HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: olsenc@stein.u.washington.edu (Clint Olsen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Check Engine Light on Olds Cutlass Cierra
Date: 13 Dec 92 02:57:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Dec13.025734.13115
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

Hello:

I took my car in to have it scoped at AAA to see if there was anything
seriously wrong with my car.  I posted previously about my engine
light problem.

It turns out that when your computer detects an error, it saves the code
in its memory and will continuously keep the light on until you take it
into service and have the memory reset.  Whatta way to con the public!  Why
don't they just put a vending machine inside the hood to turn the light
off!

Anyway, the guy found a vacuum leak and the error code #53 stored in the
computer's memory.  I haven't been able to get to an auto parts store to
buy one of those neat "do it yourself" books.  If anyone knows what that
code means and/or knows how to reset the computer's memory (yes, I'm tired
of staring at the f******* light), please send email.

Thanks in advance.

-Clint
From: jmoran@head-cfa.harvard.edu (John Moran)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: '91 Corolla stalling - restarts fine- HELP!
Date: 16 Dec 92 15:45:03 GMT
Organization: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA,  USA


Hello,

        I wouldn't ask this on this forum, except that I am
going on a 5 day 1000 mile roundtrip drive tomorrow, and I
need to decide whether to try to get this problem looked at
today or rent a car.  I'll try to keep this short and succinct.

CAR: '91 Corolla EFI Sedan ~50K miles
PROBLEM:  Last night, in the middle of my drive home, engine
stalled EVERY time I stopped at a stop light.  It restarted
fine each time on the first try.  The engine didn't make any
odd sounds or run rough, it just quietly cut off every time I
took my foot off the accelerator and put on the clutch and brake.
When I got home and parked, I let the car idle and it didn't
cut off.
        This morning, it started fine, doesn't idle rough at
all.  I didn't cut off on the way to work.  I checked the
plugs and the plug wires, they looked fine.  I took off the
distributor cap and checked for moisture or cracks and it
also was dry as a bone.

        More info that may or may not be relevant:

* This has never happened before
* I have over 1/2 tank of gas
* We have had MAJOR snow in the past few days and there's
alot of ice/snow/water on the roads (but it's not that cold,
been between 25-45 lately.)
* This morning when I was checking for moisture, I revved up the
engine to 4-5K RPM and had the driver door opened, I heard a
very light hissing or spraying sound.  I don't know whether that's
new or normal since I usually don't have the door open.

Any ideas? Are there any quick things I can or should try?  Should
I worry about this?  If I wasn't going on a trip with the car tomorrow,
I wouldn't be so panicky!

Thanks alot for any advice!

John Moran

-----
e-mail: jmoran@cfa.harvard.edu
From: spidell@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Bob Spidell)
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 17:26:56 GMT
Subject: Re: Tuning with a Thermometer
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

boutzev@lcaohp2.epfl.ch (Lubomir Boutzev) writes:

> Hi.
> This might (or might not ? ) be a useful trick for tuning pesky
> carbs.
> My "experimental"  vehicle's carb had to be tuned and I don't have
> exhaust analyzer.
> Previously I was doing this "by ear" and after several trials and errors 
> obtained the correct mixture for optimal performance.
> This time I tried something new: A thermocouple on the exhaust collector.
> The method of tuning with this was the following:
> -Let the engine warm up at around 2000rev/min;
> -Switch (short the thermocontactor) the radiator fan;
> -Load the alternanor with ads much load as it can take, rear window defrost,
> headlights, additional rheostat if possible;
> -Set the engine speed at 2000 rev/min;
> -Adjust the mixture (while re-adjusting the throttle)for constant engine speed) 
> so that the thermocouple reads the LOWEST possible exhaust gaz temperature.
> 
> In practice the time constants are quite big and it takes several minutes
> for the temp to settle to a stable value for each mixture setting.
> 
> After this I checked the ignition  timing with the usual strobe light an normal
> idling conditions.
> 
> The results  ? Good overall performance, much better than the one I get from the
> smog control settings performed by the official garage. (acceleration & top speed)
> Advices ? Comments ? 
> It could be nice to use exhaust temperature for carb tuning because a 

You are adjusting the mixture by means of Exhaust Gas Temperature.  This
method is used on many piston-engined aircraft to adjust mixture while in
flight.  Basically, lower EGT = richer mixture, which may explain your
performance increases, although on most carburetors you are only adjusting
the idle mixture, not the mixture across the range of engine speeds. 


regards,
bs
From: Larry.Mc.Donald@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: wheel came off!!!
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov 17 1992
Date: 18 Dec 92  12:18:10

 faill@gca.com 
   (Peter Faill)

 >>    I've owned eight Volvo(e)s and have never had this problem, so 
 >> I don't think that it can be assumed that lug nut theft is a 
 >> "Volvo problem."  Beauty ring theft was for a long time, though, 
 >> since Volvo beauty rings from '64 on back were almost identical 
 >> to early Ford beauty rings.
  
 > Funny you should mention wheels coming off.  I've owned 5 different
 > Volvo's over the past 8 years and infrequently, the exterior wheels do
 > come off. But, what happens more frequently is the steering wheel
 > coming off.  Either way, its not much fun.

   Might I ask what you are doing when the exterior wheels and 
the steering wheel come off?  And if you are having these 
problems with Volvos, why drive them?  I've driven Volvo for 
about 15 years and never had a wheel come off. On any car for 
that matter...
   I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a guy who once owned 
an MG A.  I had just converted my MG to wire wheels and met this 
guy at a mutual friend's house.  When he had found that I 
converted to wires, he said he could not believe it and that he 
had so much trouble with wires that he'd never have them again. 
So I ask him what happened to him and he tells me that he had two 
of them fly to pieces at the same time on his MG A. Well, then I 
ask him what he was doing when his wheels came apart. Turns out 
he flew around a 90 degree corner in a residential area at 60 MPH 
and lost traction. He hit the opposite curb at some really high 
speed, SLIDING SIDEWAYS. And the wire wheels were to blame...



... Larry.Mc.Donald, N6ZMB, Fullerton, California!  <cough, cough>
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.10

--- Maximus 2.00
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Mazda rotary in a Europa
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 11 Dec 92 18:47:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


-> Just one point is that the Europa halfshafts (twincam at least) are
-> the upper control arms for the rear suspension and thus they take
-> axial loads that CV joints would not be happy with.  Halfshaft swaps
-> would also require major rear suspension rework (hub carriers in
-> particular).  FYI I'm contemplating a rebuild of my Twincam.

 Nah.  Corvettes, Jaguars, and most street rod IRS do the same.  With
the easy availability of uprights from IRS and FWD cars nowadays, it's
pretty well a no-brainer to just replace the whole thing - no reason to
carve up good Lotus parts, which are probably marginal anyway.
                                                                                                            
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: jimd@fraser.sfu.ca (Jim Davies)
Subject: Re: Gasoline differences?
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 18:54:08 GMT

kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup) writes:

>In article <39670095@hpcc01.corp.hp.com>
>mtc@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Mark Cousins) writes:

>>>Well, first off, you should ask yourself why you're using Super in that car.

>>I have.  The answer is that if I don't, I get excessive pinging and
>>detonation.  And I've don't buy the lore that mild detonation is OK -- I don't
>>want any.

>>I have gone over the tuneup very carefully, and with everything set to spec
>>the result is too much knock for my taste.

>Ok. Good- you know what you're doing. If you can vouch for the timing in your
>car, I would then say that you've probably got carbon buildup in your
>combustion chambers. Now, how *I* get rid of it, and how you should get rid
>of it are probably different, as you can mess something up if you're not 
>careful.

>What I do is get some water, and start the car, and let it warm up to full
>operating temperature. I then snatch off a manifold vacuum line, and put
>a length of hose on it (I use something w/a narrow diameter to limit
>water flow- I don't grab the brake booster line!). I run the engine at 2k
>rpm, and lower the other end of my line so that it just touches the surface
>of the water in the container (use about 1/2 quart). The engine vacuum will
>suck the water up, and I regulate the flow, letting a little more in, but
>being careful, as water is incompressible, and too much will blow your head.

>I assume your Honda has carburation; I have to find a mani vac line 'cuz I
>have fuel injection, but you should be able to slowly (a trickle) dribble
>water right down the carb throat.

>I've used this in the past to get rid of carbon on my Merkur.


Water, in my experience, is the best way to remove carbon. Its certainly
superior to any of the spray type cleaners I have seen, and, of course,
the price is right ;-) Your method sounds good to me, the only minor
thing I would add is this: on V type engines, be sure that approx. equal
quantities of H2O get in either side of the manifold eg spray down
both sides of carb/injector. I often use a 1 liter dishwashing liquid
*joy, etc* plastic squeeze bottle. With the popup top on it, gentle
squeezing will supply an adequate amount of water. I find I have to
regulate the throttle with my other hand to keep the rpm about 2000
or so. As stated, water is non-compressable, so:
engine up to temp
firing on all cylinders
controlled amount of water into engine
keep revs about 2000
Of course, after this treatment, you have to give the car a good, hard
run. Running thru the gears at WOT is helpful, but nothing beats a good,
hard flog in top gear to loosen up and remove the gunk ;-)
If you wind up talking to a cop, well, dont mention my name ;-)

Jim Davies






Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: murthy+@EDRC.CMU.EDU (Sesh Murthy)
Subject: Re: Buick Century again.
Organization: Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 00:25:54 GMT

|> 
|> Is this a carb of fuel injection engine?  I have the smae problem on my '82
|> and I am pretty sure it is the TPS (throttle position sensor) - We had it 
|> hooked up on my friends computer, and that was the only thing out of wack.
|>  According to the manual, it is non-adjustable, only replacable.
It is carburetted.  So how much does this TPS cost.  I remember someone saying
that GM has come out with a new EPROM that ignores the TPS.  I will ask my
dealer if this is available for my Century.

Thanks for the info on the timing chain.

Sesh Murthy
From: "Gary A. Woodward" <p00140@psilink.com>
Subject: Re: Digital Dash fading out
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 14:49:02 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink (3.2)

>DATE:   Mon, 14 Dec 1992 03:14:53 GMT
>FROM:   Real Life?? HA <mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu>
>
>alter@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Eric Alter) writes:
>
>>I assume that this is the beginning of a failure.  How do go about determining
>>the cause of this problem?  Do the digital dashes just need to be replaced?
>>If so, how much are the dealers gonna charge me?

>
>Well, I can't speak for the Beretta, but I know that in a Corvette, Chevy will
>not repair the dash, and asserts that the dash is irreparable in any circum-
>stance.  (This is for the pre-'90 or '91 Vettes with the all-digital dashes,
>BTW)  Chevy also wanted in the multi-thousand dollar range for a new dash, if I
>remember right.  Anyway, a friend of mine worked at a small electronic shop of
>some sort, and one of the things he did was repair Corvette dashes.  So if I
>were you, I would hesitate to take the car back to the dealer; I would at the
>least check with a few electronics places first and see if they can do anything
>for you.  I have a nasty feeling that the Beretta dash won't be tons different
>from the Vette dash, in the sense that Chevy will only replace it, and charge a
>fortune.  Of course, the Beretta dash is significantly different, being vacuum-
>fluorescent or some such thing and monochrome, while the Vette's was color and
>(I think) LCD.  In any case, I'd check around a bit before going to the dealer.
>Good luck!
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Michael T. Chaffee        | mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu  |  ______    
>                                                       |  \    /   HATE
>"I chased a rainbow down a one-way street.  Dead end." |   \  /  is not a
>     - S. P. McCall                                    |    \/  FAMILY VALUE
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Check in your local yellow pages for a shop that repairs Delco 
radios-many of them also repair digital dashes.  Take the dash out-be 
sure to have a way of proving current mileage-and in most cases obtain a 
rebuilt core while you wait.  Most of the time the voltage regulator ic 
is the problem.

regards.

Gary
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: brooks@mcnc.org (Theodore Edwin Brooks Jr)
Subject: Re: Oilpan Gasket in Corolla
Keywords: Gasket, Silicon, oilpan
Organization: MCNC Center for Microelectronics, RTP, NC
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:42:59 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.193104.13958@cbnews.cb.att.com> yp@cbnews.cb.att.com (yagnesh.pathak) writes:
>
>Folks:
>
>I have a 85 Toyota Corolla and have been noticing some oil drops in my 
>garage lately. Took it to a Goodyear guy and he said that "It needs a 
>oilpan gasket. We recommend that you take your car to an authorized 
>dealer". Fine. 
>
>I called on dealer and he quotes $19 for the part (oilpan gasket) and some 
Try tightening the bolts on your oil pan first. It's free, and relatively
painless. Don't overtighten them though, or they'll break. Just snug will
do.
 
Ted Brooks
 ______________________________________________________________________
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own, and do not reflect    |
| those of my employer. Advice is free, but you get what you pay for.  |
|                               ________                               |
|                         _____|  1955  |_______                       |
|                        /      Chevrolet      /                       |
|                       /______  BelAir  _____/                        |
|                              |________|                              |
|______________________________________________________________________|
From: donald.wendel@yob.sccsi.com (Donald Wendel) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Car Computers/Modifie
Date: 11 Dec 92 18:46:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ye Olde Bailey BBS - Houston, TX - 713-520-1569
Reply-To: donald.wendel@yob.sccsi.com (Donald Wendel) 


  >>>Subject: Re: Car Computers/Modified Chips
  >>>Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1992 15:57:12 GMT

WE>>>Here is a basic question about computers/chips.

WE>>>One of the complaints, as we went from carburetors to computer-controlled
  >>>fuel injection, was that a simple computer failure could leave you
  >>>stranded, far from home, near no replacement, and when you got the
  >>>replacement it was terribly expensive.  A friend of mine has mentioned
  >>>a "limp home" mode; I admit that maybe this pertains to failure of
  >>>one of the sensors such as temperature, engine speed, etc., rather than
  >>>failure of the computer itself.

WE>>>Do any manufacturers currently have this feature, so that if you break dow
  >>>you can possibly at least make it back home, however inefficiently?  If so
  >>>the failure sensed by the computer, by a separate small computer, or is it
  >>>by the driver throwing a little switch someplace?
  >>>--
  >>>Brendan Welch, UMass/Lowell, W1LPG,  welchb@woods.ulowell.edu
The only catastrophic failures I have seen with car computers has been
after a vehicle has gone through high enough water that it soaked the
computer, particulary on Nissans. Also has occured on Renaults.
                                                Don


 * SLMR 2.1a * I put spot remover on my dog....Spots gone!
                                                                                           
----
Ye Olde Bailey BBS
Houston,Texas
Node 1: 1 713 520 1569
yob.sccsi.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Replacing Ford Tempo Side mirror
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 17:59:11 GMT



I have a '84 Ford Tempo (4 Doors).  The driver side mirror broke.
It is the type that mounted from inside the door.  Local body shops
won't touch it.  The Ford Dealer wants $80 for it.  I figure a
replacement is only $10.  $70 for labor (and the knowledge) seems
a ripoff to me.  Is it hard to open the door to replace the mirror
myself?  Can anyone tell me how?  Thanks in advance.

[This is the first time I post at rec.auto.tech.  If this is not the
right group for the question, please send Email about the right group
to post.  Thanks.]
From: george@mech.seas.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Extending engine life--Block heater
Date: 16 Dec 92 01:16:33 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania, Mechanical Engineering


:
:>My boss swears by these.  He has his hooked up to a timer on the
:>electrical outlet, so it only heats up the engine for two hours
:>before he leaves for work.

:
:I'm always afraid one of these will malfunction and set fire to the oil on 
:my block.

the ones i've seen are water heaters, that go in line in your
cooling system ( into the car's heater line i suppose )  I dont
think there is much danger of fire there.  If you were directly 
heating the oil maybe there would be cause for concern...
--
  /   george jefferson
\/ *  george@mech.seas.upenn.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Oil pressure question?
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:26:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


-> I've got an '84 Bronco II w/ 2.8L.  I had the engine rebuilt (it has
-> now got about 10,000 miles on it), it was bored out and I had a new
-> cam put in. Anyway, the oil pressure is higher now (than originally)
-> and it seems to *increase* when the oil starts getting low.  Is this
-> normal, or do I have a flaky sending unit?  I would've thought it
-> would *decrease*.

 Sounds like a flaky sending unit.

