THE SUNDAY OREGONIANV PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 14, i920
3
AUTO VALVE- REPAIR
DESCRIBED HI BRIEF
Respiratory System of Car
Must Function Properly.
FIVE GEARS ARE COMMON
Writer Tell How to Detect Wear
and Tear in Different Parts
and to Effect Remedy.
The automobile engine is much like
the human being In one particular.
Its fundamental well being is largely
dependent on a respiratory system.
By this Is meant that part of its
mechanism that has to do with
breathing in the fuel vapor and ex
pelling the burned gases after com
bustion, has taken place. The respl-
which permit the fuel to enter the
combustion chamber do not perform
their work properly, much of the
power of the motor wiH be lost.
Again . it is just as important to
get the .burned gases out rf the way
after combustion, for their continued
presence in the combustion cham
ber will contaminate the fresh fuel.
Granting, then, the importance of the
valve system, a brief study of the
unit, its common failings and how
18 remedy them may be interesting
and helpful.
To begin with, there are five
definite types of valve gears. The
most popular type consists of a sin
gle camshaft, operating pash rods,
which directly control the valves.
This is the type that is used on L
head engines, by far the commonest
type of power plant. The next typa
is the valve-in-head, which means
that the valves are located in the
beadaof the cylinders, .the operation
being achieved by means of vertical
rods and rocker arms.
What Is a Rocker Arm?
These rocker arms are merely
pivoted levers, operated! from vertical
rods, which extend up from a push
rod. driven by an ordinary camshaft.
The next valve type Is known as the
T-head, which operates on the same
principle as the L-head, but has two
camshafts, one for intake and the
other for exhaust valves. The fourth
type also has valves In the head's of
the cylinders, but the camshaft is
placed on top of the cylinders in
stead of being in the crankcase. The
final type is the sleeve valve, which
is simply a part In a sliding sleeve
will oh is actuated by eccentric shafts,
corresponding to the camshafts of
ordinafy practice.
Mott car owners understand some
thing of the way In which valves are
operated, but we shall d-escribe the
operation briefly. The camshaft is
geared to the crankshaft, and as it
revolves the cams are brought into
contact with the valve lifter, which
is a cylindrical bit of steel, moving'.
up and down in a guide. As the lifter
is forced upward it pushes the valve
open, against the resistance of- a
spring. When it reaches its- limit
of upward movement :t Pinks down
again and the spring closes the valve.
Obviously the position and size of
the cam and other parts of the valve
gearing must be accurately .deter
mined to keep the valve open for Just
the proper length of time. Aiso the
valves must open at exactly tue right
Instant in relation to the position of
the piston. ' It will be evideat that
wear in certain parts of th-s valve
system will cause derangement ct the
entire operation of the resp-ratory
system of the engine.
Valve Mechanism Sprayed.
The modern tendency in engine de
sign Is to keep the entire valve
mechanism exposed to a perpetual
spray of oil. In some designs pipes
are provided, but in others the valve
system is located inside the crank
case, where it gets splash lubrica
tion from the connecting rods. As
a result of this tendency the wear
and consequent noisy operations of
the valve systems, which used to be
almost universal, have been largely
eliminated. Nevertheless the average
car owner does not give his valve
system the care, or rather watching,
that it needs, and. small things often
develop into big failures for lack
of a small attention at times.
For instance, it is not uncommon
to find an excessive leakage of oil
down the sides of the valves. This
is caused by wear of the valve stem
or stem guide, usually brought about
by insufficient lubrication. Some
thing may have prevented oil Tom
getting in fhe mechanism and the re
sult has been excessive and rapid
wear.
Or the condition may be caused by
the fact that the valve is pushed side
ways whenever it la raised because
of a bent stem, a worn tappet, or
stem bottom. It frequently happens
that the stem will be struck at one
point only, inducing excessive side
thrust, wearing the valve stem guide.
When the guides have been -.rorn in
this way it is possible to ream them
out and fit the valves with oversize
stems. An alternate repair Is to ft
bronse bushings in the guides if these
are not already used.
. Look for Beat Stems.
Whenever the valves are taken out
. for any reason, they should be ex
amined for bent stems and for play
In their guides. In inspecting the
stems it Is best a use a steel square,
as the eye often falls to detect a
slight bend.
