<
Page
||
COLD-STARTING IN
WINTER
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1934.
MOTOR
SUPPLEMENT
Using The Right Grade Of Oil CLUTCHLESS MANY CHANGES IN CAR
Despite the various Improve ments and innovations introduc- ed of late years with the object of overcoming the dificulty of starting car engines from cold in winter, it cannot be said that all motorists are even now" immune from
respect. trouble in this Nevertheless, while the modern engine is not inherently a good cold-starter in winter, no ordinary engine of recent design can be termed an inherently bad 'starter.
It follows, therefore, that a rea- sonably quick and certain start from cold when the atmospheric temperature is low is possible of » attainment, so long as the driver does what is needed to encourage that desirability. True, no engine will start readily from cold, or under any conditions, if there is anything amiss with the valves, carburation, ignition, piston rings and cylinder. bores; but, assum- ing these items and other engine details are in fair order, there is no reason why startling difficulty. if it be experienced, should not be
overcome
Grade of Engine O
First, it must be realised that an essential to quick and certain starting from cold is that the starting motor shall be capable of turning the engine round at a fair speed; in the majority of cases its inability to do so is the prime cause often the only cau- . se--of starting difficulty. The reason is that when the engine is cold the ofl on the cylinder and piston walls, and in all of the many bearings, is "gummy."ow- ing to its low temperature.
the Therefore, during months an engine oil that sets up the least possible resistance un account" of its gumminess 'should be used.
winter
Most brands of oil are available in three grades--1.e., heavy, medium, and light As rule a change over in the autumn from the heavy "summer" grade to the medium will give moderately quick" starting on cold days. But
not in all cases. So it may be necessary or, at all events, desir- able to use the light grade, what ever grade of oll, be used, how- ever. it must be ahol of really
CAR
Q
good quality, and the motorist is
advised to select Therefore brand of good repute. A thin oll of poor quality may cause grea- ter gumminess in a cold engine. than a medium oll of good quality.
A good all of the light grade is just as effective as a lubricatit under winter motoring 'conditions as the corresponding heavy oil in consumption for a given mileage is prone to be greater; but the small extra cost is a low price to pay for quick starting from cold.
A Variety of Hints
If a change over to a light, oll (after draining off all of the old in the sump) does not effect a complete cure of the starting trouble, the following plans should be tried. Keep the clutch pedal depressed during the starting pro- " cess and until the engine is runn- ing freely under its own power; this will remove the need for the starter to churn" the thick and cold oil in the "gear-box. Make sure that the starting mixture control is set the point of ma- ximum richness, or, where 3 strangler is fitted, that the valve can be and is fully closed, or, again, in the case of a " self- start carburetter, note whether the control moves the starting carburetter lever to the full ex- tent of its range of movement.
D
Should the engine then fall to respond readily to the STRT- "ter," "try 'advancing the ignition a shade, but not more than a third towards full advance, and slightly opening the slow-running adjust- ment or hand throttle. This lat- ter is an important point in many cases, for often the engine will not start from cold with the sett- ing that is used for norral slow- running when it is hot. When the the engine does eventually start. note the minimum setting at which it will run steadily, and adopt that setting for starting from cold next time.
It should not be necessary to ficed a modern carburetter or to drala the radiator full it up i with hot water. Either of these plans may be effective when all others fail; but if that be so, there is something wrong some- where and the need for expert attention is indicated.
TRANSMISSION
EXPLAINED
The Synchromesh Gear-Box
Understanding in regard to the the friction between them quickly way in which gear changing is use them to rotate at the same facilitated by the synchromesh speed. When that has happened the gear box is encouraged by prior gears can be slid into mesh instant- knowledge of what the word ly and silently, because they also "synchro nesh" implies. Let it be are then synchronised as to speed said, therefore, that it infers a of rotation. device whereby, the rotational speeds of two gear wheels (or the halves of a dog clutch) are syn- chronised before the gears make contract to be slid into mesh.
No Appreciable Wear
"
Thus there is no need for double- declutching, the only point to be In changing gear into a lower observed with sonis designs "is that speed with an ordinary sliding the driver must not move the gear gear-box the only way in which the gear wheel
lever quickly. A firm pressure upon speeds can be the lever is necessary to press the synchronised is to use the double- declutch method of changing. The the neutral position is passed. A eup and cone into contact just after effect of this plan is to accelerate the gear wheel that is rotating at a relatively low speed to bring its speed of rotation to that of the faster running gear wheel with. which it is to be meshed.
