--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F3W00003 Date: 03/23/98 From: GARY HALL Time: 07:42pm \/To: MARK HOFMANN (Read 0 times) Subj: Monte Carlo SS & Gas mileage. On (18 Mar 98) Mark Hofmann wrote to Gary Hall... MH> I think things are improving. I am still not getting the best gas MH> mileage in the world, but I don't think I ever will in this car. It MH> is just too heavy, the engine is large, and my trips are normally too MH> short. Hey Mark Well gas mileage will improve along with the weather. Short trips will always kill mileage due to the choke, make sure your EFE and choke pulloff is working is all you can do. One thing you might try as strange as it may sound. Get a small peice of metal screen like on a screen door ect. Put this screen between the carb and intake, this will help Itomize the fuel ( keep it from balling ) in cold weather. Sounds dumb but it works. We use it on our race car in cold weather makes about half a grand difference in RPM we turn about 6900 without it and 7200 with it. That is on Methanol but it will help with gasoline. Hang in there Gary Generic Hall --- PPoint 2.02 * Origin: Terlton the Oklahoma Jungle 74081 (1:170/302.16) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F3W00004 Date: 03/23/98 From: DENNIS FARKAS Time: 10:54am \/To: MARK LOGSDON (Read 0 times) Subj: Engineering??????? On 03-22-98 Mark Logsdon wrote to Dennis Farkas... ML> DF> Perhaps you could explain why the wiring harness of almost every ML> DF> vehicle I've ever owned (foreign and domestic), is always ML> DF> (EXACTLY!!!!!!) 2cm. too short to facilitate easy field removal or ML> DF> reattachment? The ONLY vehicle that I've ever ML> ML> I can't say in your case. There could be several different reasons. ML> (Edited to save space) ML> Why could the harness be too short? As I said, there could be ML> several reasons. I'll list a few that come to mind. (1) The ML> lengths on the drawing could be wrong. This could be simple human ML> error or it could be that the layout engineer expected the layout ML> rope to stretch too much and overcorrected for the limited stretch. ML> (2) There is an interference that was not known at the time of ML> layout. Maybe something was added later. (3) The harness was ML> manufactured incorrectly by the supplier. The automaker should ML> measure the harnesses upon arrival and reject those not in ML> compliance, but sometimes "small" deviations are accepted in order ML> to ensure production orders. (4) The harness insulation might ML> shrink because of heating and cooling. I'm sure there other ML> reasons, but I've listed enough to make the point. Could it be perhaps that a meter or two less wire per vehicle times a hundredthousand vehicles equals a cost saving for the respective manufacturers and "To Hell with the END USER!". It would appear that a suitable solution to many of our woes (we the end users), would be to Sentence the whole lot of (so called) Engineers (Accountanting Departments too) to a "6 month Purgatory" in a local (non-factory) Service Centre. Without the aide of many thousands of dollars of "Model Specific" tools, proper schematics, or any other useful information from the manufacturer. Who knows? This might just change our current "PROCESS ORIENTED" engineering practices to (forgive the intended Herasy) "END PRODUCT ORIENTED" engineering practices. It seems that many industries are today adhering to the "Colin Chapman" principals of engineering, when they shold be quoting as "Gospel" the "Donald Douglas" principals of engineering. If you are unfamilliar with either, you need only reasearch the design and construction of the Lotus 7 and the DC3. ___ * OFFLINE 1.58 --- Maximus 3.01 * Origin: The Inner Sanctum BBS (403) 248-9005 (1:134/222) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200000 Date: 03/30/98 From: LEON GLAZE Time: 09:58am \/To: GARY HALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Books -=> Quoting Gary Hall to Leon Glaze <=- GH> On (24 Mar 98) Leon Glaze wrote to All... LG> Who has the best auto and truck books? GH> GH> For the home do it yourselfer Hayes is the best. The pros use GH> Mitchell but they cost a bunch. Once you learn how to read GH> proper English the hayes books are the best. Thanks Gary I will look into it ... RAM DISK is NOT an installation procedure! --- Blue Wave/Max v2.30 * Origin: The HUB * Austin TX * Centex PCUG * 512-346-1852 (1:382/1201) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200001 Date: 