HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: summ50@cse.unl.edu ()
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Organization: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 02:05:35 GMT

smith@comm.mot.com (Jeff Smith) writes:

>Hey, have  any of you people ever actually *driven* a front wheel
>drive car in the snow?! It doesn't sound like it! Let me preface this
>by saying I *much* prefer RWD at least as far as performance cars go.
>However...when I lived in an area where snow was a factor, the FWD car
>was much *easier* to drive in snow without losing control. Period. The
>car would simply *never* fishtail. With a RWD car, when it loses traction
>with the rear wheels (and it will, unless you're extremely careful, and
>even then it sometimes will) it tends to fishtail, or even spin. A FWD
>car simply will not. As for that McCluggage guy who supposedly claims he
>couldn't drive a FWD car up a hill in snow...well, that's B.S. I passed
>plenty of RWD cars who were stuck on hills in the snow when I had my
>front-driver. I don't know what his problem was.

>jds

>***************************************************************************
>                               * Health and knowledge and wealth and power,
>Jeff Smith                     * Passion and poems and sex
>smith@fl08-g.comm.mot.com      * I wear a smile like a leather glove,
>                               * I won't shut my mouth for less.
>                                                - shriekback
>***************************************************************************

	Now, I prefer RWD in the snow as far as control is concerned.
	FWD has better traction, but RWD offers much better control.
	The fish-tailing is easy and actually fun to control, and you
	can help steer the car around the corners, etc. (as long as you
	are not going too fast).  In the FWD cars I've driven in the
	snow, you cannot accelerate through the turns, as the turning 
	wheels plow forward because of the FWD, and the car plows straight
	ahead instead of turning...

	Too many people think that since they have FWD, they can drive
	faster in the snow... and each winter, I always see FWD cars that
	have slid through turns and hit curbs or cars...  the truth is,
	no matter what you drive, you have to be extra careful in snow, 
	and don't think you're invincible because you drive FWD or anything
	else...

	But, I prefer RWD for control, and I can take care of the traction
	problem quite simply.

	Just my opinions, of course..........


                                                                   __
/-----------------------------+---------------+-------------------///-------\  
|    ___  __   ___  __   __   |               | Multitasking __  ///        |
|   |    |  | |    |__   __|  |  Unsafe at    | my life      \\\///  Amiga  |
|   |___ |__| |     __| |__|  |  any speed... | away !!!      \XX/   3000   |
|-----------------------------+---------------+-----------------------------| 
|    Eric Elliott            summ50@cse.unl.edu         GEnie: E.ELLIOTT7   |
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------/

--
 
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,rec.autos.driving,rec.autos.sport
From: andyh@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Andrew J. Huang)
Subject: Re: *** Design Logic Faults ***
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 16:56:55 GMT

In article <6qwyRB1w164w@cellar.org> blu@cellar.org (Dan Reed) writes:
>abe@nutmeg.ntu.edu.au (Abron Lukitsch) writes:
>
>> On the Mitsubishi Magna (early models TM, TN) the electric radiator
>> fans switch on when the engine temperature is above a certain level.
>> This is controled by a temperature switch... if the temperature 
>> switch fails then the fan does not turn on so you drive around for a 
>> day and cook your engine...
>> Wouldn't it make more sense to have the electric fan running while

>Well, My 89 VW Golf, did just this, and I was luckey, to *See* that my temp, 
>was up, and that my fan was not turning on.  So, I hopped out, poped off the 
>conector to the rad. switch, and wired it "on" with a paper clip.  Yes, this 
>worked, my fan was now on, all the time... even when the car was off.  This 


Originally belt driven fans were used to cool the radiator all the
time.  However they cost power to run and so to improve efficiency
they went to electric smart fans.  Thus when the coolant is cool
enough the fan does not run.  In particular when driving fast enough
the airflow into the grill colls sufficiently so that the fan can be
turned off, saving electricity, gas, and alternators.

There are many items that could cause overheating equivalent to fan
switch or relay failure.  The sum of those failures are indicated by
the overheating indicator on the dash, be it temperature gauge or
warning lamp.  An indicator of thermoswitch failure or relay failure
is almost but not quite trivial, but not worth the effort.  Such a
system would never note low coolant, burst hoses, bad timing,
over-capacity trailers, etc.  Some awareness by the user is assumed.

