HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ron Bense)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Wheel alignment (Re: Dirty oil after change?)
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:05:22 GMT
Reply-To: bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ronald Bense)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In rec.autos.tech, chucko@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Chuck Fry) writes:

>But I can't do everything myself... yet.

>Anyone out there know of a good home alignment setup?

NTW does a pretty good job at a fair price, and when I got mine done,
the technician had no qualms about me being there and he explained the
entire procedure and what was wrong and what he could and could not
fix as he was working on the car. (I had a pulling problem that was 
part alignment, part tire problems, and his fix with the alignment fixed 
everything else when the tires were also changed, which they gave me 
50% credit for after 22k on Dunlop D60 M2s.) All in all, NTW gets my
recommendation for good work, without needlessly doing things that don't
need to be done. And an extra, nothing else 'broke' since then, that
wasn't directly my own fault or a regular maintenance item. Could have
something to do with teh fact that they only do brakes, shocks and struts,
alignments, and, I think, mufflers.

Ron

Potassium Benzoate included as a preserver.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: dbowman@shade (Don A. Bowman)
Subject: Re: Throttle response from stop lags
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 14:55:10 GMT

limd@teal.csn.org (Davin Lim) writes:
: I have an '84 Pontiac 6000STE with a 2.8l V6 (normally-aspirated) that has some
: behavior I'd like to better understand (and get fix, if needed.)  If I try to
: accellerate "hard" from a stopped position (e.g. flooring the throttle,) there 
: is a distinct lag in the engine's response.  It will actually take a second or
: two to start building significant RPMs.  Things seem to be more responsive if 
: I don't floor the pedal but rather depress it more smoothly.  The car runs
: fine, otherwise, with reatively quick response to throttle inputs while the
: car is already in motion.  Any answers?
: 
: Thanks!
: 
: -Davin (limd@arraytech.com, limd@csn.org)
: 

I similar behaviour with my car. My Renault has a "Wide Open Throttle" switch
(WOT). This basically advances the timing a little, richens the fuel
mixture, and kills the EGR valve. The WOT activates depending on engine
vaccuum, or when the pedal suddenly goes to the floor. Needless to say,
at low speed, advancing the timing is not beneficial to the power as it
is at high speed. 

I don't know if your car has one of these, but it might. It also might be
momentarily flooding until the vaccuum picks up and sucks more fuel in.

I'd live with it if I were you -- flooring your car drops your fuel economy
to zero, and jacks the smog way up with all kinds of nasty nitrides coming
out the back.


-- 
Don Bowman                (519) 744-6154     dbowman@zeus.uwaterloo.ca
From: Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: RFD: rec.autos.antique
Date: Mon, 07 Sep 1992 14:50:42 -0500

 GS> Some months ago, I created alt.autos.antique.  There seems to have been
 GS> sufficient traffic in that newsgroup to justify a discussion and vote
 GS> on the creation of rec.autos.antique.

I vote in favor.



From: Steve.Kaess@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Kaess)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Annoying Achieva
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 13:59:56 -0500

 > While renting an Oldsmobile Achieva the other day, I noticed
 > that anytime
 > the car was taken out of Park, then the doors would lock.
 >  This ended up
 > being an annoyance since you have to flip the door lock
 > lever plus pull the
 > door release everytime you wanted to get out.
 >
 > Is this law now? Or is it done because the Oldsmobile doors
 > won't stay
 > closed by themselves?
 >
 > If it were my personal car, I think the wire cutters would
 > solve the
 > problem very nicely...
 >
 
Ya know...a while ago I might have thought it was overkill too, but 
locking the doors is a good idea for people who live in urban areas 
where crime is a problem...in a far suburb of dc/baltimore-20 miles 
from each--a woman was pulled outta her bimmer and they stole it...they 
tossed her kid out of the car in the childseat, and because the woman 
either was dragged or hung onto the car she suffered fatal trauma 
at some point.  Everyone in the area is horrified by this...and problems 
like this also happen in detroit, chicago, and la....might not be 
such a bad thing wes...



From: michaeln@hpcvnb.CV.HP.COM (Mike_Nason)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 92 22:36:02 PDT
Subject: Re: Can oxygen gauge meter fuel pressure?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, Oregon
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

   I can't answer your question as to whether you can measure the fuel injectors
with
with an oxygen gauge for sure. you should be able to.  as to the stamp "no oil"
that part is simple !  If you put oil in an oxygen gauge and then add pure
oxygen you have an instantaneous combustion. spell that "BOOM"!

   Just remember to "never use it for O2 again!! good luck.  Mike Nason
From: Michel_Denber.WBST147@XEROX.COM
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Good books to learn auto mechanics?
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:17:00 GMT


	"You will get the best prices if you can drool, come covered in grease,
and look like a redneck."

