HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Mike Mshar)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: taking fuses out
Date: 8 Oct 92 06:00:00 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

> mike%jim.uucp@wupost.wustl.edu (Mike S.) writes:
>
>>How about a timer circuit also so that if the secret switch isn't flipped
>>the engine would be allowed to be run for about 2 minutes? That would let
>>the thief get down the road just a little ways so the police can actually
>>prove he was a car thief. 
>
>I was thinking of doing something like this, but how could it be
>done?  The timer would have to be triggered by the line you were
>switching.  
>
>(ie, when current flows through the line the timer is attached to,
>it will wait x minutes, then cut the line unless told by an external
>switch not to)
>
>Not exactly something you could get at Radio Shack, I wouldn't think.
>
>Any tips from you engineers?
>

Well, maybe a rather simplistic one. Please note that I am an ME (mechanical
engineer), and not an EE (electrical engineer), so there might be somebody 
out there with a better answer.

I would very simply do this. Cut the positive lead to the distributor, and
connect the manual switch and timer switch in parallel on the end of the
positive lead. Then connect the other end of the parallel switches to 
the distributor. So, if the manual switch is on, current will flow through
it, regardless of the position of the timer switch, and the car will 
run. If the manual switch is off, current will be forced to flow through 
the timer switch, which will then shut off current to the distributor after
a few minutes. 

A diagram

               /-------------[manual switch]----------\
               |                                      |
               |                                      |
[battery +]----+                                      +----------[distributor]
               |                                      |
               |                                      |
               \--------------[timer switch]----------/


I couldn`t tell ya where to get a timer switch that would work like you
want, though. Any EE`s out there???


-- 
|       Michael G. Mshar        | My Life-Long Goal: To keep common sense    |
|   mmshar@mn.ecn.purdue.edu    | alive and keep the idiots from taking over.|
|  mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu   |     \\President, Nice Guys Anonymous//     |
|____>>> United States Steel, Mechanical Engineer, Technical Services <<<____|
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bay@unislc.uucp (Bethanne Yukman)
Subject: Re: Auto Insurance
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 15:49:04 GMT

Since no one seems to be posting their opinions on insurance companies,
I thought I'd let you know about a comparison table that the Utah
Insurance Commission puts out, comparing the cost and complaint ratios
 for companies selling auto insurance in the State of Utah.  

 The Insurance Department is required by law to produce this comparison
 guide every six months.  It breaks the rates down into four categories,
 based on sex and age. It then lists the complaint ratio per 100K written
 premiums.  

 I don't know if the Insurance Department for every state is required
 to produce such a guide, but it's worth checking into if you want
 unbiased statistical information on auto insurance companies in
 your state.  The  guide is only 4 pages, and I bet the Insurance
 Department would send you one in the mail, if your state provides this
 service....

 Good luck!  Bethann Yukman
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Brakes--HELP!!!
Date: 15 Oct 92 18:12:51 GMT
Organization: SSESCO

In article <1bk7v8INN2uo@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, wizard@bigwpi.WPI.EDU (Ajay Khanna) writes:
|> I'm a very depressed car owner.  Midas just told me they want 633.80 +
|> tax to fix my brakes.  Says me, "633 DOLLARS???"  Can anyone suggest a
|> more reasonable way to get brakes fixed?  I'm just out of college and
|> struggling to repay debts and really and truly cannot afford this.
|> I'm even willing to try to fix them myself.  The car is a Nissan
|> Sentra '81.  Apparently Midas wanted to fix front and rear brakes...
|> 
|> Any advice would be very much appeciated.  
|> 
|> kris
|> (borrowing the account of wizard@wpi.wpi.edu)

Er, it might help the gurus here if you told us what's wrong with them.
From: cf947@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Chun-Hung Wan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Corrado SLC or 325is?
Date: 10 Oct 1992 10:10:23 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: cf947@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Chun-Hung Wan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