>So, what I did, was wire up a relay, from the ing. coil, to the fan.  When my 
>car is "on" the fan is also on.  Ive had no problems since, and my car seems 
>to run a bit better, as it does not get as hot as it did.

The thermostatic switch in the radiator can be replaced for less than
$10.

-andy



Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bob@ncube.com (Bob Kehoe)
Subject: Mitsu 3000GT VR-4 Test
Organization: nCUBE Computers, Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A.
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 17:16:33 GMT

I'm testing the subject car this week - haven't had enuf time
in it to give subjective observations.

1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
300hp, twin turbo, quad-cam 24 valve V6
AWD/AWS
microprocessor-controlled suspension and active electronic
aero system (rear spoiler/front dam)
4 wheel ABS
245/45R17 Z-rated tires (Michelin)

Color is jade green (Panama Green Pearl)
Options on test car:  
AM/FM/Cass/disc    $274.00
Floor Mats           96.00
Leather pkg        $1120.00
Sunroof              375.00
Destination          443.00

Total sticker price:  $36,458.00

Quick observation:  I guess my quick comparison would be to the new RX7.
As such, I greatly prefer the Mazda's terrific, subdued styling.  The
Mitsu is a might too garish for my tastes.  I especially don't like the
tacked-on 'bubbles' for the front shock towers in the hood.  I think 
they could've molded in the clearance problem with the hood, rather
than making it look like a 'whoops'.  Interior wise - roomier cabin than
the Mazda, but you must reference the manual for sort out all the
controls.  The bottom line is that the Mazda is more a 'driver's
environment, imo.  There is a back seat, but I haven't a clue who'd
attempt to sit back there.  I had my son (12) make an attempt and he
wasn't too happy in doing so.

So far, I've kept the suspension in the 'sport' mode.  The handling is
superior, but rough at this setting.  Tar strips, etc, are most
noticeable.  But I love the exhaust note, which you can switch between
'touring' (quiet) and 'sport' (nice).  I always leave it in the nosier
mode. :-)

More later
bob

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 17:31:43 GMT


In article <1992Oct2.233501.17589@newsgate.sps.mot.com> mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw) writes:
>
>So anyone can claim RWD or FWD is better, but all they are telling me is that
>they either know very little about what makes cars handle or that they only
>know how to drive one type of design.

Unless, of course, they're telling you that no matter how well you
drive, you can't cheat the laws of physics.

Each wheel+tire has a certain amout of friction which it can use to
effect a change in the vehicle's motion. In a RWD car, the friction of
the rear tires is used to propel the car forward or backward, while the
friction of the front tires is used to effect changes in heading. In a
FWD car, the front tires must do BOTH jobs; thus, it's easier to exceed
the ability of the tire to grip the road effectively if you're
accelerating and steering simultaneously.

Why do you think there aren't any FWD Indy cars or NASCAR racers?
From: cdodson@beast.cac.stratus.com (R. Craig Dodson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: *** Design Logic Faults ***
Date: 1 Oct 92 21:22:23 GMT
Reply-To: cdodson@beast.cac.stratus.com

In article <6qwyRB1w164w@cellar.org> blu@cellar.org (Dan Reed) writes:
> abe@nutmeg.ntu.edu.au (Abron Lukitsch) writes:
> 
> > Has anyone ever come accross a similar problem to this:
> > 
> > On the Mitsubishi Magna (early models TM, TN) the electric radiator
> > fans switch on when the engine temperature is above a certain level.
> > This is controled by a temperature switch... if the temperature 
> > switch fails then the fan does not turn on so you drive around for a 
> > day and cook your engine...
> > Wouldn't it make more sense to have the electric fan running while
> > the engine is on rather than when it gets HOT... and have the fan
> > stay on if the car is still hot and the engine is off..
> > I would rather suffer a flat battery than have to fork out to buy 
> > buy a new head if my engine cooks...
> > Anyone know if this or any other design faults have been fixed in the 
> > newer models?
> > 
> > Anyone know of any other similar problems in other vehicles?
> > 
> > 
> >   Abron Lukitsch (email: abe@it.ntu.edu.au)
> >   School of Information Technology (SchIT) Northern Territory University,
> >   Darwin, Australia.
> 
> 
> Well, My 89 VW Golf, did just this, and I was luckey, to *See* that my temp, 
> was up, and that my fan was not turning on.  So, I hopped out, poped off the 
> conector to the rad. switch, and wired it "on" with a paper clip.  Yes, this 
> worked, my fan was now on, all the time... even when the car was off.  This 
> was no good, as my batt, would/could not take this. 
> 
> So, what I did, was wire up a relay, from the ing. coil, to the fan.  When my 
> car is "on" the fan is also on.  Ive had no problems since, and my car seems 
> to run a bit better, as it does not get as hot as it did.
> 
> Why, they are not on at all times, is kinda beyond me...  I dont know..
> 

Because if the car is designed corectly, and there is enough flow to the
radiator, you will *never* need it unless you're stopped in traffic
for a while. The fan in my SO's rabbit hasn't worked in almost 1 year.
She has to crank the heat occasionally if she gets stuck in traffic,
but the car never runs hot as long as it is moving. In my Saturn, I have
to be sitting in traffic for at least 15 minutes for the fan to come on.

The reason they are not always on is that they place a reasonable drain
on your electrical system. This translates to less mpg (probably minimal),
and greater drain on the battery when you're idling and the alternator isn't
producing much current. 

Also, having your fan on all the time should make *no* difference in your
car's running temp if your cooling system is operating properly. Your
thermostat should compensate for the increased cooling and reduce the flow
of coolant through the engine. 

Just my $ .02 . . .

Craig Dodson (Stratus Computer)
cdodson@beast.cac.stratus.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Probe / Mercury Capri / Ford Capri - Which?
From: james@koko.csustan.edu (Jonas Grumpy)
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 92 23:22:55 GMT
Organization: CSU Stanislaus

In article <1992Oct2.152110.1204@rtsg.mot.com> pacyga@rtsg.mot.com (Jim Pacyga) writes:
>In article <1992Oct1.140507.19527@hasler.ascom.ch> kevinh@hslrswi.hasler.ascom.ch writes:
>>
>>In article <1992Oct1.103509.1@sdl.mdcbbs.com>, richardk@sdl.mdcbbs.com writes:
>>|> Greetings car enthusiasts!
>>|> 
>>|> There I was, reading my car magazine last night, and it mentioned the release
>>|> of the new Ford Capri in late '93. I have been following this news-group for a
>>|> couple of weeks now and have seen various messages about a Mercury Capri. Is
>>|> this the same car? And if it is, why are we over in the UK told that in the
>>|> US it is on sale as a Probe?
>>
>>No, it's not the same car. The new Probe is basically a Mazda MX6. A roadtest
>>was done in last months issue of CAR magazine who said, basically, that it was
>>a very nice car (a Ford?) There was also "speculation" that it would be re-badged to
>>become the new Capri. I doubt this very much, the damage done to Fords
>>reputation, if they re-incarnated that name, would be immeasurable :-).
>>
>>kevinh@hasler.ascom.ch
>>
>
>This is partially correct.  The Probe is essentially a combined effort on the
>part of Ford and Mazda (in which Ford owns a big chunk of stock).  There is
>also a Mercury Capri (which is a Ford, since Mercury is just division).  The
>Capri is available only as a convertible.  

There is no way any peice of junk Mazda/Ford collaboration is going to live
up to the German Ford Capri. This car is pure gusto. Sadly the ones
that came to the U.S. never really got the powerful engines that would have
made the mustang look like the slug that it has been since '73. The German
Ford Capri remained in production all the way to '86 and in its final
form had a high comression CIS injected 3000cc V6 with around 155 hp.
There was also a tuned version available called the Tickford Capri with 200hp

-- 
C MYSIG  ASIG4U 1RADSIG 2BADSIG SIG U 2     U R SIG   1SIGDOG    ADOTSIG

Vanity .sigs, now only $35
From: sourlas@babbage.seas.ucla.edu (Dennis Sourlas)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: downforce and cornering g's (was which car handles the best?
Date: 29 Sep 92 01:55:39 GMT
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles

In article <1992Sep28.133110.20448@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> dpaper@nyx.cs.du.edu (David Paper) writes:
>Ummm I hate to clarify something..
>
>but if you have taken a basic level physics course, you would know that a
>car can never obtain more than 1g, in actuality, .9 is VERY good, as i
>think the dodge viper gets umm .93 or something..
>
>1 g would pick the car up.. and 2g' just doesn't exist, not in lateral
>motion anyways..
>

i would like some justification for your comment.  what seems to have
escaped your attention is that the car generates downforce; in other
words, depending on the speed of the car its weight icreases relative
to the weight that the stationary car has.  so, the more weight the
car puts on the street, the faster it can turn, the more lateral g's
it can sustain without losing control.  as an example, consider the
F-1 cars than can routinely corner with lateral acceleration of more
than 1g.