It helps to have a ponytail too.  I was quoted $85 over the phone for a part
last week at the local junque yard.  When I showed up in person (jeans, t-shirt
& long hair) and asked about the same part using lots of ain'ts and goddamn's,
the price was $75.  Didn't even have to drool for it.

			- Michel

denber.wbst147@xerox.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mikeb@nowaksg.chem.nd.edu (Michael George Buening)
Subject: Re: Aftermarket turbo kits
Organization: University of Notre Dame
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 16:28:09 GMT

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.
>>>|> 
>>>|> -Andy
>>>
>>>Why don't you just trade your car in on one with the factory turbo?
>>>You'll save yourself a lot of time, money, & headaches in the long run,
>>>and you'll have a car you can take to a competent mechanic for 
>>>maintenance.  You'll also have better resale value.
>>>----------
>>You can't just bolt power goodies like this on an engine unless it
>>was desinged for it or unless you don't care if you blow it up.
>>
>>my $.02
>>-Gene
[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.

			--Michael Buening
			internet:mikeb@nowaksg.chem.nd.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: welty@cabot.balltown.cma.COM (richard welty)
Subject: Re: Timing Belt revisited
Organization: New York State Institute for Sebastian Cabot Studies
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:40:08 GMT

In article <24404@oasys.dt.navy.mil> bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ronald Bense) writes:
*>I replaced the belt and lined everything up according to the service
*>manual but the engine does not run (well it barely runs but I don't
*>count the horrible noises its making as running).

*First, check to see if you have both cams lined up correctly, and I
*even went as far as to make sure that the distributor (mine turns off
*the intake cam, I think) was lined up to fire cylinder one. One tooth
*off would cause all kinds of running problems (I did this once :) I
*was *veeerrrryyy* careful this time. :)

quite; i had the belt one tooth off on one bank of my v-6 alfa
after i put it back together in july; the car ran like dogmeat
until i reinstalled the belt correctly.

however, unless the ``horrible noises'' are just a bad running motor,
i'd be concerned.  mechanical clanks are bad news after an episode
like this.

>>Compression test reveals only one cylinder with normal compression.
>>1) 180psi
>>2) 160psi
>>3)  90psi
>>4) 100psi

>This could be because one of your cams is a tooth off. (Or, worst case,
>you bent/broke a valve) I don't think you put a hole in a piston, as
>then I think you'd have less compression than that shown, but I'll leave
>that to others more familiar with those problems.

compression will be just about exactly 0 with a holed piston (voice
of experience talking here.)  given that the initial symptom of failure
was a failed timing belt, a holed piston is very unlikely; bent valves
are more likely.

cheers,
  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: brooks@mcnc.org (Ted Brooks)
Subject: Re: Taurus shift kits, anyone?
Organization: MCNC Center for Microelectronics, RTP, NC
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 13:24:22 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.222815.18999@access.digex.com> bote@access.digex.com (John Boteler) writes:
>Is there a cure for the dithering in the transmission
>of the Ford Taurus?
>
>My 1992 runs as well as can be expected, but it just is
>too eager to upshift to save gas; instead, on upgrades
>it shifts into third (I think it's third?) and expects
>the car to actually go somewhere, meanwhile the engine
>is pinging away under the load. A hack is to notch it
>into the "1" position momentarily then back to "D"
>and it takes the hint for a bit.

Have you checked/adjusted the shift cable/linkage? There
typically is a cable or rod running off the throttle plate
that can be adjusted to make the transmission shift earlier
or later. Check a good service manual for details. (This won't
void your warranty either.
 
Ted Brooks
 ______________________________________________________________________
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own, and do not reflect    |
| those of my employer. Advice is free, but you get what you pay for.  |
|                               ________                               |
|                         _____|  1955  |_______                       |
|                        /      Chevrolet      /                       |
|                       /______  BelAir  _____/                        |
|                              |________|                              |
|______________________________________________________________________|
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: tgl@slee01.srl.ford.com (Tom Leone)
Subject: Re: Aftermarket turbo kits
Organization: Ford Motor Company Scientific Research Labs, Dearborn, MI
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 16:08:02 GMT

tafrakes@athena.mit.edu (T. Andy Frakes) writes:
: Can someone give me some info on aftermarket turbo kits? 
: 
: I'm thinking of adding a turbo to a '92 Eclipse (1.8L).  Any other
: suggestions would also be appreciated.

As someone else pointed out, just adding a turbo to the stock
engine will probably not be as easy or desireable as you may
think (complications with engine, transmission, and cooling
system handling the extra power).

However, this does not mean you should just buy a factory-stock
car with more power.  Another alternative is an engine swap.
This has several advantages over buying the whole car:
1) Cheaper to buy (if your labor is "free")
2) Insurance company doesn't know unless you tell them
3) Pride and satisfaction in creating something unique.

