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Show IGNITION SYSTEM OFTEN NEGLECTED: Average Driver Knows Nothing About Electricity as Applied to Car. By ER WIN GREER. President Greer Col-leue Col-leue of Automotive Engineering. Chicago.) Many times I have been asked to look over a friend's car to find that the trouble was one of the simplest. The average driver knows nothing about electricity as applied to the automobile au-tomobile and so is unable to tell when the ignition system is not functioning properly. He is afraid to experiment and believes in letting things alone until something happens. He then looks over the system for the first time, and, of course, does not know whether the wiring Is right or not. Yet, I have repeatedly pointed out cases of worn Insulation, among other troubles, about which the operator seemed entirely lost. In one case the spark was Jumping freely from a distributer dis-tributer wire to a piece of metal nearby, near-by, and he pointed to It as evidence that he had a good spark, evidently accepting it as a matter of course that the spark should jump where It did. Instruction Book Helps. Even if the operator understands nothing of the nature of his Ignition system he should at least familiarize himself with the positions of the various vari-ous wires, their colors and general condition. Here the instruction book will help a great deal. Then If any one of them becomes displaced It will be readily noticed. Watch particularly particular-ly for cases where one wire chafes against another or some piece of metal. Such places should be protected with 'electric tape or at least separated so that no short circuit may occur. But the high tension or secondary wires may develop a short circuit where least expected, so that it would be well to go over them occasionally to see that no leakage takes place. This Is particularly par-ticularly true during rainy weather. The moisture is drawn In by the fan and scattered around under the hood. Wires which did not leak current before be-fore will short-circuit during a wet spell. The best method Is to run the engine and to trace along each wire, lifting It away from any place II may touch to see or feel If the current is leaking through the insulation. Where a leak is noted the nlace must be taped. Possible Short Circuit. -A more puzzling problem occurs where all the wires from the distributer distribu-ter pass through a metal tube. There Is always the possibility of a short from the wires to the tube as the tube Is always grounded. Proceed as follows: fol-lows: First find out If the current' enters en-ters the suspected wire. To do this disconnect the wire at the distrubuter ?nrt and hold it near Its contact to see If the spark Jumps. Of course. If no spark Is seen the trouble is not In the wire, hut In the distriouter. If a good park occurs at the distributer but none at the other end of the wire there Is a short In between. The wire must he pulled out and a good one substituted, although the old one may 'ie made serviceable again. On some systems It will be found Im-ossible Im-ossible to remove the defective wire, o It Is necessary to substitute a good ,ne between the same points, running t along the outside of the tube and jpcuring It by means of tape. |