I have mentioned the bad habits of a poor engineer so that you may avoid
them. If you carefully avoid all the bad habits connected with the
running of an engine, you will be certain to fall into good habits and
will become a good engineer.

TINKERING ENGINEERS

After carelessness, meddling with an engine comes next in the list of
bad habits. The tinkering engineer never knows whether his engine is in
good shape or not, and the chances are that if he should get it in good
shape he would not know enough to let it alone. If anything does
actually get wrong with your engine, do not be afraid to take hold of
it, for something must be done, and you are the one to do it, but before
you do anything be certain that you know what is wrong. For instance,
should the valve become disarranged on the valve stem or in any other
way, do not try to remedy the trouble by changing the eccentric, or if
the eccentric slips do not go to the valve to mend the trouble. I am
well aware that among young engineers the impression prevails that a
valve is a wonderful piece of mechanism liable to kick out of place and
play smash generally. Now let me tell you right here that a valve (I
mean the ordinary slide valve, such as is used on traction and portable
engines), is one of the simplest parts of an engine, and you are not to
lose any sleep about it, so be patient until I am ready to introduce you
to this part of your work. You have a perfect right to know what is
wrong with the engine. The trouble may not be so serious and it is
evident to you that the engine is not running just as nicely as it
should. Now, if your engine runs irregularly, that is if it runs up to
a higher speed than you want, and then runs down, you are likely to say
at once, "Oh I know what the trouble is, it is the governor." Well,
suppose it is, what are you going to do about it, are you going to shut