There are difficulties, of course.  With modern computer-
controlled engines, you have to swap the computer, all sensors,
and wiring along with the engine.  It's also a good idea to swap
the transmission so it will handle the load, and maybe the
radiator too.  Then you have to think about driveshaft(s), etc.,
etc.  Probably the ideal solution would be to negotiate with a
junkyard to buy everything you need from the same car (with a
wrecked body).

Of course, yet another alternative is to settle for more minor
modifications.  Some suggestions: lighten up the car (remove
A/C, P/S, spare tire); investigate performance- oriented
camshaft, header, exhaust system, final drive ratio, etc.  I'm
not sure if a limited amount of nitrous oxide injection would be
risky for the engine and transmission or not.

Good luck! 
Tom Leone <tgl@slee01.srl.ford.com>
From: sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: What's a good one???  & the joys of our civilization
Summary: Good reasons why your next car should be an old rust bucket : -)
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:38:49 GMT
Organization: City College of New York - Science Computing Facility

>Hmmm. A user-removable car engine controller, which would be taken off the
>car in much the same way the removable radios of today are.

Then the thieves will carry a controller with them.  I guess that will
be good for preventing some of the non pro thefts,  but even then...
Key the controller for a specific car?  Problem with replacement
parts, and I'll bet that there will be more failures due to contact
wear, static, etc. 

Any device to prevent theft should be in the car.  Under the hood
stuff slows you down, and leaves you open to car bandits (who
steal your car the old fashioned way, by holding you up
and taking your keys. They usually will not shoot, as that will
leave holes and stains on the car)  I hear that this sort of theft is
becoming popular, since it leaves the car without damage
and the thief does not have to be mechanically adept.

And  then you have car hijakings where
they cut you off or lightly tap your bumper from
the rear, and then take your car...

Or the insurance fraud thing where they cut you off and jam on the brakes
so that you hit them from the rear...

And I will not discuss unlicensed tow trucks :-)  
(one almost followed me home one day :-))
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: dap3257@zeus.tamu.edu (DON PERLICK)
Subject: Re: OIL: SYNTH -> NATURAL
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 04:20:00 GMT

In article <4170087@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com>, pauls@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Paul Stafford) writes...
> The way I understand it, it's not healthy to switch the other way, because
> the detergents in the synth oil will break loose crud that the non-detergent
> oil left, and your engine will develope athero-sclerosis..., and suffer
> a heart attack.
> 
	Original subject, as per line, was rumors to the effect that
once a car is synthetic, it will always be synthetic...
	From personal experience, I can say that both of these are bunk.
I used conventional for 50,000 miles, then changed to Mobil 1 for a while,
then went back to conventional for a couple of changes, and am now back
to synthetic (where I should have been all along!).  W/ the Mobil 1, I
seemed to lose a lot of oil, unexplicably (I had started figuring on a
rear main...).  So I went back to conventional and had no problems, but
now I'm using Quaker State SynQuest 5w50 with no oil loss.  Perhaps the
drain plug was on the ragged edge...(scary thought!)

Don

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot)
Subject: Caravan goes bonkers
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 92 19:11:45 GMT
Distribution: na
Reply-To: eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

We recently aquired 92 Dodge Caravan with 26K miles (one of those 'program
vehicles').  It has the 3.3L V6 and 4-speed transmission.

My wife drives it, so I haven't witnessed the problems.

First, it occasionally stalls when she stops the car and shifts into park
or reverse.  She swears she doesn't touch the key.  I realize this could
probably be any one of a zillion things.

Then the other day she pulled up somewhere and put it in park or reverse, and
heard a "clunk", and thought the engine had died.  Later she realized
that in fact the air conditioner, *including the blower* had turned off, and
she was fooled by the sudden quiet.  The engine was still running, but the
*air bag* light had come on.  I've forgotten the exact sequence she described,
but she fiddled with the AC controls and got it to blow warm air.  She turned
the motor off completely and restarted; no change.  Later she stopped and
when she restarted all was fine.  On one occasion when backing up the drive
it gave a "nasal" sound, which went away when she revved the engine a little.
When I examine the car of course nothing is wrong.  The one belt that I can
see looks OK.

Any clues?  Did its little microprocessor overwrite its stack?  Should I
be worrying?

(When I asked her why she thought the engine had died when she heard the 
"clunk", she said "well, it was sort of a downward sound."  I did my best to
keep a straight face, I figure it's not polite to laugh at your wife.)

Please mail replys to me; I will forward them if there is interest.

-- 
Topher Eliot             Data General DG/UX Systems Administration Development
(919) 248-6371      eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com       {backbone}!mcnc!rti!dg-rtp!eliot
Obviously, I speak for myself, not for DG.
misc.consumers.house archivist.  Send mail to house-archive@dg-rtp.dg.com
"I opened an STR on myself and I had to reject it."  -- Paul McGrath
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: mf@dancer.uucp (24241-fusco)
Subject: Re: Dirty oil after change?
Organization: On the Road
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 16:59:30 GMT
Keywords: oil changes

Just a thought:  
	I just noticed on my new ('89) 5.0 Mustang that
there are 2 oil drain plugs.  One in the back which 
drains most of the oil but there is one forward that
also drains the last 1/2 quart or so.  I didn't realize
this until my second oil change (and read the manual carefully).
(weird oil pan design but maybe not uncommon......??)
BTW- the oil stays clean for the first 1K miles or so.....
From: bartnik@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Bartnik)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Ford ABS error code display. where is it?
Date: 8 Sep 92 14:23:26 GMT
Organization: State University of New York at Buffalo/Comp Sci

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
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: rodney@tyrell.tynet.sub.org (Rodney Volz)
Subject: DB 200 diesel motor question
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1992 19:47:48 GMT
Organization: Tyrell, Stuttgart (FRG)

Hello,

I'm the owner of a twenty-year-old mercedes 200 diesel. For my taste,
the motor produces a bit too much smoke; especially when running full
throttle, it leaves grey clouds of what I suspect is half-burned fuel.

1.) What makes diesel motors smoke? Apart from the motor burning a
    fair amount of oil, which I think is normal for a 20-year old engine,
    I suspect there are other reasons.

2.) Which parameters are adjustable? Someone told me, nothing besides
    the valves would be adjustable, which I cannot believe. What about
    fuel/air-ratio, injection pump, injection nozzles? A friend told
    me something about parts of the injection nozzles rotating when injecting
    fuel in the chamber. Is this right?

Thank you very much,
-Rodney
-- 
                     Rodney Volz - 7000 Stuttgart 1 - FRG
 ==================> ...uunet!unido!mcshh!tyrell!rodney <===================
  Tyrell: +49 711 651429 V32bis Public access - rodney@tyrell.tynet.sub.org
  \_____________ May your children and mine live in peace. _______________/
From: mellum@skyler.mavd.honeywell.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Help solve electrical problem in my car !!!!
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:57:01 GMT
Organization: Honeywell Systems & Research Center

In article <716011323.F00005@blkcat.UUCP>, Frank.Mallory@f417.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Mallory) writes:
>  MC>              I have a Nissan 2000SX that wouldn't start due to an 
>  MC> electrical
>  MC>  failure. All the electrical systems seem to work fine in the 
>  MC> beginning.
>  MC>  Battery is fine too. As long as the ignition is in 'ON' position 
>  MC> everything
>  MC>  is fine. But as soon as I turn the key to crank it up everything goes 
>  MC> down
>  MC>  and comes back after few minutes. 
>  MC> 
>  MC>  There is no sound of ANYTHING. It just dies.
> 
> Check and clean battery terminal connections.
> 
> 
> 
If that doesn't do it, it sure sounds like a dead battery. Don't forget, the
starter draws lots of current, more than are required by the indicator and
inside lights. When you turn the key to start, put a meter across the battery
terminals, if the voltage drops to between 1 and 9 volts, it's the battery, if
it goes to 0, there is a short to ground somewhere in the starter circuitry.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: jdrout@scott.skidmore.edu (jonathan drout)
Subject: Re:  Toyota Frequent Valve Clearance Adjustment
Organization: Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 18:12:45 GMT


Hi there

	My '85 MR2 has NEVER had such a problem.  I have the 4AGE 1.6
twincam 16valve 4, and I've now ticked 105,700 miles onto the
odometer.  This summer (other than regular maintenance) I rebuilt the
throttle body for fun.  No other problems from the engine.  I don't
think the valves have been adjusted in 30K miles, with no evident
tick.  Next spring its getting new valvecover gaskets and the valves
adjusted b/c it seems appropriate.  

	Jonathan
jdrout@scott.skidmore.edu

Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: matocha@latech.edu (Kevin Matocha)
Subject: Help! 240 Z carbs
Organization: Louisiana Tech University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 00:54:16 GMT

I have a problem trying to rebuild my 240Z carbs.
I've got both a 1971 and 72 240Z, and they both have the same
carbs, the ones called Hitachi HJG46W (SU type).  I tried getting
a 1972 carb rebuild kit, and got the kit for a dual barrel
(DAF Hitachi) that were supposedly on early model 240s.  I called
Victoria British and they didn't have any idea what to sell me.


If anyone has any information, suggestions, or extra bull to tell
me, please mail me, or reply here, I need some serious help to
get my Z up and running......

Regards,
Kevin matocha@engr.latech.edu




Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech