--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00022 Date: 01/09/98 From: ROY WITT Time: 07:16pm \/To: JOHN PUMMILL (Read 0 times) Subj: Todd... On, 07 Jan 98 at 22:04, John Pummill was overheard shouting over the engine noise, saying something to Roy Witt about "Todd...",: JP> RW> JP>> Crank it, put the car on jack stands on the rear end, put in RW> JP>> drive, call me. JP> RW>> There is no "drive"...how about 3rd, 4th or 5th gear? JP> JP> Pick one. I'll take that little number over there, uhhh, I'll use 5th... ... My 11th Chevy: 1972 Chevy Cheyenne pick up, in Green/White. (1977) --- * Origin: Bow Tie Racers, Been there, WON that! (1:202/909.13) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00023 Date: 01/09/98 From: ROY WITT Time: 07:35pm \/To: JAY EMRIE (Read 0 times) Subj: 5th wheel vs tagalongs On, 08 Jan 98 at 22:19, JAY EMRIE was overheard shouting over the engine noise, saying something to ROY WITT about "5th wheel vs tagalongs",: rather than screw up your hardwork here, Jay, I saved it as a file and imported it in it's entirety....you'll see my replys after the RW>, just reverse of what you're used to seeing. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Roy I seem to have received a bad packet - could read all the messages but when I made a reply and tried to close the packet so as to send the reply packet it blew up - four times!!! You asked about fivers compared to tagalongs - why the fiver is preferrable. I'll call fifth wheels fivers and towables tagalongs -easier to write. 1: Fivers are much easier to back into a parking spot ONCE one learns how. I find it easier to control a fiver compared to my tagalong even though I've been towing a tagalon for many many years and had just a few months experience with my son's fiver before selling it for him when he went to Trinidad. RW> I think that's in the eyes of the driver. I've seen some guys have RW> problems with fivers too...experienced guys.. 2: Tagalongs are much more prone to swaying. I know, EasyLift makes sway control bars and load leveling hitches. Their sway control is the pits. I gave up on them and bought Reese Dual Cam Sway Bars and a Reese load Leveling Hitch. Much much better - but still not nearly as good as a fifth wheel. RW> I had an independent welder in the back of my shop for a few years. RW> He installed hitches, sway bars and even built some small tagalongs. RW> He had a philosophy about tagalongs that seemed to work for him. I know, the tow vehicle rear end overhang (rear axle to bumper), trailer hitch weight ratio to trailer aft of the axles weight has a lot to do with trailer sway. I have to optimum in that area. Vans like mine (long wheel base but not the extra long van) have a very short rear overhang, are very heavy (over 6500 lbs). Trailer is about 7000 lbs, has over 1000 lbs hitch weight and isn't very heavy at the aft end compared to the front end. Pickups have a much longer rear overhang. The longer the overhang the greater the sway probabilities. The lighter the hitch weight, the greater the sway possibilities. RW> And you advocate using a Van in place of a Pickup when towing a RW> tagalong. I can understand that... 3: Another "sway" problem. When a big semi going 10-20 mph faster overtakes and passes a trailer and tow vehicle it sucks the trailer and tow vehicle toward the semi. This is very disconcerting and potentially dangerous. Fivers are affected much less due to the position of the hitch (over the pick up rear axle). Many truckers seem to come as close as they can just to irritate RVers. Many truckers (not all) hate RVers. RW> I've noticed that they don't especially care for cars either... 4: Look at a tagalong closely. The hitch part of the frame extends out about 3 ft in front of the body. Now look at a fiver. The hitch extends very little in front of the body. Comparing a 32' tagalong which actually has a 29 ft body to a 32 ft fiver which actually has a 32 ft body, you can see you really get 3 ft. more living space. RW> Actually the body extends just past the hitch on the fivers I've RW> seen. And I've noticed that they do seem to have more room in them. RW> One of the welders customers had a fiver attached to the back of a RW> Ford 1 ton dually. It was about 30' long and seemed to have lots of RW> room.. RW> 5: Look at the storage space in each. A tagalong normally has VERY LIMITED storage space OUTSIDE the living