Motor-car principles; the gasoline automobile

Properties of gases—Steam-engine principles—Gasoline-engine principles—Combustion and explosion—Events of cycle—Four-cycle and two-cycle engines—Strokes of cycle—Fly wheel—Valve...

Crank shaft—Crank-shaft bearings—Relative position of cranks—Connecting rod—Wrist pin—Piston and piston rings—Automatically and mechanically operated valves—Cams and cam shaft—S...

Carburetion—Carburetor—Carburetor parts—Carburetor action—Necessity for auxiliary air—Auxiliary air inlet—Automatic and mechanically controlled air inlet—Carburetors with side a...

Ignition system—Electric current—Parts of ignition system—Flow of current—Conductors and insulators—Resistance—Measurements of current—Lead and return wires—Grounding the return...

Ignition systems—Make-and-break system—Igniter—Tappet—Connections—Primary induction coil—Action of coil—Induced current—Magneto—Jump-spark system—Secondary induction coil—Primar...

Planetary type of change-speed mechanism—Individual clutch—Friction type—Final drive—Turning the direction of the power—Bevel gears—Single-chain drive—Propeller-shaft drive—Univ...

Steering—Front axle—Steering knuckles and arms—Drag link—Steering principles—Steering mechanisms—Brakes: contracting and expanding—Brakes: single- and double-acting—Running brak...

Make-and-break ignition—Jump-spark ignition—Carburetor—Engine will not start—Engine will not deliver full power—Weak explosions—Missing explosions—Missing at high speed—Engine s...

Inspection—Washing the car—Tires—Care of the engine—Care of the chains—Valve grinding—Care of the steering mechanism—Care of the springs—Adjusting the vibrators—Matching coils—A...

The action of a steam, gasoline, or hot-air engine depends on the principle that when air or other gas is heated it expands, and that if it is confined in a space that will not...

The sudden and powerful outward movements of the piston under the pressure from the combustion are transmitted to a =crank shaft=, which must be of great strength in order to re...

A drawback to the use of reciprocating engines is that the weight of the piston and connecting rod in sliding first one way and then the other produces great vibration, and that...

The two-cycle type of gasoline engine differs from the four-cycle type described in the foregoing chapters in that the five events composing the cycle are performed during one r...

Pure gasoline vapor will not burn, and in order to render it inflammable it must be combined with oxygen. The simplest manner of effecting this is to mix air with it, and when t...

The charge of explosive mixture in the combustion space is ignited, or set on fire, by an electric spark, and the apparatus for producing and controlling this spark is called th...

While there are various methods by which an electric spark may be produced, but two are in use for automobile work, one being the =high-tension= or =jump-spark system=, and the...

Because a gasoline engine must be in operation before it can deliver power, a =clutch= is provided by means of which it may run free or be so connected that it drives the car, o...

While the =planetary type= of change-speed mechanism, which is in extensive use for runabouts and light commercial wagons, also employs gears, their arrangement is along differe...

The steering of a motor car, or the change in the direction of its movement, is effected by changing the position of its steering wheels, usually those in front, in relation to...

Practice and experience are the best instructors in keeping the car running, and the operator quickly acquires the ability to recognize the source of trouble from the action of...

Any interference with the regular running of an automobile is usually due to engine trouble, and the nature of the irregularity or the unfamiliar noise will often give a clew to...

In order that an automobile may be maintained at its highest efficiency, a constant watch must be kept over all of its parts, and repairs and replacements made as soon as the ne...