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Distributor contact breaker points which are dirty, oily, burnt or the gap incorrectly set will not operate correctly. If they are too badly burnt, replace them - they only cost a few shillings. To set the gap, turn the engine over until the points are fully opened, loosen the breaker plate screws and move the plate until the gap is correct. The manufacturers' handbook will tell you the exact thickness of the feeler gauge to use.

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Carburettor air cleaners should be properly cleaned every 5000 miles. Remove the top of the cleaner, usually secured with a wing nut, and take out the filter gauze. Wash it with petrol or kerosene, allow it to drain for about 15 minutes, lace it with oil and replace it. Replace the oil in the bottom of the container but don't refill above the recommended mark. If the filter is a paper type, renew it.

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Handy Hint A drop of petrol in a leaky tyre valve will swell the rubber and temporarily stop the leak.

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Backfiring when running down hill with the foot off the accelerator is usually due to a weak mixture or a retarded spark. Enrichen the idling mixture and set the spark correctly. Backfiring can wreck a muffler and is rather disturbing to the passengers. A weak mixture is also likely to burn out both exhaust valves and spark plugs.

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Another way of cleaning spark plugs is to soak them in ordinary household ammonia. Pour the ammonia into a wide-mouthed bottle to the depth of an inch to two. Place the plugs in the bottle and seal it with a piece of plastic sheeting and a rubber band. Leave the plugs to soak for several hours and you will find that carbon, dirt and oil accumulations have been removed.

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Flooding is caused by pumping the accelerator pedal. This sends raw petrol into the cylinders, preventing the car from starting. If this happens, push the accelerator pedal to the floor, switch on the ignition, and press the starter button until the engine fires it will beat unevenly at first but hold your foot hard on the pedal for a few seconds longer until the engine begins to roar. Flooding can also be caused by excessive fuel pump pressure or a leak in the float.

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Is Your car equipped with disc brakes? At 40,000 mile intervals have the pads checked for wear otherwise expensive damage can be caused to the disc. Sketch above shows a Girling disc brake assembly. The basic principle of the disc brake is identical with that of the caliper type of brake used on bicycles which just goes to prove that there is really nothing new under the sun.

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A Handy gadget for cleaning clogged oil and fuel lines is an ordinary metal type tyre valve stem which has been ground down on an emery wheel. The lower steel shoe should be placed about the middle of the stem to facilitate holding the air hose on the stem. The high pressure will blow out the lines in no time.