AUTOMATIC TAPPET-ADJUSTMENT

AUTOMATIC TAPPET-ADJUSTMENT A NEW INGENIOUS ENGINE ACCESSORY.

TO the motorist who takes any interest in his engine, the question of tappet clearance is one of the most important, and many hours are spent in adjusting and readjusting them. With modern engines, the actual rate of wear is very slow, and the idea of a self-adjusting tappet is not primarily useful in combating this. The much more important factor is the allowance for expansion due to temperature without making it necessary to set a comparatively large gap when cold.

The new tappet, which is made by Self-adjusting Tappets Limited, 198, Piccadilly, London, W.1., is suitable for side-valve engines with normal clearances up to 8/1000ths of an inch.

The device consists of a hardened head, free to rotate on a coarsethreaded stem, and held up to the valve stem by a light spring similar to the hair-spring of a watch.

In practice the tappets are held just in contact without actually lifting the valve, and when the valve stem expands with heat it automatically adjusts itself to maintain clearance. The makers have successfully

tested the device for long mileages, and it should find a ready market.

We hope to be able shortly to publish the results of a test on one of our own cars.

MORE M.G. MONTLHiRY RECORDS.

As a fitting conclusion to a year of consistent record-smashing, Air. George Byston successfully attacked four records at Montlhery track on the 22nd December last with his wonderful 750 c.c. M.G. Midget.

The records which fell to him were the 5 kilometres, the 10 kilometres, the 5 miles and the 10 miles, and the speeds recorded respectively were :-114.77 m.p.h., 114.72 m.p.h., 114.74 m.p.h., and 114.46 m.p.h.

The car which accomplished this truly astounding performance was the one which caught fire during a previous attempt, when Eyston was severely burned in consequence. Apparently this mishap has left both Midget and driver quite unaffected.