Another valve trouble Is wear of
the tappets, which causes a slapping
in their guides, a very annoying con
dition, the existence of which may
be detected by shaking the tappet
with the fingers after the spring
pressure has been removed. The
methods of overcoming this slapping
are almost as many as the number
of tappet assemblies and in some
cases a new unit is necessary.
One of the commonest of the valve
failures Is worn cams. The worn
cam slaps against its follower, and
worse still it alters the lift of the
valve. This has the effect of shut
ting off part of the fuJ supply of
the engine, or of reducing the time
for scavenging, so that all the burned
gases cannot escape from the com
bustion chamber. The onJy remedy
for this condUlon Is to install a new
camshaft.
In making adjustments in the valve
gearing system, -the work should al
ways be carried out while the parts
are hot. They run hot when the
engine Is operating and If adjust-m-enta
are made when tbey are cold
the expansion that occurs after the
metal Is heated may spoil the whole
adjustment.
Valves cannot do their work
properly unless they are seating ac
curately. This means grinding when
necessary. When grinding the valves
and seats do not forget to give the
springs a little attention. See that
all of them are straight and that the
valve springs are all of equal length.
Save exhaust set sitould be a littla
I longer, probably, than the inlet set.
because they exert a greater pres
sure. OLD TRAIIj SIGNS GOING VP
Metal Markers From Kansas City
to Los Angeles Provided.
LOS ANGELKS, Cat. Nov. 13. On
November 15 the National Old Trails
highway from Kansas City to Los
Angeles will be completely re-eign-posted.
This is one of the greatest activi
ties of the Automobile club of south
ern California keeping the trans
continental roads so thoroughly
marked that motorists will have no
difficulty in finding their way direct
to southern California
According to word received yester
day at club headquarters from the
crew engaged in the re-signpostlng
work on the trail, all new metal signs
will be in place by the middle of the
month.
NASH FOUR IS SI395
PRICE IS OX FTVE-PASSENGER
TOCRIXG AXD ROADSTER. '
Sample Cars Are Being Snipped
to Distributors Throughout the
Country, Is Announcement.
Announcement has been made that
the price of the new Nash Four, with
cord tire equipment, will be $1395N
r. o. D. Milwaukee. u. w. XNasn,
president I of the Nash ; Motors com
pany, made the declaration at a sales
meeting of distributors at the Keno
sha factory. This price, applies to
the five-passenger tonring car and
the two-passenger roadster, no sell
ing figures having as yet been set
on the f ive-passenger sedan and
three-passenger. coupe. The car, like
the six of the" same make, has two
Teatures unusual power, due to its
valve-in-head motor, and beauty of
oesign. '
Sample cars are being 'shipped to
distributors throughout the country
tnis week. In outlining the method
of distribution to be followed. C. B.
Voorhls, vice-president and general
sales manager, said: "It will be our
policy after each distributor has had
bis sample car to send sample 'cars
to each one of the 1800 dealers in
the country, and we will not give
any dealer or distributor a second
four-cylinder car until all dealers
have received their first sample car."
The Nash four-cylinder car factory
at Milwaukee is now entering regu
lar production. Just a few weeks
more thanNi year ago the site occu
pied by the plant was a large farm.
With the disappearance of the farm
house and barns, construction of the
first of the series of saw-tooth steel
and concrete- buildings was begun.
Throughout the cold and snow oUast
winter work on the Nash Four plant
progressed. Switch tracks were laid,
long concrete receiving and loading
platforms were built, and by spring
machinery of all descriptions began
to, arrive. , . '
RECEIVER IS APPOINTED
KING MOTOR CAR CO. ACTION
TAKES TJPOX REQUEST.
Detroit Trust Company Is Named
for Receivership Pending Dis
position of Stock. ' -
DETROIT, Nov. 13. The Detroit
Trust company has "been appointed
receiver for the King Motor Car com
pany, upon application of five di
rectors headed by Art em as Ward Sr.
The petition asked for the dissolution
of the company and a receivership
pending the disposition of the prop
erty. The company is capitalised at
$700,000 in common stock. The peti
tion listed the total assets at $1,835,-
772 and liabilities at 11.097,070.
The petition, which was filed w4th
the county court, recites the plain
tiff's inability to give personal at
tention to the affairs of the com
pany and lack of additional working
capital to continue operation as the
reason for the application. The di
rectors joining with Ward were W. B.
Nesbutt of New York, vice-president:
Frederick I. Rennert of Boston, Frank
W. Doolittle of New York and 'Arte
mas Ward Jr., president of the com
pany. "
Sales of the King Eight, particu
larly in the west, up to the period of
financial depression were large. Pro
duction, with limited plant facilities,
ranged from 238 to 250 a month until
August, when they dropped to 180,
and September, when It was 150.
H. R. Crusoe, corporation manager
of the Detroit Trust company, .Is in
charge at the plant. He said work at
the factory would be continued, but
he was not ready yet to say who
would be placed in charge of the fac
tory. There are rumors that Barney
J. Everitt may head a company to
take over the King assets.
Compression IsGood Brake.
' Some motorists appear to have the
mistaken notion that it is harmful to
the engine to use the compression as
a brake in going ' down steep hills.
Shut off the engine and leave the
gears In mesh, so that the wheels
drive the engine against the colnpres-
A GLIMPSE
5 - -
v H"
- '
One of the finest macadam roads la the state, as well as eae eC the mes
stretch miilax along the west bank of the Willamette river from AI
i with the Willamette river bridge Immediately beyond Albany and for al
follows the bank of the river. While thesroad la not paved. It Is ma
road in practically all respects, G ood drainage and carefnl maiatenane
smooth and even u all kinds of weather. The automobile parked at the
as
Eton in the cylinders. Be sure that
the throttle Is closed. This will help
to save the service and emergency
brakes from excessive wear. If greater
braking power than that afforded by
the high-speed position of the gears
is needed, shift into second or low,
the braking being Increased as you
step down.
Lincoln Highway to Be Improved.
An art extension committee of
OF THE UPPER WILLAMETTE NEAK ALBANY.
ssfe- - - .whs,
1
Packard
Portland
Direct
Territory to include Western and Central
Oregon and Souther
DURING the past three years the Portland Motor Car
Company, as dealers for Packard, have efficiently and con
scientiously served the car and truck owners in this vicinity.
THEIR mdttiods of fair
play ancL straightfor
ward business have won
for them a warm place
in the hearts of -Packard
owners. '
We are now happy to
announce the well war
ranted appointment of
the Portland Motor Car
Company as direct fac
tory dis tributers
This factory connec
tion means much to the
motor car and truck own-.
ers of Portland; first, in
the furnishing of infor
mation and data on the
PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Illinois has drafted plans for the im
provement and beautlfication of the
Lincoln highway In ' the Fox River
valley. It Is proposed to transform
this section of the highway into an
elaborate park and boulevard system.
Unsightly billboard advertisements
will be eliminated and a modern
boulevard lighting system will be
introduced. ,
' Only on. person in every 6309 In
Russia owns an automobile.
I
t beaatlfnl la the -valley, la that
baay t. CorvalllV, This road begins
most the entire distance to Corvailis
eadamised and Is the equal of a paved
. by the county keep, the roadbed
roadside a UupnohUoi
: 3 I I
Motor
-'Factory Dis
cost of operating and
maintaining Packard cars
and trucks ; second, in
increased Service facil
ities and more adequate
parts supply service.
ALTHOUGH the man
Xl agement- of the
Portland MotorCarCom-
pany will remain the
same, this organization
will be built up rapidly to
take care of the increas
ing Packard business
throughout this territory.
Complete sales and ser
vice stations will be
established in all impor
tant cities
HAYNES' PLAN IS UNIQUE
SUGGESTIONS INVITED IBOM
FACTORY EMPIOYES.
Boxes Are Placed In Every Depart
ment so as Always to Be on
Watch for Improvements.
Following ont its long established
policy of always being' on the lookout
for means to raise Its high standard
of manufacture and to "n create the
efficiency of its men, .the Haynes
Automobile company,. Kokomo, Ind.,
has Inaugurated a unique plan where,
by the brain of every Haynes em
ploye Is working towards thia end.
News of the plan was received last
week by A. C. Stevens, local Haynes
distributor. -
The plan is as simple as it Is ef
fective. It consists of placing a sug
gestion box in every department of
the Haynes factory where the em
ployes of that department can place
any suggestion they may have and
which they think will increase, de
partmental efficiency or be of value
from the point of view of car better
ment. In order to stimulate Interest in
this plan, four cash prizes are offered
every month by the company for the
four best suggestions turned in by
employes. From its very inception,
the suggestion contest has been a de
cided success. During the month of
September upward of a hundred sug
gestions were turned in to the con
test committee. Some of these sug
gestion's were extremely valuable and
were adopted at once by the factory.
The winning suggestion was for a
more effective inspection system, the
second for a more effective way of
handling chassis assembly, the third
related to trim shop production, and
the fourth concerned car refinement.
"We are more than delighted with
our suggestion contest idea," wrote
Mr. Alton O. Seiberling, vice-president
and general manager of the
Haynes company. "It is bringing us
new and valuable ideas every day.
and these ideas are being put into
operation wherever it is practicable
Announce
-Car Company
to do so. Bnt more than that, our
plan is arousing the Interest of ev
ery employe in his work. It is caus
ing them to think,' to be more con
scientious, and always to bs on the
watch for ways and methods of in
creasing shop efficiency and car bet
terment. Through this system the
pdrchaser of a Haynes car is directly
benefited, because the total result is
a better Haynes ear."
POOR MAN'S OAR HAS ARRIVED
New Machine Pat Ont in England
Sella for' $350.
LONDON, Nov. 13. At th. 1 time
when automobile factories in Great
Britain are shutting part of their
works and in some aeaaes closing en
tirely, .owing to slackness of trade
and th. falling off in demand owing
to. the . government increasing the
ampunt of tax- on cars, it is a bit iron
Icai to proclaim the arrival of the
poor man's car, but it is nevertheless
a fact?
- The Garden company of Ascot has
placed on the market a two-seated
car at the low selling price of $300.
This is less than half the price of a
side . car combination of the same
power, and $105 cheaper than a solo
motor bicycle of half the power. The
body gives ample room for two adults
and - there would be no difficulty in
carrying a child or two.
It is asserted that the car can
easily do 45 miles' an hour and climb
any .hill. The car is entirely uncon
ventional. Captain Garden, th. de
signer, has a'med at the ideal Im
plicity. In order to avoid complica
tion of belt chain or friction trans
mission he has put the eight-horsepower
two-stroke twin engine at the
back instead of the front, and mad.
the main shaft serve the double pur
pose of being shaft and axle in one.
RARE WEATHER IS . MET
Hood River Orcbardist Says Geor
gia Roads Are Bad. '
HOOD RIVER, Or, Nov. 13. (Spe
cial.) "Wonderful weather down In
this part of the country," writes E. L.
McClain Jr., local capitalist and or.
s
tributer.
WE extend an earnest
invitation to those
contemplating motor car
or truck equipment to call
on the Portland Motor
Car Company and avail
themselves of the new
and added Packard facil
ities of this company.
The appointment of
the Portland Motor Car
Company as a direct
Factory Distributer is the
first big step in the new
plan of distribution and
service for Packard cars
and trucks in the Great
Northwest. -
chard owner, who is touring with his
family through the south. Mr. McClaln
wrote from Cartersville,' Ga, where
he has a brother In business.
. "A. little rain recently," his letter
continues, "but most of it fell during
the night. The roads right around
here are worse than anything T have
ever seen In Oregon. There is some
pavement near Atlanta, though, and I
have been told that Some sections of
Georgia have very good roads. The
Buy-
REPUBLIC
TRUCK
. If trucks were made that would give better service
to the owner Roberts would sell them.
Roberts Motor Car Co.
Boise, Idaho' Vancouver, Wash. Portland, Or.
Largest Exclusive Truck Dealer in the Northwest
2B
Dixie highway runs through Carterp
vllle and a constant stream of tourists
passes every day on the way to Flor
ida for the winter. Most of the ear
I have seen are from Michigan. Th
rest are from Minnesota, Indiana, Illi
nois and Ohio. '
"I am leaving in a few days for
Ashevllle, N. C, to visit the Ashevill.
school, where Al. W. Peters (another
local orcbardist) and I attended school
for six years. .