Page:Motors and motor-driving (1902).djvu/362

330 3. See that the lever to the commutator is retarded as far as possible. (This is done to make certain that no back-fire will occur.)

4. Turn on lubricator.

5. Start engine.

Before Starting the Engine.—One of the most important things to do before attempting to start the engine is to see that the speed lever is in the out-of-gear notch. The importance of this cannot be emphasised too much. We have seen a number of accidents of a more or less serious nature result from the neglect of this precaution. We remember particularly on one occasion a friend started up a car with the speed lever in the forward notch but with the side brakes on, thus holding out the cone. The vibration of the engine shook the brake lever out of its notch, in jumped the cone, and off jumped the car. As this took place on the edge of a very high cliff within a few yards from the brink, observers went through the agonising experience of seeing a trusty little car and an agitated driver struggling for supremacy the one to plunge over the edge into space and the other to prevent this catastrophe. Luckily the fly-wheel of the engine struck on a mound and stopped the car with the two front wheels over the edge of the cliff. Make it therefore a golden rule: never leave your car, whether the engine is running or not, without first putting the speed lever in the out-of-gear position and also putting the side brakes on.

It sometimes happens that, although all the operations set out above have been performed, the engine does not respond to the turning of the handle. Under these circumstances, it is well just to jump the float needle up and down once or twice, to make certain that a little petrol has gone into the carburetter. It may seem rather unnecessary to have to recapitulate all these minor points, but it has often occurred that even experienced drivers have tried for quite a long time to start their car without the electric current being turned on, and in some cases have started their car, and driven a few yards, when