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Show VACUUM SYSTEM NOT UNDERSTOOD Internal Repairs to Various Parts Are Necessary for Best Results. (By ERWIN GREER. President Greer Col-leg-o of Automotive Engineering, Chicago.) One of the modern and least understood under-stood parts oflhe car Is the vacuum system. The average owner knows nothing about its Interior or how it works. The pipe running down the left of the tank goes direct to the intake manifold (when the vacuum tank is attached to the dash), the pipe to the right directly to the main tank. This draws the gasoline from the main tank, usually situated at the rear of the car, to the vacuum tank. The pipe at the bottom of the tank feeds the gasoline to the carburetor. Repair Often Needed. Internal repairs to the various parts of the vacuum tank, are now often necessary. When the tank is suspected suspect-ed of causing any trouble, the fuel must be drawn from it. If more than one-sixth of a quart comes out, the tank Is performing Its functions properly. prop-erly. If the engine is run at low speed with the throttle open for a long time, the vacuum may be reduced so fast that the tank will empty itself. This condition may be produced by foreign matter choking the feed tube, from the main to the vacuum tank. Running Run-ning the engine with closed throttle for a few minutes will give suction enough to fill the tank. In case the float valve sticks, causing caus-ing an overflow of gasoline from the tank, the inner shell can be removed by taking out eight screws In the top. The tank may be filled with fuel and used as an ordinary gravity system, so that the driver can get to the nearest near-est garage. If the vacuum tank ever becomes empty, it may be filled by closing the. throttle and turning the engine over a few times. If the tank has been empty emp-ty for some time and refuses to fill easily, there Is probably some dirt or grit under the flapper valve. In this case squirt a little gasoline into the tank through the plug in its top, which is easily removed. Flush Tank Often. To save yourself possible trouble with the vacuum tank through neglect it Is a good plan to remove the plug at the top and flush it out about once every three months, at the same time drawing off any sediment or water that may have collected at the bottom of the tank by opening the petcock at the bottom. Even then the vacuum tank will sometimes fall to work properly, and If the tank should happen to refuse to function there is still a way to get home, even though you cannot find the trouble. Remove the entire top of the vacuum tank, buy a can of gasoline and use it to fill the vacuum tank. Then run the car on this supply. When it is exhausted refill it again, and so on. |