Page:Dorothy Levitt - The Woman and the Car.pdf/69

 or a choked petrol-pipe or carburetter will result. The slightest atom of dirt in the petrol will cause trouble. If you are going for a very long run it is a wise plan to take an extra can with you. It is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to warn you not to take a light near the petrol-tank while it is being filled up. Many cars have been wrecked through carelessness in this direction. Remember it is not actually the petrol that catches alight, but the vapour that arises from it. If your petrol-tank runs dry there is no danger—the car will simply come to a standstill.

The chamber in which the petrol and air mix and vapourise is called the carburetter, from which the vapour is carried to the cylinder head by means of a pipe, and is there exploded by the tiny electric spark from the sparking-plug, the explosion forcing down the piston and causing the crank-shaft to revolve.

Having examined your petrol-supply, being sure to replace the screw quite tightly, your next duty is to see that the water-tank is full. This tank is situated behind the engine, close to the dash-board. Unscrew the top and if