HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

In rec.autos.tech, Todd O'Connor <todd_oconnor@taligent.com> writes:

|On the same theory as the "Gasaver" liquid is one that I saw at the local flea
|market. You install this small plug-in device between your distributor cap and coil
|wire. It supposedly increases your power, improves mileage, and some other really
|outrageous things that I can't remember now. (oh yea, you can start the car, in
|this case a V-8 with half, or more, of the sparkplug wires disconnected) Anyone
|seen or heard of this?

Sounds like "Cheetah 911".  Costs S$140 here (approx US$88).  Claims you can
save 10% fuel, increase power, lower engine operating temp (hmm, starting to
sound fishy) etc.  Of course, no money back if all of these don't work.  But,
this gadget is advertised to be approved by all sorts of automotive
engineering authorities, and is supposed to be a best seller in USA.  Anyone
heard of this?

they had a demo setup with 2 spark plugs, with a wimpy spark from the "normal"
plug, and a strong sizzling spark from the "assisted" one.  The sales guy
couldn't give any tech details but it looks like some capacitive circuit in
this gizmo.  He also refused to let me look at the insides of his demo box.
I wonder why.  


lawrence
From: st1q9@jane.uh.edu (Devine, Della M)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: 1986 Grand Am Steering Hangin.
Date: 10 Nov 92 04:23:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: jane.9NOV199222233391
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Houston
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

I'm having some problems with what i think is the steering
stablizer on my 1986 Grand Am.  It turns just excellent to the
right but when i turn to the left it hangs for a second then kicks in.
The Steering pump only squeals every now and then and so i don't think
that's the problem.  It doesn't do it all the time (about 75%)
but sometimes it does it around a corner i usually take at 'bout 
75 mph or 85 mph and when i get it to not hang the tires squeal 
around the corner and i almost go (went) into the oncoming lane.
It scared the shit outta me and i don't do it anymore but that's another
story.  Anybody got any ideas? solutions? suggestions?

                            william c devine ii
reply to:
          Devine@pvhep.pvamu.edu
From: troy@sequent.com (Troy Wecker)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: BLOCK LEARN?
Date: 13 Nov 92 16:37:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: sequent.1992Nov13.163704.19734
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.


The 1991 Chevrolet Truck Emissions Manual (Helm) in the (Electronic
Control Module System) refers to "block learn values".  As far as I
can guess this seems to be some data value(s) stored in the ECM.  It
can be viewed by a Scan Tool.  Diagnostic charts give normal values to
expect.  It also appears to be lost when the vehicles battery is
disconnected.  This would lead me to believe it is somehow generated
by the ECM and stored in there.

How is the "block learn value" generated?
How is it used by the ECM?

"Inquiring minds want to know"


Troy Wecker
troy@sequent.com
Sequent Computer Systems
Beaverton, OR
From: iceman@camelot.bradley.edu (Christopher Ice)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Dirty spark plug, how to fix?
Date: 7 Nov 92 22:08:33 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Bradley University


Well, if it was running rich, ALL of the plugs would be "dirty"...not just
one.  This leads me to ask if it really isn't an oil-consumption problem in
that particular cylinder.  If that cylinder's rings are a little worn, oil
squeezes into the cylinder and reacts in the combustion process creating a
thick black soot that collects on the plug.

Well, you can clean the plug almost anyway you want.  I have heard of people
brushing it with kerosene, sanding them with fine sand-paper, steel-wool, wire
brush...almost any way you want.  You can't really hurt a plug, except if you
chip/break the procelain or change the gap by being a little too assertive.

About the cylinder buring oil, I wouldn't worry about it.  In a car that's
almost 13 years old, it's not worth the trouble of tearing the engine apart
unless there are other things to do...ie. all cylinders are blowing-by.  A
simple compression test will tell you if the cylinder is leaking or not.

I would be wary of the "carbuerator" repair your dealer has
suggested...because, as I said, ALL the plugs would be dirty, not just one of
them.


