Tube Care.—When an extra tube is carried with the car shake some tire talc or soap stone on it and wrap with tissue paper. It can then be carried in a small box with the tools without being damaged from vibration.
Tube Repairing.—A tube should always be vulcanized to make the repair permanent; but in case you must make a road repair and have not a vulcanizer with you, an emergency repair can be made by sticking on a patch. The surface of the tube and the patch is cleaned and roughened with a fine file or piece of emery paper. A coat of cement is applied next and allowed to dry. Another coat of cement is applied and allowed to dry until it becomes tacky. The patch is then pressed on the tube and held under pressure fifteen or twenty minutes until the cement is dry. This repair will serve for a short time but should be made permanent at the first opportunity.
Tire Storage.—When the car is to be stored for the winter, the tires should be left on the wheels and deflated to thirty pounds pressure (that is, after they have been relieved of the weight of the car), except in cases where the garage is cold and very damp and subjected to weather changes. In this case remove the tires and hang them up in a cool dry place (store room or cellar).
Always remove the old valve cores from the valve stems and replace them with new ones before putting the tires back into service, as the rubber plungers deteriorate very rapidly when inactive. Valve cores can be purchased at any service station in a small tin container for thirty-five to fifty cents per dozen.
CHAPTER XLIII
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Tuning Hints
The average car owner usually fights shy of the electrical system. This deserves attention when overhauling the car, as well as any other part of the car, and a few simple precautions will go a long way toward eliminating electrical troubles.
The entire electrical system should be gone over. One of the most important things demanding inspection is the wiring. It often happens that the insulation becomes chafed or worn, through contact with other parts of the car. It is, therefore, important to look over the wiring very carefully. Where there is any doubt as to the insulation being insufficient, new wires should be used. This eliminates the possibility of there being an accidental ground, or short circuit, rendering a part or the entire system inoperative.
All terminals should be gone over to determine whether they are clean and tight. This is especially true of the terminals on the storage battery, and at the point where the battery is grounded to the frame of the car if it is a single wire system.
The connections between the storage battery and the starting motor should be clean and free from corrosion. If these connections are not tight and clean, improper performance of the starting motor is the result.
Apply a small amount of vaseline to the battery terminals for protection of the metal from the action of the acid fumes and prevention of corrosion. It is well to have the battery inspected by a battery specialist and any necessary repairs taken care of.