Page:Dorothy Levitt - The Woman and the Car.pdf/104

 occur to you at any time, and which you can easily remedy yourself, but before starting on a lonely ride it would be well for you to practise the remedying of the troubles, in fact, give yourself lessons in them. As I have already stated, you may go almost a year without troubles of any kind; still, you should know all there is to know about them.

Sooted plug.—This is caused by the engine getting too much oil. If the plug is "sooted" it will appear to be very black and oily-looking. It is a matter of a minute to loosen the sparking-plug with a spanner, and replace it with a new one; but if you are not carrying a spare plug, and are not in a hurry for a few minutes, the dirt is easily washed off with a little petrol.

Faulty plug.—If the engine misfires it may either be owing to the above-mentioned trouble, or may be caused by the porcelain becoming cracked or loose in its seating. As this cannot be repaired a new plug is necessary.

Gap on sparking-plug badly adjusted.—If the engine is not pulling well it may be owing to the fact that the two tiny points across which the spark leaps are either too wide apart or are