+--------------------------------------///-------------------------------------+|    Chris Ice, CMfgT                 ///         Bradley University           |
|    iceman@camelot.bradley.edu   \\\///          Peoria, IL, USA              |+----------------------------------\XX/----------------------------------------+


		      You will be the secret agent....
	    penetrating to the very heart of their control center.

			          _   /|
   				  \`o_O'  Ack Phfft!
   				    ( )
   				     U
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: crpresto@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Charlie Preston)
Subject: Re: What is current wisdom on rotating tires (tyres)?
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1992 15:14:57 GMT
Organization: Illinois State University

In article <1992Nov4.205441.26521@cbnews.cb.att.com> shahrukh_merchant@att.com writes:
>I have heard two schools of thought on whether tires should be rotated:
>
>   1. Front to Back only, so tires that start out on one side (left or
>      right) always stay there, or:
>   2. Front to back as well as diagonally, so that a tire ends up in all
>      4 positions eventually.
>
My owners manual recommends #2 every 7k miles.  I've tried to keep up with
it (missed by a couple k miles once).  After 48k miles there have been no
problems, the tires are wearing evenly, and they still have plenty of tread.

Chas

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: alc@gdstech.GRUMMAN.COM (Al Chang)
Subject: Re: What is current wisdom on rotating tires (tyres)?
Organization: Grumman Corporation
	<Bx7n5p.1Go@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <Bx7p9v.IvB@ssesco.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 14:42:56 GMT


>>If your car does have radials, only rotate front to back. I will just
quote
>>the book for this one...

>Then why do the books that came with my last two cars (81 Crown Vic,
92 Probe) say differently?  Both had radials.  Both said cross the front ones
to the back and bring the rears straight forward.  I was under the impression
that this was common.

The current tire design now says you should criss cross them now, this
will keep the tire wear even. The older radial tires had problems when doing
this. The belt would utimately separate. BUT I was told that if you
don't rotate them criss crossing them regularly (let say you only do
it at 30K,) the belt does settle and it won't run smoothe. The belt
may even separate. 

Summary: if you don't rotate crisscrossed regularly or if you don't
know if the previous owner did this, do not swap sides. This will
guarantee you that you won't have any problems.

BTW, I perform a 5 tire criss crossed rotation and the stupid tires
won't wear out. (55K with lots of tread left.) I want to get better
handling tires.

--
     ---  My opinions do not represent the opinions of my employer.  ---  
******************************************************************************
Al Chang                                        email: alc@gdstech.grumman.com
Grumman Data Systems                                  Woodbury, New York 11797
******************************************************************************
-- 
     ---  My opinions do not represent the opinions of my employer.  ---  
******************************************************************************
Al Chang                                        email: alc@gdstech.grumman.com
Grumman Data Systems                                  Woodbury, New York 11797
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger)
Subject: Re: flywheel
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 21:31:14 GMT
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne FL

 Some engines are internally balanced and the flywheel serves only to 
provide stabilization/energy storage for the next compression stroke.
Others depend on the distribution of mass on the flywheel as part of
the engine balancing scheme. These will need a specially-balanced
lightweight flywheel to preserve engine balance. 

-- 
##########################################################################
#Irresponsible rantings of the author alone. Any resemblance to persons  #
#living or dead then yer bummin. May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may inten-#
#sify this effect. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Billy!#
From: shaig@Think.COM (Shai Guday)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Windshield Replacement
Date: 6 Nov 1992 18:32:46 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: galaxy.think.com

In article <1992Nov4.012915.6163@newstand.syr.edu>, ravalent@mothra.syr.EDU (Bob Valentine) writes:
|> 
|>    I just recieved the extreme displeasure of discovering that 
|> some a**hole decided to try his/her baseball bat on the 
|> windshield of my '71 Cutlass.  
|>    Happily, I have a extra windshield (used) for the car, and now I
|> just need to install it.  What I need to know is wheater I should
|> use the "urethane" goo that comes in a caulk-type tube or if 
|> I should use the tar-like strip to mount the windshield.   
|>    I've replaced the winshields in '60s Mopars, but they use a 
|> gasket for mounting.  I'm in the dark on mine.  My glass seems to
|> be mounted in the tar-like stuff.  I'm not concerned with what 
|> was origenally there, but rather which is considered to give a 
|> better seal.  