 The 2.8 V6 needs all the oil pressure it can get.  Though Ford provided
an adequate number of bearings, they made the rod bearings very narrow -
narrow enough some crank grinders can't even get in there to regrind the
journals.  Other than that, they're tough little motors.
                                             
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: stankus@d31mf2.Stanford.EDU (John J. Stankus)
Subject: Did Datsun A14 motors have brass valve seats?
Originator: stankus@leland.Stanford.EDU
Keywords: Datsun, valve seats, head
Organization: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 10:27:16 GMT

I'm helping a friend who is replacing a head gasket on a 1979 Datsun A14
engine.  When he talked to the machine shop he is going to have check the 
head for flatness and dip it, they mentioned that this engine had for some
of the years it was manufactured came with brass valve seats, that had a
tendency to come out.  Can anyone confirm or deny this?  If so what years
had them.  Any other wisdom about the idiosyncrasies of this engine would
be appreciated.

Thanks

John

John J. Stankus				Chemistry Department
stankus@leland.stanford.edu		Stanford University
stankus@d31mf2.stanford.edu
From: ynecjac@cid.aes.doe.CA (Jacques Deslauriers)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Car names
Summary: Dictionnary of car names
Date: 11 Dec 92 20:14:19 GMT
Organization: Environment Canada (CID), Dorval, QC


  

  One of my kid, at college, has started a project dealing
  with car names. He is trying to get as many names of cars
  as possible and then build some statistics arroud that 
  data base. I remember seeing such a list many years ago
  but I can not remember where.

  If any one out there has a list or know where we can obtain
  one we would greatly appreciate. 
  
  We will post our findings if we get enough material.

  Thanks.

  Jacques Deslauriers
  HNSX Supercomputers
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: "mike knox" <mike.knox@canrem.com>
Subject: synthetic oil test fails
Reply-To: "mike knox" <mike.knox@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 20 Dec 92 23:11:01 EST

Hi:
 
As promised about 8 months ago, here are the results from my semi-
scientific evaluation of synthetic vs. dinosaur oil as far as fuel
economy figures goes.
 
Methodology:  100% synthetic 5W30 oil was installed in my 1989 GMC
              Jimmy with 4.3 litre fuel injected engine. Fuel useage
              and mileage figures were maintained and compared with
              figures from the same period one year ago (10W30 dinosaur
              oil). As a "control", figures from my 1986 LeBaron GTS
              with 2.2 litre Turbo engine were compared for the same
              two periods. The LeBaron used dinosaur oil exclusively.
              I am the only driver of both vehicles, and useage is
              divided aproximately 50/50 between the two.
 
Results:      Jimmy, 1992 Period with Synthetic oil: 21.5 MPG avg.
              over 23 tanks of gas.
              Jimmy, 1991 Period with Dinosaur oil: 21.7 MPG avg.
              over 22 tanks of gas.
 
              LeBaron, 1992 Period: 25.5 MPG avg. over 30 tanks of gas.
              LeBaron, 1991 Period: 25.3 MPG avg. over 25 tanks of gas.
 
Observations: No noticable change in engine performance. Was just as
              slow in cranking over in cold weather as with conventional
              oil (not a problem with either). Oil pressure readings were
              the same with both oils. No excessive consumption with
              either oils. Synthetic seemed to stay "cleaner" on the
              dipstick for a longer period of time.
 
Conclusion:   No noticable improvement in fuel economy with synthetic
              oil compared with dinosaur oil. Since the cost of synthetic
              is at least three times that of conventional oil, one would
              have to increase the oil change interval by three times to
              "break even". I'd rather have three changes of a good
              conventional oil than one fill of synthetic.
 
Since the claims of 10-15% fuel economy increases did not pan out in my
application, I declare my use of synthetic oil to be a failure. Since there
is nothing "special" about my engine that demands synthetic oil, I will
be sticking with a good quality conventional oil, good filters and
regular oil change intervals (3 months/3,000 miles).
 
Regards,
 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mike Knox                  |     Fido: 1:229/15
    Brampton, Ontario          | Internet: mike.knox@canrem.com
    CANADA                     | RelayNet: ->CRS  (Public Key: 22319)
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