>sorry guys..
>
>-dave

before the F40 there was another exotic car that featured net positive
downforce.  anybody remembers which one it is ?

dennis / ucla /
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: orscholz@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Oliver Scholz (Turo - Backstage))
Subject: Re: Pontiac Fiero problems?
Organization: CSD., University of Erlangen, Germany
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 21:12:51 GMT
Keywords: Fiero, problems

dclayton@bnr.ca (Don Clayton) writes:

>I had a 1984 SE and in three years I replaced 3 Alternators, a Started, a clutch,
So, you had the very first model... *every* new model has problems. Just
look at VW's new rabbit. You'd think that after 10 years of making rabbits
they'd get them right? If you're over 5ft you can't sit in the passenger's
seat, unless you put the seat in a position that makes it unable for someone
else to sit behind you...

>a transmission, and an oxigenator (sp?) (to my suprise - NON of it was covered by
What is an oxigenator? Do you mean the O2 sensor?

>the warrantee).  I also had 3 of my body panels *snap* in low impact collisions and
What is a 'low impact collision'? All I know is that on my rabbit I have lots
of dents caused by 'reckless parkers' here in the University, while the Fiero
has *none*. And aren't you lucky you can replace the body panels easily?
If you get a dent on a regular fender for example, labor cost for assembly
and disassembly can easily be higher than the new fender itself...

>GM actually used bondo to fix one (that was the final straw).  I would highly
This it really not Ok! But blame your dealer/repair shop and don't
generalize...

>recomend staying as far away from Pointiac, and Fieros as possible.  GM stopped
Well, the name is Pontiac... :-)

>selling them because they were crap, didn't hold their value (I paid $15,000 for
Well, prices drop on used cars, and remember, the early models did have
their problems! No doubt about it!

>Total, unbelievable CRAP!
Well, that's your opinion...
I'd just say,keep your hands off new models, wait at least one year before
buying a new model, that way most major bugs should be fixed...

Take it easy!

-Oliver
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oliver Scholz                                                         DG4NEM
Graduate Student of Computer Sciences at the University of Erlangen, Germany
"You're killing me, Peg!"  "Oh, shut up, Al, like I care..." 
Xref: sparky rec.autos:23154 rec.autos.driving:5805
From: gggj@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.driving
Subject: REPOST>DRIVER AUTO INTERIOR SURVEY
Date: 2 Oct 92 01:18:48 EDT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell University

THANKYOU to the 50 or so of you who have already responded.  I am reposting to
see if anyone just skipped over it!  :)


I am conducting a study here at Cornell University on the design of automobile
interiors, especially those directly effecting the driver.  I'd appreciate your
input on the following questions via E-Mail, it would be really helpful.  At
the end of the semester I will have a paper, which I would be glad to post here
for anyone interested.  Here is the information I need about your
car(s)...please tell me about any cars you use often.
 
1. Make, model, year, style, class of car
2. Tell me about the seating.  Is it comfortable?  Can you adjust it easily?
Is it comfortable on both short and long trips?
3. Your height, weight, age and sex. (optional)
4. Are the displays clear and easy to read?  Is there anything particularly
hard or easy to read?  Weird placement of certain instruments?
5. Are controls easy to reach?  Easy to tell what they do?  Do you hit some of
them by accident?  Do you have to take your eyes way off the road to adjust
some things (such as the radio?)?
6. Any other gripes, complaints, or praise about the interior of your car, or
what you want in a car interior, especially regarding teh controls and
displays.
 
THANKS!  I really appreciate this.  No need to # the questions, just write a
few paragraphs if possible.  Or a few lines.  If I get a lot of responses, I
won't be able to thank each of you individually, so in advance, thanks!
 