area (space for jacks, hoses, chocking blocks, electric cords, drain hoses, etc) while most fivers have scads of this type space and most of it is up front. In a tagalong normally tis type space in at the rear - further upsetting the front to rear weight ratio. RW> The fiver I mentioned above had an air compressor, air conditioner RW> and refrigeration unit in the section sitting over the pickup bed. RW> Behind that was a bunk for the guy who operated a geological survey RW> team from it... 6: Black, Grey, and fresh water tanks are normally considerably larger in a fiver of the same size as a tagalong. Might not mean much till you need to use the commode and the black water tank is full! or when you run out of fresh water and can't even make a pot of coffee, much less cook a meal. RW> Gotta have my coffee...it's a b***h when you can't get coffee in the RW> morning.. I bought my first trailer in 1948 (a 23 foot trailer towed by a 46 Dodge). They were house trailers then, and the term Recreational Vehicle wasn't coined for many years, nor were there any RV parks - Just trailer parks or camps. I've had tent trailers, and a whole sucession of travel trailers since. Never had a pickup other than the 77 Datsun (which did an admirable job pulling our tent trailer) so I never managed to get a fiver. I suppose I have around a million towing miles behind me. My current trailer, bought new in 1986, has some 60,000 miles on it - maybe more. The 79 Ford van bought used has 145,000 on it approximately 2/3 towing a trailer. There are possibly better hitches than a draw bar type hitch (Reese and EasyLift) but they are very dear. Pullrite is one of the better ones. Since my van came equipped with a Reese hitch I could never justify dumping it and spending close to $1,000 on a Pullrite. If you are going to a larger trailer (29-30 or longer) a 4.10:1 rear end ratio is a must - almost regardless of the engine. My van has a 460 V8, and a 3.54:1 rear end. It does a decent job with a combined GVW of 13,500 lbs, but a 4.10:1 rear end would be much more desirable and would not increase fuel consumption much if any - I am forced to keep my foot in the carb much more now than I would be with a 4.10. Should I ever have to replace the ring and pinion a 4.10 set will go in. Actually my rear ratio is exactly why I managed to get the van at a bargain price with only 20,000 miles on it. The guy that had it and a lead sled of a trailer traded it in on a motor home cause the van just would not pull the trailer in the mountains of Colorado. His trailer weighed in over 12,000 lbs. I KNEW I wasn't about to buy a lead sled so I latched on to it. I hope this is of some help. I could probably think of much more if I sat here a bit, but it's getting late and I have too much work stuff to do. Let me know if you have any questions in this area. After 50 years doing it I hope I learned something! RW> Well, the wife and I have been talking about this for a while. We're RW> thinking of buying an RV unit for open road living. Gonna join the RW> grey haired travelers and see the country, in a few years. I've been RW> inclined to buy a Motor Home and use a trailer to haul a passenger RW> car for travel between parks and town...just a thought, not into the RW> planning stages as yet.. RW> Thanks for your input, Jay, I enjoyed it... ... My 10th Chevy: 1964 El Camino, in Black. (1975) --- * Origin: Bow Tie Racers, Been there, WON that! (1:202/909.13) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00024 Date: 01/09/98 From: ROY WITT Time: 08:02pm \/To: JAY EMRIE (Read 0 times) Subj: circulation On, 08 Jan 98 at 22:19, JAY EMRIE was overheard shouting over the engine noise, saying something to ROY WITT about "circulation",: JE> RW>> No, I didn't, but it stands to reason. When it's locked up, there's RW>> not muc uid circulating anyway... JE> JE> I have a nagging feeling something is missing. I thought fluid JE> operated the clutches, lubricated things, etc. If no fluid is being JE> pumped how do these occur - especially the lubrication? The keywords were "not much", Jay. The fluid to drive the torque converter is mostly contained there, except for that which is circulated to the pump and back. When it's a lockup torque converter transmission, not much is required at all. The clutches are operated by hydraulic pressure applied by a piston, when it's applied, it doesn't need very much