Show Explains Causes of Overheating of Engine May l Be Duc Due to Retarded Spark Carbon Deposits in ill Cyl CrI Cylinder luler Water inter System Clogged Valve VC II Or Oi I Ignition Ig Timing I BY BARNEY OLDFIELD Copyright 1119 1919 b by King King- Features Syndicate Inc S SEVERAL L times in thE courso course of my racing career I have hn h had to pull up alongside o of the track or road and watch the tho other boys bos spec ingon to victory while 1 by decree of the great goddess chance was out of it because excessive excessive overheating o had burned my engine up So what I am going to say sayin sayin in reg-ar reg regard to the causes of overheating comes so to speak from the heart I While hile overheating is more commonly encountered in hot weather it ocCUrS occurs oc oc- oc curs even C in in the coldest re regions ons The ordinary owner proba probably ly considers it ita a a. nuisance but little more As a n matter of fact chronic c overheating contributes contributes con con- tributes enormously to deterioration of the power plant Make no mistake overheating ng except for a local and JUt temporary cause canse is something to be run 11 1 1 1 I. I 1 1 I I v Li 11 mm HUU l There Thore are arc a number of different I causes of oC overheating some some- mechanical mechanical ical leal sonic some functional and others due dueI I simply to the bad driving of tho the oper opel I ator One Ono of oC tho the most moat frequent causes HH S SI I of overheating Is simply driving with the spark retarded When the spark sparl is held this wn way the piston is on its I wa way down dot in the cylinder cUnder before the explosion takes place Obviously more moro of ot the cylinder w wall vall ll is exposed to the heat hent of oC tho flame and consequently the I general temperature Is raised Yer Very often when a a. c car r Is driven up upa n n. steep ste p hill bill it Is necessary to retard the spark to keep the engine from knocking n- n By the time you pet get et to tho the top o of tho the hill hm tho the radiator Is boiling awa away like a ten tea kettle h liy Carbon Of all causes of or overheating undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- un- un carbon deposits In the thc cylinders clIn ders lers are tho the most t prevalent As a matter mat mat- ter of oC fact tact carbon deposits causo cause overheating overheating over over- heating simply because thc they cause the tho explosions to come at tho the wrong time wh whereby reb too much c cylinder lInder wall Is ex exposed exposed ex ex- posed with tho the result that I mentioned above e When hen tho the engine overheats I knocks and bac fires backfires with an obvious ob loss of oC power it is a a. safe saCe bet het that I there is a lot of oC carbon in fn the cylinders I Tho The cure of or course coot Is to have the carboa carbon carbon car car- bon boa scraped or 01 otherwise cleaned out at frequent intervals ls I Tho The water system is another source of ot overheating trouble as might be bej beI j I expected If there I Is an any obstruction In the water system that stops tho the free j I j flow of oC the fluid overheating bo begins j j I almost immediately When hen tho the engine I shows sl signs ns of boiling tho first thin thing I to do is to look Into the tho radiator filler If It there is no sign of ot water circulation in spite of ot the fact tact that the engine is running the water system is Js clogged Of OC course courso tho causes behind such failure failure fail fall ure of ot the water system will vary according ac no- I cording lo to whether It Is the thermo- thermo 5 phon or pump t typo po that Is under In in- in II With the thormo system It takes t a l direct obstruction In tho the ra radiator radiator ra ra- end of oC tho system to stop the tho flow of oC water When hen a system of oC this typo type becomes clogged open the tho drain and lot tho ho water run out B By Dy tho the speed with which the water runs out It may bo be Judged whether there thoro Is a n serious obstruction In tho the piping Fro Fro- trouble of or this kind will bo be caused b by a n. collection of oC mud or other foreign matter in tho the lower tank of or ortho tho the radiator or In the the- pipes of or tho the core Tho The only wa way to cure tho the trouble is to give tho the radiator n. n thorough cleaning and tho the average owner will have ha to de deliver doliver do do- liver this Job to one of oC the concerns which makes a n. business of ot it I have known n as DS much as four tour pounds of ot heavy muck to be taken out of a sin sin- gb glo lo radiator No wonder tho the water system lays hays as a's down when hen It was trying to pump through such a a. mass of oC stuff as lS that And right here let me rue tell the aver aver- ago age car owner that ho Is generally to blamo blame for this trouble Ho lIe pours water water wa wn ter into hs hIs radiator without looking I at It It much less straining It IL A little dirt entering each time tho the radiator Is filled rapidly becomes a mass of or obstructive ob ob- ob matter I If Ie the car owner will take iy 11 advice ho will bo careful to see soo that nothing but absolutely clean water goes Into his cars car's cooling 5 system 8 tern tem tem and ho will strain the water if he heIs heis heis is doubtful of oC It When th the water system la Js of or the pump typo type there thero Is little danger of ot dis- dis of ot this kind because the pump forces s tho the water through h and pushes minor obstructions out of the tho wa way without giving them a a. chance chanco to I I j collect Into hi bi big