Scott Mandell
607-256-4217  (feel free to call to discuss)
GGGJ@CRNLVAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: woodcock@crchh427.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Gregg Woodcock)
Subject: Insurance Companiess ripped us off?
Reply-To: bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Texas
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 14:44:50 GMT

I caught the last part of a news story that said earlier this year some
(8?) insurance companies were found guilty of withholding insurance
discounts to consumers with passive restraints.  It may have been a Texas
only lawsuit.  The companies were ordered to refund the discounts plus
interest to policyholders (but were allowed to do so on a "per-request"
basis).  So if you don't ask for your refund, you don't get it.  Does
anybody know the whole story with all the details (what companies were
involve, what the exact charges were, what states it covered, etc.)  I
really need to know all the details.

Please email a copy of your post to me if you follow up this one.
-- 
THANX...Gregg Woodcock   bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu
ESN 444   day 214.684.7380   night 214.530.2495   *I buy used Vectrex stuff!*
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: CENG51@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Craig Witkowski)
Subject: Keystone Wheels
Organization: Motorola
Date: 28 Sep 1992 12:03:32 CDT

Anybody out there know who can get their hands on some center caps for a set
of Keystone Black Starspoke rims? I need four caps to fit my 15x7 5 bolt
Chevy pattern rims and nobody here can find any since Keystone went belly-up
last year.


Craig Witkowski,  CENG51@maccvm.corp.mot.com
From: markg@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Mark Goldsworthy)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 21:35:37 GMT
Subject: Re: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best...in snow
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (SRSD MWTD)
Newsgroups: rec.autos

/ hpmwga7:rec.autos / nataraja@rtsg.mot.com (Kumaravel Natarajan) /  2:30 pm  Sep 30, 1992 /
>markg@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Mark Goldsworthy) writes:
>
>>/ hpmwga7:rec.autos / salil@igor.tamri.com (Salil Saxena) /  2:25 pm  Sep 28, 1992 /
>>In article <13355@texsun.Central.Sun.COM> dbernard@thewho.Central.Sun.COM writes:
>>>
>>>Additional RWD models still sold (please feel free to add to this list):
>
>>			(list Deleted)
>
>>>14. Mitsubishi Diamante ? 
>
>>The Diamante is a FWD car in its base model, and AWD in the top of the line
>>model.
>
>>Mark Goldsworthy
>
>Are you sure you're not thinking of the Galant?  I know that IT comes
>in a base-FWD, and an AWD model w/ the Eclipse's 2.0l turbo engine.

You're right! Duh!!! My mistake. I *was* thinking of the Galant VR-4 vs the
base model. The Diamante replaced the Galant (I think).

Mark (owner of AWD Turbo Mitsu Eclipse) Goldsworthy

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik)
Subject: Re: 301 power
Reply-To: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 21:02:48 GMT

In article 12538@ultb.isc.rit.edu, scl7375@ritvax.isc.rit.edu () writes:

>Hello, I have a 1979 pontiac firebird witha 301 V-8 it has a spreadbore rochester carbourator on it, and it has some really good torque and power. it rated at 140hp net. now, does anyone know how to make the engine more powerful and tourquey or would it be best to just swap in a 400ci twin turbo (where can one snag on of those) A four barrell might help, but a spreadbore has as good of airflow as I need witha stock engine. Anyway, I'm looking for some good ideas, from exotic to cheap.
>Considering i'm in college, i can't afford much new, but i have friends and lots of extra time to play, so rebuilding a 400 may not be as bad idea, since it is my project, not a daily driver. Anyway, thanxs, responces could be sent e-mail, or posted on the board, it is rec.,autos.
>					Liddleman

If you want a bit of extra grunt, get rid of the stock exhaust, run 2.2"
pipes from a set of headers, and bolt on some low-restriction mufflers.
Now your engine will exhale easier with less restriction.
  If you still run a catalytic converter, this move might be illegal,
so check out your local laws first.
  Get a less restrictive intake/air cleaner than the stock one to ease the 
restriction upstream of the engine. This is probably legal, and the really
cheap way is to just flip the top...it costs nothing.
  
That was the cheap way.

The expensive ways are many, and include an engine swap to a big block, 
rebuilding the original mill with a wild cam, high comression heads
and pistons, dual quads,etc...or just getting another car that had the
expensive stuff done to it already.

Andy.

PLEASE EXCUSE MY OBVIOUS IGNORANCE.



Newsgroups: rec.autos