In replacing the brush, care must be exercised to see that it is reinstated so that the exhaust valve on the first cylinder is closed when the brush points upward. This may be ascertained by removing the valve door and observing the operation of No. 1 valve.
Q. Does cold weather affect the commutator?
A. It is a well known fact that in cold weather the best grades of lubricating oil are apt to congeal to some extent. If this occurs in the commutator it is very apt to prevent the roller from making perfect contact with the contact points imbedded in the fiber. This, of course, makes difficult starting, as the roller arm spring is not stiff enough to brush away the film of oil which naturally forms over the contact points. To overcome this, as well as any liability to the contact points to rust, we recommend a mixture of 25% kerosene with the commutator lubricating oil, which will thin it sufficiently to prevent congealing, or freezing, as it is commonly called. You have probably noticed in starting your car in cold weather that perhaps only one or two cylinders will fire for the first minute or so, which indicates that the timer is in the condition described above and as a consequence a perfect contact is not being made on each of the four terminals.
Q. How is the magneto removed?
A. It is necessary to take the power plant out of the car in order to remove the magneto. Then remove crank case and transmission cover. Take out the four cap screws that hold the flywheel to the crank shaft. You will then have access to the magnets and entire magneto mechanism. In taking out these parts, or any parts of the car, the utmost care should be taken to make sure that the parts are marked in order that they may be replaced properly.
Q. What is to be done when the magneto gets out of order?
A. A Ford magneto is made of permanent magnets and there is very little likelihood of their ever losing their strength unless acted upon by some outside force. For instance, the attachments of a storage battery to the magneto terminal will demagnetize the magnets. If anything like this happens, it is not advisable to try to recharge them, but rather install a complete set of new magnets. The new magnets will be sent from the nearest agent or branch house, and will be placed on a board in identically the same manner as they should be when installed on the flywheel. Great care should be taken in assembling the magnets and lining up the magneto so that the faces of the magnets are separated from the surface of the coil spool just 1⁄32 of an inch. To take out the old magnets, simply remove the cap screw and bronze screw which hold each in place. The magneto is often blamed when the trouble is a weak current caused by waste or other foreign matter accumulating under the contact spring cover. Remove the three screws which hold the binding post in place; remove binding post and spring and replace after foreign substance has been removed.
VI
THE FORD TRANSMISSION
Q. What is the function of the transmission?
A. It is that part of the mechanism of an automobile which lies between the engine shaft and the propeller shaft and by which one is enabled to move at different speeds from the other. It is the speed gear of the car. It sends the car forward at low and high speeds and by it the car is reversed.