I am thinking of buying either a BMW 325is coupe or VW Corrado VR6 soon. 
Is the Bimmer's price tag of an extra US$10,000 worth it over the Corrado? 
Are there any other suggestions for a sports car in this range?  My choice
would have been the RX-7 but it is way too impractical.
-- 
A motion picture major at the Brooks Institute of Photography, CA
Santa Barbara and a foreign student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"The mind is the forerunner of all states."
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: yoonho@taipei.eecs.umich.edu (Yoonho Park)
Subject: Re: Im going to be sick...
Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 20:29:54 GMT

Dan Reed writes:
>In (todays) USA today (Oct, 7th) on page 3A, there is a small article,
>"No Foreign Cars".
>
>Drivers of foreign-made cars in the Flint. Mich., beware.  Begeining
>Monday only US made cars will be allowed in the City Hall Basement
>garage.  Flint Mayor Woodrow Stanley said he issued the order to send a
>message to buy American.  And he says he might designate other city
>lots for US only cars.  General Motors is the city's largest employer
>with 50,000 local workers, whose taxes, Satnley says, help pay city
>workers' salaries.
>
>(reprinted without perm.  All typos-gram errors be mine.)
>
>As I said... I feel sick.. is THIS what it has come to?  How long
>before I get beat up for driving my VW to work?  Or my mother,
>grandmother, and friends who *all* drive "Non US Made cars"?  This is
>really sick, and has gone too far.  The American people are NOT to
>blame for lacking US auto sales, but rather the US Automakers, who
>*still* refuse to get the picture of what a *good* car is.

Uh, how do they define "foreign-made" and "buy American"?  I drive by a
UAW building in Canton, MI occasionally.  A sign outside the parking
lot states that only American cars are allowed on the lot.  However,
I've seen a few Festivas and various Geo models in the lot.  Those are
definitely not American cars.  I have a feeling that Flint like the UAW
isn't going to care where a car is made, only the final seller.  IMHO,
this a a bit miguided.  It certainly makes good press (good political
move?). :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yoonho Park                                    Software Systems Research Lab
yoonho@eecs.umich.edu                  The University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: simple starting probl
Date: 7 Oct 92 17:45:42 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <11820.74.uupcb@cutting.hou.tx.us> david.bonds@cutting.hou.tx.us (David Bonds) writes:
>
>
>I've been told that petroleum jelly is great at keeping battery terminals
>from corroding, just put on the inside of the cables (where they contact
>the terminal), and you shouldn't have any problems with corrosion til you
>need a battery replacement anyhow!

  This is a good way to make SURE your car won't start.  The
  petroleum jelly (or Vaseline) is an excellent insulator.  Even if
  you just smear it over the connections, the heat will melt it and
  it will penetrate between the post and the cabling.  A very thin
  coating is enough to totally interrupt current flow.

  DON'T do this.....or you'll be sorry.  

  The anti corrosion rings OR special purpose paints, sealers, work
  best.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen)
Subject: Re: Why not a Taurus SHO Wagon??
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 01:23:18 GMT

In article <1asf6lINNgq7@seven-up.East.Sun.COM> jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM writes:
[SHO wagon proposal]
>My feeling on it is that it would hurt the overall SHO image. For the same
>reasons you don't take the Mustang 5.0 platform and make a wagon out of it,
>or put the M5 motor in the 5 series wagon, you don't want to spread the
>SHO name in cars whose purposes generally stray from the hi-po sedan
>market.

audi 200 quattro station wagon.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw)
Subject: Re: Ethanol ? Good for the Environment but good for our cars?
Organization: Motorola Western MCU Design Center, Chandler Arizona
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 22:29:40 GMT

In article <Bw6Lu4.DIL@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, djm48887@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Dan Moisson) writes:
|> I have read some things about the use of 10% ethanol in our
|> cars.  I know it burns more complete and therefore at a hotter temperature
|> but does this hurt our cars?  I have heard of cars getting fried from 
|> the use of 10% ethanol.  Like Quad 4 engines not running worth shit
|> and valve stems getting bent all the way to cracked heads?  Please Comment?!?
|>  


One word of caution is evaluating information of emissions from various
fuels -- the EPA only requires compliance for certain pollutants.  If
it isn't included doesn't mean it isn't harmful.

Alcohol blends have yet to define the allowed limits of aldehyde emissions
from these fuels.  Aldehydes are know carcinegins, but there is no official
EPA limit for it at this time.  Remember the big scare a few years ago with
formaldehyde emitting from insulation in mobile homes?

Until they fully assess the impact of the emission spectrum, another fuel
is not environmentally safer than a present one.

Mark
From: brennan@hal.com (Dave Brennan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: how to repair headliner?
Date: 11 Oct 92 02:08:19 GMT
Organization: HaL Computer Systems, Austin, TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: yosemite.hal.com

I've got an '85 300ZX and the headliner came unglued.  I tried to fix with
spray on glue, but that didn't work well at all.  So I've removed the thin
particle board-like thing the headliner was attached to and removed the
old headliner and cleaned off the foamy stuff that was left stuck to it.

Now I need to know is where to get the replacement material and what to
use to attach it.  I would have brought somewhere to get it fixed, but
I called around and they told me it would cost about $80, so I figured it
would interesting to do it myself.

Any help will be appreciated!!

--
Dave Brennan                                      HaL Computer Systems
brennan@hal.com                                         (512) 794-2855

Visit the Emacs Lisp Archive: archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/gnu/emacs
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: jrp@bohra.cpg.oz.au (John Pitman)
Subject: Taurius engine racing
Organization: Computer Power Software
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 22:46:33 GMT

Assuming this beast is injected (computer controlled), i would have thought
that 'gassing it up' without the throttle being opened would richen it to the
point of choking it to death (cf pulling out choke on an oldie while hot?).
you could test this by removing the throttle potentiometer from its mount and
turn the pot by hand as though opening the throttle (while not moving the 
throttle spindle) and see what happens (all while it is idling). I assume that
the throttle IS only operated by the pedal, not be the computer? Does it have
an electronic idle control ? can this go haywire, can it be readily disconnected
???. To race that much somebody has to be letting in more air as well as gas.
is there a cold start extra air valve bypassing the throttle - there is in 
BOSCH systems - try manually connecting it and see what happens?
jp
From: tpickett@auspex.com (Tom Pickett)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Why not a Taurus SHO Wagon??
Date: 16 Oct 92 16:02:55 GMT
Reply-To: tpickett@auspex.com (Tom Pickett)
Organization: Auspex Systems, Inc.  Engineering

In article <1992Oct16.021821.18261@leland.Stanford.EDU>, 
tedebear@leland.Stanford.EDU (Theodore Chen) writes:
> no, not at all.  just slap on some mercury badges instead of ford.
> or did you mean sable SHO wagons?  why would bob bondurant want station
> wagons?

No I didn't mean station wagons.  However it couldn't be very difficult
from the standpoint of installing an engine in the station wagon.  The
problems would be with the rear suspension of the wagon versus the
rear suspension required to contain the SHO's output, and give reasonable
handling at 140 MPH.

Bob Bondurant wanted some Sable sedans for his courses.  

There are differences between the Sable and the Taurus principally in
materials and the fact that the Sable is better put together than 
the Taurus.  

Don't forget that the Sable is an upmarket car; the Taurus is an
affordable middle class car.  Better appointments higher
grade of plastic, more style, etc...



Tom Pickett 
tpickett@auspex.com
SHO  GOZE
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: bob@ncube.com (Bob Kehoe)
Subject: '93 Geo Prizm
Organization: nCUBE Computers, Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A.
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 18:02:37 GMT

I spent the day yesterday on a ride-n-drive with a flock of
the new '93 Prizms, all colors and flavors.  Comparison cars
included a '92 Prizm, Honda Civic and Nissan Sentra.

There are no comparisons between the old model (your basic
fleet rental car) and the new models.

Rather than going into an extensive description here, if you
have some real specific questions (like maybe you're considering
a purchase) I'll answer thru e-mail.

