HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: andyh@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Andrew J. Huang)
Subject: Re: Do SPOILERS Really Work???
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:03:05 GMT

In article <1gjln0INNkg3@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer) writes:
>
>In a previous article, ssa7+@andrew.cmu.edu (Stefan E Sherwood) says:
>
>>rice-burning econo-box with no spoilers and get 50 mpg.
>>
>>Stefan
>>
>
>ah..but SOME spoiler DO NOT increase downforce, but are created to ease the 
>DREW

Drew is quite correct in this case.  I just wish he would use
paragraphs and sentences.

In the early days of aerodynamic autos they put on long tails in the
expectation that the smooth re-entry would reduce drag and increase
high speeds.  After a while a Dr. Kamm observed snowdrifts in a
blizzard and noticed that the wave shape of a drift caused a vortex to
its lee.  Moreover the sum of the drift's shape and the vortex
together made a very streamlined (lo drag) shape.  Such vortices
behind bluff bodies are now called Kamm vortices and the original
cutoff rear ends with a little uplift were called Kamm-backs.  The
little uplift instigates a vortex and prevents a high-drag turbulent
wake.  I believe this was circa 1950.

-andy



Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: jhunter@mta.ca (John Hunter)
Subject: turning signal has increased speed (SUMMARY)
Reply-To: jhunter@mta.ca
Organization: Mount Allison U, Sackville, N.B. Canada 
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 14:41:02 GMT

First I would like to thank the following for their suggestions and comments
to my post:

>I have a 90' Chev. Cavalier and the turning signals (flashers) have 
>recently increased in speed.  Both left and right signals have increased.
>Is there something I can do, or do I have to take it to the shop?

sas@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (s.a.sullivan); Jeffrey Mulligan <jbm@eos.arc.nasa.gov>;
george@mech.seas.upenn.edu; finnegan@invader.navo.navy.mil (Kenneth Finnegan);
Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory);
c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos);
mlsa@Lehigh.EDU (MICHAEL LAUREN SHERMAN); gavin@csis.dit.csiro.au;
harmons@mithril.wv.tek.com (Harmon Sommer); 
iceman@vipunen.hut.fi (Joni Siltaniemi);

After checking and rechecking, all the signal lamps were working 
ie. no blown bulbs. 

So I went to my local supply store and purchased a flasher - $3.85 Cdn. 

Ok now, where is my faulty flasher located? Hum, I don't see it on or near
the fuse box ... the owners manual is useless ... lets see, turn the flasher 
on and listen to where the blink,blink,blink is comming from -

     *everywhere??*  

well, inside the dash somewhere.

So I start taking off pieces from the underside of the dash, and hey there
it is (just up from the foot rest) :).  Ok, replaced the flasher, and turn
it on - blink,blink,blink - still faster than a speeding bullet :-(
Now what?  Pull the flasher out and, huh, the signal lamps are still working !!

And the blink,blink,blink is comming from -

     *everywhere??*  

well, inside the dash somewhere.

Ok, the flasher I replaced was for the hazzard signal, there must be a separate
one for the turn signals. Remove a few more pieces from the underside of the 
dash and bingo!! there it is (just to the left and behind the heater/ac/fan 
control unit).  Ok, pop this old flasher out and install the new one - YES, 
it works:-)

One question, I replaced a 323 12v flasher with a 552 12v flasher, 
should this be a problem?

-John

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: "Gary A. Woodward" <p00140@psilink.com>
Subject: Re: Oil Priming System
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 02:17:11 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink (3.2)

Did not McDonnell-Douglas pay for a study that found that up to 80% of 
all engine wear occurs when you start an engine up cold and dry.  I will 
try to get a reference for the net.

Regards

Gary
From: spe2mje@thor.cf.ac.uk (Michael Evans)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: wheel bearings
Date: 15 Dec 92 15:53:16 GMT
Organization: University of Wales College at Cardiff
X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway

In article <1992Dec10.170613.17838@gdr.bath.ac.uk> mascdb@gdr.bath.ac.uk (C D Burdorf) writes:
|In the referenced article, anders@decalp.enet.dec.com (Steve Anders) writes:
|>
|>In article <1992Dec1.232818.654@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, sorlin@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Steven J Orlin) writes...
|>> Can a bad bearing cause the axel to come out of the housing?
|>
|
|I had mine pop out on the motorway.  I had to write the car off.
|
|My question is:  HOW DO I KNOW IF I SHOULD HAVE THE BEARING REPLACED?


This phenomenon is not very funny, as we came very close to injury when a tyre on out caravan burst. anyway, bearings normally start to whine when worn, and if
you can check them yourself, do it. or get a garage to do it for you.
From: tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen)
Subject: Re: Help w/ talking car
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 22:39:26 GMT


before you start ripping wires out all over the place and
pulling the talking thing, you might want to check for a
fuse dedicated to the talking thing.  look for a diagram
in a manual or something.  and if it's there, just rip out
the fuse.

-teddy
p.s. make sure you know exactly what the fused circuit is for...
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: ravalent@mothra.syr.EDU (Bob Valentine)
Subject: Re: tranny problems
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 16:23:35 EST

In article <exuptr.417.0@exu.ericsson.se> exuptr@exu.ericsson.se (Patrick Taylor) writes:
>In article <1992Dec14.204622.7212@mlb.semi.harris.com> jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger) writes:
>>From: jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger)
>>Subject: Re: tranny problems
>>Date: 14 Dec 92 20:46:22 GMT
>
>
>> A disconnected vacuum modulator line seems to act to make upshifts happen
>>sooner, though that goes against logic. I know I've had lines come off and
>>the trans would basically shift right away, so I'd be in third by 20MPH.
>>Reconnecting it made things shift later.
>
>> GM TH400 automatics have used electrical kickdowns since the late '60s at
>>least. There is no kickdown linkage, just a switch on the gas pedal.
>
>Is it always on the gas pedal?  Is there another way to do this?  I have
>a conversion that is running a Turbo 400 and I'm pretty sure there is no
>kickdown at all.  Sometimes the vacuum will cause a down shift, but not 
>really very often

   Pontiacs and Buicks usualaly had the switch mounted on the
engine, Oldsmobile and Chevy usually mounted it on the pedal.   

   I'm using general knoweldge of 68-72 midsize GM's.   On the
conversion in my car, I modified a switch off a Pontiac motor, since
is was fairly modifiable.  One of the aftermarket companies makes a
switch that will just plug in where the TH-350's cable was, but I
wasn't about to cough up the $50 bucks for it.

[pile-o-sigs deleted]


                      -->   Bob Valentine  <--  
                  --> ravalent@mailbox.syr.edu <--  

    

    



Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: RZAA80@email.sps.mot.com (Jim Chott)
Subject: Re: what does 4x4 mean?
Followup-To: rec.autos.tech
Organization: Motorola SPS
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 21:43:56 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.4171.23880@dosgate>, "mike knox"
<mike.knox@canrem.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> What does the first "four" stand for in 4x4???
>
  
Four wheels on the vehicle?


Jim Chott                            85 Toyota 4WD pickup
rzaa80@email.sps.mot.com             72 LeMans Sport Convertible
Tempe, Arizona
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu (Real Life?!?! HA!!)
Subject: Re: Digital Dash fading out
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 03:14:53 GMT

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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: cbh@windsurf.scd.ucar.edu (Cris Hannu)
Subject: Oil pressure question?
Keywords: oil pressure
Organization: NCAR/UCAR
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:31:02 GMT

I've got a question about the relationship of oil pressure to volume.
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*.

-- Cris
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: ingram@sequent.com (Bill Ingram)
Subject: Re: Help!Static Charge Shock--Civic
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
Distribution: rec
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 16:42:59 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.170454.16567@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> derx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
>Hi, netters. Happy holidays!!
>My wife has a Honda Civic 89'. The car seems to accumulate static charge in
>the body in running or parked. So each time you touch the body or use key to
>open the doors, you get shocked. Though it does not knock you off, it is 
>quite unpleasant experience. :-(  Is it because of the battery is leaking
>some current somewhere or a "designed feature" of Civic? All advice wanted. 
>
>Linming Shen

 Had the same thing happen w/my 89' Civic. Must be design feature :-)
Bill
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mml@eng.umd.edu (Marios Leventopoulos)
Subject: Help! Getting wet
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 92 01:20:20 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity von Uniland, College Park
Originator: mml@euclid.src.umd.edu


Something in my car is getting wet. Whenever it rains (a lot) and after I drive for
a while (over puddles of water) the engine starts switching off, can't keep idle, coughs 
etc.

Something is getting wet, I know that much. After the sun comes out, and it dries it works
fine again. I am trying to find what it is and insulate it if possible.

I checked the sparks. (it was dark, the car wouldn't start) I unplugged each spark-plug
cable, one at a time, and all of them gave strong, bright and happy sparks, so I guess
the problem is not electric.

I assume that the rain does not affect gas comming in the engine, so since I have sparcs, I
have gas, the only reason left is if I also have water comming in the engine. 

But how is this possible? The air-filter didn't seem to be wet at all, and how good water
sneak in there anyway?

Any ideas?  The problem has started a couple of months ago and I really can't figure out
what to do.   I even changed sparc plugs and cables (well I had to anyway).


Thanks, and cheers,
-marios

mml@eng.umd.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: dhepner@cup.hp.com (Dan Hepner)
Subject: Re: Digital Dash fading out
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:49:07 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4

  [digital dash fades out]

Check the grounding, an easy thing to fix which can cause this kind of
problem.

Dan Hepner
From: shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu (David S. Shy)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Help! Getting wet
Date: 19 Dec 1992 16:25:48 GMT
Organization: U. C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbang.berkeley.edu

A friend of mine's got a similiar problem.... it's been doing this
for about 2 weeks now...  It rained one day, then the engine began
to run really weird.  Constantly coughs.  He's added one of those
additives which supposely will take care of this kind of problem;
but it didn't do much.

What can my friend do to alleviate this problem?  My thinking was
that since the engine still runs, might as well just run the
tank dry then put in new gas... 

oh ya, I nearly forgot to mention that the car won't go above
35mph and it's a ~83 maxima.  really weird......

just post here or email would be fine.  thanks in advance.

david shy
shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu


-- 
=============================================================================
| David Shy                |  "You know anything about Windoze?", "Sure I   |
| shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu  |  know OS/2", "No, Windows!", "Oh, Warbage!",   |
| shyguy@soda.berkeley.edu |  "No, Windows, the OS", "Micro$oft has an OS?" |
=============================================================================
From: Larry.Mc.Donald@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Torque curve question...
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov 17 1992
Date: 15 Dec 92  12:15:04


Well, I've asked this before and never got a response, so I guess 
I'll just keep on asking. Does anybody know where I can get 
plotted torque/rpm curves for American engines?  Any magazine 
sources?



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

--- Maximus 2.00
From: khayat@enp.umd.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Problems with gas and temp. gauge
Date: 18 Dec 92 03:34:07 GMT
Reply-To: khayat@enp.umd.edu
Organization: U of Maryland, College Park, Md.

Hi;
I have a Nissan Pulsar 89 and lately I have had problems with the gas and
temprature gauge. The problem happened after a rainy and humid day couple
weeks ago; although I am not sure if this actually caused it. The gas and
tempreture gauge simultaneously quit on me and it tells me that I am run-
ning on empty. The temp. readout also never moves from the sub-cold posit-
ion. So I have had to time my refuling using the mileage meter; I've been
lucky so far!
I have checked the fuses and there is only a fuse for the fuel pump which
is fine. 
I have seen the fuel needle come up very occasionaly when the car is star-
ting for the first time in the day and in very cold weather.

Can anybody offer me a hint? 
Thanks in advance for your help. 
Mohammad

e-mail: Khayat@enp.umd.edu    or Khayat@enpumd
From: ajb8886@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: When I turn, it gets noisy.....
Date: 12 Dec 92 18:39:48 GMT
Reply-To: ajb8886@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

In article <53110046@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com>, leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG) writes:
>In rec.autos.tech, n8743722@henson.cc.wwu.edu (delorm david) writes:
>
>| paulman@hkmeg1.enet.dec.com (HKO MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING  08-Dec-1992 1726) writes:
>|
>| >My car is an 85 Honda Civic with 56,000 km (Yes, 56,000 km).
>|
>| >Since last couple of weeks, it starts getting very noisy with a "long, 
>| >long" sound when I make a turn (say a right angle turn).   The faster I go, 
>| >the louder the sound.  However, I don't hear the noise when I am going 
>| >straight.   I can't locate the source of the noise, can anyone of you
>| >tell me what and why it is?


Before you do anything else, check the fluid level in your power steering (that
is, if you HAVE power steering).  If the level is low, you'll start hearing
groaning noises whenever you turn the wheel to either extreme.  If it's below
level, bring it up to the specified level (do not overfil), and work the
steering back and forth, drive it a bit, and check the level again.  If that
was the cause of the problem the noise will go away.

>|
>| Does the noise happen only on turns to one side?  Can you make it happen
>| when driving straight by wiggling the streering wheel from side to side
>| (and hence loading the frot wheel bearings)?  If so it is worth checking
>| out the front wheel bearings.  The noise from the front wheel bearings is
>| a kind of grinding that seems to match the speed of wheel rotation.
>
>If the wheel bearings are going, it could develop speed-related "clicking"
>sounds initially, even when travelling straight.  One might not notice it 
>initially unless alongside a wall/bridge/embankment.  When the bearings are
>finally gone, it becomes *loud* "snapping" sounds -- frightening.  Happened
>to me.  Yeah, I know, I was young and foolish (and poor) once.
>

There's also the CV joints to have a look at.  If the rubber boots on the CV
joints are damaged in any way, those joints will have to be replaced.

A damaged CV joint that lost grease and/or was contaminated due to a
ripped/cracked rubber CV boot can cause unusual noises on turning as well.  But
it would usually be accompanied by "clicking" noises as you roll straight.

Hope the info helps.  