obstructions When the I pump system Estem falls fails the first thing to todo todo do is 18 to open tho the pump drain while j I the en engine lne I is running In this way the I Io I o extent of ot th the clog clogging ln can bo Judged tb t b by tho the speed at which the water Is I pumped out On many of oC the cars now the they arc are I fitting what i 13 known as thermostatic control There Thero Is a thermostat which opens as the water gets hot and closes as the temperature drops This is to get tho the en engine ne more quickly to Its best working temperature and to keep It there But Bul if It anything goes Joes wron wrong with tho the thermostat so that it doe doesn't mt open enough after tho the w water has become become be be- come heated overheating oC of the thc engine inevitably follows In cases of oC persistent overheating the cause ma may possibly bo be found in the valve and nd ignition timing Both these causes produce tho tIm same conditions as Improperly timed spark sparl and the same symptoms will bo be noticed overheating among amonS' them If It the fuel mixture Is Incorrectly proportioned it will burn burrs slowly Instead of or exploding instantly and tho the symptoms of or retarded spark will occur Most car owners run on too rich a mixture and they are not only onh wasting gasoline which none ha haan has I an any right to do do but are ro helping to its cause causo overheating and ills Insufficient lubrication will produce overheating simply because the tho vanous various various vari van ous moving parts are aro unprotected a against friction and friction always breeds heat This case of oC overheating is BO so It brings far worse ills with It seizing of engine parts burning out of ot the bearings etc In conclusion let me say that the wise car owner will not Ignore symptoms symptoms toms of overheating and permit tho the trouble to become chronic because if it ho docs does It ma may result in some trouble that will be bo far fai- more serious than the tho heating itself and which will go 0 far tar deeper Into his pocketbook Q QUESTIONS AN AND Barney Have Havo been having continual trouble with tho the housing of or orm m my 1915 6 46 G Paige I have had the housing welded also now housing but it Is broken again on tho the left leCt side of housing I do not want ant to use uso another housing but w want nt to get a whole rear end from some somo other car Can Cnn you OU suggest what makes of ot cars that tho rear end can bo be made mado to fit tit up without much trouble and what rear end you ou think best besL Will you OU kindly m mn nil tho mikes makes g of oC cars possible j I I I I n u to use If It you cannot answer In re regards ards to rear ends ends will you OU please tell mo me the tho name of ot a any firm Irm in Philadelphia that could tell mo me Can you su suggest gest an any reason for tor a 1916 Maxwell not startIng starting start start- of ot to tho the Ing It gets plenty gas cylinders and aud also Iso has enough spark l There here Is nothing loose and the points of the tho magneto are arc all right bt still It refuses to start I. I L L- M. M W. W I dont don't leno know what rear end will exactly fit tit l If you Ou arc are sure there is the proper mixture not necessarily enough gas and a Cl good spark the tho only thing standing in the way of oC starting Is tho the valve alve Road noad tho the article on hand starting start start- ing InS c Barney Oldfield Should the vacuum tank go dry if it a car is in perfect condition condition con con- as long as the gasoline tank has gas What hat makes a vacuum tank go dry and need priming The car mentioned above e Is a a. six cylinder Studebaker Stu- Stu debaker InS model M. M I M. M A vacuum tank will go O dr dry If It there is an obstruction in the tho main gas line a leak lenk In the vacuum line a leak leakin in tho the tank a oad tank float or bad float noat valves val Barn Barney y Oldfield In driving on a public highway I discovered an ob obstruction obstruction ob ob- In the road that was dangerous danger danger- ous otis to pass over 1 and turned to the side of oC tho the road Into the side sido gutter or drain which happened to be a a. mire and tho the engine choked and stopped necessitating and the en engine engino en en- gine gino backfired Ford car Can Cnn the thc sinking of the car into tho the mire be In 1 any ant wa way connected with tho the backfiring backfiring In ing H. H H. H G G. If It tho the rear end ond was pitched badly I then tho the fuel food tood would bo be affected aU but otherwise o there Is no reason wh why It should misfire because of oC its tion it I Barne Barney Oldfield d My car cara a la a Jet Jef- tory ery I five tl I v e pass e n ge r to tour four u r- r cu I ii d e r vacuum feed with Bosch ma magneto nelo and Stromberg c carburetor As At I start my engine and going a distance I stop slop and allow the engine to run and when returning to start tho the machine again I feed tho the gas it scorns seems as If IC the tho en engIne engine engino en- en gine gino is going to stop atop or choke IB Is that tbt thata a cause of lr tho the carburetor or oi what would you OU suggest eat IB as the trouble 1 also notice i 1 do d not have ha near noar the power I usually get ct as my cn engine lne Is cr very speedy and picks up sip el very quick quick- ly hy But nut of oC late hate It Is very ery slow In pickIng pickIng picking pick- pick Ing up F. F C C. C I L L. L rca Vee the tIle trouble seems to bo be with the tho carburetor it appears to be feeding feeding feed feed- I ing too loan lean I I i I |