Upcoming ride-n-drives include a bunch of luxury cars in early
November (haven't received the list yet) and the '93 Camaros in
early December.

bob

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: harling@miki.pictel.com (Dan Harling)
Subject: Re: Touch-up paint
Organization: PictureTel Corporation
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 14:56:52 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.113150.5@mimas.arc.ab.ca> erkamp@JANUS.ARC.AB.CA writes:
>In article <2290039@hpldsla.sid.hp.com>, tonya@hpldsla.sid.hp.com (Tony Arnerich) writes:
>>ejhupper@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Huppertz) writes:
>>
>>Your car has now been innoculated with car cancer. Get the rust off!
>>Some touch-up paint bottles come with a stainless steel wire brush
>>built into the cap, but in my experience it's awfully difficult to
>>use without severely scratching the surrounding paint area.
>
>This is easy to rectify. Go to your nearest body shop and tell them what you 
>want to do. They have a special acid that removes rust and will not affect the 
>paint (it's about as powerful as vinegar). I forget the actual acid but I got a 
>bottle from them no charge (it came in a touch up paint container with a small 
>brush). I am assuming that there is just minor rust.

It sounds like you are talking about phosphoric acid (as found in minor
quantities in Coca-Cola).  While I have never known it to actually
remove rust (except perhaps over a *long* period of time), it does tend
to break it down somewhat.  Perhaps this is a different product?
____________________________________________________________________________
Daniel A. Harling                        (harling@pictel.com)
PictureTel Corp.             Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of
Peabody, MA  01960                 PictureTel, but they ought to be!
From: wrat@unisql.UUCP (wharfie)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: SAAB love
Date: 14 Oct 92 19:08:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: unisql.3964
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <PL8LsB2w164w@cellar.org> darling@cellar.org (Thomas Darling) writes:
>the ravings of a psychotic and extremely hard to believe lunatic who 
>posts under a pseudonym.  

	First of all, pal, "wharfie" is my real name.  And after 10 years
on Usenet, everyone who matters knows who I am.  In fact, some of the
really important and worthwhile people have actually _met_ me.  By the
way, how do we know *you're* "Thomas Darling" and not Mark Ethan Smith
or foothead ?  Hmmm?

	Second of all, I'm *not* psychotic.  My doctor says it's just
a personality disorder and I'm probably not dangerous as long as I'm kept
away from sharp objects. So there.

	Third, what I'm trying to say is that I bought an expensive,
brand-new, imported luxury sedan and paid another grand for a 72,000
mile warranty that supposedly covered everything likely to break down
only to find that the car needed constant expensive repair that *wasn't*
covered under the extended warranty (sold by Saab, not a third party, I
might add).

	I'm not the only one who's had these problems.  Saab consistently
ranks near the top of the list in returns under lemon laws, most time
spent at the dealer, highest number of returns for repairs, and so on.
Hell, take a look at all the little black circles in Consumer Reports...  

	Listen, I loved my Saab.  It broke my heart when it turned out to
be such a piece of shit.  But after that time when it filled up with water
I just couldn't take it anymore...

>We're safe in these machines.  

	Yeah, 'cause they're always up on a lift in some garage somewhere...

								the wharf rat
S wedish
A utombiles
A lways
B reak down.
From: maddox@artex.waisman.wisc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Antique Parts
Date: 7 Oct 92 13:04:57 GMT
Organization: Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

I have an uncle who has several antique auto parts for sale.
Some new and some used varying from 1918 to 1947 which include
cluster instrument panels, many small items plus a per-war
mercedes benz limo radio from a german staff car.

For more information, call him at 608-635-2457 or for a list of
what he has, you can e-mail me and I will forward it to you.  Buyer
pays shipping costs.....
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik)
Subject: Re: Exotic Cars
Reply-To: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 92 00:48:22 GMT

In article 1bn3soINNrhv@bigboote.WPI.EDU, damong@wpi.WPI.EDU (Damon Francis Gentile) writes:
>In article <1992Oct14.074916.15817@sol.UVic.CA> atovorni@engr.UVic.CA writes:
>>
>>
>>Saw an Aston Martin today. Gave the driver the thumbs up.
>>
>
>
>Last month I saw a Bricklin SV-1. reallllly funky !
>
Don't you mean Super Junky ???

Andreas.


Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: colombo@bronco.fnal.gov
Subject: Re: AWD -vs- 4WD (was PC's vs. Mac's... was: FWD vs. RWD).
Organization: Fermilab Computing Division
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 19:43:28 GMT

In article <13403@texsun.Central.Sun.COM>, dbernard@thewho.Central.Sun.COM (Dave Bernard) writes:
> In <5609@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.boeing.com> Mark writes:
> 
>>There is one factor that seems to separate AWD from 4WD in almost every
>>case (I can't think of one exception). The AWD car has a center differential
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Well, I can

>>which is limited slip (either auto locking or viscous coupled). The 4WD
> v
> 
> There is at least one transfer case that fits your definition of AWD, and
> can be turned on and off.  It's the Jeep <mumble>trak, and it's used in
                                            ^^^^^^^^^^^
                                            Quadra Trac


> my '90 Grand Wagoneer.  There is a viscuous coupling, and you can click it
> on at any road speed, and leave it on all winter if you like.  Otherwise,
> its plain old RWD.  I believe this tranfer case is still offered in the
> Grand Cherokee, and maybe even in the Ungrand Cherokee.
> 
> 
-- 
 ___________________________________________________________________________
 *****  *   *  From the e-net desk of: Rick Colombo CD/DCD/DSG    *    *
 *      **  *  Fermi Nat'l Acc'l Lab   708-840-8225 Fermilab     * *   *
 ***    * * *  P.O. Box 500   MS 369   Feynman Computer Center  *****  *
 *      *  **  Batavia, Ill. USA 60510 Colombo@fnal.fnal.gov    *   *  *****
 *    Of course I speak for Fermilab, Congress and the President... NOT !!!
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: baw2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Bruce A Weisberg)
Subject: 1984 camaro for sale
Reply-To: baw2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Bruce A Weisberg)
Organization: Columbia University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 18:17:28 GMT


	FOR SALE:

	1984 camaro
	T-tops, a/c, p/s, p/b
	Interior good
	Body: needs work, but not too much
	Engine: good, needs tune-up and minor stuff
	Trans: good

	Asking $3000 obo
	
	respond to me via e-mail only

	Car is based in N.Y.C.



	Bruce
From: jodyf@informix.com (Jody Fairchild)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: taking fuses out
Summary: I did once.
Date: 8 Oct 92 22:16:04 GMT
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.

In article <1992Oct1.192033.14322@wam.umd.edu>
jailbird@next03wor.wam.umd.edu (serial killer) writes:
>
>
>Hey guys anybody ever take a fuse out to protect someone from stealing  
>your car.  I was thniking if there's a fuel pump fuse I can take it out 
>when I get out of my car and then put it back when I want to drive.
>I figure if anyone steals the car they wont get very far since the only  
>fuel they'll be able to use is in the fuel line.  It seems that this is  
>the cheapest way to do it without installing an alarm.
>Any suggestions?

	After the two passenger windows on my 90 Integra were smashed
	last year, I opened the hood & removed the "main" (as described
	in the owner's manual) fuse overnight, just in case someone 
	happened by & thought the car to be an easy mark.  This easy
	operation completely disabled the car (it wouldn't even turn over)
	until I could take it to the doctor & have it made all better.

	If your car has a similar fuse, you might try this, but I 
	suppose nothing is foolproof.

	Jody.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Jody Fairchild ------ Informix Software, Inc. ------ jodyf@informix.com
                    (uunet!pyramid!infmx!jodyf)
          "A world of savagery, sorcery, and super science."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: issa@cwis.unomaha.edu (Issa El-Hazin)
Subject: Re: Engine additives....which is best? Slick 50,...
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 06:02:30 GMT

djm48887@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Daniel J. Moisson) writes:

>    I have been seeing many more engine additives other than 
>Slick 50 now a days.  I was wondering if anyone has heard which one
>is really the best.  I just saw some add on TV about DuraLube that
>looked very convincing.  I think I have seen one from STP too?
>Help!!  I need advice before I throw $25 in 1 quart of something!


I've tried SLICK 50, GUNK, and STP brands and only liked SLICK 50.
I'm not sure about DuraLube, adds are [almost] always convincing. 
Slick 50 raised my idle speed ~200rpm (800 to 1150 then down to 1000
after oil change(s)). The engine got smoother, had more hp and better
gas milege. Although, I don't think it lasts as long as they claim, 
15,000 miles is when you need to reapply [IMO]. 
Would I buy SLICK 50 again? YES. 

Issa