I just had the window of my Ford Escort replaced and they used both!
The tar strips were run along the frame, the window was seated and
pressed against the tar.  Then RTV was squirted all along the window
edge, filling the crack between the window and the frame.  The moulding
was placed on top of this and snapped into place.

This should provide for a solid seal, or so I hope.

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu (REAL LIFE?!?!  HA!!)
Subject: Re: New tranny needed?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 00:49:55 GMT

Stefan E Sherwood <ssa7+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

>A friend has an '85 Mitsubishi Tredia Turbo (Manual Trans.) with about
>108K miles on it.  Recently, the tip of the front axel broke off into
>the differential.  The shop said that it was a risky thing to do to just
>replace the axel since the peice in the transmission could cause
>problems.  He replaced the axel, and as warned, there were problems. 

THAT shouldn't come as a surprise, if there was a hunk of metal in the
transaxle.

>Now the car doesn't shift into 4th or 5th gear.  Now the shop says that
>replacing the transmission with a used one is the best way to go since
>fixing the problem would cost much more than replacing it.  Does anyone
>know of any way of removing that peice from the differential without
>completely removing the transmission?  The car is worth little more than
>the cost of replacing the transmission and it seems like a real pity to
>ditch a car that runs so well.  It's even worse for me since I sold it
>to him and that will mean that I'll have to give him his money back and
>scrap the car.  I just can't afford to keep it.

First off, GO TO ANOTHER SHOP.  Get their opinion.  As this is (I assume)
a front-wheel drive car, you will have to remove the engine and transmission
both to do anything for it.  

BTW, I am suspicious of any mechanic who offers to buy your car.  What this
tells me is that the mechanic expects to be able to fox it for less money than
it will be worth after the repair.  Admittedly, he doesn't have to pay labor
costs, but be wary.  The first thing I would do would be to get a second
opinion.  This may not be possible since you sold it to him, but unless you can
get a second opinion from somebody else, I would advise doing the thing which
minimizes your losses without rebuilding the trans.  You haven't said what the
car would be worth for parts, and I'm not prepared to comment, and you haven't
said how much the mechanic paid for the car.  But fogure out whether you can
re-sell the car for more than your mechanic paid, and if so (and if he'll still
sell the car back to you), buy it.  Otherwise, write it off as a lesson learned.

$0.02



>Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

>Stefan Sherwood
>ssa7@andrew.cmu.edu
>(Carnegie-Mellon University)

-- 
Michael T. Chaffee        |******BOYCOTT COLORADO******|  ______    
mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu | Professional Slapthologist |  \    /     HATE
Member, Universal Life Church, Sect of Loons           |   \  /  can never be
Annoyance Theatre Platinum Member |     Evil Genius    |    \/  a FAMILY VALUE
From: sgm@otter.hpl.hp.com (Steve Methley)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 15:14:54 GMT
Subject: Re: Recommendations for one-man brake bleeding tools?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, UK.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

andrew@airs.com (Andrew Evans) in <5889@airs.com>:

> I need a tool that will allow me to bleed my brakes without an assistant to
> pump the brake pedal...tool which is a simple non-return valve....elaborate
> hand-operated pump with a fluid cannister attached...Anybody that can recomme
> a particular tool...

For the non-return valve type you need to be by the wheel cylinder to watch for
when the bubbles stop and by the brake pedal to pump it.  Not a one man
operation where I come from ;-).  I'd say what you need is the pressure
operated system which connects to the spare tire/tire on car.  This keeps the
fluid topped up and under pressure so all you do is squat by the cylinder to be
bled and close it when bubbles disappear.  Never heard of the hand suction
system except for testing distributor vacuum capsules, sounds expensive.

