HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rll@frieda.mitre.org (Roberto L. Landrau)
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 21:37:57 GMT

In article <13355@texsun.Central.Sun.COM> dbernard@thewho.Central.Sun.COM writes:
>How many new RWD automobiles are still offered?

Most luxury sedans and sport cars are still RWD.  I think all
econoboxes have switched to FWD.  I believe the Chevette was the last
RWD subcompact.

>There's the huge
>GM line (Buick Roadmonster/Caprice/new Fleetwood).  Is the Crown Vic?
>The trend seems clearly toward FWD, but don't know if that's mostly
>fashion or not.
>

I wouldn't say it is fashion.  FWD probably saves them a few $$$
during the assembly process.  We end up paying for it when it comes
time to do repairs (e.g. have you had to had a clutch replaced in a FWD
vehicle?)

Although the trend may seem toward FWD, keep in mind that the
top-of-the-line luxury sedans and sports cars from most manufacturers
are still RWD, and there seems to be no big hurry to swictch.

GM:    Camaro, Firebird, Corvette, and, probably one of the Cadillacs (Brougham?)
Ford:  Mustang, Crown Victoria, and the top of the Lincolns (Mark 7 or 8?)
Chrysler: Viper
Mazda: RX7, Miata
Nissan: 300ZX, 240SX
Toyota: Supra, Cressida
Infinity: Q45 and J30
Lexus: LS400, SC400
Honda: NSX (Is that Honda's first RWD vehicle?)	

Here are some counterexamples:

GM: Cadillac Allante' (280 hp into the front wheels?)
Saab:  FWD
Volvo: only a few FWD's
Audi: V8 is NOT RWD, but it is AWD
Mitsubishi: Eclipse and 3000GT: AWD also
Alfa Romeo: 164 is FWD
Lotus: Elan

and, of course all Rolls Royces, Aston Martins, Ferraris,
Lamborghinis, and the ZR-1 right? :)
--
The opinions stated above are not necessarily my employer's.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Roberto L. Landrau    KC1YP    landrau@mitre.org  rll@linus.mitre.org
The MITRE Corporation  Bedford, MA 01730          rll@linus.UUCP
From: dlou@WORF.UCSD.EDU (Dennis Lou)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Custom steering wheels = theft deterrent?
Date: 28 Sep 92 17:17:04 GMT
Reply-To: dlou@ece.ucsd.edu
Organization: University of California, San Diego


In article <joso.717608015@vega>, joso@vega.math.ualberta.ca (Joseph_So) writes:
|> gainer@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Larry Gainer) writes:
|> 
|> >Does anyone have any experience with removable "custom" steering wheels..
|> 
|> Friend of a friend in Montreal had his car stolen from the
|> back of the restaurant while he was working there. The 
|> thief(ves) used a tow truck for the job.

I still think the best system is by connecting a GPS receiver to
a modem to a cellular phone and hiding all the components including
the antenna.  When your car is stolen, you just call your car and ask
it where it is!


-- 
Dennis Lou             || "But Yossarian, what if everyone thought that way?"
dlou@ucsd.edu          || "Then I'd be crazy to think any other way!"
[backbone]!ucsd!dlou   |+====================================================
dlou@ucsd.BITNET       |Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to my high school.
From: mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Mike Mshar)
Subject: Re: Engine History
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 16:59:21 GMT

> sk4k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Stephen James Kendrish) writes:
>
>      I was wondering if anyone could tell me some history or
>specifications for the Chevy small block 400 engine.  I managed to get

I can tell you a little bit. 400 Chevy is, as you probably know, the 
largest small block Chevy ever made. You cannot bore them out more than
about .060 inches, because the cylinder walls in them are not very thick.
They are also the least compatible of all small-blocks, because many
of the parts are exclusive to the 400 only. A good example is the
heads. 400 heads are not interchangable with other small-block heads,
because they contain steam holes. These steam holes in the heads are for
cooling purposes, not exactly sure as to how they work. One thing I 
do know is that the heads very commonly will form cracks around these 
holes, so you might want to get the heads looked at by a machine shop.

As to rebuilding, the absolute best source of info for a stock rebuild
on a small block is a book entitled, "How to Rebuild Your Small Block
Chevy". I can`t remember the author`s name. The book is cheap (around 
10 dollars) and contains everything you need to know to rebuild a small
block. The book also contains charts that tell you how to identify 
cylinder heads and blocks by the factory production number. I used this
book to find out that a block I bought for 5 bucks was a vintage 68-69
327 high performance block (The previous owner told me it was a 350!).

I don`t like 400`s that much, so I couldn`t tell you any specifics. 
Many people I know have used them with success, though. So what the
hell, cam it, holley it, and blow some doors off!

