CHAPTER V
TROUBLES—HOW TO AVOID AND TO MEND THEM
The Battle of Motor Woe—Various Troubles which may happen at any Time—How to diagnose each Trouble and how to repair it—Prevention better than Cure—In spare Time, Practice in Repairing is Valuable—Simple Instructions from the Tightening of a Nut to the putting on of a Tyre
Your troubles with a car may be nil—they may be a-plenty. You may be at fault, and again, the trouble may simply be one of ordinary misfortune or due to the idiosyncrasies of your car: but to whatever it is due, learn quickly to mend matters and laugh at them rather than weep. I well remember the first time I started out alone without a chauffeur. Somehow or other the car stopped (cars in those days were not so reliable as they are to-day—and the one I had lent me had done good service). For several hours I could not make out what was the matter, wept bitter tears and was so down-hearted that it took me a day to get over it: but most of the little troubles that arise are easily overcome on a modern car, when once one understands how to locate them. Train your ear to distinguish the slightest sound foreign to the consistent running of the engine. A single misfire means that there is some little thing needing attention; but always remember to switch off the electric current before touching anything—if you do not you will get a shock.
There is only one trouble regarding which you are really justified in feeling angry—that is a punctured or burst tyre. It is possible for a woman to repair a tyre, but I am sure I am correct in saying that not one woman in a thousand would want to ruin her hands in this way. Nowadays there is a repairer in nearly every village, and the best plan is to drive very slowly on the rim to this nearest repair-shop. With a small, light, single-cylinder car it will do no harm, but if you drive too fast, or far, the inner tube may be damaged. However, it is advisable to carry a “Stepney” wheel. These wheels are really indispensable and should have the place of honour on a woman’s
Photo, H. W. Nicholls.
IT IS A SIMPLE MATTER TO REMOVE A FAULTY SPARKING PLUG
car. This “Stepney” wheel is an ordinary wheel, fitted with flanges to fix on to the existing wheel, and carries a tyre already pumped up—and can be affixed to your car in less than ten minutes. No strength is required to put it in place.