HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: engine swapping and etc.
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 28 Sep 92 08:55:00 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 a 1978 Pontiac Le Mans.
...
-> It's got the carburated 3.8 L V6 and an automatic transmission.  I am
-> considering swapping in a V8 (remanufactured or otherwise) and
-> junking the automatic and replace it w/ a manual

 Hokay.  The engine swap is no problem at all, just make sure the donor
engine comes with the proper power steering and air conditioning
brackets.  Buy new rubber mounts, and the frame mounts may have to be
changed - they just bolt on, the salvage yard's Hollander interchange
manual will tell you if you need new ones.  Since the
engine-to-transmission bolt pattern is different, you'll need the
matching V8 transmission.  There were various models used in your body
style; either make sure you get the same type as the V6 (which may be
"light duty" or prepare to play with shift linkage and driveshaft
splines.

 My Modine manual shows a different radiator for the V8, but they're
about the same size.  You may need to play with the hoses a bit.

 Manual transmissions in your body style are *extremely* rare.  I
wouldn't even consider such a change unless you're a dedicated masochist
or know where a manual trans car is that you can strip for parts.
You'll need the pedal assembly, clutch linkage, flywheel, bellhousing,
clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, probably a different or
modified crossmember, probably a different length driveshaft (with
different spline yoke), a correct shifter for your application, and of
course the box itself.  Good luck.

 Oh, and you'll need a trip down to your local muffler shop when you're
done.  You'll need a new exhaust system, of course.


 How about an alternative - the Buick turbo V6?  They seem to be common
as dirt around here, and it'll bolt right in.  You'd need to have the
exhaust modified, and you'll need an engine from a RWD car, preferably
carbureted. You'd need the correct ECM module to match the motor.  It'd
be cheaper than a V8.
                                                                              
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Re: Ford Probe Problem
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 13:26:20 GMT

In article <BvEwHq.3pE@news.cso.uiuc.edu> dak@uihepa.hep.uiuc.edu writes:
>	My fiance's 1989 ford Probe is acting up.
>The car will run rough for a second then the engine will race then
>recover to normal idle for a while. This problem also occurs while
>trying to accelerate.

I've said it once, and a thousand times: The Ford EEC-IV idle control
*sucks*.

Try the following: idle speed check (if too low, the computer will try to
keep the car from stalling- provided it's not the computer causing the
low idle/stalling), and maybe your oxygen sensor and idle speed motor.

I don't think it's the fuel filter.

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenneth R. Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.
	    "Motor oil?!?! <splut> YOU GAVE ME MOTOR OIL?!?!"
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik)
Subject: Re: Carb questions
Reply-To: atovorni@engr.UVic.CA
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 21:44:02 GMT

In article lcejfiINNonq@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu, bhhardy@cs.utk.edu (Barbara Hardy) writes:
>Hi all -
>
>I've got an 85 Dodge Omni with 112K (really!) and a carb that I
>rebuilt recently. It doesn't run a whole lot better now, and I am sure
>that there are some adjustments that I did incorrectly. THe idle needs
>adjusting but I just can't bring myself to do it yet. (Requires enough
>work so that I am still to sick of thinking about it to do it :)
 
Just turn the screw one way 1/4 turn. If it dies, you turned it the wrong way.
If it is a sealed carb, it can take some time, and I see why you are
hesitant to attempt it just now.

>Anyway, I talked to my local Western Auto place the other day about
>prices for a new or remanufactured carb (thisis becuase I was told a
>long time ago by a mechanic I trust very much that the carb was pretty
>shot and that a rebuilt one would probably not do me much good - best
>to go for a new one). Anyway, I was shocked to find out that my carb,
>a 5660 Holley, double barrel, (6550..? I'd have to look again) would
>cost, as a reman., including the tradein of MY card, about 500 bucks!

It would be lots cheaper to fix your old carb.

>So my questions are: what about a junkyard? Surely I could find a
>totaled something that would fit and I could yank it off that? Also,
>what is the difference between a "remanufactured" carb and a "rebuilt"
>carb? I asked my friendly Western Auto man and he said that there was
>a difference but couldn't explain what that was. I guess I was just
>supposed to accept his word for it. :) He mumbled something about
>jets, and I popointed out that you get new jets in kits, and what
>could possibly be the difference... anyway, I am open to explanations!

Parts counter doubletalk. Used by confidence men in authority :=)

>Finally, the car occasionally dies while idling, and the idle is
>erratic. I am guessing that thisis carb trouble?

Could be, but try replacing the fuel filter and make sure there's no
water in the gas as well.

Andy.

PLEASE EXCUSE MY OBVIOUS IGNORANCE. 

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Threshold braking (was Re: "tank" superchargers)
Date: 6 Oct 92 19:35:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams)
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


-> my last sessions of purely braking exercises were a year and a half
-> ago, but i get regular track sessions so my braking isn't that rusty.
-> this business about right side wheels locking up is out of the blue,
-> as far as i'm concerned; i have never seen nor heard of anything of
-> this sort in my previous experience.
->
-> since you claim to be an expert, why don't you explain why this
-> happens?


 Perhaps you're driving on a level surface instead of the cambered road
which was mentioned in the original message?  Perhaps you simply aren't
pushing the envelope hard enough?  Perhaps you're not driving a normal
production automobile, which usually isn't within 300 pounds on
left/right weight bias and usually not within 1/2 inch of square?

 If all your wheels lock up at the same time, very nice, but that's not
normal behavior.
From: aa650@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Marc Snitzer)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: oxygen sensor
Date: 6 Oct 1992 01:54:09 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


I have a Toyota '86 Van with fuel injection.  The maintenance
schedule says to replace the oxygen sensor at 60K miles.  I now
have over 70K and it's still running fine on the orig sensor.
Any comments on if it should be replaced?  There "eng" light has
not come on so I assume there are no codes in the diagnostic
system.  Will it just start running rough or what?  Will the 
sensor fail suddenly or should I expect a slow loss of drive-
ability?
-- 
Marc Snitzer- SYSOP "Safety and the Environment" SIG 
              Cleveland Freenet-Cleveland Ohio.
Internet: aa650@cleveland.freenet.edu
Bitnet:   aa650@cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Mustang Cobra Article C/D Oct
Date: 2 Oct 92 16:17:38 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvI59F.MnG
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <278.88.uupcb@chaos.lrk.ar.us> dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams)  writes:
>
> Twenty years ago the industry derated certain engines by fiddling with
>how they obtained the figures.  This was done to thwart prohibitive
>horsepower-based insurance schemes which were under consideration at the
>time.
>
> The industry, thus thwarted, merely widened their aim.  Instead of
>paying $+x for a BOSS 429 over a 302-2 barrel, they simply changed the
>weighting scheme to "Mustang, all", and you paid the same rate whether
>it was a '68 with a 427 or a '79 with the 200 inch inline six and one
>barrel carb.  At least that's now it worked back when I had Mustangs.

Not anymore. Now there is at least a two-tier approach. My 6 cylinder
250 cube '72 Mustang qualified for a much lower insurance rate than a
'72 Mach I would have (and the agent specifically asked me about this
point). The same is true with newer Ponies; a 5.0L LX costs less to
insure than a 5.0L GT.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: dmiles@nyx.cs.du.edu (Dan Miles)
Subject: Help with stalling
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 92 04:00:03 GMT



I have a 85 Mazda GLC, whenever the engine is cold I need to warm up
the car about 4-5 minutes before shifting out of 'P' otherwise
it'll stall.  Sometimes it'll stall when it's about to reach the point of
warm up unless I step on the gas pedal.  I don't much about cars, but
can anyone tell me what's wrong.


Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu (Brian Casper)
Subject: Re: A question about grease...
Originator: bcasper@c00100-100lez.eos.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 15:27:29 GMT


[ fellow has a problem with door locks icing in the cold weather ]

I may get flamed for this, but I always had great luck in NJ by spraying
some WD40 into the mechanism.  As a lubricant it leaves something to be
desired, but it will force the water out of the system, and a dry mechanism
cannot freeze.

The downside to this is that WD40 is also an excellent degreaser and it
will dissolve away any of the remaining grease that is in the mechanism.
I never worried about this too much, and my doors still open/close/lock/unlock.

-- 
-- 
Brian Casper                |   "I like to study psychologists.  It gives
bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu        |    good insight into what rats are thinking."
  Pinball Consultant        |     -  Dr. Oscar Wesler
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: louise@pravda.cc.gatech.edu (FA) 
Subject: Re: Carb questions
Reply-To: louise@pravda.cc.gatech.edu (Louise Penberthy) 
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology 
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 00:37:07 GMT

In article <BvCJCB.749@fmsrl7.srl.ford.com> tgl@slee01.srl.ford.com (Tom Leone) writes:
>bhhardy@cs.utk.edu (Barbara Hardy) writes:
>: I've got an 85 Dodge Omni with 112K (really!) and a carb that I
>: rebuilt recently. It doesn't run a whole lot better now, and I am sure
>
>A common problem on older Omnis is deterioration of the
>rubber-coated spacer plate between the carb and the intake
>manifold.  It starts to flake apart and get little bits of
>rubber into the carb (which screws up the carb).  If you didn't
>replace this when you rebuilt the carb, you may have to start
>all over again.

Hmm ..... not sure what you're talking about here.  My 85 has a
spacer plate (also called an isolator plate), as you describe.
But it is not rubber coated.  There is an ordinary cardboard
gasket between the isolator plate and the manifold, and a
thicker, firm rubber (or similar material) gasket between the
plate and the carb.  If either of these gaskets is defective,
that can cause problems in how the car runs.

Also, anything that flaked off the isolator plate would be drawn
into the engine, not against air flow into the carb.  Unless (as
Barbara experienced), you had backfire through the carb.

-- Louise Penberthy

Louise Penberthy                |  "A student came to me with a desire to know
College of Computing/ Georgia   |   the time, and I told her how to make a 
Tech/ Atlanta, GA 30332         |   watch."
louise@pravda.cc.gatech.edu     |        -- Chris, NEXP:Northwest Passages
From: vwelch@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Von Welch)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Cold = Super braking power??
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:55:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvEEw6.I9M
Distribution: usa
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois

I don't know who wrote...

|> >>tidbit. Whenever I'm at a light with my foot on the brake, the car
|> >>idles roughly. If I take my foot off the brake (Not that I'd be on the
|> >>brake if there was no incline...) the engine idles more smoothly.
|> >
|> >>I have yet to hear anyone give me a good explanation on that little
|> >>problem.

 Like people have been saying if you have power assist then the engine vacuum
is helping you brake, if you use enough vacuum (pardon my physics) you're
going to effect the way the engine runs. This happened in my subaru one time
when I screwed up bleeding and got a lot of air in the line, I could easily
put my foot to the floor and with several quick pumps I could kill the
engine.

-- 
Von Welch
vwelch@ncsa.uiuc.edu
- I speak only for myself and those who think exactly like me -
From: bunda@cs.utexas.edu (John Bunda)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: BMW 325 poor mileage?
Date: 29 Sep 1992 13:47:54 -0500
Organization: U Texas Dept of Computer Sciences, Austin TX
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: peaches.cs.utexas.edu

I've got an '87 325 5spd.  This car seems to get about 20-22 mpg, all
the time, city or highway.  When I first got the car, I figured the
low mileage was due to my mostly aggressive city driving.  I knew the
O2 sensor was bad, too.  I replaced that, and it cured some ills with
stumbling and lackluster performance, but curiously, the fuel economy
did not improve much.  The previous owner was something of a
milquetoast (never noticed the lousy performance), so I figured there
might be some carbon buildup, etc.  I've been running unleaded premium
and put a can of injector cleaner through.

Finally, last weekend, I made a 200 mile highway trip and made a point
to try to maximize economy (no AC, 55-60 mph).  For what it's worth,
the silly mpg gauge showed a fairly consistent 30-40 mpg on the
highway (except for uphills), but since I have no idea what this gauge
measures (fuel flow/pressure and speed?) or how it's calibrated, I'm
not sure it means much.   Fuel economy was still a lousy 22.  Am I 
expecting too much from this beast?
-- 
John Bunda * bunda@cs.utexas.edu * {uunet,harvard}!cs.utexas.edu!bunda

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: aez@maunaloa.Dataio (Adam Zilinskas,,3539,,)
Subject: Re: Civic Engine Noise
Reply-To: aez@maunaloa.Dataio
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 22:01:10 GMT

In article 24887@sol.UVic.CA, atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik) writes:
>In article 92Sep23135200@minnie.cc.utexas.edu, yenting@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Yen-Ting Shu) writes:
>>
>>My 89 Honda Civic developed some kind of annoying noise somewhere under
>>the hood whenever the car is accelerating, under heavy load, or climbing
>>a slope. The noise gets worse whenever the gas pedal is pressed down
>>further, and there seems to be a loss of power when the noise is heard.
>>Anyone knows what may cause such noise?
>
>
>   Could it be detonation, pinging?
>See the postings on fuel additives, They will tell you everything
>you need to know. To get rid of this problem try a fuel with a
>higher octane rating.
>
>Andy.
>


Another source of pinging when accelerating on a Honda could be the
ignitor wearing out in the distributor.  My '90 Civic started some
pinging even though I was using only good gas. When I took it for its
30K checkup, I mentioned the problem. The dealer said later that is was
"rocks caught in the catalytic converter heat sheild". Sounded funny
but I took their word for it. About three or four weeks later, the car
suddenly died on the highway. I feared the worst (that the timing belt
snapped) and got the car towed in to a different dealer nearby. The
service dept said the problem was "the Ignitor" which they only said
was part of the distributor, costs about one dollar, and should have
been replaced when I mentioned it to the other dealership (they called
up the service records by computer).I did not get a good explanation of
what is the "Ignitor" but I bet it performs the spark timing according to
distributor rotor position, when it gets flakey, the spark timing must
get slightly messed up making a ping.

So in summary, check with some better Honda dealerships (some are
better than others) about checking your distributor or carry a bicycle
on your car at all times :-)

		Adam Zilinskas
		aez@dataio.com


Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: brooks@mcnc.org (Ted Brooks)
Subject: Re: New inexpensive pre-oiler
Organization: MCNC Center for Microelectronics, RTP, NC
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 17:24:55 GMT

In article <1992Oct5.142253.28851@gvl.unisys.com> rossi@gvlf9-q.gvl.unisys.com (Pete Rossi) writes:
>>In article <1992Oct3.132234.26545@ulysses.att.com> esc@ulysses.att.com (E. Steve Crandall) writes:
>>
>>   Has anyone had experience with the "Safety-Start" pre-oiler from
>
>I still am not sure how much of a problem this startup wear really is.  I
>think the whole thing is blown WAY out of proportion.  Seems to me that

Of course it's getting blown out of proportion - how else could they sell
so much Slick 50?  :-)  After all, who is HELPING to "focus our attention
on this serious engine problem"?

I don't doubt that we'd be better off to some extent to have the engine oil
warm & circulating at full pressure before we start the car. But when I've
got an engine approaching 150K miles that never needs oil added between
changes, and never had the head or oil pan off, how bad can the problem be?
 
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: schilit@parc.xerox.com (Bill Schilit)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: source for 1 3/4" bug radios???
Date: 1 Oct 92 14:53:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: parc.1992Oct1.145348.16473
Reply-To: schilit@parc.xerox.com (Bill Schilit)
Organization: Xerox PARC

I'm trying to find an AM/FM (maybe tape) radio to replace an old AM
radio in my 73 bug.  However, the height of the old radio is 1 3/4"
inch and the standard height now seems to be 2".  Does anyone know a
source for bug compatible radios?

- Bill

--
From: pshyvers@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Peter Shyvers)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Only one brake pad is worn out
Date: 2 Oct 92 01:47:20 GMT
Reply-To: pshyvers@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Peter Shyvers)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <BvGGtt.80H@acsu.buffalo.edu> bartnik@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Bartnik) writes:
>My wife noticed that her front disc brakes on her 88 1/2 Ford Escort
>were grinding on the right side when she was driving to work yesterday.
>This was strange because I had changed the pads about 7000 miles before.
>When I looked at them, I saw that the inside pad was worn completely
>down to the metal but the outside was as good as new (as if it was never
>used).  Checking the left side revealed the same thing, only not as bad.
>The rotors were rough on the inside surfaces but smooth on the outside.
>The car has about 40K on it. What could cause this uneven wear?  It
>It appears that the calipers aren't adjusting themselves as the pads wear
>down.  Anyone else experience this?
>

Not on an escort, but I've seen several causes (odd you should see this on
so new a car):

a) Once when I was in a real rush on my '76 Corolla, I jammed an antirattle
clip on the right (front) caliper; the pad wouldn't move at that point - it
would only pivot, as the other end of the pad was free to move. This focused
the wear at one end of the braking surface, so the pad wore down cocked 
*very* quickly. Fortunately (at that point in my life) I was checking my
brakes every few weeks, and I caught it quickly.

b) I've seen , on a variety of cars, situations where the pistons stick
out of the bores, and wear tends to be accentuated on the piston-side pad.
We rebuilt or replaced the calipers.

Odd you'd see it on *both* sides...
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: essbaum@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Alexander Essbaum)
Subject: Re: Questions about building a Hi-Po 350
Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1992 21:33:55 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester

In article <uznerk.718046165@mcl>, uznerk@mcl.ucsb.edu (Andrew Krenz) writes:
|> Okay.  I own a '87 Chevrolet Caprice with the police package.  It has a 
|> 350 engine in it, which sometime soon, I'd like to get rebuilt or replaced.
|> As it is right now, it's making no more than 170HP. according to a Chilton
|> repair manual's statistics for that model year.  What I'd like to know is, 
|> how feasible would it be to have a new engine professionally built and
|> installed so as to have a major increase in power, possibly in the 250-275hp
|> range.  The car does have a computer, and it is necessary to maintain its
|> smog legality as well, considering I live in California.  It also has a 
|> heavy duty Th700-R4 transmission (with cooler, as per police package) which
|> hopefully should be able to withstand such an increase in power.  Is it 
|> possible for my two ton tank to run 0-60 in 7 seconds or so, or am I just
|> daydreaming?  :)
|>
|> -Andrew Krenz
|> uznerk@mcl.ucsb.edu
|> 

i have an '84 police impala that will hopefully get replaced by a black
'87-'88 caprice in a year or so.  after reading the "giant killer" article
in car craft (maybe PHR), i'm thinking of maybe getting a 350-383 with a
6-71 supercharger.  the main reason for the blower would be to look and
sound cool.  for stealth (and $ savings), nitrous would be the way to go.

as far as 250-275HP, i think that's pretty conservative.  you should have
no trouble getting 325-350HP out of a small block.  if you're willing to spend
$, you could probably get 400+HP out of a reasonably reliable 383.

then you add nitrous (or course) for another 200HP.

i'm not sure you want to keep the TH700-R4 if you go over 250HP, though.  if
you're planning to beat on the transmission at all, i'd go for a TH400 (or
TH350 at least).

axel
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mikey@fraser.sfu.ca (Mike Kai-Kan Yang)
Subject: Re: Opinions on Ford V8-460 engine?
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 07:42:31 GMT

crmeyer@voodoo.physics.ucsb.edu writes:

>I have been on the prowl for a used pick-up truck for general use and for
>towing my Jeep CJ. I have come across a '75 Ford F250 with a 460 cu in
>V8 and a C6 automatic trans; both of which have been completely rebuilt
>recently. Any comments on the 460 engine (good, bad, indifferent)?


	Those 460's are indestructable.  I have one under the hood of my
77 Lincoln.  Without rebuilt, the engine has 162,000 miles on the clock and
is still running strong.  Except for the problem of burning oil when driving
at high speed (very typical accroding to dealer for this), otherwise this is
a very good engine.

	A word of caution tough.  The engine although is excellent, the 
carb however is a different story.  Check wheather you have got the Motorcraft
4350 carb with it.  If you do make sure it functions well.  This paricular
carb appearently is very hard for mechanic for adjust it properly.  The fuel
mixture and the auto-choke are two biggest headache.  Also don't forget since
you are dealing with a big-block here, don't expect to get anything better
than 12mpg.  May be you will with the F250, if your truck is ligher than
my car.


Mike Yang
e-mail: chiench@sfu.ca
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C.