HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: eur@dutncp2.tn.tudelft.nl (Eur van Andel)
Subject: Re: Electrical Question: Multiple Batteries?
Organisation: TU Delft, The Netherlands
Organization: Delft University of Technology
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 09:51:51 GMT

In <eur.714038738@dutncp8> eur@dutncp2.tn.tudelft.nl (Eur van Andel) writes:

>In <CMM.0.90.0.713813115.siegman@Sierra.Stanford.EDU> siegman@SIERRA.STANFORD.EDU ("Anthony E. Siegman") writes:

>>Anyone out there with experience on using, and recharging, multiple
>>batteries in a vehicle?

>>My son is a small contractor, one of whose vehicles is a big old parts
>>van.  The van gets driven to a job site, then sits immobile for 3
>>weeks, holding job supplies and a communications radio for the job
>>crew which is left on 8 hours/day.  This is too much for the regular
>>battery; after 3 weeks it's dead.

>>Proposal: Install a heavy-duty (marine?) battery for the radio, plus
>>an AB switch.  Drive to the site on the regular battery, then switch
>>to the heavy-duty backup.  When it's time to drive home, switch back
>>to the regular battery, start the truck, and drive home.  Recharge the
>>heavy-duty battery either with a 110 V trickle charger at home, or by
>>switching back to it after the engine is started.

>>Any pitfalls in this? Will the truck's regular alternator and voltage
>>regular (12 V) be able to charge the heavy-duty battery also without
>>damage?  Are there other ways to do this?

>>(We already know that just paralleling two batteries is a bad idea.)
>Not SO bad.

>I used to have an old Honda civic automatic (that is a rarity in Europe:
>virtually everyone has a gearbox here) and had a bad habit of leaving the lights
>on. Whith a gear-box that's no problem: you switch off the lights, 
>wait a minute, and push-start.

>Alas, with an auto this doesn't work. 

>So I put an extra battery in the trunk, and connected it to my regular one
>with a large diode: the spare could be charged, not discharged. When I left
>the lights on again, I got out my jumper cables, started the car with the 
>other battery and drove off.

>So:
>		     |\ |
>	+ -----------| >|----------------- + ---------------------
>		     |/ |					 |
>     Car battery		  Heavy Duty battery           radio
>								 |
>	- -------------------------------- - ---------------------

>This way, the heavy duty one is not used for the car, but does get charged,
>and the car battery is left to start the vehicle.

>The diode should be a large one: 15 Amps at least. Drill a hole in an aluminum
>plate, put the diode in so it can cool, and wrap the plate in tape, so it
>can't touch the metal of your car (sparks, roasted wire, blown out diode).

>eur

You might want to disconnect the diode while at the site, otherwise
your car battery can be drained as well.
From: bohdan@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (bohdan.l.bodnar)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Toxic parts' disposal?
Date: 13 Aug 92 17:00:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbnewsd.1992Aug13.170039.4951
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Aug11.060858.2601@mr.med.ge.com> hinz@bonfire (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987) writes:
>lung@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Terence Lung) writes:
>: Here's a query for netters:
>: 
>: Does anyone know of any environmentally sound options
>: to dispose of automotive stuff like fuel filters, air filters,
>: spark plugs, oil filters, etc?
>: 
>: I know gas stations will take used motor oil.  What is
>: there to do with all the other junk?
>: 
>Yes, especially antifreeze.  I really hate just dumping it into
>my gravel driveway, but what am I supposed to do with it?  How
>about brake fluid?      
>
>     
>--
>
>Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
>SAAB - Because you get what you pay for.
>hinz@picard.med.ge.com
>
>

I had the same questions about a year ago, and ended calling up our town's
health inspector.  This is the information I was given:

antifreeze:  flush it down a SANITATION sewer (the ethylene glycol -- probably
misspelled -- decomposes when exposed to air.  In the U.S., sanitation plants
deliberately oxygenate the sewage to promote bacterial growth -- this
oxygenation will destroy the e.g.).

brake fluid:  put it in a can, wrap in plastic, and throw out.

The inspector was somewhat upset that better brake fluid disposal was not
available.
Organization: Junior, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.auto,rec.autos.tech
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 21:34:13 -0400 
From: "Russell E. Hoffman, II" <rh2y+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Need 400 small block flywheel for clutch+4spd


Hello!
    I'm looking for a flywheel for on a Chevrolet small-block 400.
Specifically, I need the flywheel which is externally balanced, and
drilled for use with a Muncie M-21 four speed transmission.
Preferably, I'd like to find one in the Pennsylvania and surrounding
states area.  If not, anybody happen to know what it would cost to
order one from GM?
     Reason I'm asking (rather obviously) is that my brother, dad, and
I have built a 400 small block with a tunnel ram and dual quad setup,
and need the externally balanced flywheel for use with a four speed.
We have a flywheel that somebody was using on a stock 400 small block
and four speed setup, but it isn't the normal sort of externally
balanced flywheel that GM makes (the GM flywheel has a counterbalance
molded into the back side of the flywheel), but rather it looks like a
standard small block flywheel that somebody drilled out to balance it.
While I guess it worked okay for the guy who had it before we did, I'm
a little shaky about using it on a highly modified 400 like the one we
have. Any opinions?

Reply to this account,

Thanks,
Russell Hoffman
rh2y+@andrew.cmu.edu
From: jefftb@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Jeff Brown)
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 19:32:53 GMT
Subject: Re: RMI-25 cooling system treatment
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (NMD MTA MWTD)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

 This product claims that it should be used w/ ethelyne glycol anti freeze
 but when antifreeze gets old it loses its corrosion fighting stuff. they claim
 this puts it back. 
 Also, I don't think that antifreeze raises the boiling point of the coolant.
 Isn't that a function of the system being pressureized to 12- 16psi?

 Jeff Brown
From: Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: '57 TR3 no engine go jap?
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 00:30:38 -0500

 BG> Something that I think has not been pointed out in this thread is that
 BG> the TR3's engine may be rebuilt without removing the block from the 
 BG> car.
 BG> This task is accomplished by removing the pan, etc. and taking the 
 BG> crank
 BG> and pistons out the bottom.  Then take off the head and pound the 
 BG> liners
 BG> out from the bottom.  Drop in your new liners, put in your new mains,
 BG> etc., and button her back up!  As I have not done this job myself, but
 BG> know of those who have, there may be other complications.  The best I 
 BG> know
 BG> of have done the job in just over a day.

Ah, yes; I had forgotten about the wet liners in the TR engine. Can you enlarge
it to 2.2 l. at the same time?
From: efk00@cd.amdahl.com (Eddie Kieger)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: reliable cars
Date: 18 Aug 92 19:27:49 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Aug18.170909.12764@galileo.cc.rochester.edu>,
tgpt_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Tom Guptill) writes:
>In <1992Aug18.155734.3591@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
>mas6d@uvacs.cs.Virginia.EDU (M. Anne Shackelford) writes:
>
>>I am graduating from school and am interested in purchasing a small
>reliable car
>>- preferably hatchback.
>
>>Do you have recommendations of cars to consider buying and cars to
>consider NOT
>>buying.
>
>I _HIGHLY_ recommend an '81 or later Rabbit Diesel.  I know someone who
>has
                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Only if you like going <= 45 mph at full throttle up hills...........

My ma had one & it was the BIGGEST piece of $hit I ever drove.

>750,000 miles on one he drives daily, I had one that I sold with 305,000
>miles on it (it still got 40-45 mpg on the hwy) and I currently own one with
>about 125,000 miles on it.  (My _new_ one.)  They're cheap to run, reliable,
>can use most parts from 81-84 water cooled VW's, and sound like a school bus
>when you start them in cold weather.  (Who could ask for more?)  And I never
>had any trouble with the old one in cold weather--even if I didn't plug it
>in at -10f.  If you have any questions about the car, get in touch with me. 
>Anyone else have any long-lived diesels out there?
>
>-- 
>|Tom Guptill           | tgpt_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu     |
>|CPU Box 277445 U of R | tgpt_ltd@db1.cc.rochester.edu       |
>|Rochester, NY 14627   |                                     |
>|(716) 274-0351        |                                     |
From: macman+@pitt.edu (Dennis H Lippert)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: UPDATE!! (was Re: GM 2.8L V6 oil leaks)
Date: 21 Aug 92 16:16:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

>In article <4810@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> macman+@pitt.edu (Dennis H Lippert) writes:
>>Hi all!
>>
>>I find it gravely humorous to find that the engine I just bought (1984
>>Olds Omega w/ 2.8L V-6) has been referred to as the "Engine from Hell"...
>>
>>Anyhow, this thing is leaking oil.  It appears to leak around the valve
>>covers, but we haven't really cleaned anything up to check for sure.

I decided to "get dirty" yesterday, and i went in an looked around
a lot more.  There is indeed oil leaking around the valve covers, 
but most of it seems to be coming from either the front/rear seals
or from the oilpan seal.  Either of these seems to be a pain to get
at without doing some serious dissassembly.

I guess beyond that, it's just a matter of can I deal with a car that
(1) ruins the environment, (2) ruins peoples' driveways (including
mine!) and (3) makes me look like an idiot who won't pay to get it
fixed (I won't pay someone else to do it!).  As long as I keep the
oil level ok (a quart in 1000 mi) the engine should work ok... it
did for the previous owner! (I can tell by looking around that it's
been leaking for quite a while).

Oh well, back to work...
-Den
-- 
===============================================================================
Dennis Lippert   -   macman+@pitt.edu or macman@vm2.cis.pitt.edu
The "Mac Maniac" operator at the Hillman Research Lab - Univ. of Pittsburgh
"All comments are mine, you'd look like a fool if *you* used them"
From: quillen@orion (John Quillen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: SURVEY: Home mechanic's favorites
Date: 20 Aug 92 16:58:15 GMT
Organization: Fox Chase Cancer Center

My favorite by miles is the BMW 2002, any year.  Lot's of shelf space
under the hood for tools 'n' beers!  Also, all of the mechanicals are
straight-forward and simple (except maybe the guibo).

Given that they haven't been made in 16 years and were not imported in
huge numbers, they're incredibly easy to find parts for (and still relatively
inexpensive to maintain, too).
-- 
------------
John Quillen  JW_Quillen@fccc.edu  Phone: (215) 728-3660  FAX: (215) 728-2513
Research Computing Services / The Fox Chase Cancer Center / Phila. PA, USA
        "The world is full of apathy ... but who cares?"  R. Murphy
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu (Brian Casper)
Subject: Re: scored rotors OK?
Originator: bcasper@c00477-224wi.eos.ncsu.edu
Reply-To: bcasper@eos.ncsu.edu
Organization: North Carolina State University
Distribution: rec
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 02:18:11 GMT


In article <JAMESM.92Aug18120611@lunch.austin.ibm.com>, jamesm@lunch.austin.ibm.com (James Miller) writes:
[ james replaces pads on his chevy ]

|>I took the advice of the parts guy and non-directionally scored the rotor
|>surfaces by hand with some 80 grit paper to cut any glaze and to give the new
|>pads a chance to seat better.  Neither rotor looked warped, but the side of
|>one rotor had some scoring from the rivets, and one side of the other (the one
|>which had been chewing on the pad mounting plate) was scored pretty much all
|>across -- 1/64" - 1/32" deep grooves about every 1/16" - 3/32".

Take this advice back to your parts guy:

	GET BENT BUDDY!


|>Was it stupid not to have had the rotors turned?  What's the worst case
|>scenario here (total brake failure?  instant warp-o-rama and rotor
|>replacement?), and how likely?

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you should really pull it apart
and do it right this time.  The rotors may or may not be *able* to be
turned, but if they've taken enough heat to turn blue, their most definately
warped.  Eyeballing is not good enough to check for warpage, you need a
good straight edge.  If I were you, I'd bite it and replace the rotors and
install _another_ set of new pads.  Once they've seated into the scores from
the old rotors, they won't be worth spit against new ones.

Worst case scenerio?  Mercedes pulls out in front of you, you slam on the
brakes to avoid a collision, one wheel pulls _much_ harder than the other,
you swerve accross the median and are hit by a Mack truck.  I cant vouch for
the liklihood of the marques in the above scenerio, but the chances of your
brakes pulling unevenly is about 100%.  Never fool around with brakes.  Is
your car/life is only worth a $20 set of pads?  It might be a good idea to
bleed them after you're finished installing all of the new parts.

BTW, this is in no way intended to be a flame (to anyone other than your
parts guy ;-)  Think of it as a bit of net.wisdom from someone who's had lots
of brake rebuilding experiece.

Drive safely...
-- 
-- 
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: jws@billy.mlb.semi.harris.com (James W. Swonger)
Subject: Re: Why does car stall when going downhill or sudden stops???
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 18:06:07 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne FL

 This is typical of a fuel slosh/float level problem but you appear to have
ruled that out. There is another possibility though, that something else is
moving in response to deceleration and creating a vacuum leak (carb base not
dogged down, cracked vacuum hose opening up) or that the power brake vacuum
booster has a leak that's letting too much air be drawn.

 Try to separate the two possibilities by disconnecting and plugging the vac
line to the booster. Then do some decelerating; if the problem still occurs
then the booster's ruled out. Try the reverse by hooking up the booster and
standing on the brake; is there any change in engine behavior? I have seen 
the booster vacuum draw cause stumbling even when not breached, just from
the transient vacuum draw in combination with lean mixture. Maybe you have
a combination of fuel slosh, lean mix (indicated by good mileage) and vacuum
demand. 
-- 
##########################################################################
#Irresponsible rantings of the author alone. Any resemblance to persons  #
#living or dead then yer bummin. May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may inten-#
#sify this effect. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Billy!#
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: hinz@picard.med.ge.com (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987)
Subject: Re: Turbocharger Rebuild
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 08:42:40 GMT

Andrew Beaumont-Smith (abeaumon@augean.eleceng.adelaide.edu.AU) wrote:
: Can anyone who has experience with turbocharger rebuilds give me some help.
: I am putting a Garrett (AirResearch) T2 unit on a 1600 Fiat motor, i
: bought a second hand turbo which appears in good condition except the 
: shaft has 25 thou play in it. I have read the book by McInnes (?sp) on
: turbocharging (HP books) which says 4 thou is normal for floating bearings.
: All other parts (housings, impellers, wastegate, actuator) appear good.

: Any special things i should look for when i 
: disassemble it? Is $200 reasonable for bearings + seals?
: thanks, andrew

I rebuilt a Garrett turbo a few years ago, and it wasn't too bad.  The 'seals'
are acutally little piston-ring type things, and if you can rebuild a
brake master cylinder, you can do a turbo.

If you replace the bearings, rings (seals) and the shaft, you more or less
have a new turbocharger.

I'd put it above a brake job, but below an engine rebuild.
--

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: Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Petrol leak
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 10:08:30 -0500

 DT> >>Is there any method of checking for petrol leaks?
 DT> >
 DT> >Smartassed answer: Yup. With a match. :-)
 DT> 
 DT> I was goint to say that!
 DT> 
 DT> Seriously.  For those really hard to find leaks.  Dry the offending 
 DT> area 
 DT> carefully. Then puff some talcum/baby powder all round the area and 
 DT> wait.
 DT> Later check to see where the powder has become damp or been washed off.

If feasible, you can also pressurize the gas tank (e.g., by blowing into the
filler or vent line) and seeing where gas comes out. This is also good for
finding vacuum leaks on the inlet side of the fuel pump.
From: pshyvers@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Peter Shyvers)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: SURVEY: Home mechanic's favorites
Date: 14 Aug 92 23:14:13 GMT
Reply-To: pshyvers@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Peter Shyvers)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Originator: daemon@sword.eng.pyramid.com

In article <16eep0INN66i@smli.Eng.Sun.COM> lockwood@acidqueen.Eng.Sun.COM (Jim Lockwood) writes:
>>>>>I'm starting a new survey.
>>>>>
>>>>>What makes and models of cars are - in your opinion - best designed
>>>>>in the sense of:
>>>>>
>>>>>   a). Easy routine maintenance...
>>>>>   b). Easy repair...
>>>>>
>>>>>...at home (i.e. without a hoist and fancy tools)?
>

Late '60's compact to midsize GM's, and similar Fords. Esp. Pontiac Firebird
(former '69 owner), Chevelle, and LeMans.
From: samblane@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sean Samblanet)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Aerostar info (tuneups, etc)
Date: 17 Aug 92 15:55:18 GMT
Reply-To: samblane@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sean Samblanet)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD


    Just a related question.  My father had some_work done on the power
steering system in his Aerostar and when he got it back it had green
fluid in_ the power case that looked just like antifreeze.  He asked
the garage if_there was a mistake and they said no.__They just use a
different type of power steering fluid.  The only type I've ever seen
usually is some shade of pink.  Any comments?

Sean

PS The reason he wonders is that there is much more noise from the power
steering pump now.
From: dean@fringe.rain.com (Dean Woodward)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: SURVEY: Home mechanic's favorites
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 12:04:29 PDT
Organization: A sure sign of a sick mind.

mrein3@CFSMO.Honeywell.COM (Matt Rein #3) writes:

> > >>>>I'm starting a new survey.
> > >>>>What makes and models of cars are - in your opinion - best designed
> > >>>>in the sense of:
> > >>>>   a). Easy routine maintenance...
> > >>>>   b). Easy repair...
> > >>>>...at home (i.e. without a hoist and fancy tools)?
> > A '57 Chevy with a small block V8.  There is so much room in the
> I would say any pre-'74, rear wheel drive GM with a V8.  Easy to fix and
> if you can't find a part for one, you must not be in the U.S.
Well, it's in a totally different league, but... I just rebuilt the engine
in my '86 Suzuki Samurai.  The block stayed in the frame.  The hood goes
all the way back against the windshield. Compared to most cars from the 
"modern" era, there doesn't seem to be a lot of crap in the way when unbolting
the intake.  To make a long story short, it was quicker to rebuild my Suzuki
from top to bottom than it was to do the head on an '85 Nissan Sentra, for
the simple fact that I could get to things...

--
Dean Woodward           |  OK.  Last time.  This is my machine. This is my
dean@fringe.rain.com    |     Opinion.  This is my opinion on my machine.
					  Any Questions?               -me
From: ghg@en.ecn.purdue.edu (George Goble)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Air Conditioners...
Date: 16 Aug 92 22:33:03 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <9208112210.AA20386@worf> dlou@ECE.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou) writes:
>
>
>Recently (since the warm weather has started :-) I've been looking
>at cooling systems lately.
>
>I noticed that an aftermarket A/C system for a car costs $400 and 
>claims 16,500 BTU.
>
>A room air conditioner at the Price Club costs around the same and
>claims
>4,000 BTU.
>
>A 1.5"x1.5" Peltier device costs around $21 and claims 200 BTU.
>
>My questions are these:
>
>1> What is the BTU rating of your average economy car A/C system?
>
>2> How useful are BTU ratings?
>
>3> Is it possible to construct an A/C out of Peltier devices?
>
Typical "factory air" systems in cars are around 2-3 HP (approx 2-3 tons)
or 24000-36000 BTUs.  My Pontiac Transport Van now develops approx
5-6 tons (60000-72000) BTUs on hot days (over 90F), but that is with
experimental refrigerant, defrost timer, etc.  That "feels good"
for those times when starting up a roasting car, but it is over
kill for average driving, except maybe in humid south Florida.
It puts out 28F air @ 100F outside, highway driving.. 34-36F city.

You could make one out of Peltier devices, but depending on the
effeciency of them would require 4-10 HP to power a generator
or alternator to make the electricity for it (several hundreds
of amps).  My GM alternators burn out just running the two
fans! (radiator and heater)... and they are rated at 100A at that!
Sure don't build things like they used to.   There is no free lunch.
--ghg