ROADSIDE AND GARAGE.
Page 29
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A Page for Drivers, Mechanics and Foremen.
Repairing Mudguard Brackets on a Ford.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the extra paynrent of 6s. this week, (2368) "A.B." (Newton Heath) writes : I am sure that the following description of a method of repairing broken mudguard brackets will interest a good many of your readers, since the type of bracket to which it refers is found mainly, but not exclusively, on Ford chassis.
"These brackets are stamped from
sheet steel, and are rabic to break at the knee, at the point marked on the accompanying sketch. They may be repaired by the use of solder oombined with a reinforcement of )5a in. round iron bar.. Commence by bending the piece of bar to fit inside the knee of the bracket, as shown in the sketch. Then thoroughly clean both bar and bracket. Fasten the bar and the parts of the bracket securely together with binding wire and the first operation is complete. The binding of the parts, by the way, should be done in such a fashion that they can be turned round and over while they are being brazed, without risk of disturbance of their relative positions. " Prepare an ordinary forge fire for the brazing, getting it perfectly free from sulphur, and using clean, hard, small coke as fuel. When all is ready for brazing, prepare a mixture of equal parts common borax (powdered) and speller, mixing the two in a jar or on a tray, together with a little water. With a spatula spread sufficient of the mixture over the parts to be joined, so that a good brazed joint will result, and keep a little powdered borax handy for instant application at any point where the spelter does not appear to be running freely. Heat the bracket gradually to a red heat., and continue to heat until the brazing metal Rows thoroughly. The
bracket should then be allowed to cool down slowly. " Subsequently the hollow part of the bracket should be filed and scraped, tinned with a well-tinned soldering bit, and the whole filled up with ordinary soft solder"
Spark-intensifiers for Oily Plugs.
(2369) " A.M.D." (Lanark) writes :— " While many readers of this page aro familiar with theera,clice of using a spark gap for the purpose of intensifying the current at sparking plug points, there may be others not familiar with it who have been up of plugs. plagued with the oiling
"The principal idea is to make, outaide the cylinder, provision for a jump spark. Quito a considerable distance can be bridged by the electric current in these circumstances, • since there is no compression pressure, which considerably affects the distance over which, for a given voltage, the spark will 'jump. It is claimed that theaprovision of a spark gap in this manner improves the spark at the plug points, and that, incidentally" it renders starting of the engine easier, arid not more difficult as some might expect.
"The idea is by no means new, as the method is generally employed on the test. bench.
"As an example of the effectiveness of this device, readers should try the following experiment next time they have difficulty with a plug. Having traced the plug by the usual and timehonoured methods, earth the current passing to it. Then, with the engine running, remove the terminal nut of the plug and jump the spark across a gradually increasing gap (between terminal on the wire and that on the plug) until the plug cuts in again, as it most likely will. If now the terminal be replaced, it may be found that the oil, having been burnt. off the plug will con
thine to function. In some cases, however, it will be found necessary to keep the gap in operation if the'ptug is to go on working as it should. There are various ways of doing this.
"In some cases the wire . terminals may be nnsweated and an open gap _left between wire and terminal. This is a method which can but rarely be recommended, however, owing to the risk of fire which is invoked. The writer himself has taken this risk, but only in circumstances and in a country the climate of which was such that the bonnet was seldom used.
"The following method is suggeated as being applicable to most engines:— Apart, from this, however, no special claims are made for it except that it is simple and inexpensive, besides being easy to make. The only materials required are a length of # in. round fibre and the screwed electrodes of a set of discarded plugs.
"Commence by cutting four pieces of the fibre, each 11, in. long. Bore a hole through the centre of each along its axis, the size being 3-32 in. or k in., according to.4the diameter of the electrodes, which the holes,. are to accommodate. Remove the nuts from the tarurinals of the sparking plugs which are in use and substitute for them the pieces of fibre. Now take the spare electrodes and screw them into the upper ends of the pieces of fibre until their inner ends are about in., less rather than more, from the ends of the electrodes on the plugs. Cut away any excessive material from the protruding electrodes, and attach the H.T. wires. The intensifier is now complete except that it may be improved a little by bevelling the ends of the electrodes.
" For the ' universal car, which is a frequent and hardened offender in this matter of oily plugs, I recommend that transverse holes be bored in the fibre at such -a point thatt tbe gap between the electrodes may be seen therethrough. Ocular evidence that the peculiar ignition apparatus of this particular ear is functioning will then be afforded, particularly at night, when the sparks over the plugs will serve as a continuous Morse signal that all is well. In the event of this refinement being added, however, it may be as well to cover the peep-holes with strips of mica, which may be secured in place by means of insulating tape."
Lamps Alight
On Saturday, March 11th, liiht your lamps at 6.25 in London, 6.30 in Newcastle, 6.31 in Birmingham, 6.32 in Edinburgh, 6.35 in Liverpool, 6.35 in Bristol, and 7.18 in Dublin.