HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: epc1@quads.uchicago.edu (Merlin)
Subject: Re: Good books to learn auto mechanics?
Reply-To: epc1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 16:27:14 GMT

In article <1992Sep12.142403.18673@cornerstone.com> aefron@cornerstone.com (Andrew Efron) writes:
>In article <1992Sep12.033515.2237@koko.csustan.edu>, james@koko.csustan.edu 
>(Jonas Grumpy) writes:
>
>> >What is/are THE authoritative book/s on automobile mechanics.  I would
>> >like to learn both theory and practical instruction.  My goal
>> >is to be better than 80% of the auto mechanics.  How do auto mechanics
>> >learn their trade?  (besides hands-on experience).
>> >
>> >Any help would be appreciated.
>> >Thanks.
>> >

>> You wanna be an auto mechanic?? I hope your five years old. Because that
>> is the best age to start learning. You have to be raised an auto mechanic.
>> There is no book(s) thacan n teach you mechanics. If you want to be
>> better than 80% of the mechanics out their. You had better be prepared
>> to give up your current lifestyle and become an apprentice at joes corner
>> gastation. Being a mechanic is more tn changing your brakes or installing
>> a rebuilt water pump.

I want to learn about cars so that I never have to rely on a mechanic.
I recently bought my first car and I'm having some trouble with it.

Is there REALLY more to being a mechanic than installing a water pump?  Like
not being able to spell - by any chance?


-- 
En Pum Cho					
University of Chicago Class of 1994
math & economics major
epc1@midway.uchicago.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com (Les Bartel)
Subject: Re: disc braks again
Keywords: discs vs drums
Reply-To: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Organization: Dazix, An Intergraph Company
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 13:34:25 GMT

In article <1992Sep11.020550.28190@julian.uwo.ca>, wlsmith@valve.heart.rri.uwo.ca (Wayne Smith) writes:
|> And while we're still on this topic  :)
|> 
|> -> what do planes, trains, semi-trucks (ie MAC trucks/16 wheelers/tractor-
|>    trailers) use for brakes?

18 wheelers use drum brakes (I should know, I've replaced several sets).
There are four pads per drum (two on each shoe).  The originals are 
usually riveted to the shoe.  We bought boxes of pads which were bolted
to the shoe after drilling the rivets to remove the old pads.   The pads
are approximately 4" x 6" and curved to fit the contour of the shoes/drums.
The drums are around 15 - 18" diameter and weigh about 75 pounds.  I might
add that they use drum brakes on each axle, not the front disk/rear drum
configuration seen on many autos today.  Of course these are air brakes,
so there is no fluid to boil.  Loss of air pressure will cause the brakes
to engage and slow the vehicle until it stops or brake fade occurs.

I am not very familiar with planes or trains, but I seem to recall a small
plane having disk brakes (and very small disks and pads at that!).  I
have seen a brake looking gizmo on trains that contacts the same surface
of the wheel that rides on the rail (like stagecoach brakes).

 - les

-- 
Les Bartel			lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Dazix, An Intergraph Company	uunet!ingr!b23b!naomi!lester
Huntsville, AL			(205) 730-8537

There are three kinds of people in the world:
Those who can count, and those who can't.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: stevenh@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (steven.t.heinsius)
Subject: Re: Ford ABS error code display. where is it?
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 13:32:53 GMT

depends on which car.
the broncoII has the abs module on the driver side, rear seat, left
panel.  If you pop the panel you will see it.  The bronco had
a fault code for the module that  goes in series with the rear brake line
cost about 100 bucks 

good luck

steve
------------
From article <Bu9Jz2.A59@acsu.buffalo.edu>, by bartnik@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Bartnik):
> I'm trying to find out why my rear anti-lock light is being displayed
> about 20 seconds after it initially goes off after startup. I read
> in a Chilton's manual that there is an error code that flashes under
> the dash on the ABS module somewhere, but I haven't been able to locate
> it.  Anyone have experience with this?
> 
> Dave Bartnik
From: jhh@sprite.berkeley.edu (John H. Hartman)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: fixing dented headers
Followup-To: rec.autos.tech
Date: 8 Sep 1992 05:05:46 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: loiter.berkeley.edu


Some of the tubes on my headers are dented.. Looks like the previous
owner overestimated the car's ground clearance at one time.  All
4 of the lower pipes are dented in varying amounts.  My first
question is whether or not this can be repaired.  I can't be the
first person to have this problem, and it seems like a waste to
get a whole new set of headers.  My second question is how much of
an effect the dents have anyway.  One of the tubes looks about %50
closed.  New headers for the car run about $200 so I'd rather not
replace them unless I have to.

Thanks for the advice.

John
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
John H. Hartman
Graduate Student, UCB Sprite project
jhh@sprite.berkeley.edu
From: ae454@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Paul Simundza)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Need help on Installing a Kill Switch
Date: 12 Sep 1992 18:13:23 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: ae454@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Paul Simundza)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


I need sum help on installing a kill switch in my car, like what do
I kill, Power to the starter? How many Amps should the switch be able
to handle? what Gauge wire would suffice? any other little tips I should
know? thanks in advance!

-- 
Paul Simundza                  | Cleve.Freenet: ae454@cwru.edu
                               | Compuserve: 71441.217@compuserve.com
                               | CSU(Internet): pauls@madnick.cba.csuohio.edu
From: bsmg9810@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Bhaskar S. Manda)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Annoying Achieva
Date: 13 Sep 92 16:45:57 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

love@stacken.kth.se (Love Feuer) writes:

>In article <716325877.F00005@blkcat.UUCP> Steve.Kaess@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Kaess) writes:
>>> [ Stuff about auto-lock deleted. ]
>>> Is this law now? Or is it done because the Oldsmobile doors
>>> won't stay closed by themselves?
>>> [ ... ]

>> [ Followup about people getting into your car when
>>   you don't want them to also deleted. ]

>Remember that if you wreck your car with the doors locked, the 
>police/ambulance people will have to cut your car open with a
>hydraulic pair of scissors in order to get you out, if you are unable
>to unlock the doors yourself. This will take A LOT longer than just opening
>the door and get you out.
>You may be safe while your waiting for a green light, but you may also
>die while you wait for the hydraulic pair of scissors to arrive.
>/Love Feuer 
>(love@lk.se || love@stacken.kth.se)

Can't they break the window and open the door ? If the driver can open
it from inside, the ambulance people should be able to do it through
the window.

Bhaskar(bhaskar@orion.me.uiuc.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: j_manning@csc32.enet.dec.com (John Manning)
Subject: Castrol Syntec
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 04:22:39 GMT


Has anyone tried Castrol's new synthetic called Syntec?  I noticed that it is
5W50.  Widest range I have ever seen...


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|    John Manning                       |  Opinions expressed are my own.     |
|    j_manning@csc32.enet.dec.com       |  I do not represent Digital Equip.  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: koziarzw@lonex.rl.af.mil (Walter Koziarz)
Subject: Re: Texaco Havoline horror stories?
Keywords: bad oil
Organization: RL
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 12:14:21 GMT

In article <1992Sep9.015326.7451@cactus.org> thompson@cactus.org (Charles Thompson) writes:
>I have heard two bad stories about quality control on Texaco
>Havoline motor oil.

>Has anyone else heard bad things about Havoline?  Other than
>quality control it seems to be an o.k. oil.

Well, for whatever this tid-bit is worth -- Texaco Havoline Superior Multi-
Grade is the Factory-Fill oil used by Kenworth and Peterbilt...  Translation
-- it's sufficient to protect a turbocharged Diesel that produces 400+HP
at 2250 rpm (or so) (lotsa torque!!!!!! and main and rod bearing stress...)

Walt K.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: spark plug nightmare & warning.....
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 4 Sep 92 18:36:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * Jacksonville AR USA * 501-985-0059


-> My intuition tells me that if the engine didn't smoke at startup when
-> the heads were brand new, then it ought to be possible to intall new
-> guides that duplicate the factory clearances and that yield the same
-> non-smoking start-up behavior.

 Unfortunately, some cars *do* smoke at startup.  A friend's '90
Corvette huffs a cloud of blue smoke in the morning.  In the owner's
manual is a prominently printed warning:  GM won't consider warranty
repair unless the car uses more than a quart of oil every 1500 miles.
For a new $39,000 car?  Yup.  Seems they've reduced the tension on the
oil rings, the valve stem seals have also been changed, etc, all in the
name of reducing internal friction.  So the car uses oil.
From: rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Jon D. Rodder)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Speedo for late-model GM
Date: 13 Sep 92 02:28:33 GMT
Reply-To: rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Jon D. Rodder)
Followup-To: rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: rodder@minnie.cc.utexas.edu

I've got a 1991 GMC fullsize pickup that I am working on for a project.
Since the engine is rather high performance, I don't trust the stock
gauges and have complemented them with AutoMeter race gauges.  This
configuration with gauges tacked on all over the place looks pretty
bad, and also puts the "good" gauges out of the driver's line of
sight.  So, I'd like to remove the stock insrutment panel and replace
it with my nice gauges.  The only problem with this scenario is the
speedometer.  The truck has rear-ABS which requires I retain the
GM 1000 pulse/mile speed sensor which is mounted in the transmission.
I have so far been unable to find any speedometer that can handle
such a high frequency.  Does anyone have some suggestions as to
how to adapt a speedo to my configuration?  As I see it, my options are
 1) Find a speedo that works with the GM sensor.
 2) Use an electronic speedo that will work with driveshaft magnets
 3) Use an electronic speedo and build a circuit to scale down the GM
    sensor's output to what the speedo wants.
Any input would be appreciated...  I can't be the first person to
have done this.

-- 
Jon D. Rodder
rodder@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu

67 Camaro RS - 350/4spd
79 Rx-7 - 12A/Holley 4bbl
89 Jeep Wrangler - 258/PIECE OF JUNK!
From: Steve.Kaess@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Kaess)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: disc braks again
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 13:41:51 -0500

 >
 > In article <1992Sep11.020550.28190@julian.uwo.ca>, wlsmith@valve.heart.
 > rri.uwo.ca (Wayne Smith) writes:
 > |> And while we're still on this topic  :)
 > |>
 > |> -> what do planes, trains, semi-trucks (ie MAC trucks/16
 > wheelers/tractor-
 > |>    trailers) use for brakes?
 >
 > 18 wheelers use drum brakes (I should know, I've replaced
 > several sets).
 > There are four pads per drum (two on each shoe).  The originals
 > are
 > usually riveted to the shoe.  We bought boxes of pads which
 > were bolted
 > to the shoe after drilling the rivets to remove the old
If one looks at the front wheels of a medium truck like a big ford 
that has the bed on the chasis like a stake body, or the type of 
truck furniture appliance and department stores use a big shiney 
disk is visable...try it at the stoplight...they do still have drums 
in back.
 
small a/c have tiny disks...but they just have to do 1 stop!!!
there is little use on the ground except for slowing from landing...
From: pnelson@natasha.Tymnet.COM (Phil Nelson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: supercharged vehicle
Summary: slight correction ;-)
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:52:07 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <n097bt@ofa123.fidonet.org> Larry.Mc.Donald@ofa123.fidonet.org writes:

>lunch.  Turbos are generally preferred because they are inherently 
>sensitive to load conditions, whereas superchargers are not. During 

 You mean inherently sensitive to what the load conditions were 2 or 3
seconds, ago, don't you?



Phil Nelson . pnelson@tymix.Tymnet.COM . San Jose, CA, USA . 408-922-7508
Perhaps the reason the modern liberal so disdains the 2nd amendment, and so
loves the 1st, is that the 2nd protects our right to take action in defense
of liberty, while the 1st protects our right to talk about it.
From: ggg@hpsad.sad.hp.com (Gary Goodlund)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Interested in Nissan turbo 300ZX (automatic!?)
Date: 4 Sep 92 19:59:31 GMT
Organization: HP Signal Analysis Division - Rohnert Park, CA

Hi Bill,

You're right-the last time I was in Plano, it was raining like crazy!!
More to the point though, I don't think I would say anything to the 
insurance company.  If there is a catagory they can find to stuff you 
into that would raise your rate, that kind of question would encourage
them to do so.  

Maybe you need a "beater" 4X4 for bad weather and a garage to keep the 
Z in.  From the impression I've gotten from owners around here, you'll
probably have a lot of fun with it.

'later,
  Gary
From: henryng@tellabs.com (Henry Ng)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Jeep YJ
Date: 15 Sep 92 13:33:57 GMT
Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL

In article <BuDGDw.Gwo@taligent.com> Todd O'Connor <todd_oconnor@taligent.com> writes:
>The YJ has much less ground clearance than the CJ.  I have an '89 Wrangler and am
>installing a 2 1/2" suspension lift and 33" tires to overcome the ground clearance
>problem.  I use this vehicle around town and in the Sierras where rocks are
>abundant.  I've had some problems with shifting into 2nd when cold, the ECU (ie
>computer) needed to be replaced, and some other general tune-up problems.  Other
>than that the vehicle has ran fine.
>
>If you are shopping for a new YJ think hard about the following options:
>
>          Hard-top (much cheaper to buy as a package off the lot than later)
>          4.0L Engine (lots of power and torque)
>          3.54 Gears (better off-road and for towing)
>          Trac-Lock (semi-good factory limited slip, something is better than
>nothing)
>          A/C (eventhough it's a tack on item it can be a good investment)
>
>Also keep in mind that the Jeep is not a car.  It rides rough, the wind noise can
>be loud at times, does not have that much room for cargo or passengers, does not
>get great gas mileage, but than you're not buying it for those reasons.  You're
>buying a Jeep!!!
>
>
>
>tc
>todd_oconnor@taligent.com

What about the CJs? Can you or anybody give me any advices on what to look
out for? I'm interested in the CJ only because I like the fact that the
doors can be taken off easily and there is no row bar next to the driver's
head. 
I've never own a Jeep before therefore I need as much info as possible.

Thanks

Henry Ng
henryng@tellabs.com
From: v058l789@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Ethan A Bowerman)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Supercharged vehicles
Date: 10 Sep 92 16:50:00 GMT
Distribution: rec.autos, rec.autos.tech, rec.autos.sport
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Sep09.220337.4671@lobo.rmhs.colorado.edu>, seanr@lobo.rmhs.colorado.edu (Sean Reifschneider) writes...
>In article <1992Sep8.161221.28786@athena.cs.uga.edu> dug@athena.cs.uga.edu (Douglas Brown) writes:
>>Does anyone out there have any comments on these.  Are they good?  Are they
>>bad?  Compared with a turbo charger?  What does everyone think?
> 
>They're not new...  A turbocharger is just an exhaust driven supercharger
>as opposed to an engine driven one.  In fact some literature associated with
>the Ford Probe is kind of hard to read because it said 'turbocharged/super
>charged'.  I finally found they were just repeating themselves.

	Agreed- a supercharger is anything that put the intake charge into
the intake at a higher than atmospheric pressure.  Ram-air is supercharging
of a sort.

>Since a Turbo runs off of the exhaust, it's esentially running off of waste
>energy.  It costs nothing, but takes a while for it to come online when the
>exhaust pressure builds up.

	Wrong- it does cost something- it constricts the flow of outgoing 
exhaust gases.  As a result, it makes less power on the top end as
opposed to a "traditional" (belt/gear driven) suppercharged engine running
as the same boost as fuel economy.  

>An engine driven supercharger is driven by the engine, hence it's always
>online.  There is no supercharger lag like there is turbo lag.  But it's
>always drawing power from the engine, and so it uses up more gas.  I always
>thought they should use a clutch on it so that when you don't want it on,
>it isn't.  Ot just have the clutch engage when the throttle is open a
>cartain percent...
> 
>Would an electronic clutch work for this?

	Yes, an electronic clutch would work- but it would be prohibitivly
expensive.  You can't have JUST a clutch- the clearances within the 
supercharger are not adequate for much air/fuel mixture flow.  You would need
a seperate intake path for when the 'charger isn't running.  

	All in all- a turbo is the best supercharger for a street aplication.
For a drag strip- it is "traditional" superchargers all the way...



						Ethan

>Sean
From: ben@monmouth.edu (Bennett Broder)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Aftermarket turbo kits
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:32:10 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ  07764

In article <1992Sep10.162809.23625@news.nd.edu> mikeb@nowaksg.chem.nd.edu (Michael George Buening) writes:
>In article <1992Sep9.235936.20640@spdc.ti.com> orr@epcot.spdc.ti.com (Ken Orr) writes:
+>In article <5630167@hplsla.hp.com> genet@hplsla.hp.com (Gene Taylor) writes:
+>>>In article tafrakes@athena.mit.edu (T. Andy Frakes) writes:
+>>>|> I'm thinking of adding a turbo to a '92 Eclipse (1.8L).  Any other
+>>>|> suggestions would also be appreciated.
+[lots of stuff deleted]
+Although I agree with the statements that you can't (or rather shouldn't)
+simply bolt on a turbo without a lot of other considerations, what do you
+netfolk think about simply engine swaping instead of buying a whole new car?
+Just a thought.

In this application, he would still be better off trading his car for
one with a factory turbo.  There are many other upgrades, e.g. 16" wheels
with low profile tires vs. 14" wheels with standard performance tires, etc,
that enable the car to better make use of the increased power of the turbo
engine.

-- 

Bennett Broder               Monmouth College
                             Computer Services
ben@monmouth.edu             W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: welty@cabot.balltown.cma.COM (richard welty)
Subject: Re: Suspension, tire + shock questions
Organization: New York State Institute for Sebastian Cabot Studies
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:51:56 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.143330.20963@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> dtn@po.CWRU.Edu (Donald T. Noda) writes:

>	I was wondering about a few things.  First, does the
>wider tires have better traction?  What about in snow and rain?
>I live in Cleveland--land of snow.

wider tires may offer better traction on dry pavement; they may or
may not reduce traction on wet pavement; and they will most definitely
reduce traction on mud and snow.  if you live in cleveland, and only
plan to own one set of tires, then this must be kept in mind.

>  I am often traveling between
>here and Long Island and being a college student, I have much to
>carry.  Are there ways of making the load easier on my car.  I
>notice that the rear sags with all the weight and 500+ miles
>I feel is a long way to go like that.  Heavier shocks?

possibly.  there are other things that are done; for example, there
are sometimes stiffer springs for tow vehicles, which might be applicable
in a car used to haul lots of stuff.

in any case, add a couple of pounds of air to the rears any time you
plan to carry a heavy load at high speed.

>  Any
>recommended?  Lastly, I have a soft ride thus the performance 
>of handling is not great.  My tires are wearing on the outside
>edges (front only) I think because it can't deal with tight
>fast turns that I like to take.

next alignment, have a half a degree more negative camber put in
the front.

>  I have crappy tire on the
>front too.  Is that a consideration?

it could be; the outside front tire will carry the load in any
corner taken at speed.

>  Is there a way of
>"tightening my suspension to improve handling?
>	Sorry to be such a question box but I have been trying to 
>get the most out of my car.  By the way it is an 81 Buick Regal.

with a car that old, it is likely that simply replacing the suspension
bushings will tighten the car up quite a bit.  shocks are a
relatively inexpensive upgrade as well, and decent tires are a must.
changes beyond that can get expensive, and unless carefully planned,
can have the wrong results.

richard
-- 
richard welty                            518-393-7228
welty@cabot.balltown.cma.com
  ``if you can read this, mario, you're too close''
    -- bumper sticker seen on a CART safety truck
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: ifversen@fnalo.fnal.gov (King Under the Mountain)
Subject: Re: Jeep YJ
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 16:55:51 GMT
X-Posted-From: fnalo.fnal.gov
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <BuFBJH.C9n@news.larc.nasa.gov>,
  DEVILBISS@OCTAVE.LARC.NASA.GOV (Zaphod Beeblebrox) writes:

> By the way again . . . Does anybody know anything about a EFI kit available 
> for 6 cyl. Wranglers with Carbs?  I saw a advertisement for one in a magazine 
> that looked interesting.  It's being marketed by JEEP.  

   The EFI kit is a direct bolt-on for the 258 6 cylinder engines.  The kit
costs about $1500.00 (in this area, anyway), and takes several hours to install
if you know what you are doing (figure a couple of days (working part-time) if
you are mechanically inclined but have never installed one before).  One of
the four wheeler type magazines had an article a month or so back about
installing one of these units.  They seemed to like the performance the kit
added, but did have one word of warning -- READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS COMPLETELY
BEFORE STARTING -- you may have to fiddle around a bit to get things to fit
properly, depending on your particular installation.  (Of course, it's been a
while since I read the article in question, so my memory could be a bit fuzzy.)
   The kit is available through MOPAR performance outlets (check a local
dealer parts department for locations near you).
   As always, YMMV.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David J. (djinn) Ifversen              |
FermiLab RD/SOD?/Operations            |  My employer doesn't care about my
Particles -R- Us                       |  opinions, so why should anybody else?
'83 750 Maxim          DoD #0662       |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------