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Show I HINTS FOR THE MOTORIST-NEW INTEREST IN THE STEAMER "J D UIUNO tho first fow years -of tho automobilo movement in this country through tho lato 80'fl and ft fow yearn of tho preaont century there wag a vory loso competition botwoon tho Btoam - and tho gasolino automobile For- a tlmo it Boomed that tho i ormor H might win out for gasolino engtaos wcro thon oxtromoly crudo, unrollablo H nnd noisy, whilo steam engines hadboon undor dovolopmont for gonora- Hl tions In many instances, steam care gavo bottor sorvico than gas cars, H but tho latter wore rapidly improvod and tho domand for tho former 1 rapidly dwindlod and bocamo comparatively Insignificant a docado or H moro ago. Howoror, tbero has always been a relatively small, but M fairly constant demand for tho Btoamer, mainly, It woud soom, from H a class of persona who woro particularly familiar with steam as a H motive powor in other fields and unfamiliar with Internal combustion fl practice, and the stoamor has been steadily porfaotod to a vory high M degree. ' No unprejudiced person can deny tho splendid qualities of H power, flexibility, reliability and economy poasossod by the modern H steam car. Kocont developments in this flold havo arousod widespread H interest in this motive power and the quostlon has arisen as to whether 1 a "steam revival" 1b at hand. Speculation as to this possibility is of H little value and wo can only await developments. However, unless H somothing more radical in tho bosio principles of stoani car design 1b H brought out than have yet boon made public, It would bo strango indeed, H If tho stoamer, which could not successfully compote in popularity H against the prlmitivo oue-and-two-cylinder gas cars of fifteen years ago, H should be able to make extensive headway against tho refined internal H combustion cars of today, with their early prospective ability to uso H heavy hydro-carbons as fuel. With the oil and gas englno rapidly coming fl into uso for marine and stationary powor purposes, oven in largo unlt3, H as a result of a realisation of tho superior inhorent economy of tho H internal combustion cycle over that of tho steam cycle, it would bo H remarkable to And tho stoani englno, which Is particularly dlsadvantago- B ous in small sizes, gaining widespread popularity at the expense of tho fll modern high speed gas motor. M AXIE IiKAJtS GREASE. H W. J. 6. asks: "What causos 'the H grcaso to run out of tho axlo onto H one of tho brake drums, oven in cool H weather? I do not use too much or H too thin grcaso. H Answer: Wo do not know tho H construction of your rear oxlo, but H hero are a few con oral suggestions. H You may bo able to obtain a greaso H which, whilo of a conslstoncy such H that it will cling: to tho gears, will H not becomo liquid enough to flow to H the ond of tho axle. If a felt-washer H Is used at tho extreme end of tho H axlo casing, this may requlro ro- H newal in order to hold tho grease. H In case there is a grease-cup, for H supplying lubricant to outside bcar- H lag on tho leaky ond of tho axle, sup- B plying hard greaso freely through H this may holp a Uttlo. Sometimes LLt one or moro holes aro drilled i up- M wardly Into tho bottom of tho axle B casing, lnsldo of tho outboard bear ing, so that oscaplng greaso may drop through onto tho ground. CLOGGED RADIATOR. W. J. S. writes: Ploaso explain tho construction of a radiator. How can ono bo taken apart for tho removal re-moval of an obstruction that boiler compound will not remove? Answer: A tubular radiator consists con-sists of finnod, copper, watar tubes soldered at oach end Into a header. A honeycomb radiator consists of a collection of horizontal alr-tuboa soldered closely together with narrow nar-row spaces betwoon, through which tho wator trickles, Radiators can only bo taken apart by unsoldorlng and their repair Is a highly specialized special-ized lino of work. If your radiator Is clogged, the clogging Is probably general and not at any ono point and if you cannot clean it out by chemical treatment, we bellcvo you will find It advisable to get a new radiator. H This column is devoted to the interests of the automobile owner and H operator. Both pleasure and commercial cars will be considered from every m aspect. The main articles will cover all phases of the running and care H of motor vehicles, what to do and what not to do. Questions of general H interest to motorists will be answered, space permitting. Address Albert L. H Olough, care this office. H M..-IW. I - -1 I L I K m ,,..!, mlpj.,-,,! Ml Wl. -- I-Tl IMi USUI I I J Wl- |