HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: propylene glycol
From: west@unca.edu
Date: 21 Jan 93 09:15:32 -0500
Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville

Has anybody had any experience, good or bad, with propylene glycol
antifreeze?  The Humane Society newsletter recommended it because it
isn't poisonous to animals, but I was wondering whether or not it
offered the same level of protection to the radiator, etc., as does
ethylene glycol.

Thanks...

Mark West   Dept. Mass Comm.  UNC-Asheville   WEST@UNCA.EDU

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: hs@aix.rpi.edu (Sudhendar H)
Subject: Problem with gear shift
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 05:17:50 GMT

	Hi netters,

	I'm having a strange problem with my car ( 4-speed 4WD). The gears 
	shift fairly when I start but after driving for sometime, it becomes    	very hard to shift gears - especially to first and second. It is particu	larly noticeable after a steady, hi-speed drive. Is this a common proble	-m? What could be the reason. I'm thinking of changing the transmission 	oil. Will it help?

	I'd much appreciate any help/information which may reduce this problem.

	Thanks,
	-Sudhendar.

Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade)
Subject: Re: Probe GT suspension
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 21:22:10 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.124317.1@sscvx1.ssc.gov> bbenson@sscvx1.ssc.gov writes:
>In article <186@bluehau.bubble.org>, hugo@bluehau.bubble.org (Hugo Bueno) writes:
>>
>>>Bob Benson
>>>Ralliest and Generally Strange Person
>>  ^^^^^^^^ 
>> If you're going to advertise what kind of person you are, at least
>> spell it correctly!  :-)  The correct spelling is RALLYIST.
>
>Rally? Rallye? etc. Be careful - it is the mark of a small mind when you
>only know one way to spell a word. Particularly when the word's base is
>spelled several different ways in the first place. ;-)
>
>Bob Benson
>Generally Strange Person Frequently Caught Performing Obscene Rallye Acts
>

now bob, you should pity this poor soul since he is obviously one of the
millions of laid-off spelling engineers who lost their highly skilled jobs
to spell-checkers built into word processors.
From: ken@wybbs.mi.org (Ken Jongsma)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Dodge Omni 89
Date: 27 Jan 93 01:10:08 GMT
Reply-To: jongsma@benzie.si.com
Organization: Smiths Industries

michaet@hubcap.clemson.edu (michael dale townsend) writes:

>shaikh@ee470.ee.mcgill.ca (SHAIKH/AMIR/MR) writes:

>>I was wondering...it's rumored that the Dodge Omni series has
>>starting trouble in winter...is this true???

>>It is also said that the 89 model of this doesn't have starting troubles...
>>can anybody confirm this??


>One more data point:
>My mom has an 89 Dodge Omni.  She has never complained about starting
>troubles, even in Winter.  However, she lives in South Carolina (near
>the coast), where it
>gets below freezing about 20 days out of the year at most.  The car is
>fuel injected, and she keep it in a carport with the front and left side
>of the car protected from wind.  I don't know if that is completely
>relevant or not, but I figured I'd tell you everything and let you draw
>your own conclusions.  It does burn a little bit of oil, though.

I missed the beginning of this thread. Anyway, we've had an 89 Omni
since 89. Garaged indoors, but the winters still get cold in Michigan.
Never any problems...

-- 
Ken Jongsma                                     jongsma@benzie.si.com
Smiths Industries                                    ken@wybbs.mi.org 
Grand Rapids, Michigan                      73115.1041@compuserve.com
From: 01ksdavis@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu (Rebel without a pause.)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: No such thing as a Free Car Wash
Date: 26 Jan 93 05:30:10 GMT
Organization: BSU Journalism Dept.

In article <1993Jan22.174644@usho21.hou281.chevron.com>, hhtra@usho21.hou281.chevron.com (T.M.Haddock) writes:
> 
>  I filled up at a new Chevron station today and they have this
>  new "brushless" car wash.  When I asked for the number, the
>  attendant told me it would cost $1 - $5.  When I asked what
>  happened to the free wash with a fillup, the attendant said
>  not for these new fangled washes.  
> 
>  Then the attendant said that ALL major oil companies were
>  going to start charging for ALL car washes real soon!
> 
>  What?!  NO MORE FREE CAR WASHES!!!   Eat me!!!
> 
>  Has anybody else heard about this?
> 
> 
>  BTW, about that new "brushless" car wash - it SUCKS!!!
>  I demanded my $1 back but didn't get it!
> 
>  TRAVIS

	Ummm...  Gee, back here in the middle of nowhere 
(Indiana) we still have free car washes put on by local youth 
groups and the like at our local gas stations.