Pressure bleeding takes 20 minutes and costs <$10 for the kit.

Cheers,
Steve.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Neal Howard)
Subject: Re: Dot-5 fluid
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 17:41:09 GMT
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

In article <Bx9IJy.Hr6@trc.amoco.com> zrol01@trc.amoco.com writes:
>I realize that this is probably a many time discussed item.  
>However, I do not know the answer.  Has anyone used the dot-5, 
>synthetic brake fluid in a Jaguar?  I am rebuilding a 1976 XJ-S 
>that has been abandonded and disassembled for 5 years.  After 
>repainting under the bonnet I would hate to discover a brake 
>fluid leak by finding the pool of stripped British Racing Green 
>paint on the garage floor.  The hopefully obvious solution
>is to use the dot-5 fluid that is relatively harmless to paint.
>
>Any thoughts or experiences?
>

Just make sure you THOROUGHLY flush out every bit of the hydraulic system and
replace all the rubber (neoprene) pieces in the master cylinder and all 
wheel calipers with brand new parts. The DOT-5 stuff is not compatible with
DOT-3 or DOT-4 stuff at all no matter what anybody else tells you. If you
use DOT-5 with a system whose neoprene parts have been previously in contact
with non DOT-5 fluid, all those neoprene seals will begin to leak a lot sooner
than later!!! A fresh, clean system charged with DOT-5 works wonderfully
(even though DOT-5 is a little more compressable {we're talking microscopic
amounts of compressability here} than DOT-4) but it won't absorb water like
DOT-4, it'll last a lot longer, and it resists heat at the calipers much better.


-- 
=============================================================================
Neal Howard   '91 XLH-1200      DoD #686      CompuTrac, Inc (Richardson, TX)
=============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: arup+@cs.cmu.edu (Arup Mukherjee)
Subject: Manual Transmission Oil Specs - HELP!
Summary: Does a GL-5 oil necessarily meet GL-4?
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 01:11:56 GMT


     Do the spec numbers for manual transmission gear oil work the 
same as for engine oil -- in particular, if a gear is meets GL-5, does 
it also necessarily meet GL-4 as well? (like with engine oil SG meets SF and
so on...). None of the auto parts stores around here seem to carry GL-4 oils,
and the salespeople tended to be generally unsure of the answer to this
question, but thought that GL-4 and GL-5 might be different (My nissan,
like most nissans, needs GL-4).

-Arup Mukherjee (arup@cmu.edu).
From: hinz@picard.med.ge.com (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Recommendations for one-man brake bleeding tools?
Date: 12 Nov 92 06:26:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: mr.1992Nov12.062655.1921
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

f.w.kerfoot..iii (fwk@cbnewsh.cb.att.com) wrote:
: 
: Many variations are possible. If you can't get a spare reservoir cap,
: you could fabricate a sheet metal plate and a rubber gasket (old
: inner tube) with a tire valve in it, and clamp it to the top of the
: reservoir. If you don't have an air compressor, some people have
: used the spare tire as an air supply (there is no air flow other
: than leakage). Refill the spare at the gas station after you are
: done. You could use other ways to hook your air supply up to the
: reservoir cap other than a tire valve. DON'T use more than 20-30 psi
: or you will make a big mess.

Several of my old SAABs have caps that are the same size as the 2-litre
soda bottles, so you don't even have to cobble something up, just put the
stem through the cap & screw it right on.

These MC's are from Lucas/Girling and ATE, I believe.  If it looks about the
right size, check it out before you go cutting up a good cap.