Alex

>lawrence
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: RZAA80@email.sps.mot.com (Jim Chott)
Subject: Re: Help w/ talking car
Followup-To: rec.autos.tech
Organization: Motorola SPS
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 21:53:40 GMT

In article <wf=Upai00WBL4303ha@andrew.cmu.edu>, Christopher Bradley Devlin
<cd1i+@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
>     My girlfriend has a mid-eighties Chrystler E-class and yes, it talks
> ("Your door is ajar.  Please fasten your seatbelts.")  There's a very
> good reason they don't make these anymore (or do they?)  it's so
> annoying!

<comments about talking car deleted>

One way to keep the sensors intact and still disable the talking would
be to track down the speaker and cut one of the wires.

Jim Chott                            85 Toyota 4WD pickup
rzaa80@email.sps.mot.com             72 Lemans Sport Convertible
Tempe, Arizona
From: stecz@pencom.com (John Steczkowski)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: brake bleeding tools from JC Whitney
Date: 14 Dec 92 14:58:12 GMT
Reply-To: stecz@pencom.com
Distribution: austin
Organization: Pencom Software

In article <1992Dec11.203303.21178@i88.isc.com> dye@i88.isc.com (Ken R. Dye )  
writes:
> As far as tools go, a friend of mine bought a beautiful pair of safety
> wire pliars for $26 (same manufacturer as some catalog tool places
> sell for $60).

Those JC Whitney Safety wire pliers are on sale for $14 right now, I bought a  
pair, and they seem pretty good, a lot better deal than paying $60 or more for  
some somewhere else.

--
  John Steczkowski                        stecz@pencom.com
  "Achilles raised his spear, took careful aim, and hurled."
  					    from the Iliad
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: "mike knox" <mike.knox@canrem.com>
Subject: digital dash fading out
Reply-To: "mike knox" <mike.knox@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 14 Dec 92 22:42:17 EST

 
In Message-ID: <1992Dec14.001745.11366@rchland.ibm.com>,
alter@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Eric Alter) writes:
 
>Today I noticed that part of the digital dash in my '88 Beretta GT is
>fading.  The gauges (oil press., fuel, battery voltage) are the "normal"
>brightness as well as the odometer and the tach graph.  The MPH graph and
>numeric MPH indicator seem to be dimmer than the rest of the dash.  The
>situation is the same if the lights are on and I vary the intensity
>of the dash lighting.
 
I had the same problem with my 1989 GMC Jimmy's digital dash. It is a
two color (green and blue) vacuum fluorescent type. In my case, it would
fade out gradually, then pop back on bright again. Eventually, it was
faded out 99% of the time making it impossible to read the gauges including
the speedo!
 
>I assume that this is the beginning of a failure.  How do go about determinin
>the cause of this problem?  Do the digital dashes just need to be replaced?
>If so, how much are the dealers gonna charge me?
 
Fortunately, mine was fixed under warranty. I was told that they cannot be
repaired and must be replaced as a "unit" (yea, sure). I never thought to
ask how much it would have cost me outside of the warranty period.
 
The dealer should be able to quote you a price over the phone to replace
the part. Find out how much the dealer wants, panic, then check out some
independant garages and/or auto electric shops. My guess is that there's
some sort of voltage regulator on the printed circuit board assembly, and
it can probably be replaced.
 
Regards,
 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mike Knox                  |     Fido: 1:229/15
    Brampton, Ontario          | Internet: mike.knox@canrem.com
    CANADA                     | RelayNet: ->CRS  (Public Key: 22319)
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 * DeLuxe2/386 1.25 #4782 * 
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: bowmanj@csn.org (Jerry Bowman)
Subject: Re: Oil pressure question?
Organization: University of Colorado Boulder, OCS
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 16:57:20 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.141506.15531@nosc.mil> koziarz@halibut.nosc.mil (Walter A. Koziarz) writes:
>In article <1992Dec15.154701.1@bronco.fnal.gov> colombo@bronco.fnal.gov writes:
>>In article <1992Dec15.203102.24544@ncar.ucar.edu>, cbh@windsurf.scd.ucar.edu (Cris Hannu) writes:
>
>>> I've got a question about the relationship of oil pressure to volume.
>>> 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*.
> 
>>Oil pressure is not related to the volume, unless you run out.  :-)
>
>Well, not *exactly* true... only to a first approximation...  When volume is
>reduced there is less oil available to dissipate the heat removed from the
>power components ('bottom-end' - crank, rod bearings, etc...).  The oil present
>*will* become hotter (since there's less of it, it will dissipate heat to the
>atmosphere less effectively (that's *why* a sump holds so much, anyway...)) and
>will 'thin-out' and pressure most assuredly will drop.  This effect only
>becomes important under load... at idle there isn't much (comparatively) heat
>to remove and dissipate from the power components.
>
>Walt K.
>
      It sounds to me like you got a new oil pump with your engine rebuid, you should have , and the new pump put out more pressure than the old one.