	Hand washed.  Hand dryed.  But if you really want 
quality, nobody knows your car better than you, so you should 
it.

	(I speak from experience here, at both ends of the
car, the washer and washee.)

	As the washer, I was dedicated to give the best job-hey,
maybe I could get a tip, but I had to do a quick job because 
maybe another car will come by and be a bigger tipper, or 
actually bother to tip.

	As the washee, I noticed the washers being in the same
hurried rush as I was, and wondered what people would think of
my if I was just as thorough in my daily shower (Can you say
STINKY GUY!)  I thought so.

	So, I decided to get off my lazy but and wash my car 
myself.  Course, this was when I actually cared about my car
and had the time to wash it.  Now I have a different car that
I really don't care to much for.

	Just my $.02

		Kyle
From: sestina@thing.East.Sun.COM (Mike Sestina - Sun BOS Hardware)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: best car ads
Date: 27 Jan 1993 22:27:21 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: sestina@thing.East.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: thing.east.sun.com

>>   One of the most interesting ads I've seen was the Volvo commercial
>>   for what I guess was the (just introduced?) 7X0-series, where they
>>   drive a Volvo off the end of a raised road, and it lands on it's

> Or how about that Volvo ad after that where they drove a monster truck
> ver one with no apparent damage.  Too bad that they were later sued
> (and lost) for having beefed up the interior with wood beams and


	the best Volvo advertisement would be to simply visit a local
	salvage yard and compare the Volvo wrecks to some of the 
	other wrecks on the lot.  Has th epotential to be both very 
	effective and very unbiased.

	
	

Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech
From: norcott_bill@tandem.com (Bill Norcott)
Subject: Re: Dump EEC-IV error codes?
Reply-To: norcott_bill@tandem.com (Bill Norcott)
Organization: Tandem Computers, Inc.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 03:19:30 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.174018.24204@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>, mental@cntrol.enet.dec.com (ken mental) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> 
|> 
|> 	Does anybody know how to dump error codes on an '87 Ford Tempo
|> 	(2.3L, FI, EEC-IV computer)? The Haynes manual is useless for this.
|> 
|> 	The damn thing won't start. There's spark, and fuel is reaching at 
|> 	least to the throttle body, so I figure that maybe the injector's
|> 	not opening up. I'd like to dump the error codes and see if there's 
|> 	a 'cold start sensor' or something like that that's gone bad.
|> 

This is asked enough, the answer should be in the FAQ.  Look for
 Mitchell's "Computerized Engine Controls" at the public library,
or a Chilton's manual with similar name.  It tells you how to do it
with a simple volt-ohm meter hooked up to the STAR diagnostic 
connector under the hood.  I have the same car/engine (87 Topaz)
and have done all this before.

The book shows you how to run the test.  The error codes that show
up in the test lead you to a step-by-step diagnostic that pinpoints
the cause of the problem.  Not all problems reveal themselves by
showing a fault code but a problem such as yours should.

This stuff is a lot easier to use than you think, it is like following
a recipe.  Don't let these $60/hour monkeys or the Haynes manual 
scare you off.  If you understand computers enough to work at a 
computer company this stuff is child's play by comparison, but you
have to approach it with the can-do attitude.

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------|
Bill Norcott			GUARDIAN POSIX project
Tandem Computers, Inc.		
10600 N. Tantau Avenue		PHONE:  (408) 285-3253
Cupertino, CA   95014		EMAIL: norcott_bill@tandem.com
From: tpickett@auspex.com (Tom Pickett)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: SHO Problems
Date: 27 Jan 93 15:33:32 GMT
Reply-To: tpickett@auspex.com (Tom Pickett)
Organization: Auspex Systems, Inc.  Engineering

In article <1993Jan26.140743.12955@engage.pko.dec.com>, 
sontakke@helix.enet.dec.com (Vikas Sontakke) writes:
> My speedo occasionally gets stuck at 68.5 mph.  A brisk run towards 80 
awakes
> it.
> 
> (BTW), why didn't you use 1st gear and ~40mph to unstuck the tach?


Actually, the whole thing was sort of a spur of the moment thing.  I
was driving down a nameless freeway in the Bay Area, on my way to
go flying.  The suggestion had been made on the net earlier that I
might fix it by going to 65K.  There was this guy in a Lexus who was
bugging me, just kinda accelerating and then cutting in front of me
and slowing down, then slipping in behind me, and accelerating again.

Soooooo, I punched it to get away from him.  He didn't follow.  At
6500 rpm much to my surprise, the tach suddenly swung into action.
I usually don't run the engine as high as 6500 in first gear, because 
that still produces a fair amount of speed, (is it 40 MPH?)
and so it's inappropriate to do so on a city street -- the only likely place
I would be at a stop.  There wasn't much traffic on the freeway.

Besides, I figured I was about to go 95 MPH on three wheels in the 
airplane anyway, so doing it on four wheels seemed that much easier...


Tom Pickett 
tpickett@auspex.com or 74616.2237@compuserve.com
SHO  GOZE
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: rrk@vixen.cc.bellcore.com (kutz,randolph r)
Subject: Re: Worst Car Award
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 15:41:28 GMT
Summary: Ford Tempo (wonder car)

In article <1993Jan24.141549.16369@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu>, zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu (John Grabowski) writes:
> 
> I'd like to conduct an informal poll here: what do the gentle readers of this
> group think is the WORST car being made today???  (And why?)  It must be a 
> car still being manufactured, so a 1975 Dodge Dart doesn't count.  :-)
> 
> This should generate some healthy debate...
> 
> 
> John
> zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ford Tempo.  I have a 1988 Tempo with 29K miles.  So far it has needed:
right tie-rod end, 3 alignments, 4 new tires (see previous), passenger-side
power-window motor, catalytic converter, muffler twice & exhust system once,
battery, oxygen sensor, fuel pump, ignition lock, and maybe one or two
others I forget.  In addition, it stalls at red lights, the radio is
erratic, sometimes the power windows stick, and the paint job has little
white blotches all over it.  I believe strongly in preventative maintenance,
washing and waxing.  I've had several other cars, but this one amazes me.
Truly a wonder car.

Randy Kutz    Bellcore       ..!bellcore!vixen!rrk
                            or rrk@vixen.cc.bellcore.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: "mike pot" <mike.pot@canrem.com>
Subject: civic above specs...
Reply-To: "mike pot" <mike.pot@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:37:16 EST

Hello All,

I have a '91 Civic Si hatchback and am curious if any others have
experiecnes the same as me. Me someone can help me clear up some of the
following:
It seems to so 0-100km/h (that is 0-60mph) in just over 7 seconds!
This is far above factory specs. It's supposed to have 108 hp. The '92
and '93 models (more expensive too) have 125 hp because of it's variable
valve timing, although I do not think it actually accelerates faster.
I'm really hot about acceleration, not top speed, although it does do
200km/h (125mph).
In the city I've dragraced all kinds of cars including Mustangs 5.0's,
surprised, but I keep up! I know not all mustangs are the same. On the
highway going 200km the mustang does pass me. Also if I have two people
in the car with me it's not so visious anymore, I have to be alone in
the car.
Maybe this is not above specs, maybe it is. I always drive the crap out
of it revving the engine up to 7500 rpm, also the >7 secs is
accomplished with a kind of speed shifting, what I do is I leave the
accelerator padal to the floor all the way, and when it's time to shift,
I press the kludge. while the kludge is just slightly down the engine
revs up from >6500 to 7500 rpm, this while I shift to the next gear and
I let go of kludge all at once. This gives a super boost.
Also I have to keep the engines in the higher rpm because under 4000 rpm
it's got nothing, so it gets noisy...
I talked to someone on some car conference with someone who has his civi
worked up to 150 real hp's. Is this hard to do?
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: nsx@cba.ufl.edu (Mark Sterling)
Subject: Re: Taurus now #1 seller?
Organization: College of Business,  University of Florida
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 18:31:02 GMT

In article <wfMrhV200WBM86MWo8@andrew.cmu.edu> so0z+@andrew.cmu.edu (Sang-Yoon Oh) writes:

>On 22-Jan-93 in Re: Taurus now #1 seller?    
>user Sharen A. Rund@iscnvx.lm writes:
>>Harv - you missed a thread on this right after the 1st - during December
>>Taurus & Accord were neck & neck for first, then Ford put on a big promo
>>to shove past Accord and won (in fact of the top 10 selling cars in the
>>US, 5 of them were fords - the ford truck was also #1 in sales)
>>Sharen (89 Taurus wagon owner)

>I have a question on this number one selling car in the US.
>According to the articles I have read, Ford gave a big promo to rental
>car companies(dumping may be the right word here) in order to beat
>Accord.
>I don't know what the percentage of new Taurus is sold to rental car
>companies but must be a huge number.  
>What is the point of having or checking who sold the most number of car??? 
>To inform public that which car is the best liked by majority, isn't it??
>I don't think rental car purchase is contraled by consumers(rental car
>customers).    I go to rental car agent and I basically get no choice. 
>(for example, I rather drive Accord or Maxima than Taurus or Lumina
>which only cars offered by major rental car companies.  You don't have
>to flame me for this, I just have had bad experience with Ford and GM
>cars.  It is just a my personal preference)
>I felt that some of big rental companies cannot/don't buy import
>cars.(one of those stupid rule or that domestic companies give big, I
>mean big discounts??)
>Big three are accusing Japanese car companies on dumping sale on minivans.
>Looks like they are not looking at themselves before accusing their
>competitors.

>In my opinion the cars sold to companies(with those ridicules discount)
>shouldn't be counted in top ten selling cars list.  They should have
>separate list "top ten company cars".  or give customers like me a same
>deal(price wise) which those rental car companies get.

>--Sang


Honda doesn't sell to the rental companies because Honda won't give them 
fleet discounts.  Also, I think Honda is limited to the amount of cars they 
are able to bring into the US, and if they can sell all of those to private 
customers, there is no need to give fleet discounts.  However, the Accord is 
made in Ohio, and considered domestic.  I'm not quite sure how that deal 
works.  

Honda was also accused of dumping the Civic in 90 or 91, but the accusers 
could not prove it.

Mark Sterling
NSX@chip.cba.ufl.edu
From: nancy@hayduke (Nancy Feagans)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Worst Car Award
Date: 25 Jan 93 20:35:50 GMT
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA)

In article <1993Jan24.141549.16369@cronkite.ocis.temple.edu> zorro@picasso.ocis.temple.edu (John Grabowski) writes:
>
>I'd like to conduct an informal poll here: what do the gentle readers of this
>group think is the WORST car being made today???  (And why?)  It must be a 
>car still being manufactured, so a 1975 Dodge Dart doesn't count.  :-)
>
>This should generate some healthy debate...

The Chevy Caprice Classic.  Why?  Because it looks like its been whupped
with an ugly stick.


-- 

Nancy J. Feagans     (818) 306-6423
Jet Propulsion Lab   nancy@jpl-devvax.Jpl.Nasa.Gov
"Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious."
From: ga22+@andrew.cmu.edu (Gary Paul Atcheson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: What's Wrong with American Cars?
Date: 23 Jan 93 18:49:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.4fMVzoC00iV3A4z7sk
Organization: Freshman, Architecture, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

I hate to sound like the perenial Japanese basher, but I wanted to
comment on the Pontiac Grand Am
   My Dad bought a '92 Grand Am GT.  I am just a poor college student
without a car, but being the family sedan, and I a car nut, I had a lot
of influence in the purchase.  Now it is the all-out GT model (although
4-door) with the High output quad four and a five speed stick, so it is
different in many ways from the retal car.
    About a year and a half ago there was NOTHING with four doors, a V-6
engine and a five speed (or any manual) available under $27,000 (or
whatever the SHO base was then).  Now there are at least two: They are
both Japanese. I will say that we leaned American becuse they HAVE
improved since the '80's (back on topic), but we did investigate
Japanese models with an open mind.  Since NOTHING had 4 doors, 5 speeds
and 6 cylinders, we bought what we liked the best, sacrificing the
lazier torque of a V-6 for a screamer four.  My point is that the
Japanese didn't deliver exacly what we wanted either.  Nevertheless, Dad
is pleased with the car.
    About our only real problems have been a whistle above the rear door
that was corrected in one trip and the styling that is more attractive
to cops than we would like (I am the only one in the family to be pulled
over so far).  For the first few days, I knocked the windsheild wipers
putting my hand back on the wheel after a shift, but now that I have
learned to avoid that stalk, I cannot think of a better place.  All the
controls are slightly analogous to this in that they are slightly
different and almost experimental, yet all highly effective.
    The Grand Am's standard power locks are the first my Dad has ever
owned, but being a family that ALWAYS locks our doors, they have been a
minor nusance.  I am 5'8" and 130 lb but never had troubles with the
seats (ours are not power).   The ABS was a big selling point for us,
but it does make disconcerting noises when the car has just been started
as it is setting itself.   
    I have never driven a Porshe, so I do not know what constitutes
"good" steering feel.
    I can attest to the complaint about it being noisy, but for '93 GM
has detuned the engines 5 bhp to cut down on the noise and vibration. 
Personally, I liked the sound and would rather have it and the miniscule
power boost.  As the family car, it is a four door, but room gets tight
with four adults and a dog, but the trunk still holds everything
including a crate for a 50 lb Labrador.  Most of the rest of the
complaints are accurate (except the ones pertaining to the automatic
transmission interlock).
    I want to conclude by saying that Dad has every intention of keeping
the car as the main vehicle of the family for at least 10 years and 150K
miles (like our last Pontiac).

Gary Atcheson
Freshman Architect at Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Re: No such thing as a Free Car Wash
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 18:48:53 GMT

In article <1993Jan22.174644@usho21.hou281.chevron.com>
hhtra@usho21.hou281.chevron.com (T.M.Haddock) writes:

> What?!  NO MORE FREE CAR WASHES!!!   Eat me!!!

> Has anybody else heard about this?

You mean free car washes with a fillup? Nope.

Can't miss what you never had. I hate New England.

	-Kenny

p.s. - kudos for your having balls enough to dis your own company!
-- 
Kenny Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.
	  Religion: The longest-running gag ever played on Mankind.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: kokerj@jec325.its.rpi.edu (James M. Kokernak)
Subject: Re: HONDA '92 and other stuff (WHAT A JOKE!)
Reply-To: kokerj@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 18:18:29 GMT

In article <1993Jan28.120247.6407@wega.rz.uni-ulm.de>, SCHEER@BEATE.RZ.FH-ULM.DE ((T. M.)) writes:
|> HEY Whats up ?? ...

|> and I just wanted to say that the VW GOLF SUCKS !!

What do you expect? Surrounded by BMW's, Audis, Mercedes and Porsches, I 
wouldn't say that it sucks. It just hangs with a pretty prestigious crowd.

|> because over here in Germany every third car is a GOLF
|> or do you think it is cool if everybody drives the same car ...

Gee, that's funny. We have the same problem over here with the Civic!

|> Japanese cars have got much more Style etc..

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

|> But in my opinion the American ones are #1 
|> (what the hell would I give if I could drive a 5.0 over here)

Probably your life as you wipe it out trying to match an M5 on the Autobahn.

|> any opinions would be nice ...    (e-mail)
|> 
|> 
|> JaCaRu
|>        ..... T.M. .......
|> 
|> 

All in all an amusing post.

--Jim
From: qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Aamir Hafeez Qazi)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Anti-Lock blues
Date: 26 Jan 93 18:36:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: uwm.1k40asINNn2n
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4

In article <1993Jan25.102639.15247@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu> dwsmall@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Derek 'Enzo' Small) writes:
>
>claim they have.  Mazda tooted that the ABS on the second generation Rx-7
>was and anti-kickback system.  But it's just a noisy and give just as much
>pedel jutter as the rest of the systems I've driven.  Are there any systems
>that have acctually gotten rid of this annoyance?

--I remember reading that the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 had some kind of valve
  or other trickery to eliminated pedal pulsation.  The VR-4 isn't being
  imported anymore, though.

--Aamir Qazi

-- 

Aamir Qazi
qazi@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
--Why should I care?  I'd rather watch drying paint.
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: wesf@boi.hp.com (Wes Fujii)
Subject: Re: Insurance Rates
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:22:04 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

David A Eliezer (eliezer@physics.llnl.gov) wrote:

: 	Nevertheless, because my driving record was considered "not
: verifiable" (because out of country), State Farm Insurance would
: not insure me at ANY price, and suggested I call a broker. 

I thought State Farm was in Canada, too.  I'm suprised that they 
couldn't contact the folks up there for you.  

Insurance is such a scam!!!

Wes Fujii
________________________________________________________________
      ___   ___ ___ 
     /  /  /  //  /
    /  /__/  //  /    A real motor is an Oldsmobile Rocket 455
   /  HURST //  /     "This is NOT the new generation of Olds"
  /  /  /  //  /_______ 
 /__/  /__//  //  ___  \
          /  //  /   \  \       Wes "BANZAI" Fujii
         /  //  /OLDS/  /          Boise, Idaho
        /  / \  \___/  /      wesf@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com
       /__/   \_______/ 

Newsgroups: rec.autos