03/29/98 From: DENNIS FARKAS Time: 01:43pm \/To: ROY J. TELLASON (Read 0 times) Subj: Engineering??????? On 03-27-98 Roy J. Tellason wrote to Dennis Farkas... RJ> DF> It seems that many industries are today adhering to the "Colin RJ> DF> Chapman" principals of engineering, when they shold be quoting RJ> DF> as "Gospel" the "Donald Douglas" principals of engineering. If RJ> DF> you are unfamilliar with either, you need only reasearch the RJ> DF> design and construction of the Lotus 7 and the DC3. RJ> RJ> How about a capsule summary or something? I've never heard RJ> of either of these... You've been amongst the Amish too long. Anyways in short, the Lotus 7 was a sports car built by Colin Chapman in the early 60's. It's claims to fame were that it was incredibly light and incredibly badly engineered. Rumor has it that Chapman designed and built a prototype space frame, and then started to remove individual tubes. When the frame collapsed under it's own weight, he then replaced one tube and declared the design finished. Every surviving Lotus 7 has had it's frame repared (after it BROKE) at least once. The poor frame design was compounded by riveting the aluminum body DIRECTLY to the frame tubes. The dozens of holes in the tubes weakened an already marginal structure and allowed water to freely flow through the frame (look up "Electrolysis" at your library). The DC3 was designed in a similar (build and test) manner but the design goals were opposite. Donald Douglas designed and built a wing, when after driving over it with a Steam Roller, not even the skin was wrinkled, it was deemed good enough. To this day (64 years later), not a single DC3 has succumed to a structural failure! Several hundred (the last of which were built in 1946) are still being used in commercial service. Most Lotus 7 owners consider themselves lucky if the car makes it out of the driveway. The whole point being that the former was designed to be as "CHEEEEEEEEEP" as possible, without any consideration for longevity or safety. Wheras, the latter was a "Shove the Cost!" let's build it the best we can, type of design. BTW, with the exception of a few cable pulleys, the DC3 is a damn sight easier to service too. ___ * OFFLINE 1.58 --- Maximus 3.01 * Origin: The Inner Sanctum BBS (403) 248-9005 (1:134/222) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200002 Date: 03/29/98 From: DENNIS FARKAS Time: 02:19pm \/To: ROB MCCART (Read 0 times) Subj: Thermostats On 03-24-98 Rob Mccart wrote to John Pummill... RM> I just noticed the other day that my truck seems to be running RM> very 'cool'. (Keep in mind this is Canadian winter here) RM> Part of the problem is that I don't recall ever noticing RM> before where the temps sat in winter. Kind of a case of RM> if it was a problem I probably would have noticed. RM> The heater seems okay so it's warming up some and I don't RM> want to get into a position where I have to change the RM> thermostat for winter and summer driving so my main concern RM> was if this sounds like it might be a dead thermostat that RM> might cause some damage by running too cool or is it just RM> the colder weather? RM> RM> 87 Ford F150 300cid inline 6 with EFI Two possible causes, first is that your thermostat is stuck open. It's more of an annoyance than a serious problem. Second is that your engine is running over rich, a problem compounded by low ambient temps and high humidity, (straight 6's run cool at the best of times). Check your air filter (I once had a dirty filter freeze solid with water vapour) and have a knowledgable person check your EFI and computer. In any case, it doesn't hurt to go to Canuk Tire and spend $5 for a 92c thermostat. ___ * OFFLINE 1.58 --- Maximus 3.01 * Origin: The Inner Sanctum BBS (403) 248-9005 (1:134/222) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200003 Date: 03/30/98 From: RON TAYLOR Time: 10:00am \/To: JAY EMRIE (Read 0 times) Subj: Auto questions JE>RT>Stay tuned. I'll let you know. JE>Please do. Also, weak plug wires could contribute to intermittent >skipping under max loads. I tow a 32' travel trailer - Total combined >gross vehicle weight of about 13,500. Been there and done that. One of my first thoughts. Replaced the wires with the best I could buy. No change. As yet, haven't had an opportunity to change the module. ron --- * QMPro 1.02 42-7029 * CCITT- Can't Conceive Intelligent Thoughts Today --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Crime Bytes (1:135/5.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200004 Date: 03/27/98 From: ROB MCCART Time: 02:07am \/To: JAN DEBOER (Read 0 times) Subj: Engineering??????? Quoting From: JAN DEBOER To: DENNIS FARKAS DF> That would explain my having to remove half of the DF> airconditioning system in my Dodge van, just to change DF> the $2.95 thermostat. JD#Incredible, isn't it! It seems there is absolutely no thought #about maintenance at the design stage. FOUR bloody belts on this #little four banger, along with an incredible arrangement of whirlygigs #and gewgaws of idlers and tensioners. A little thought and ingenuity at #the design phase, and the timing belt job could be made much, much #easier. Ha... I'm reminded of the early 70's when the labour charge to change the spark plugs on an AMC Gremlin X V-8 was 4.5 hours. Seems you had to lift the engine first to get at the back plugs. Some whiz later discovered that you could cut a small hole in the inner fender and just remove the wheel to get at it with the right tools - but for a while there, there were a lot of Gremlins that had never had their rear plugs changed. --- # SLMR Rob # You never know how little you know til you start talking. # PDQWK 1.2 #53 --- * Origin: NetComm BBS 303-730-7045 (1:104/603.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200005 Date: 03/27/98 From: ROB MCCART Time: 02:17am \/To: JARED MORGAN (Read 0 times) Subj: Hemi heads for pontiac 45 JM#*** After turning a pint glass upside down, Gary Hall said to Jared Morgan #> On (04 Mar 98) Jared Morgan wrote to All... #> #> JM> Hot off the mill and cnc, came the first Hemi-spherical heads for #> JM> pontiac 455cid engine, #> #*** The above occured on 03-12-98 #I'll try to get some specks, right now all testing has #stoped in fear of a copyright lawsuit from the plymouth #co. I'll post updates as I get them. Copyright ? Maybe... if they wanted to call a Car or Engine a 'Hemi' as a name... ...but I can't imagine you mean design patents... (#) Hemisherical heads have been around a long long time from many manufacturers in one form or another and is such a simple concept that I doubt it is a patentable idea - or, in any case, STILL under patent. I'll keep an open mind though... --- # SLMR Rob # Never trust your own opinion of yourself # # PDQWK 1.2 #53 --- * Origin: NetComm BBS 303-730-7045 (1:104/603.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200006 Date: 03/27/98 From: JAN DEBOER Time: 07:21am \/To: TOBIAS HEUER (Read 0 times) Subj: Rear Axle - Tools needed? On 26 Mar 98 01:20:00 Tobias Heuer wrote to All... TH> i wondered if i'm really gonna need those special tools TH> recommended in repair books, if want to replace the TH> pinion oil seal in my rear axle and the U-Joints of the TH> driveshaft? ('84 Caprice) TH> Are they necessary or "better to have" ? Dunno, but, if you're in Canada, have you checked with Canadian Tire? They now lend out 'special tools' FREE! --- Everything/2 * Origin: Tiny's BBS - Inet: tinys.oix.com / On,Canada (1:229/600) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 246 AUTOMOTIVE Ref: F4200007 Date: 03/27/98 From: JAN DEBOER Time: 07:21am \/To: ROY J. TELLASON (Read 0 times) Subj: Sprint Engine On 25 Mar 98 19:18:40 Roy J. Tellason wrote to Jan Deboer... JD> I've got a '91 Chevy Sprint (3 cyl 1l) convertible. Using a [...] RT> I've no experience with the rebuild of those, but we RT> had one in the family a while back, she had the same RT> sort of a problem. In her case it was an aftermarket RT> a/c setup that did it in, they think, where a bracket RT> busted and things moving around in the engine RT> compartment did a bit of damage to the oil filter, and RT> it leaked like crazy for a bit. Mine isn't leaking oil, it is burning it. Has already plugged up one catalytic converter :-( I guess there isn't much profit on these cars, so GM tries to recoup at the parts counter! YIKES! EIGHT HUNDRED for a catalytic converter! I laughed, and went 'aftermarket' for $175. RT> She traded it in on a geo metro... :-) Same car, but the new bigger engine apparently doesn't have the ring wear problem. I'd love to get my hands on the drive train from a newer one. If someone rams the back of her Geo, gimme a call! :-) How could she give up the ragtop? A nice summer day and a quiet country road with the top down is pure heaven. Takes me back to my MGTF days. Can't give the car up, gotta find an engine or rebuild. --- Everything/2 * Origin: Tiny's BBS - Inet: tinys.oix.com / On,Canada (1:229/600)