This faster running gear wheel
quick movement gives the synchron ising clutch no time to take effect, and a noisy gear change will result
As they do not transmit power, the synchronising clutches are not subject to wear while the various gears are in use; the only wear,
is, as it were, attached to the pro- which is very alight, ocours while peller shaft, and cannot therefore be decelerated to gain synchronised the gear speeds are being synchron- goar speeds, except by reducing the ised.
speed of the car-which is out of Actually, as stated, the cup and The question from this, viewpoint., cone are not attached to the gear When a change into a higher wheels the latter are always in gear is madë with an ordinary mesh, but are in use unless the hal- gear-box, the faster running gear. vce of a dog clutch are engaged wheel is then the one coupled to. Half of this dog clutch is integral the clutch shaft, and synchronised with one gear wheel, while the "gear speeds can be secured merely other half is slidably mounted on hy pausing a moment as the gear the shaft on which that gear wheel lever is being moved through its is fitted; the cup and cons are at- neutral position (with the clutch tached to the dog clutch halves so or moving the that really the synchromesh device pedal depresso<l), gear lever slowly from the lower to takes effect upon the dog clutch speeds. But this fact need not be the higher gear position.
considered; understanding is better secured by taking note only of the paragraphs that precede this one.
In the synchromesh gear-box both the acceleration of the slower running gear wheel during a chance down and the deceleration of the faster gear wheel in a change up are brought about by small friction clutches. The two units of each friction clutch-the cone and the cup-are, in effect, but not actually, attached to the
It is important to realise, how ever, that with only two exceptions (Standard and Alvis) no cars have
gear-box with synchromesh clut ches affecting more than two speeds vis, third and top, so that only
GEAR CHANGING
Releasing Of Accelerator
With the accelerator released gear-changing is facilitated, be- Cause while free-wheeling takes place there is no power passing by. through-being transmitted
the gear-wheels then in engage- ment These gears 'can therefore be moved without need for dis- relieve clutch to engaging the them of load.
Similarly, there is no load, en the gear wheels of the higher or lower speed that is to be brought into use by changing gear, and there will be no load on those until the accelerator is gears subsequently depressed. For that reason the higher or lower speed and be engaged silently сап quickly," again without use of the -clutch pedal. "Clutchless' gear-
changing is thus effected.
As used for gear-changing, the free-wheel may be considered as a small friction clutch that over- runs of disengages automatically when the accelerator is released. It makes gear-changing remark- ably easy, because the Dart at- tached to the gearshaft has prac- tically no inertia of its own and does not therefore, like the ordin- ary friction clutch when the pedal is depressed, object to being ac- celerated.or decelerated suddenly when quiet gear changes demand instant variation of the rotational speeds of the gear wheels in the gear-box.
51
It is the inertia of the ordinary friction clutch that necessitates" double-declutching to obtain a quict change into a lower gear when no free-wheel is fitted, or when a free-wheel is locked out of use. Hence it is that, even on a car fitted with a free-wheel, gear-changing is no easier than usual unless the free-wheel is operative; the control must be in the "free". position, just as a lamp switch must,,; be "on" if
light is required.
Don't Race Engine
Now let's have another try. Close the strangler, use the starter, and tickle the accelera- tor, and then switch on the ignition while the starter is busy.
out
Seldom does the power unit fall to respond to such kind, if troublesome, treatment, but the clutch pedal must be kept
unti the unit 19 firing regularly and developing some power. If it be let on almost immediately frig commences. the drag of the thick oil in the gear-box will certainly cause it to stop.
Do not allow your excitement (or pleasure) at the fact that the thing is now going to tempt you to open the throttle wide, or you will be in trouble once more. Above all, do not be tempted to race the engine to heat it up- allow time for the ofl to thin down and splash itself all over the internal surfaces before in- creasing the revolutions.
On the other hand, do not idle it too slowly or the oil will not be thrown up or the surfaces lubri- cated at all. The proper engine speed for warming is about 1000 revolutions a minute. You can judge such a speed by the noise which the engine would make if it were driving the car at about 20 miles an hour on the road,
Importance of Correct Off
Far too few owners take the trouble to change to a winter grade of oil when the cooler weather sets in. If they did so they would find that the starter would turn the engine
almost twice as fast as when the thicker grade, used for summer running, is used. That has been proved by scientiac tests, and applies to all brands of Dil"
tion. let
Still on the subject of lubrica- me auggest that the whole chassis would benefit by a change from grease to gear ofl in the many bearings.
If the road springs are a bit stiff or rusty now is the time to clean them out and re-lubricate. I agree that this is a messy busin- ess, but it is well worth doing, as the difference in the suspension is striking.
The practice of covering the road springs with leather galtera has almost disappeared on the popular cars, which is not to the beneft of the owner. Flexing metal leaves do succeed in draw- ing in road grit, and then the trouble starts.
Inserting the Grease
labricate road springs properly they should be removed from the chassis, but this la not always necessary,
To clean and gear for the changes into and between wheels to be meshed. As and when these two speed is any assistance the gear lever is moved beyond afforded. On Standard cars the neutral in making a gear change, second speed also has synchromesh the cup and the cone make contact clutches, while the Alvis gear-box before the gear wheels meet, and of this typosis "all synchromesh,"
Id
The alternative is to jack-up the chassis until the springs are
7
!!
OF FUTURE SEEN BY EXPERTS
Transportation Units Leave Room For Developments
From announcements proceed-
ing from the offices of the Society of Automotive Engmeers, it is evident that the automotive en- gineers are doing their share to advance business. In the words of a past-president of the society, C. F. Kettering, head of the 're- search department of the Gen eral
Motors Corporation, "We have got to be thinking of more ways to do things, more different things to do. We are in the kindergarten as far as knowing that elementary thing about our business what makes the auto- mobile go? Furthermore, if we have one problem of engineering to-day it is to step up to bat with the recognition that
the world is not finished. The whole progress of the world depends on our ability to change and follow the demands and customs of the people.
"Sometimes the need exists long before the public knows it or even the engineer suspects it but when a thing like that does come on the market, you see a tremendous growth of a particu- lar industry in a short time. The automobile was like that, so was the electric refrigerator. It's up. to us as engineers to be the prophets."
Thought Trends Are Shown.
བྷ
Streamlined boares, automobile control, simplification of trans- mission, independently suspended wheels, and the like, show trends- in thought which are sure to greatly alter the form and per- formance of motor cars, is the bellef expressed. In speaking before the metropolitan section of the Society of Automariye En- gineers recently, E 8. Hald:
"Driving an automoblie is easy enough when you know how, but the present system of automobile control is unnecessarily complex
·and difficult to learn. It is re- markable chiefly in the degree of refinement which has been at tained in making a crude and in- direct system practical in the hands of the public. It has never been a logical system, how~ ever, because it was not worked out from a functional basis. In- stead of providing a system for controlling the automobile, means were provided for handling the engine, clutch and transmission.
"Without reference to these component parts, what would be a rational system of controlling the automobile? What would be the simplest and easiest
auto-,, mobile.control system, one so ob- viously right and final that if it were possible, mechanically and economically, it would inevitably be adopted as the standard auto- These moblie control system? functions are easily outlined. It la necessary to steer, to prede- termine whether the car will go- forward or backward, and to-con- trol the speed. Directional con- trol on a vertical plane is taken care of by the highway depart- ment. In the horizontal plane the steering wheel is an eminent- ly satisfactory type of control de- vice. It has a simple, function, thought it works both ways. Turn it a little, the car turns a lttle. Turas it much, the car tures much.
Plan For Velocity Control
"Control of the velocity may be managed by single lever, pro- ducing forward drive at one ex- treme of its movement and re- verse at, the other, with a dis- connected or neutral paint mid- way between.
"The control of the magnitude of the velocity is where the rub comes in. The present methods of controlling, acceleration com- prising usually not only the ac- celerator and hand throttle, but the clutch pedal and gear-shift lever with free wheeling and clutch controls thrown in for good measure, is complex.”
"That Intelligent thinking is be- ing done by many of the design-
hanging from it instead of sup- porting it. Now undo the clips near the ends of the springs and insert a cold chisel between the leaves in turn, and clean out all the old grease and such grit as may have found its way in. Use a thin-bladed table knife for this, job.
ers is evidenced by changes in the forthcoming models. It is a curi- ous fact that the public laks be- hind. in the selection of the newest and best things. It took "four years, for example, to con- vince the buying public that a sidedoor entrance was better than a rear, tonneau. Four doors, too. were difficult to introduce. Many objections will be raised against the elimination of the compli- cated instrument board and the multiplicity of levers. Many peo- ple seem to like complexity Yor its very self, but simplification and style in the design of the motor car is coming sure.
Ноя mach it will be delay- ed by mental inertia remains to be seen, but the acceptance by many of the streamlined form of body proposed several years ago by such designer as William B. Stout, and Walter Fishleigh, an- other proponent of the stream- lined form, shows that the value of a scientific fact, once demon- `strated, will sooner or later com-
pel its use.
In the projected programme for the S. A. E. annual meeting, held at the Book Cadillac Hotel were many papers which showed how forward-looking the automo- Television, tive engineers are. water and oil cooling devices for Diesel engines, front wheel stability in the interest of "public safety: acoustics and the Air- plane, tire and muffler noise, new power possibilities, automotive radio, not to mention what N. R. A. merns to the automotive manufacturer; these are" some of" the present-day subjects under consideration subjects which are sure to benefit the "man on the road.
FORD TRUCK
A Good Performance
People quite frequently read of spectacular trips made across the United States by motor cars, but It is something new for a truck carrying a two-ton load to un- dertake a trip of this kind.
Smashing all previous speed re- -cords for motor trucks on a trans- continental trip, a Ford V-8 truck carrying a full two-ton load of merchandise sped into Los An- geles one night after crossing the continent in 71 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds elapsed time. The run was made under the oficial observance of Gleen Walde for the Keystone Automobile Qlud, * who accompanied the truck,
The truck out-distanced by four hours the fastest regular pässenger train service' between Atlantic City and Los Angeles, Mayor Shaw' of Los Angeles, to- gether with city and state om- cials and representativts of“ au- tomobiles associations received the crew of four drivers who made the run in a typical California civic ceremony. The drives pre- sented letters of greeting from Mayor Harry Bachrach of Atlan- tle City and Major J. Hampton Moore of Philadelphia.
The Transcontinental Freighter was welcomed at the Los Angeles city limits with all the spectacular enthusiasm of a Hollywood open- ing night, Nearly 3,000 people
were on hand to greet the trans- continental drivers to California in a blaze of floodlights: Follow- ing the termination of the run« the truck was checked officially on the Southern California Au- tomobile Club 13 mile check run and the speedometer found ac- curate to two-tenths of a mile for the thirteen miles.
In making the 3945 mile run the Ford freighter clocked on average of 41.3 miles per hour; which resulted, according to Ford officials, from safe driving all the way under police escort and not by dangerous bursts of speed.
The transcontinental run re- quired 322 gallons of gasoline and five quarts of oil, the final quart. not being used. Only one pint of water was added to the radiator during the entire trip.
At the ceremony as the City Hall, Mayor Shaw welcomed the four drivers L. C. Houck, Jack Burns, Harold Peterson and Lea- ter Moore to California. The four drove the freighter m relays. With the Mayor were the president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Com- merce, ́representatives of, the Bouthern California Automobile Club and other prominent oma- clals,
According to the drivers the truck came througn there. cörd" run in excelent shape, de- spite hard driving conditions all the way. The truck encountered snow and ice the first night out., run through desert, sand and dust two Ozarks the second night and plowed through desert, sand and dust two feet deep for more than 12 hours..
HEAVIER TRAFFIC
LARGER
THIRD PARTY CLAIMS!
WILL YOUR POCKET SUFFER ?
A.A.U.
AA
ASIA LIFE BLDG. 14, QUEEN'S RD. C.
MOTOR CAR INSURANCE
TRUST A Thornycroft With Your Transportį
DEAL DIRECT
THORNYCROFT
SIX-CYLINDERED
COACHES & OMNIBUSES
MOTOR VEHICLES
DIESEL OR PETROL
Pioneer Manufacturers of Commereial Motor Vehicles,
Full Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shanghai,
4 or 6 Wheels
4 or 6 Cylinders
30 Cwt. to 10 Ton Loads
20 to 70 Passengers
JOHN L THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED,
Pioneer Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon,
TEL: 56758.
TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUR TRANSPORT