--

Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
Don't blame me; I voted for Perot!                hinzd@picard.med.ge.com 
SAAB - Because you get what you pay for.             Pherrets are Phun!!!
From: avourlid@nrao.edu (Angelos Vourlidas,,,)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: HELP:Extrememly Hard to find part
Date: 5 Nov 92 16:02:16 GMT
Reply-To: avourlid@nrao.edu
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory



Hello fellow-netters,
	I'm new to this group and I don't know if this is a legimate question, so I apologize beforehand. I am however in a desperate position regarding a very difficult part of my car.
	I've been looking for 3 months in all USA for the 
        fuel-ejection electronic control unit 
        for a RENAULT FUEGO '82
        Serial number BOSCH L-Jetronic 028 0000 210.

It could be repaired in one has the special BOSCH testers but the representatives of BOSCH here and in Germany refused to do that. So I hope that someone might have seen a Renault like that somewhere.
Any suggestions for possible sources of such rare parts or for possible repair technicians are more than welcomed.
Even to turn it to carburetor costs a lot of money and is illegal too.
Many thanks in advance
Angelos Vourlidas

email: avourlid@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: c.oneill@trl.oz.au (Chris O'Neill)
Subject: Re: Venting a V8 crankcase..........
Organization: Telecom Australia Research Laboratories
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 01:14:27 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.150038.8182@mlb.semi.harris.com>
jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger) writes:
>
> If you have a stock-type air cleaner, or one with some restriction in the
>air filter element, you may be able to use the slight vacuum in the air
>cleaner interior to draw a small negative crankcase pressure. Run a big
>enough hose and use a filter element with low restriction. All you really
>want is to stop oil gobs and particles, right? A can with a foam or fiber
>element might do it. I'd suggest maybe fabricating a special vent outlet
>on each valve cover out of the way of most of the oil splash - baffled 
>if possible. If you can pull from both covers, that'll improve things too;
>your only suction path is via the oil return holes, which have their own
>job to do. Too much air flow will help pool oil up top. Best of all would
>be to draw from the main cavity but that's something to save for the next
>rebuild...

My car's engine has a hose from the crankcase to the valve cover, so the air
doesn't have to flow up the oil return holes.

Chris O'Neill
Telecom Australia Research Labs
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech,rec.autos
From: dye@i88.isc.com (Ken R. Dye )
Subject: Re: Craftsman Timing Light (Inductive vs Advance)
Organization: INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation, Naperville, IL
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:35:53 GMT

In article <1dp39kINNbcb@uwm.edu> rom@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Rommy) writes:
>I have recieved $100 of certificates from Sears for their out of court         
>settlement.  With the $100 I plan to but a Craftsman Timing Light but I have
>never used a timing light & don't know which is the best type to purchase.  The
>choices are a chrome Advance light (around $65) & the black plastic Inductive
>light ($35).  I will primarily be using the light on a 1968 Camaro & the Titanic( a 1976 Ford LTD wagon with HEI).  But I may use it on later cars if this     
>matters in the choice between the two models of lights.  I don't know is the
>difference between the two that the Inductive unit can be used on computer    
>controlled engines & the Advance unit cannot.  
>Specifically what would I be getting by spending almost double for between the
>2 units & is the price worth it in your opinion.
>Also I will be choosing between one of 3 engine analyzers they have.  All of
>them have dwell, tach, & RPM capabilities.  Their prices are $35, $45, & $70 for
>the digital unit.  Any opinion on the guage type vs fully digital analyzers.


        I'd bet you a dollar that the "advance" unit is 
inductive pickup as well.  The advance unit will allow you to set
the total advance (max mechanical advance) on a flywheel
that isn't degreed.  Say you want a total advance of 38 
degrees, and all the advance is in by 3500 RPM (and your
flywheel is marked only in the typical 0-12 degrees).  Simply
set the 'light for 38 degrees, rev the motor to 3500,
and adjust the timing notch to '0'...ends up being much
better than setting timing at idle!

--Ken

-- 
Ken R. Dye				an optimist is a guy		 |
Interactive Systems Corp., Chicago	that has never had		 | 
(800) LAI-UNIX x341			much experience			 |
dye@i88.isc.comm						archy	 |
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech