HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: samuels@mcclb0.med.nyu.edu (Herb Samuels)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Replacement Tires for Acura Legend?
Date: 27 Jul 92 13:45:23 GMT
Organization: NYU Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA

Itd time to replace the tires on my 1988 Acura Legend.  They are Michelin MXVs
and they have never been very good especially in the wet.  The current model
Legends have Michelin MXV4 tires. Does any nyone have any experience with these
or an opinion.  What about other tires for the Legend such as the Dunlop D40 M2
for example.  There has been some comments on the net that rounder tires are
better for front wheel drive cars while tires which are more square are better
for rear wheel drive cars.  I don't the shape of the Dunlops.  Any suggestions
about tire replacement would be appreciated.

Thanks,  Herb Samuels
From: yhmok@hornet.mips.com (Yeuk-Hai -Shark- Mok)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Saturn SC vs. Nissan 240SX
Date: 30 Jul 1992 03:04:53 GMT
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: hornet.mips.com

In article <1992Jul29.234356.9991@mdd.comm.mot.com>, ceng@mdd.comm.mot.com (Curtis Eng) writes:
|> My friend is going to buy a car soon.  He's narrowed it down to The Saturn SC or
|> the Nissan 240SX.  I want him to buy the Saturn and I've been trying to convince
|> him to do so.  I've been trying to dig up some trash on the 240SX but the only
|> problem is, I can't!  It got good scores in CR`s auto issue and I haven't heard
|> anything really bad about it.  
|> 
|> Can any of you Saturn fans help me dig up some trash on the 240SX so my friend
|> will buy the SC?  Thanks in advance.
|> 
Why do you want to trash the 240SX.  I've got a 92 240SX SE and its cool as ever.
Its my 1st rear wheel drive car and after just 6 months,  I now hate to drive front
wheeler.  We have a Vigor at home and although more power, it doesn't behaves
as well at corners.  I hate that understeel and toque steel.
The only draw back is that you cannot get airbag and the engine is not silky smooth at
high rpm (So is the Saturn at high rpm).

	Shark at SGI
From: rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: quad4 heads
Date: 31 Jul 92 15:39:45 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network


i have heard some talk that heads are cracking on quad4 engines.
anyone else hear this?  is GM taking care of this?  what's the sccop?
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: yali@bgtys28.bnr.ca (Yawar Ali)
Subject: Experience Report: Purchase of new Integra
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 19:17:19 GMT

I recently bought a new '92 Integra RS Sedan with A/C in Canada.
List for the car, as equipped, including everything except sales taxes, was
approx. $18.7K. I bought for $15.4K, which IMO was a reasonably good price
for the local market.
(All prices quoted are in Canadian $)
Here is a summary of my buying experience.

-Had decided beforehand exactly what make, model, and
 major options (A/C only) I wanted. Decided not to ask for
 any minor options (or "extras") in order to simplify the negotiating
 process and in the belief that these could be obtained later
 for less on the aftermarket.
-Negotiating strategy was to visit a number of Acura dealers on Day 1,
 attempt to convince them that I knew what I wanted, and was serious
 about buying ("tommorrow"), and pressure each one to tell me the best
 price they were willing to sell me the car for, given that I was 
 visiting the competition the same day and asking them the same question.
 After doing this with all of them, I would return to the one that
 quoted the lowest price the next day and sign an offer to purchase 
 at that price. I absolutely refused to make any offers myself or
 to even consider buying the car "today", at any price, and made it clear
 that I would not be back "after shopping around" elsewhere in order
 to give them a chance to "beat" someone else's price. I also refused
 to tell them what price other other dealers had offered.
-I convinced my wife to let me visit the dealers by myself, after we
 had agreed on the model, color, options,etc., in order to simplify
 the negotiating process and avoid the inevitable attempts to play us
 off against each other.
-Visited 5 Acura dealers in the Toronto area a couple of days before the
 end of the month (supposedly a good time to buy). 
 One dealer refused to make an offer. The other 4 made offers ranging
 from almost list price down to approx. $15.4K (in two cases). Attitude
 of all the dealers, save one, was generally sleazy and manipulative.
 I ended up buying from the one dealership that was up-front and courteous
 from the start. They did not originally quote the lowest price but I
 gave them a chance to match the lowest price I was offered and they 
 agreed. I signed an offer the next day.

BTW, love the car!
 
--
Yawar Ali  				
Bell-Northern Research				EMail: yali@bnr.ca
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada				(613-)763-7741
--------Standard Disclaimer: BNR is not responsible for my opinions--------
From: dlou@ece.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Re: Sentra E vs. Saturn SL (SE-R & SC)
Date: 24 Jul 92 03:27:59 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <64590089@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com> knotts@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com (Tom Knotts) writes:
|>> and is reliable.  Saturn has only 2 years of history which is not
|>> enough in my book.  Nissan has built lots and lots of cars that became
|>> classic and reliable cars which means that there's a very good chance
|>> that they will continue building more cars like this.  Maybe I'll
|>> consider a Saturn after its 5th year of *good cars* and *good service*.
|>> Maybe...
|>
|>And maybe there will still be good jobs to be found in this country in 5
|>years so that you can earn enough money to pay for your car. Maybe, just
|>maybe....
|>
|>The Saturn is an excellent car. Why don't you consider investing in the
|>future of America rather that look for every little excuse to send more
|>money overseas.

The Sentra is made in the states.

I can't think of too many Japanese cars made in Japan any more.


--
Dennis Lou             || "But Yossarian, what if everyone thought that way?"
dlou@ucsd.edu          || "Then I'd be crazy to think any other way!"
[backbone]!ucsd!dlou   |+====================================================
dlou@ucsd.BITNET       |Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to my high school.
From: koustubh@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Koustubh Jha)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Urgent advice needed (MX-6 v/s Probe)
Date: 27 Jul 92 18:00:52 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Cincinnati


 After a month of research, I am finally going to buy my first car (within
 the next couple of days).  But before doing so, I thought I'd get the
 blessings of the knowledgable folks at rec.autos.

 My two finalists are the 1993 Mazda MX-6 (base model, not LS) and the
 1993 Ford Probe (again, base model, not the GT).  I do know that both
 these cars roll out of the same factory in Little Rock, Michigan, and
 that they have the same 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder engine (but a different
 suspension).

 Of course these cars are styled differently (exterior and interior),
 and come with different convenience packages.  Keeping the same options
 for both these cars, the Probe is roughly $1500 cheaper.  These
 options (both "standard" and "optional") include:  driver's side air
 bag, AM/FM cassette, A/C, cruise control and tilt steering, power windows 
 and power door locks, rear defogger, intermittent wipers.  I want the 
 anti-lock brakes too, but on the MX-6, the dealer tells me that *all*
 cars that have anti-lock brakes also come with a sunroof & alloy wheels
 (comments anyone?).

 Since I don't favor either car very much, I am inclined to go with the
 car with the cheaper price (that is the Probe).  The only hesitation I 
 have is that the Ford resale value wont be as much as the Mazda (say 5
 years from now).  Honestly, I have nothing against American cars, but
 almost every person I meet says "If I were you, I would go for the Mazda",
 which confuses me.  Also, is it true that the Ford would be cheaper to
 maintain than the Mazda (for oil-changes, servicing, parts)?

 I would appreciate any/every comment you have - and please make it soon
 'coz 3 days from now I might own one of these beauties.

 If you recently bought a '93 Probe or a '93 MX-6, could you also tell
 me what a good price would be with the options I mentioned earlier, and
 how much you paid for your car.

 Thanx a ton.
 Koustubh

-- 
 L   L    L L L  Koustubh Jha               Internet: koustubh@ucunix.san.uc.edu
 L L        L    Dept. of Computer Science  Bitnet  : koustubh@ucbeh.bitnet
 L  L    L  L    University of Cincinnati   Voice   : (513)556-7966 (Res)
 L    L    L     Cincinnati, OH 45221-008             (513)556-5089 (Off)
From: pburke@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Peter Burke, MIC, 608-263-7744)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: What is "synthetic" about synthetic oil?
Date: 25 Jul 92 21:17:47 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Wisconsin Academic Computing Center

Just wondering what I am pouring into my engines every few months.  What 
is the "raw" material used for synthetic oils?  And to join the recend 
discussion about the best oils: I use Mobil 1 in cold Wisconsin Winters 
and mostly Castrol GTX in summers, change my oil and filter (dual 
filter conversion) very frequently (2500-5000 miles depending on 
driving), applied Slick 50 a while ago, and have no noticable engine 
weardown (full compression) on both Toyota trucks I own; 123,000 and 
243,000 miles respectively.  Don't know if it's just because these truck 
are indestructible, or because I am doing something right. 

My next investment will be small device called "Preluber", which 
pre-pressurizes the oil gallery before you crank the engine over.  
I am planning to see the 1 million miles on these engines ;-)

Peter
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: ai257@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Linda L. McConnell)
Subject: Fuel Pump Relay
Reply-To: ai257@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Linda L. McConnell)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 92 03:58:48 GMT


Hi - 

What's a fuel pump relay, and what exactly is its
function?

Just curious - my '87 Subaru stalled right after being
started a couple of times, the last time having to be towed.
After sitting at the dealership for three days it started
right up for the mechanic.  He swapped the fuel pump relay
(no charge) and said that MIGHT take care of it.  Hasn't
died again since then, so maybe that was it.  But I'd like
to know just what the fuel pump relay IS.

Thanks - 

Linda
-- 
"I don't know much about being a millionaire,
 but I'll bet I'd be _darling_ at it."
                                      Dorothy Parker
From: markj@tekig5.pen.tek.com (Mark R Jensen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Brake Peddle problem.
Date: 29 Jul 92 18:24:47 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

In article <1992Jul29.121354.27832@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca> leath@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Stephen Leath) writes:
>The brake peddle on my 85 Dodge Caravan stops after being depressed about 1
>inch. It is like hitting a steel wall. THe pads are new the rotors have been
>refaced and the calipers have been checked, any suggestions ? What would be
>the symptoms of air in the brake lines ?
>
Its not air in the lines. Air in the lines would allow the peddle to
feel mushy and/or allow it to go to the floor, not good! If the brakes
have just been replaced it's my guess that the park brake cable needs to
be relaxed a little to allow the rear pads to back off further. You
didn't mention if the park brake feels hard also but if it had been
adjusted to compensate for previous brake wear then this would be my
bet.


Mark.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: hinz@bonfire (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987)
Subject: Re: Volvo vs. SAAB (Was Re: grinding gears...)
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 09:14:00 GMT

love@stacken.kth.se (Love Feuer) writes:
: >
: True. Although the Volvo can be brought up quite a bit since their engines
: are so stable. A friend of mine has a 240 '84 with with a B23 engine that 
: now resides on the other side of 300 hp. 
: The drivetrain is changed to Getrag parts, but the engine is still pretty 
: much Volvo. Forget those kinds of experiments in a SAAB.
: 

One of the benifits of an over-engineered car (read: ALMOST any European make)
is that there's lots of room to 'play', and get more performance out.  I have
a '71 Saab Sonett III, which I have tweaked the engine on to get about
an extra 60% output.  This brings the volumetric efficiency up to about
1.4 HP/ Cubic inch, which is not bad for a naturally aspirated engine. Strap
that into a fibreglass car weighing 1600 pounds, and WOW!

I'm not familiar with Getrag......who are they? 

The SAAB engines have historically put out power, in the higheset standard
trim, of about 1.4 HP/Cube.  I would venture to say that this doesn't leave
a lot of room for improvement through normal means, as all of the homework
has been done by SAAB rather than a backyard mechanic.

BTW, I've been looking at a hardware mod which would put my engine 
(2.0L, Turbo, intercooled, 16V.) from the current 175 HP to 225 HP, bringing
the output to about 1.9 HP/cube.  Is this pushing it too much, or ???

Note that I have nothing against Volvo's.  I believe that you can't go
TOO far wrong buying ANY European make (OK, make that western European).
At least they don't undercut the market to try  to squeeze out competitors
like SOME countries' carmakers do.

Out of curiousity, how does Volvo's 'box' shape do in the wind tunnel?

--

Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
SAAB - Because you get what you pay for.
hinz@picard.med.ge.com
From: toddster@mips.com (Todd Rodericks - Contractor)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Clutch replacement
Date: 22 Jul 1992 17:29:48 GMT
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Sunnyvale, California
NNTP-Posting-Host: abbott.mips.com

As for hoisting a very heavy transmission, you might look into renting
a transmission jack which is made exclusively for that purpose.

Good Luck

- Todd
From: hinz@bonfire (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Two stroke engines
Date: 28 Jul 92 06:56:49 GMT
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

loszewski_im@sage.hnrc.tufts.edu writes:
: 
: Does anybody know anything about two stroke engines?  Are they as good as 
: predicted?

There is a two-stroke mailing list, to get on you write:
2strokes-request@microunity.com
Most of the discussion is about motorcycles, it seems to me, but auto-speak
is there as well.

Two stroke engines have many advantages, such as power/displacement ratio,
power/weight ratio, and mileage, as well as long life and fewer moving
parts.  The emissions problems of older engines are being overcome with
new lubrication schemes, and so on.  The 2-stroke engines in my older SAABs
have each gone over 100,000 miles, some over 200,000, without incident.  Even
these older engines (early 60s) are reliable if kept in proper tune.

--

Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
SAAB - you get what you pay for; you pay for what you get.
hinz@picard.med.ge.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech,rec.autos.vw
From: lmcstst@noah.ericsson.se (Stamos Stamos)
Subject: Audi fuel pump II??
Organization: Ericsson Communications Inc. Montreal, Canada
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 15:18:35 GMT

The saga continues:


I have done all the checks, relay, ground wires, changed spark plugs.
I checked the fuel flow, I have fuel flow all the way to the fuel
distributor. I removed a injector connection from the distributor and
tried to start it, but no fuel came out of the distributor.
I then removed the distributor and found the plunger to be very stiff.
The air flow plate would have a hard time pushing the plunger.
When I completely removed the fuel distributor and all the fuel ran
out of it, the plunger was freed. It seemed the plunger was
'pressure locked'. I reconnected every thing and low and behold the
engine started. It was running fine, but the fuel pump was making 
much more noise than it used too. The engine then died, ran for about
a minute. I didn't disconnect the fuel distributor again but I assume
the plunger had become 'pressure locked' again. Some how the fuel 
after the plunger would get locked in and the air flow sensor would
be unable to push the plunger.
Then I checked the fuel pump once more. It obviously worked, but how?
Could it be that it had failed in a very high pressure mode???
Is this mechanically/electrically possible???
The specs for the pump say it should take 8.5 amp at 11.5v.
As my digi-meter only goes to 10amp I didn't want to connect it to 
measure the amps. I measured the pump resistance instead.
It was about .9 ohms, that gives 12.8 amps at 11.5v .
I wonder how accurate this is? Does the internal resistance of a DC
motor change when it is working??
I know that it changes for a AC motors.


From all of this I diagnose that the fuel pump failed, 
over pressurising the fuel distributor.

Do people agree/disagree with this???

If this is the case, did the increased fuel pressure from the pump
break the fuel pressure regulator in the fuel distributor? The
distributor also contains pressure regulators for each injector.

I am not convinced that the fuel pressure regulators in the distributor
are broken as the engine 'seemed' to run 'ok' for a minute, before the
fuel build up in the distributor stopped the engine.

How likely is this?



Any and all help would be much appreciated.





--
Stamos <lmcstst@noah.ericsson.se>                        Ellas
Ericsson, Cellular Design
Montreal, Canada.
From: ward@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Christ Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: J B Weld?
Summary: J B weld
Keywords: J B Weld
Date: 29 Jul 92 13:54:14 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana, IL

Yesterday I fixed my bicycles headset with this J B Weld stuff.
It seems to have worked (I won't know for a long time if it really worked).
I'm wandering if anybody out there has used this stuff as they claim it can 
be used...i.e. to fix tractor axles, the inside of an engine, or any of their
increadible claims.  I used it because AFOM swears by the strange goo.

Also, what is it?  Is it just a epoxy or what (comes in two tubes: hardner and
steel).  I mean they claim it can be drilled, tapped, machined and so forth...
hard to believe, but, my friend says he's use it for many of these aplications.
So let me know what you know about J B Weld (if it's as good as they say it is,
it would be a good addition to any tool kit).
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

   Well, since you said the distributor was not turning then I'll assume that
you ment that you turned the engine over(as opposed to started it) then you 
say that the crank is not turning,  but you say you found that out while turning
the engine over with the starter (implied). that leaves you with 2 possibilities. 1. the crank is broke. 2. the drive key or pin for the lower timing belt
sprocket is sheared. a couple of things to check is the end of the crank and
not the lower sprocket/pulley. see if the crank itself is turning. if it is
then you've sheared the pin/or key. I've never sheared the lower key but I
have had first hand experience with a sheared upper pin in a fiat 128. 
    Good luck. Mike Nason

From: Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Removing Valve Springs etc..
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 07:16:27 -0500

 EV> I read here once about compressing the air in the cylinder, 
 EV> but how do you remove the valve spring _without_ a spring compresion 
 EV> apparatus?
 EV> 
 EV> I have an Alfa Romeo Giulietta (actually I have two) and would love to 
 EV> replace my valve springs. I don't feel like removing the head, though.

Mercedes makes a tool that hooks onto the OHC and presses down on the valve
spring retainers.  I would guess that a similar tool exists for use on the DOHC
Alfa head.



Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: (Eric Youngblood)
Subject: Re: Manual vs. Auto lifetime
Reply-To: Peon w/o Email priv (Eric Youngblood)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Tx
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 19:29:44 GMT

In article <31JUL199211275769@erin.caltech.edu>, shoppa@erin.caltech.edu (TIM SHOPPA) writes:
|> Hello,
|> 	When I was looking for a car, many people told me to get a manual
|> because they are much more fun to drive, give better acceleration, and better
|> mileage.  A few people told me that an automatic would last much longer, from
|> their experience.  I ended up with an automagic because I didn't want the
|> hassle of using a manual in stop-and-go driving but was wondering what the
|> people on the net thought of the lifetime of these transmissions?  I have
|> seen many automatics happily working at 150,000 miles with zero
|> maintenance while it seems to me that at this point on a manual there would 
|> have been several clutch replacements at the very least, and the gears
|> sometimes are starting to show wear.  Any comments or experience?
|> 
|> 					Tim (Shoppa@erin.caltech.edu)


I think the key to long lived automatics is periodic fluid and filter changes.
I have read every 2 years & up to 50k miles but I think that's pushing it.
I drain the pan once a year (gets about 3-1/2 quarts) and do a full change
(10 qts includes torque converter) and filter every 25k miles.	 

The other thing that kills an automatic is heat. Stop and go driving in traffic
during the summer w/ AC on can really cause fluid temps to soar. I think ATF
performs best between 185-225 deg??? When you get above this the fluid begins
to oxidize (read turn brown). An auxillary cooler is cheap insurance, if connected
in series with the existing radiator-tank heat exchanger you will not have to 
worry about cold weather operation or insufficient cooling. 

I've got a TH350 used in a high performance application (read driven hard & quick
accelerations) 100+ degrees is not uncommon down here and I have also towed boats
and trailers on occassion. (*note* pan gets drained after each tow abuse)
I've got 181,000 miles on it now and going strong. The fluid is the power transfer
medium, lubrication, & cooling medium. Its performing *alot* of functions, if you
can maintain it you'll be going a long way to getting the most out of your
automatic. 

*note* later and firmer shifts reduce slippage wear and heat buildup. Most new
automatics can be selected to shift later & harder in the "power" mode. This of
course may lower your gas mileage slightly, but reduces transmission wear.

I've never owned a standard so I cant say what periodic maintenance can be performed to increase longevity or whether any can be performed by the home 
mechanic. I'll leave that question open to the net. 

 
$0.02
Ericy 
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech