Where a wipe spark is used, if there is too much tension on the platinum electrode it will wear out quickly, and platinum to-day is worth twice as much as gold. Do not use lubricating oil to oil the bear ing of the movable electrode, but use kerosene in stead. The kerosene cuts the carbon and dissolves off the gumming deposit which forms on the elec trode.
A ignition system that will not set up a inch spark will cause much loss in power.
If you are using a dry battery, test it every day with an Gummier,' or if you are using a storage battery, test it out with a voltmeter.' Any dry cell .that does not show a current output of at least 10 amperes should be replaced with a fresh one. To keep a storage battery in condition you must (1) keep the plates covered with the solu tion, or electrolyte, as it is called; (2) see to it that the battery is always fully charged, and (3) that it has a specific gravity of from 1.275 to 1.300 Baume. If your engine is fitted with a magneto and it fails to give a spark inch long send it back to the manufacturer. But just bear in mind that (1) the armature of a rotating magneto must be turning at its full speed before it will give its full spark length, and (2) that the magneto is the very last part on your engine that is apt to fail in its operation; this being true, be mighty sure that the magneto is really at fault before you ship it back for repairs.
When There Is a Loss of Power.—However little you may know about an engine you will not need to be told when it begins to lose power, and I'll tell you now that when it does begin to lose power you are losing money, so don't let it do it.
What Causes Loss of Power.—There are numer ous causes that make an engine lose power, but you can get a line on the trouble if you will remember that all of them, nearly, come under three distinct symptoms, and these are (1) when the engine works badly, (2) when the engine knocks and (3) when the engine overheats.
Now, when any one of these three things happens you will know that you are paying a big price for a little power, and it is your cue to remedy the defect as quickly as you can, but as this comes under the special heading of Diseases of Internal Combustion Engines, and there is more than a little to the sub ject, I will treat of them in a separate chapter.
The Economy of can always tell a good engineman by the way he takes care of his engine. Keeping an engine clean is not only merely a matter of looks and pride, but it is quite a necessary feature, if the highest economy is to be had.
Wipe all of the exposed parts of the engine with clean waste, either just before you start up the en gine or as soon as you shut it down. While it is seldom done, it is a mighty good scheme to have a canvas cover to throw over the engine when it is idle, unless it is a motor car engine, which is protected by a hood, to keep out the dirt and dust.
Be careful that the lubricating oil does not run down on the outside of the engine and onto the top of the foundation, as it will gather dust, and this is almost sure to be drawn into the cylinder with air, when it will choke up the air inlet valve.
Taking care of an engine is practicing economy just as much as taking care of a gun or a machine of any kind, and an engine that is well cleaned is quite apt to be well looked after in all other respects, hence the economy obtained by cleanliness begets economies in other ways.
What Power Economy Means.—Whatever your requirements for power may be, get an engine that will take care of it when it is running at full load, for the greater the load up to the time that the cylin der begins to overheat the larger will be the saving in fuel, and this means power economy.
That is to say, if you need only 1 horsepower to do the work, don't get a 3 horsepower engine, on the assumption that it will develop 1 horsepower on 1 the amount of fuel. As a matter of fact, there is an increase in the fuel consumed in the reverse pro portion to the power developed in any engine, how ever small or large, and of whatever type or make.
It is easy to see why this should be so, because the friction of the engine is a constant, that is, it always remains the same without regard to the power developed. If an engine could be built which would run without friction, then the amount of fuel con sumed per horsepower per hour would decrease in direct proportion to the power developed.
The Upkeep Economy of Your a last word about practicing economy, if you will look alter the following several details you will not only ,et the full rated horsepower out of your engine, but you will get it with the least amount of fuel, the repairs and shutdowns will be few and far between, the interest on the money you have invested in it and the depreciation of it will both be small, and, finally, the life of the engine will be long.
Named, these details are that you must (1) burn the right kind of fuel and see to it that (2) the fuel valve or carburetor is adjusted correctly; (3) the lubricating oil is the best and exactly suited to your engine; (4) the drain cocks are all closed; (5) there is no soot in the exhaust pot or muffler; (7) the gaps of the spark plugs are of the right length; (8) the ignition system is timed correctly; (9) likewise the valves are timed correctly; (10) there is no carbon in the cylinder; (11) the bearings all around fit pre cisely, and, lastly, (12) that you make a study of your engine, and know exactly how every part of it works.