INSPECTION
The condition of the ignition circuit and of the compression will be shown in revolving the crank shaft twice, and the action of the carburetor may be ascertained at the same time. Pushing the car across the floor will show the presence of tight brakes or wheel bearings, and the tires may then be examined for cuts. Beginning at the front of the car, every bearing not fed by the lubricator should be oiled, and all grease cups given a slight turn, those that are empty or nearly so being filled. While this is being done, a watch may be kept for nuts and bolts that may have been loosened by the vibrations.
WASHING
The car should be washed with clear, cold water only, and mud floated off; to remove mud by rubbing or any other method than sluicing it away by the action of a gentle stream of water will scratch the varnish and ruin the appearance of the car. When clean, the varnished parts may be dried with chamois or wash leather, and the finish retained by a light coating of a good furniture polish, which is to be immediately dried by rubbing.
The tires may be cleaned by sponging, but water should not be allowed to settle in the bead. On cars having the gravity system of gasoline feed, the water should not be permitted to splash on the tank, for it will enter through the vent. Water should also be kept from the upholstery, for if it enters the folds and buttonholes it will cause rotting.
THE TIRES
Light and heat are the worst enemies of rubber; spare tires should be kept in a cool, dark place, and protected from dust and moisture. French chalk, or some similar preparation, should be well dusted over the shoes and tubes, and if the tubes are folded, they should occasionally be opened and refolded in fresh places, to prevent the formation of creases. The spare tire that is carried on the car should be kept in a casing, and because a dark surface will absorb more heat than a light, the casing should be tan, gray, or white rather than black. The casing should be as proof as possible against moisture, but for safety should occasionally be removed and aired. The position of the shoe in the holders should be changed every little while, in order that the straps may not cut into the bead.
The tires on the wheels should receive care, and when the car is left standing, it should be in the shade whenever possible, to protect them from the deleterious action of the sunlight in hardening the rubber. They should frequently be examined, and any cuts filled with strong cement, for otherwise water and sand will work in to form blisters and to separate the layers of fabric from the rubber. The cutting of tires can be reduced by withdrawing the clutch when crossing broken stones, the car coasting over them; driving the car over such a surface will force the tires against the sharp edges, and cutting will result more surely than when the tire rolls over them.
CARE OF THE ENGINE
The carbon deposits that will form in the combustion space will in time tend to stick the piston rings in their grooves, and this may be prevented by squirting a few drops of kerosene oil into the cylinders and cranking the engine to distribute it. This should be done at the end of a run, and the engine permitted to stand in that condition. The first explosions will vaporize the kerosene and drive it off unless too much has been used, when there will be a tendency to foul the spark plugs.