Cadillac V-63 1923 Operator's Manual page 27

46
GENERAL CARE
Additional Suggestions
The tires are constructed for the purpose of carrying up to certain maxi-
mum loads and no more. It should be realized that overloading a car be-
yond the intended carrying capacity is sure to materially shorten the life of
the tires.
Do not turn corners or run over sharp obstructions, like car tracks, at
a high rate of speed. Such practice is sure to strain or possibly break
the fabric, with the result that the further life of the tires will be limited.
Remember that most tire troubles are the result of abuse.
Avoid scraping the tires against the curb and running in ruts. This
kind of wear scrapes off the rubber side wall and exposes the layers of
cords to dirt and moisture, which soon starts to rot the cords.
In turning in a narrow street, avoid striking the curb.
If a tire goes flat without any indication of injury to the tire, see that
the valve is not leaking. A little moisture on the tip will show bubbles if
the air is escaping.
In case of puncture, the car should be stopped at once and the tube
repaired or replaced, or the tire replaced by the extra one. The tire should
also be examined carefully and the cause of the puncture ascertained and
the nail, glass or whatever it may be, should be extracted. Before replacing
the tire on the rim, examine the inside of the casing to see that the cause
of the puncture is not still protruding. It is also advisable to look over the
outside of the tires frequently and take out any pieces of glass or other
particles which may have become imbedded in the casing.
Don't run in ruts or car tracks; the sides of a tire will soon wear out
under such treatment. Avoid large stones or other obstructions in the
road. To hit one of these may break the carcass even though no external
injury be visible.
The garage floor should be kept free from oil or gasoline. The tires on
a car left standing on a grease-covered floor deteriorate quickly, the natural
enemies of rubber being oil and gasoline. These destroy the nature of the
rubber, rendering it soft, so that it cuts and wears away quickly.
If the car is not used during the winter, it is better to remove the tires
from the rims, keeping casings and tubes in a fairly warm atmosphere away
from the light. It will be better to slightly inflate the tubes, as that keeps
them very nearly in the position in which they will be used later on. If the
tires are not removed and the car is stored in a light place, it will be well
to cover the tires to protect them from the strong light, which has a dete-
riorating effect on rubber.
GENERAL CARE
47
The greatest injury that can be done to tires on a car stored for the
winter is to allow the weight of the car to rest on the tires. The car should
be blocked up, so that no weight is borne by the tires, and the tires should
then be deflated partially. This will relieve the tires of all strain, so that
in the spring they should be practically no worse for the winter's storage.
STORAGE
Engine
To prepare the engine for storage proceed as follows: Start the engine,
cover the radiator and run the engine until it is hot. (See under "Personal
Danger in Running Engine in Closed Garage," page 52.) The engine should
be run at a speed which will show an ammeter reading of about 10 with all
lights switched off. It usually requires from two to ten minutes to heat
up the engine.
After the engine is hot, stop the flow of gasoline to the carburetor by
removing the gasoline tank filler cap, thus relieving the air pressure. Im-
mediately the engine starts to slow down from a "lean mixture" inject
from three to four tablespoonfuls of clean fresh engine oil into the car-
buretor. This may be done easily after lifting the large polished alumi-
num cap on the carburetor directly over the air valve. This will stop the
engine. Be certain there is no fire near when the filler cap is removed. Re-
place and tighten the cap after the engine stops.
Open the compression cocks. Inject from two to three tablespoonfuls
of clean fresh engine oil into each cylinder and before closing the cocks
crank the engine three or four revolutions with the ignition switched off.
This will tend to distribute the oil over the cylinder walls.
If the engine is started again repeat the series of operations given in
Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3.
Drain the cooling system. You will find complete directions in this
book under "Draining the Cooling System," page 54.
Storage Battery
(See under "Preparing Battery for Winter Storage," page 60).
Tires
During winter storage it is best to remove the tires from the rims and
keep the casings and tubes in a fairly warm atmosphere away from the
light. It is best to inflate the tubes slightly after the tires have been removed
to keep the tiret in the position in which they are when inflated on the rim.