HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cmj@horus.cem.msu.EDU (Chris Jenkins|xxxxxx)
Subject: Re: Emission control was Re: American engines oversized,underpowered ?
Organization: Michigan State University
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 18:00:31 GMT

From article <1992Apr17.100533.19372@gdr.bath.ac.uk>, by bspahh@gdr.bath.ac.uk (Andrew Henry):
> 
> I'm also a little wary of being more "green" by fitting my car with
> a variety of rare metal catalysts.  Where do these come from, and am 
> I just transferring my environmental problems to somewhere else?
> 
> 			Andrew  Henry

The metals used in catalysts (to my knowledge) are largely inert to
humans (I am not currently aware of any toxicity).  Platinum, like
gold, is quite harmless, I believe.  I don't think zirconium is
toxic, either.
I may be wrong, but I don't think any of the other metals used
in catalytic converters are poisonous in the manner of other
heavy metals (to which I assume you are referring).  If someone
ca correct me on this please do.
Anyway, no.  Converters help the environmemnt.  Not the opposite.

---cmj
From: geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM (Geoff Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: photo radar
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:36:37 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Menlo Park, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: purplehaze.corp.sun.com



>davida@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (David Andersen) writes:

>>In some cities around me, they use a modified version of the photo-radar.
>>It does not send a ticket (people won't storm city hall!), but it does
>>post in HUGE digital numbers the speed that you are travelling.
>>Above the speed is a replica of the speed limit sign for the street.

Where's the "photo" aspect?  

This sounds like the cops' new toy in my hometown (Mountain View, Ca) -- a 
trailer with a generator, K-band radar unit and a big yellow LCD; they
park it at various random locations around town for a day at a time.



In article <1992Apr16.173952.20932@hubcap.clemson.edu> 
lharris@hubcap.clemson.edu (Larry Harris) writes:

>Yes, but you neglected to mention that Highway patrolmen (patrolpersons
>for you PC nuts) are not out there to make us safer, they're there to
>make money.  Actually I refer to them as revenue collection agents, or
>moving toll booth attendants, along with the usual choice blend of
>profanity based names.

As a columnist in C/D recently pointed out, speeding fines are really 
nothing but taxes on a valuable commodity: getting from A to B in a 
reasonable amount of time.

(Why did C/D start calling all of its writers "editors?"  The editor is
the guy in charge, fercrissakes, not the memebers of the rank and file.)



Geoff


-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Geoff Miller                    + + + + + + + +        Sun Microsystems
geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM  + + + + + + + +     Menlo Park, California
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
From: ac579@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (G.C.J. Timm)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: An interesting Comparison
Date: 9 Apr 92 02:39:50 GMT
Article-I.D.: usenet.1992Apr9.023950.13913
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)


From the June 1990 issue of Car and Driver Magazine (see I do
read something besides Consumer Reports)

Jaguar XK-E 1966 3-door Coupe'
In line 4.2 Lt. 6 cyl.  265 HP
Weight 2860 lbs
0-60  7.1 Seconds
1/4 Mile  15.4 92 Mph
70 - 0 194 ft.
300 ft skid pad 0.74 G

From Motor Trend February 1991

Dodge Spirit R/T 1991 4-door Sedan
In line 2.2 Lt. 4 cyl. Turbo charged 224 HP
Weight 3060 lbs.
0-60  6.9
1/4 Mile  15.3  98 Mph
60 - 0 127 ft. (Note difference)
Lateral acceleration, g... 0.81 G  (Note difference)

Of course the Jag cost $ 5,100 in 1966, and is worth around
$60,000 now.....

Jeff
Who is old enough to remember when the Jaguar XK-E Defined
Sports Car Performance.
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.vw
From: randy%rdr.com@uu.psi.com (Randy Tidd)
Subject: Re: Common electrical problem
Reply-To: randy%rdr.com@uu.psi.com (Randy Tidd)
Organization: RDR, Inc.
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 00:33:49 GMT

In article <17739@oasys.dt.navy.mil> lung@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Terence Lung)  
writes:
> If your wall electrical outlet doesn't provide, what can be wrong?
> 
> ok. ok.  this has next to nothing to do with autos!  but the 
> mentality requires the same.  what do we say about a new newsgroup...
> rec.homes.repair?????

