WHAT TO DO WITH A GASOLINE ENGINE WHEN IT DOESN’T WORK.

Questions and Answers.

Q. If the engine suddenly stops, what would you do?

A. First, see that the gasoline feed is all right, plenty of gasoline in the tank, feed pipe filled, gasoline pump working, and then if valves are all in working order. Perhaps there may be dirt in the feed reservoir, or the pipe leading from it may be stopped up. If everything is right so far, examine the valves to see that they work freely and do not get stuck from lack of good oil, or from use of poor oil. Raise them a few times to see if they work freely. Carefully observe if the air valve is not tight in sleeve of gas valve.

Q. What would be the cause of the piston’s sticking in the cylinder?

A. Either it was not properly lubricated, or it got too hot, the heat causing it to expand.

Q. Are boxes on a gasoline engine likely to get hot?

A. Yes, though not so likely as on a steam engine. They must be watched with the same care as they would be on a steam engine. If the engine stops, turn it by hand a few times to see that it works freely without sticking anywhere.

Q. Is the electric sparking device likely to get out of order?

A. Yes. You can always test it by loosening one wire at the cylinder and touching it to the other to see that a spark passes between them. If there is no spark, there is trouble with the battery.

Q. How should the batteries be connected up?

A. A wire should pass from carbon of No. 1 to copper of No. 2; from carbon of No. 2 to copper of No. 3, etc., always from copper to carbon, never from carbon to carbon or copper to copper. Wire from last carbon to spark coil and from coil to switch, and from switch to one of the connections on the engine. Wire from copper of No. 1 to the other connection on the engine. In wiring, always scrape the ends of the wire clean and bright where the connection is to be made with any other metal.

Q. What precautions can be taken to keep batteries in order?

A. The connections between the cells can be changed every few days, No. 1 being connected with No. 3, No. 3 with No. 5, etc., alternating them, but always making a single line of connection from one connection on cylinder to first copper, from the carbon of that cell to copper of next cell, and so on till the circuit to the cylinder is completed. When the engine is not in operation, always throw out the switch, to prevent possible short circuiting. If battery is feeble at first, fasten wires together for half an hour at engine till current gets well started.

Q. Is there likely to be trouble with the igniter inside cylinder?

A. There may be. You will probably find a plug that can be taken out so as to provide a peep hole. Never put your eye near this hole, for some gasoline may escape and when spark is made it will explode and put out your eye. Always keep the eye a foot away from the hole. Practice looking at the spark when you know it is all right and no gasoline is near, in order that you may get the right position at which to see the spark in case of trouble. In any case, always take pains to force out any possible gas before snapping igniter to see if the spark works all right.

Q. If there is no spark, what should be done?

A. Clean the platinum points. This may be done by throwing out switch and cutting a piece of pine one-eighth of an inch thick and one-half inch wide, and rubbing it between the points. It may be necessary to push cam out a trifle to compensate for wear.

Q. How can you look into peep hole without endangering eyesight?

A. By use of a mirror.

Q. If the hot tube fails to work, what may be done?

A. Conditions of atmosphere, pressure, etc., vary so much that the length of the tube cannot always be determined. If a tube of the usual length fails to work, try one a little longer or shorter, but not varying over 1½ inches.

Q. When gas is used, what may interfere with gas supply?

A. Water in the gas pipes. This is always true of gas pipes not properly drained, especially in cold weather when condensation may take place. If water accumulates, tubes must be taken apart and blown out, and if necessary a drain cock can be put in at the lowest point.

Q. What trouble is likely to be had with the valves?

A. In time the seats will wear, and must be taken out and ground with flour or emery.

Q. Should the cylinder of a gasoline engine be kept as cool as it can be kept with running water?

A. No. It should be as hot as the hand can be borne upon it, or about 100 degrees. If it is kept cooler than this the gasoline will not gasefy well. If a tank is used, the circulation in the tank will justify the temperature properly. The water may be kept at 175 degrees of temperature, and used for hot water heating. The exhaust gases are also hot and may be used for heating by carrying in pipes coiled in a hot water heater.

Q. Are water joints likely to leak?

A. Yes. The great heating given the cylinder is liable to loosen the water joints. They are best packed with asbestos soaked in oil, sheets 1-16 inch thick. Old packing should always be thoroughly cleaned off when new packing is put in.

Q. How may the bearings be readjusted when worn?

A. Usually there are liners to adjust bearing. In crank box adjust as in steam engine by tightening the key.

Q. If you hear a loud explosion in the exhaust pipe after the regular explosion, should you be alarmed?

A. No. All gas or gasoline engines give them at times and they are harmless. If the gas or gasoline fed to the engine is not sufficient to make an explosive mixture, the engine will perhaps miss the explosion, and live gas will go into the exhaust pipe. After two or three of these have accumulated an explosion may take place and the burned gases coming out of the port as hot flames will explode the live gas previously exhausted. Any missing of the regular explosion by the engine, through trouble with battery, or the like, will cause the same condition.

Q. When you get exhaust pipe explosions, what should you do?

A. Turn on the fuel till the exhaust is smoky. Then you know you have fuel enough and more than enough. If the explosions still continue, conclude that the igniter spark is too weak, or does not take place.

Q. What precaution must be taken in cold weather?

A. The water must be carefully drained out of jacket.

Q. Will common steam engine cylinder oil do for a gasoline engine?

A. No. The heat is so great that only a special high grade mineral oil will do. Any oil containing animal fat will be worse than useless.

Q. How can you tell if right amount of gas or gasoline is being fed to engine to give highest power?

A. Turn on as much as possible without producing smoke. A smokeless mixture is better than one which causes smoke.

Q. If you have reason to suppose gas may be in the cylinder, should you try to start cylinder?

A. No. Empty the gas all out by turning the engine over a few times by hand, holding exhaust open if necessary.

Q. How long will a battery run without recharging?

A. The time varies. Usually not over three or four months.

Q. Is it objectionable to connect an electric bell with an engine battery?

A. Certainly. Never do it.

Q. If your engine doesn’t run, how many things are likely to be the trouble?

A. Not more than four—compression, spark, gas supply, valves.

[CHAPTER XIV.]
HOW TO RUN A THRESHING MACHINE.

A threshing machine, though large, is a comparatively simple machine, consisting of a cylinder with teeth working into other teeth which are usually concaved (this primary part really separates the grain from the husk), and rotary fan and sieves to separate grain from chaff, and some sort of stacker to carry off the straw. The common stacker merely carries off the straw by some endless arrangement of slats working in a long box; while the so-called “wind stacker” is a pneumatic device for blowing the straw through a large pipe. It has the advantage of keeping the straw under more perfect control than the common stacker. The separation of the grain from the straw is variously effected by different manufacturers, there being three general types, called apron, vibrating, and agitating.

The following list of parts packed inside the J. I. Case separator (of the agitative type) when it is shipped will be useful for reference in connection with any type of separator:

In addition to these are the parts of the stacker.

As each manufacturer furnishes all needed directions for putting the parts together, we will suppose the separator is in working condition.

A new machine should be set up and run for a couple of hours before attempting to thresh any grain. The oil boxes should be carefully cleaned, and all dirt, cinders, and paint removed from the oil holes. The grease cups on cylinder, beater and crank boxes should be screwed down after being filled with hard oil, moderately thin oil being used for other parts of the machine. Before putting on the belts, turn the machine by hand a few times to see that no parts are loose. Look into the machine on straw rack and conveyor.

First connect up belt with engine and run the cylinder only for a time. Screw down the grease cup lugs when necessary, and see that no boxes heat. Take off the tightener pulley, clean out oil chambers and thoroughly oil the spindle. Then oil each separate bearing in turn, seeing that oil hole is clean, and that pulley or journal works freely. The successive belts may then be put on one at a time, until the stacker belt is put on after its pulleys have been oiled. Especially note which belts are to run crossed—usually the main belt and the stacker belt. You can tell by noting which way the machinery must run to keep the straw moving in the proper direction.

Oiling on the first run of a machine is especially important, as the bearings are a trifle rough and more liable to heat than after machine has been used for some time. It is well to oil a shaft while it runs, since the motion helps the oil to work in over the whole surface.

The sieves, concaves, check board and blinds must be adjusted to the kind of grain to be threshed. When they have been so adjusted the machine is ready to thresh.