How To Drive A Motorcar
A Key To The Subtleties Of Motoring

HOW TO DRIVE A MOTORCAR under average touring conditions where one does not wish to “ blind all out,” with the engine accelerated to its utmost. People frequently declutch and let the engine thereby run at its ordinary slow-running speed. However, the mere fact of holding the clutch out for a long period on end is always fatiguing in a greater or lesser degree, whilst it is likewise putting unnecessary strain on ths clutch withdrawal mechanism and its usually unfortunate ball bearings (how many people think regularly to lubricate these bearings?). Both these defects can be overcome when coasting by declutching in the first case, and putting the change- speed lever into the neutral. So far this is the acme of simplicity, and on a nice road of fancy we will con- tinue the coasting until we arrive safe and sound at the bottom of the hill, when the road conditions are such that it is necessary to call upon the engine to take up Neutral position for coasting long inclines. the drive again. We are faced with a little problem. How are we going to get a gear in again and which one? Coming back to theory, if we study the illustration in the neutral position we see that the primary shaft (m) is being driven by the tailshaft, and no gears are in engagement, except the constantly-meshing pinions. Now, the tailshaft may be revolving at, say, 800 r.p.m., which we will assume to be the equivalent of about 20 100