more fluid to continue applying pressure. And you're right, it does need lubrication at the bearing surfaces, and that's also part of the "not much" when it comes to circulation... Fiver vs Tagalongs are in the next message... ... My favorite Chevy: 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Roadster, in Red. --- * Origin: Bow Tie Racers, Been there, WON that! (1:202/909.13) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00025 Date: 01/10/98 From: BILL MITCHELL Time: 12:27am \/To: JOHN FAERBER (Read 0 times) Subj: Vehicle Confiscation RJT>> for $25 and the book value is $500, then they're RJT>> supposed to collect the tax for $500. The risk to the RJT>> notary of losing their ability to function or worse RJT>> penalties is pretty stiff... JF> Lets say you have a car which ahs been in an accident, front JF> rear ended but the engine and front sheetmetal is good, go to JF> the impound auction and buy a car for $100 (but the book I've been there here in Jersey, it really depends on how much is involved. I doubt they'd chase you for the tax involved on your example, which would amount to $54 here. However, I have rebuilt wrecks by "clipping" them and avoided possible sales tax liabilities by documenting all work, parts and fair labor prices involved, and such can be used to justify not paying sales tax on the full market value. The problem does arise, though, because the slaes tax regulations which apply to car sales are worded so that the sales tax is supposed to be computed on the full, fair market retail value. Somebody running a licensed, legitimate business, of course would be doing this for resale and no sales tax would apply. One thing that does stink here in Jersey is if you traded cars with somebody each of you owe full sales tax on the retail value of the vehicle you wind up with. But, if you buy a vehicle from a dealer, and trade in a vehicle as part of the purchase price, you only pay sales tax on the difference between what they give you for the trade in and the full price of the vehicle. --- * Origin: The Right Place, Fort Lee, NJ USA(201)947-8231 (1:2604/539.11) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00026 Date: 01/10/98 From: JOHN FAERBER Time: 01:55am \/To: BILL REYNA (Read 0 times) Subj: Injectors BR> clean the injectors but my problem was elsewhere. If the fuel filter is BR> like mine, then you'll see it as a large soda can sized BR> filter. BTW, use the right tools to remove it as you BR> can kink the line easily(I did that) jeezzz what a I got under there and I see a plastic ring around the filter, but no way to get the filter out of the plastic bracket which holds it in. What would be your guess as to the cost for a gas station to replace the filter ifI supply my own? --- Maximus/2 3.01 * Origin: * MacSavvy OS/2 BBS * Dallas, Texas * 972-250-4479 * (1:124/1208) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00027 Date: 01/10/98 From: JOHN FAERBER Time: 01:58am \/To: ROY J. TELLASON (Read 0 times) Subj: Vehicle Confiscation RJT> crap that's getting shoved down our throats any chance RJT> they get, isn't it? Sure is! Trying to protect us from ourselves!Air bags, 5 MPH bumpers, etc! --- Maximus/2 3.01 * Origin: * MacSavvy OS/2 BBS * Dallas, Texas * 972-250-4479 * (1:124/1208) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00028 Date: 01/09/98 From: CHARLES HORSEY Time: 10:10pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Flasher location Could someone tell me where the flasher is located for the turn signals on a 1988 Pontiac Sunbird? I have found the flasher for the warning lights but not for the turn signals. Charles Horsey * SPITFIRE v3.51 --- Alexi/Mail 2.02b (#27) * Origin: Horse Talk BBS - The Place to Be. (1:273/221) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00029 Date: 01/09/98 From: JOHN ZORTMAN Time: 12:21am \/To: ALAN MORRISON (Read 0 times) Subj: Monza Diagnosis AM>It's a 1975 Monza with the 350 and a Holley carb on a Performer intake. AM>Other than that it is nearly stock, with single exhaust and automatic AM>transmission. Since you don't seem to think (if I've been following this thread correctly) that it could be something like the accelerator pump or something simple in the carb., I'll live dangerously and wonder about the exhaust heat crossover valve. Its been a long while, but if I remember correctly there should either be a thermostatic spring or vacuum valve operated little heat valve at the tail end of the passenger side exhaust manifold. When the engine is cold this valve shuts, forcing the exhaust to flow through special little tunnels (in the intake manifold) across the engine and out the other exhaust manifold on the other side, and that speeds warming up that intake manifold real quick. Of course as the engine begins to warm that heat crossover valve opens and the exhaust then flows straight on out as per normal. A common thing is when some kid gets a pair of header pipes real cheap and stuffs them on in place of the exhaust manifolds. That eliminates that heat crossover valve. When the weather turns cold the loss of that heat crossover becomes real noticable as the engine then seems to take one heck of a long time to quit wanting to hesitate and carry on whenever you hit the gas. Basically takes forever to warm up, so to speak. It'll idle down just fine and you can drop it into Drive, but you often have to feather that gas pedal to keep from shutting down when you go to pull out. Sound familiar? You say its stock exhaust. So, either that crossover valve is not operating correctly, or your cool beans performer intake has no heat crossover "tunnels", or it does but your intake manifold gasket set doesn't have openings for em'. Either way it don't wanna warm up. If that Performer is a single plane "tunnel ram" type intake you are definately not going to like it in the wintertime. A stock dual plane chevy 4-bbl spreadbore intake (I'm hoping your Holley is a spreadbore and not a standard flange) does just fine for the street. What kind of Holley is on there? Bigger is NOT better on the street either. Too much carburator on a tunnel ram (spelled high rpm) intake on a stock motor with an automatic (low rpm), in the cold yet. Ouch! I'd vote you go back to a stock intake manifold and get decent all weather performance. (Don't forget this whole message assumes your carburator is ok.) My neighbor across the street has a camaro w/stock 350 that he put a tunnel ram/Holley on. What a pig in the winter! (I'm in York, Pa., gets cold here). Bad move. All that intake does is look neat under the hood. It _ruins_ performance as it possibly may be in your situation. (I can't remember if the Performer is a tunnel ram or what. If it is the above holds true, anyway.)... Have A Good One! John Zortman JZ@sevenstar.com * SLMR 2.1a * Stop that son, you'll go blind! I'm over here, Dad! --- Platinum Xpress/Wildcat! v1.3 * Origin: Seventh Star - York, PA (717)-225-7256 (1:2700/111) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F1E00030 Date: 01/09/98 From: JOHN ZORTMAN Time: 12:10am \/To: SIMON AVERY (Read 0 times) Subj: Laser stops cars SA>There is a trial underway in Europe that uses a fast, small, radio SA>control car that's launched from the front of a pursuing police vehicle. SA>It then scoots under the bandit vehicle and emits a /huge/ voltage SA>through the chassis, which kills everything electrical. (Although I They're experimenting here in the states (I saw this on cable tv's Discovery Channel, or maybe it was the Learning Channel) where they simply use a wide, skinny board with a stiff wire sticking up. The same idea with the zap, but this would be placed across the road for the bad guy to come along and run over. The downside is of course somebody has to know which way he's coming and set it up, with the upside being one cop can be an instant road block, so to speak, if he has a quick minute to lay it in the street, and then activate it when he sees the car being chased coming down the road. The car hits the wire (super high voltage/low amperage charge) that zaps on contact which creates a strong electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that fries the delicate electronics with no threat to the occupants of the vehicle. Very trick. The car stalls and the chase is over. Of course he has to be there in time to set it up first, but it IS a very quick and effective "road block". At least in theory... The other idea they were playing with involves beaming microwaves to spaz out the electronics without hurting people, but that didn't look as promising (at least to me) and is still very experimental. John Zortman * SLMR 2.1a * MilliHelen: Amount of beauty needed to launch one ship. --- Platinum Xpress/Wildcat! v1.3 * Origin: Seventh Star - York, PA (717)-225-7256 (1:2700/111)