page.
"D.S.R." points out that, as engine power is being increased in so many cases the difficulty is growing greater, and he thinks that the time has arrived when some effort should be made by the makers of such engines to lighten the driver's task.
He calls for more care in the _design of both axles and jacks, and appears to think that axles are made in mans cases without a thought for how a jack is to be operated, and that the selection of a jack is equally carelessly dealt with. The tornmy-bars supplied, he says, are, in many cases, only fit for use with a light car, and bend under the strain of lifting a heavy vehicle.
He also calls attention to the fact that owners of such vehicles do not care to spend money on what they think should be part of the original equipment, and that such accessories as screen wipers, mirrors, etc., should be fitted in the first place. As regards starting, he suggests that with large tugines it might be an advantage to fit a starting handle geared to the engine shaft by means of a Bendix It is true that this would make the engine easier to turn, but we are not sure that in the case of an engine with magneto ignition it would he an advantage, as one would not be able to impart to the engine just that quick movement which is so essential.
A starting catch might be fitted to both engine shaft and pinion shaft, so that the low gear could be used for turning the engine to make it free, and then the handle could be remtved from this shaft and put on the engine shaft for starting.
Towing Recommended in the Case of Fleets.
THAT bad starting is usually due to neglect of common precautions is pointed out by " R.F.W.," of Burton-onTrent. One of the frequent causes of trouble, he says, is due to the spark gap being too wide, as in a commercial vehicle it is usual for the plugs to remain unexamined for many thousands of miles, and quite often until_ actual misfiring takes place. Plugs should he inspected at frequent intervals and the points adjusted to their correct distance for the spark gap. Another fault he calls attention to is neglect of the platinum points of the make-and-break, also of the distributor of the magneto, as a little care taken with these parts may well repay the trouble.
When priming his engine he gives it a small dose of petrol, and with the cocks open he swings the engine a few times, then primes it again, closes the cocks, and finds it usually responds to the cranking.
He suggests that when a number of lassies stand together in a yard, as they frequently do on contract work, it is best for the drivers to concentrate on one lorry, and, when started, to use this to tow the others, one by one, as most engines will start easily enough if towed.
An Ether-petrol Starting • Mixture. A_ READER in the Outer Hebrides,
"D. MacG.," who should know something about cold weather, says that he can often get an easy start by wrapping around the inlet pipe a cloth soaked in hot water and leaving it there long enough for the heat to penetrate to the inside of the pipe. Another tip he gives, and which he considers an infallible remedy for bad starting, is to make up a mixture of three parts of ordinary ether and one part of petrol— preferably that used by aeroplanes.
This mixture he keeps in a tightly corked bottle and introduces a teaspoonful into each cylinder through the plug hole or compression tap. He tells us that a Ford which he has under his care often gives him more trouble to start on a cold Morning than a 40 hp, lorry which has been treated with this mixture.
Using High-grade Petrol for Starting Only.
AMONG the numerons letters we have seceisSid on this subject is one from "E.S.B.," of Sheffield, who has to be Putctual in the morning and does not care to begin his work by exhausting himself through swinging an obstinate engine. His method is simple, and should be effective.
When he arrives home at night he turns off the petrol, opens the water tap and allows the engine to run until all the water is out and the carburetter empty. He then covers the magneto carefully with a piece of thick flannel, and protects the sparking plug in the same way, so that no damp shall settle there.
Much of the difficulty of starting he attributes to the heavy grade of petrol which is used on most commercial motors, so to remedy this he keeps a small quantity of high-grade petrol which he pours into the carburetter by taking off the float-chamber cover. After this he half-fills the radiator with water, removes the flannel from the magneto and plugs, and then with the switch off, the air shutter closed and the throttle about half open, he gives the engine six turns to fill the cylinders with gas. Finally, with the carburetter set to the most favourable position for starting, and the ignition in the same position, he gives the handle a sharp pull up, which seldom fails to ensure a start.
He attaches great importance to the plug points being set at the correct distance apart.
Heating Sparking Plugs by Burning Petrol.
THE following tip comes from a young
reader (age 15), " D.L.," of Glasgow. This contributor, like many others, suggests heating the sparking plugs with burning PetroI, and before replacing them he suggests that half a teaspoonful of ether should be poured into each cylinder through the plug holes. He says that this method very seldom fails, as ether so easily evaporrtes that the faintest spark will ignite its gas.
Ether can be obtained at any chemist's, and care should be taken to see that the bottle in which it is kept is tightly corked.
A Suggestion to Engine Designers.
IT is plain from the evidence before
us that starting large engines is a reel trouble, and it seems to us curious that so little has been done 'by our designers to minimize it, so we call the attention of designers to this correspondence in the hope that some steps may be made in the direction of easier starting, as it is not only the convenience of the driver that has to be considered, for in bus and coach running• punctuality' is of .vital importance.
A correspondent, " A.T.," of Ashtonunder-Lyne, suggests that with the larger types of engine it might be as well to fit a small engine, such as is used for motor bicycles, to start the large engine, as such an arrangement would be better than an electric starter. The small engine might be so arranged that it could be coupled to the oil pump so that oil could be made to circulate before the larger engine had actually started.