Okay, speaking of bizarre electrical things... on my new GTI (yes I'm the  
one that posted a few days ago about the coolant light and stuck oil  
filter), every time I get out of the car, I get a static shock.  It only  
happens when my feet are grounded (i.e. on the ground) and I touch a metal  
part of the car, and only immediately after I get out.  It gets worse the  
longer I drive!  I get some real doozies when I drive even 10 or 15 miles  
across town to get to the office.  It's gotten to the point where I'm  
always sure to touch the car with a clothed part of my body to decrease  
the pain of the shock.

Okay.  What's up?

Randy
randy@rdr.com
From: mdrayton@hpmwtd.HP.COM (Mike Drayton)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 17:25:38 GMT
Subject: Re: Sprockets' alignment
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (NMD MTA MWTD). - Santa Rosa, Ca.
Newsgroups: rec.autos

 henry@netlink.cts.com (Henry Sevilla) writes:

>[Much deleted] Thanks for that info.
You're welcome -- as a disclaimer I must say that I've only owned
overhead-cam engines, so the ease of observing the engine timing may
vary for you.

>   Well, since my chain was loose, as well as the distributor sprocket, it'd 
>probably be hard to tell what cylinder it would be  firing on once I aligned 
>it.  It seems from what you say though, that I could safely seal up my 
>engine, timing chain/sprockets aligned to 1st cylinder TDC and play around 
>with the distributor after the engine is closed up? I assume I would
>have to pull it out of the engine and re-mesh its gear properly. That leads 
>me to my final question then...How do I do that? :) 
  >The chilton's manual has a section for installation of dist w/timing 
>lost.. is that what is needed here?
----------
Sounds like that's exactly what's needed here.  If you can be
confident about the crankshaft-camshaft relationship, you can
disengage the distributor drive and put the distributor rotor wherever
you want it, i.e. pointing to the dist. cap contact for cylinder #1 
(or whichever cylinder you are using as your timing reference).  Then,
of course, you can make fine timing adjustments as you normally would
in a tune-up.  Does this sound at all like the procedure in your
Chilton's book?

Note:  If you're not confident about the crankshaft-camshaft
relationship, you might rotate the engine through a couple turns by
hand.  That way, if there are any piston-valve collisions destined to
occur, you will diagnose them without damaging anything.
 
Mike Drayton
mdrayton@sr.hp.com
From: kls30@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Kent L Shephard)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: BMW Z1
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:09:12 GMT
Reply-To: kls30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com
Distribution: na
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Apr15.175534.6773@tellab5.tellabs.com> silver@tellabs.com (Ed Silverstein) writes:
>I saw a BMW Z1 in Munich last week.  Does anyone know more than it is a
>production racing car (like the M-series {M3,M5} cars).  I looked about 3-4
>years old.  I have two pictures, from the front-right and rear-left corners
>if that is any help.  It had standard German license plates, and was parked on
>a street near the Opera House.
>
>
>More info about what it is, when they are/were produced would be appreciated.
>
Produced for a couple of years. Last year produced 1991.  Not a race car
but a roadster.  Steet highway use.  New 3 series has suspension inherited
from the Z1.

Not avail in the U.S. never crash tested for the U.S.
Convertable with drop down door sills for entry and exit.
--
/*  -The opinions expressed are my own, not my employers.    */
/*      For I can only express my own opinions.              */
/*                                                           */
/*   Kent L. Shephard  : email - kls30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com   */
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: crpresto@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Charlie Preston)
Subject: Re: Are all Americans Stupid???
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 18:18:39 GMT
Organization: Illinois State University

In article <1992Apr14.140550.20408@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk> kerrat@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Adrian T Kerr) writes:
>Where are the statistics that say 55mph is the safest maximum ...

The American safety nazis have conducted studies that produce the results
wanted so they can justify inappropriate regulation, i.e., low speed limits.
The insurance industry has formed a conspiracy with the safety nazis and
provided funding for biased 'research'.  In fact, the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety has opposed driver education in public high schools--they
*want* everyone to be stupid I guess.

Chas

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: borres@aix.rpi.edu (Steven D. Borrelli)
Subject: Re: why buy japanese?
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 05:33:16 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.004019.12167@news.unomaha.edu> CONSLT24@Zeus.unomaha.edu (Issa El-Hazin) writes:
>> 
>> 
>
>Hmmmm, What can I say, how hard one suppose to look esp. since (as far as
>I know) the US don't make any VCR's, Cam Corders, CD's (CD players?) ?
>As it has been said, only one American manf. makes TV's (Zenith) and their
>stuff is assembeled in Mexico. The Japanese are being used as an escape goat
>due to the US bad economy IMHO. Whoever you are please give your fingers (an
>over due) break. Its easy to point the finger I guess.
>


(Not realy responding to the previous post, but...)

If you look at the back of your Japanese TV, you'll probably find that it
was built in the USA. In fact, many Japanese electronics companies have
factories here in the US. (We are actually a net EXPORTER of TVs)
With the Japanese transplant car factories that have sprung up in the last 
decade, more cars are built in the USA today than in 1980. 

The Japaese have invested heavily in our country, and their Economy is 
dependent on ours to a large extent. They have a strong interest in seeing
America (and the rest of the world) prosper so that they can export more
of their products. As any Economics textbook will tell you, multinational
trade is usually a win-win scenario. 

While it is noble to want to do the best for your country, you should 
remember that Accords are made in Ohio and Apple Powerbooks are made in
Ireland.  It's going to be hard to be nationalistic in the coming
world economy...


-- 
Steven D. Borrelli                
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute '92                  
borres@rpi.edu  (NeXTmail)                      

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: planger@mailbox.fwrdc.rtsg.mot.com (Paul Langer)
Subject: Japs and Taxes (was Re: Japanese auto industry)
Organization: Oompa Loompa Preservation Society
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 22:16:20 GMT

 Did anyone see the program last week on network television about
Japanese auto companies and taxes. I don't remeber the show, I think
it was that one with Sam Donaldson. Anyway, it comes down to the
Japanese lying about the amount of profits that they make on sales
in the United States. They basically are engaging in money laundering
to get the cash back to Japan. It was shown that dollar for dollar,
the US Auto industry pays more tax on equal priced vehicles. Currently,
the IRS is starting to audit these companies more often. A Senate
investigation is under way demanding the TRUE financial records of
these companies be released to the IRS. Guess what, these multi-million
dollar japanese companies said they LOST the records. What a bunch of
CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPP!! Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with
making a buck, but at least make an honest dollar.


Anyone else seen that segment?

-Paul

-My opinions are my own, wonk, wonk, wonk.
From: awds_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Clark Kent)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Turbo-Revving
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:59:42 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

Thanks to those of you who replied to my initial post, I guess the problem is
either mechanical with the throttle cable/linkage sysytem, or I have a more
serious electronic problem.  Does anyone know if Thunderbird Turbo 2.3L have
rev limiters?  Thinking about when this all happened, the engine did not sound
smooth when it was revving, it kind of oscillated between two rpm levels.  Also,
what causes the turbo to kick in under a load.  There was a load when the car
was in gear accelerating, but there was no load when the tach went balls out.
So I can assume since the overboost alarm was silent no damage was done?  The
period of time which the ignition was off was a few seconds(<5), hopefully
there was no engine damage either.  Gee, I liked my Cevy Sprint 3 cyl.  If the
accelerator ever jammed wide open, not much would happen.  :-)
From: wrat@unisql.UUCP (wharfie)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Engine Braking - what causes it?
Date: 8 Apr 92 22:16:41 GMT
Reply-To: wrat@unisql.UUCP (wharfie)
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <1992Apr6.210956.19514@qualcomm.com> ganapath@tahoe.qualcomm.com (Chinnappa Ganapathy) writes:
>What causes engine braking?  I'm sure there are a number of factors

	I once broke a VW engine by backing into a telephone pole at 
about 20 MPH.  Usually, engine breaking is caused by improper maintenance
though.
From: howp@skyfox.usask.ca
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Objectivity of Motorweek (...I like Driver's Seat)
Date: 7 Apr 92 22:04:43 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan

Peter A. Cohen (peterco@eff.org) writes:

>In article  Mark J. Rinehart, rinehart@aramis.rutgers.edu writes:

>>get the picture. Overall, I like MotorWeek better than the other show
>>of its kind, featuring the 2 British (possibly Canadian) guys who do

>Ah, yes.  I believe the show is "Driver's Seat."  I don't like this one
>as nearly as much as MotorWeek (and I do believe it's from
>Canada...american-like, but strange pronounciation of words like
>"Mazda").  There's an Australian-sounding guy on it, right?

Yes, that's the show with Ted Large-Turning-Radius and Baloney Whitney :).
Ted Laturnus (sp?) is the fat, bald guy and Tony Whitney is the stuffy, tall
British (Aussie?) guy.  I like the show in spite of their bias for Morgans
and Volkswagons.  I don't like the rapid fire back and forth dialogue 
between the two.  They never seem to be able to complete a thought before
they've rushed to a different topic, but they aren't afraid to pan cars
they don't like.  The Buick Roadmaster was one (the 'RoadMonster') and the
Pontiac Firefly Convertible (or its badge-engineered relative) was panned
as the worst car of the year (I can't remember which year).

>- Peter

Peter How, Graduate Student,
ISAS
Univ. Of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, SK
CANADA
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: kenny@world.std.com (Kenneth R Crudup)
Subject: Re: Passing cars on the right...why?
Organization: Software Tool&Die, (Boston), MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 23:09:36 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.170843.12410@cbnewsi.cb.att.com> acura@cbnewsi.cb.att.com
(james.r.feeney) says:
>I travel the major highways here in N.J. (Gareden State Pkwy, Turnpike, I-287)
>quite often and I've noticed that on 3-lane roads, people seem to prefer 
>passing on the right instead of the left.

>Has anyone else noticed this?

YES!

>Any suggestions as to why?

Because NJ drivers ALWAYS DRIVE IN THE LEFT LANE. Always, except when getting
off. I'ts like a goddamn disease. Every time I go to NYC, I find myself doing
80 in the right lanes of 91 and 95, because a cadre of blue plates is hogging
the left lane at the warp speed of 65, lemming style. I was going to the
Rutgers area last year, and it was too funny to be true. EVERYBODY was in the
left lane, except for those folks who were passing. I found myself on the
right behind a guy with no one around, in the left lane all too himself doing
around 65. After I passed him, someone blinked him, he moved over, got
passed, and he moved back.

I just came from NYC this weekend. All but about 6 cars w/Jersey plates I saw
were in the left lane, even though quite often, the right lanes were moving
faster.

NYC (as opposed to state) plated-cars tended to have the same behavior. It
comes from Americans calling the left lane the "fast lane" instead of what
it really is, the "passing lane".

-- 
Kenny Crudup, Unix Systems Consultant	kenny@world.std.com
16 Plainfield St. Jamaica Plain, (Boston), MA 02130-3633
Home +1 617 524 5929 	Home Fax +1 617 983 9410
							Lick Bush in '92!
Organization: Penn State University
Date: Tuesday, 14 Apr 1992 11:24:28 EDT
From: <PAH112@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Car Wax Recomme./ Warning!! Do not....
Distribution: dal
 <1992Apr13.112327.3949@bb1t.monsanto.com> <1992Apr13.214856.21341@cs.dal.ca>

Hi,

I have had EXCELLENT results with Turtle Wax with Teflon (liquid, not paste).
This stuff goes on easy, and comes of easy.  Just use a THIN coating, not a
thick one.  The wax repells dirt, salt, water.  You should see the beads on my
hood when it rains!

Remember, DO NOT apply/remove with a circular motion, as this will cause the
dreaded swirl mark syndrome.  A straight back and forth motion is more approp-
riate.


*******************************************************************************
* Peter Howard                *  " If the speed limit is 55 mph, why does my  *
* DoD# 0924                   *    does my speedometer go to 160 ? "          *
* 1985 Ninja 600              *************************************************
* EMAIL: PAH112@PSUVM.PSU.EDU *  " Slower traffic keep right."                *
*******************************************************************************
From: aqn@tivoli.UUCP (Andy Nguyen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Using the horn
Date: 10 Apr 92 13:10:35 GMT
Reply-To: aqn@tivoli.UUCP (Andy Nguyen)
Organization: Tivoli Systems Inc., Austin, TX

mike@gilligan.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori - Information Resources) writes:
+Here in the New York Virginia (Northern Virginia) area,
+I have noticed that a person at the head of a line of cars
+can sit at a red light for 5 or more seconds, after it has
+changed to green. During this time, nobody will give so much
+as a toot of the horn, and politely ask that he/she move along.
+[ whether it's polite or right to honk;  lamenting that people have
+ no consideration ]

  I have mixed feeling on this.  I do agree that a person should be awake
  and attentive while driving i.e. not do things like ignoring the light,
  hogging the passing lane, etc...  On the other hand, I do not think that
  I am intolerant enough to honk at those less awake than I am, unless I'm
  in a _big_ emergency.

  Also, realistically, even if a person does not move five seconds
  after the light turns green (an eternity!), it would not add that much
  more time to your overall time.  So what if you get to move five seconds
  earlier, only to catch the next red light, and the one after that, and
  the one after that,...  (Assuming that you are not so far back in the line
  that the light turns red before you get there, in which case if you honk
  you ought to be shot,... and have your windscreen cleaned by a street
  person. |-)

  [ Speaking as a fifteen-year NYC city veteran, now enjoying "the life"
  in Austin, TX! ]

-- 
Andy Nguyen / Team Paranoid
(212) 267-7722				...!uunet!tivoli!aqn  OR  aqn@tivoli.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: shantanu@poseidon.oakhill.uucp (Shantanu Ganguly)
Subject: Re: CRX [was: Re: Future Honda Accords]
Organization: SPS CAD, Motorola Inc., Austin, Texas.
Date: 8 Apr 92 11:14:40

In article <1992Mar26.180312.9764@eff.org> Peter A. Cohen <peterco@eff.org> writes:

>In article  Andrew Scott Beals, abeals@autodesk.com writes:

>>Yes, son, it is.  They're not available this model year and will be
>>available when the '93s hit the market.  They will have a targa top
>>and look more like the new-style Toy MR2.

>In Japan it's known as the "Del Sol."  It's built on an entirely seperate
>platform as the Civic is (as it has been for a while, I think), and will
>be out soon.  It's really cute.

The latest Car&Driver has a picture of the Del Sol. I personally
didn't find it appealing - it has the nose of the current Civic
hatchbacks, and the back of the MR2. As usual, US drivers will
miss out the good stuff - a supercharged vtec of ~200 hp and 4wd will
be offered in Japan only. The limited info seemed to imply that
the US Del-Sol will be pitted directly against the non-turbo MR2. 

Another titbit for Honda enthuiasts - new Integra to be out in
early 1993 in 3dr hatch and 4dr hardtop style. 
--

Shantanu Ganguly
Semiconductor Systems Design Technology, Motorola

dot dot dot : shantanu@poseidon.sps.mot.com
bang bang   : !cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!poseidon!shantanu
ring ring   : (512) 891-2335

#disclaimer     This has nothing to do with Motorola.

WARNING : Do not remove tag under penalty of law.

"In Managua, people are cheering in the streets, which are deserted."

                                - CBS reporter during the solar eclipse
                                - from Larry Klaes (Maynard, MA, USA)
Xref: sparky rec.autos:11541 rec.autos.vw:2407
From: 01ksdavis@bsu-ucs.uucp
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: The GODs are telling you something (Was: Re: Comm
Date: 16 Apr 92 04:50:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: bsu-ucs.1992Apr15.235040.6547

In article <1992Apr11.181119.20107@uwm.edu>, greis@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Gayla Ann Greis) writes:
> In article <1992Apr9.003349.9382@rdr.com> randy%rdr.com@uu.psi.com (Randy Tidd) writes:
>>filter), every time I get out of the car, I get a static shock.  It only  
>>happens when my feet are grounded (i.e. on the ground) and I touch a metal  
>>part of the car, and only immediately after I get out.  It gets worse the  
>>longer I drive!  I get some real doozies when I drive even 10 or 15 miles  
>>across town to get to the office.  It's gotten to the point where I'm  
>>always sure to touch the car with a clothed part of my body to decrease  
>>the pain of the shock.
> 
>>Okay.  What's up?
> 
> YES! This ***DOES*** happen to someone else! I have this same problem in
> my folks 85 Sierra wagon. Noone else does. I do ***EVERY*** time I drive
> it. (I just thought the car liked me about as much as I like it - NOT!)
> I've kinda gotten to the point where I *like* and look forward to the
> shock... Strange, eh? Its a love/hate thing... :-) (I know, but there
> is no : alt.s+m.autos.shock group to post to! ;-)
> 
> But seriously. I have had this problem too!
	Same here, but I don't remember if it was Herbie (my first VW-a bug)
or my current Volksdragon (a type three station wagon, hence the name.)
	I never recall the shock being anything more than just a shock, maybe a
few hundredths of a volt or so.  
	One time, at night, I actually saw the spark-kind of reminds you of
those winter-green life saver commercials, don't it:-)

	Looking forward to the shock isn't necessarily a bad thing. . .  At
least you can't get aids from a car!

		-Kyle