Motor Road Transport For Commercial Purposes
(Liquid Fuel, Steam, Electricity)

SELECTION OF A VEHICLE 41 can reduce the maintenance cost of the car in an appreciable degree. It will be noticed that when entering upon a good straight length of road the expert driver will close his throttle little by little while advancing the ignition lever notch by notch until the former is, perhaps, only a third open, and the latter at the extreme limit. By this time the engine will have picked up her speed, and will be running with a true beat and strong clean pull. The engine should be fed and her wants supplied primarily by spark-control, and secondly by the throttle. Once a car is under way the ignition should be gradually advanced and the gas reduced. It is largely a question of “ sense ”—“ sense ” as under- stood by the mechanically-minded. The good driver will know all about his engine from her “ song,” and will gauge exactly to what extent he can run on an early firing point and decreased gas supply, and vice versa. Gear Ghanges Gause Strain and Wear. There are, of course, occasions when the engine will be working under a heavy load, when ascending a hill for instance, and in these cases more gas must be supplied and the ignition point gradually retarded : but for all light work, such as running on the level or down a slope, the reverse method should be adopted. There are many slopes and crests of hilis which could be surmounted easily if the time of ignition was alter- able, but which with. a fixed point would necessitate a change of gear. This is clearly a factor which bears on the question of economy, and is of no small import- ance as regards the durability of a car, for changes of speed cause stress and wear in the mechanism of the chassis, especially when. it is a matter of taking up the load on an up-gradient.