Later Days...

-- 
|       Michael G. Mshar        | My Life-Long Goal: To keep common sense    |
|   mmshar@mn.ecn.purdue.edu    | alive and keep the idiots from taking over.|
|  mshar@mentor.cc.purdue.edu   |     \\President, Nice Guys Anonymous//     |
|____>>> United States Steel, Mechanical Engineer, Technical Services <<<____|
Organization: Junior, H&SS general, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 14:56:14 -0400 
From: "Daniel M. Deright" <dd36+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: downforce and cornering g's (was which car handles the best?

In regards to Dave Paper's comments on downforce

> 
>Ummm I hate to clarify something..
> 
>but if you have taken a basic level physics course, you would know that a
>car can never obtain more than 1g, in actuality, .9 is VERY good, as i
>think the dodge viper gets umm .93 or something..
> 
>1 g would pick the car up.. and 2g' just doesn't exist, not in lateral
>motion anyways..
> 
>sorry guys..
 
>-dave

Perhaps you should have stayed awake in Physics a bit more.  Downforce
modifiers, ie. chassis mounted wings, drop tubes and pressure slides
utilize some of the energy used in forward motion (sacrifice speed) to
effect a low pressure area under the car and a drastically higher
pressure zone above the car, effectively doubling, tripling or more the
cars weight.  This increase in the cars weight allows the car to corner
at much higher levels of stress.  While the car in truth cannot ever
exceed one gravity of lateral force, the measurement of "g" force is a
comparison of the cars resting weight to its maximum adhesion.  This
adhesion is obtained when the cars weight has effectively doubled or
tripled, therefore yeilding a value of 2-3 "g's"  

hope that clears things up . . . flame away


                                -Soda
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: jwabik@uc.msc.edu (Jeff Wabik)
Subject: Ranger Rear End?
Organization: Minnesota Supercomputer Center
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 05:08:11 GMT

Does anyone know the size of the limited slip rear end of a 1990 
Ford Ranger small pickup?   I think its a standard issue Ford 8.8", but
I can't verify this.  I'm looking to buy a replacment limited slip unit
before winter -- the Ford LS product sucks big green donkey dicks, and
is completely ineffective (worn out) at 40k miles.

Any help or pointers appreciated.  e/mail, if you would, please.

Thanks..

	-Jeff

--
Jeff Wabik				E/Mail:	 jwabik@msc.edu
Minnesota Supercomputer Center 		AT&T:    +1 612 626 0211
Minneapolis, MN  			FAX:     +1 612 624 6550
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.tech,alt.autos.antique,hotrod@dixie.com,rec.autos.sport
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Newest Racing Course around.....
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 15:39:35 GMT

Went to Rod Powell's 21st picnic and saw some great cars in all
stages of being build - yes...racing cars too for you ..sports
fans...but to the topic of this thread...there's a new race course
out, with tight "S's", straight-aways, humps, hills, etc...
it's for pinstripers only, though, to get around the course in the 
shortest time possible - going in the track record was 2:37 to beat,
by the time I left, it was down to :54 ... watch for it.... (remember,
these are the people who paint your cars, put on the graphics, etc...)

-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
	  
Newsgroups: rec.autos
From: tim@phoenix.cs.ucla.edu (tim ieong)
Subject: Advice needed for Chevy 87 Celebrity
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 18:53:57 GMT

 
  I need the advice from the auto gurus in the netland
on the following problem:

  I have a 87 Chevy Celebrity V6 with  57.5K mileage.
The yellow sign "Service Engine Soon" in front panel 
lighted up a few times lasting from several seconds
to a couple of minutes when I drive on the freeways.

  I have cleaned the fuel injection nozzel 6 weeks ago. 
Engine and transimission oil were changed 2k miles ago.  
Oil level is OK. Fuel filter is replaced 6 weeks ago. 
The owner did a tune-up some 8 months ago (replace 
some spark-plugs), since then 8K miles has accumulated.

  The engine seems to be OK. I calculated the mileage 
per gallon and it is 28.8 on highway (manufacturer 
specification is 28).

  Could anyone tell me what I should do?

  Please e-mail to me directly and I will summarize
the response and repost it.

  Thanks in advance.

Tim
From: walkerr@yaya.WPI.EDU (Robert A Walker)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: FWD vs. RWD, Which is best.
Date: 30 Sep 1992 02:32:01 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: yaya.wpi.edu


>>But couldn't a RWD neutralize the snow advantage simply by stacking a couple
>>hundred pounts of sand bags in the trunk (over the rear wheels)?
>
>I once had three spares and a bag of cement in the trunk for added weight. 
>I got poor gas mileage and less slipping in snow.

just for interest my mother had a old pinto, Don't know if it was FWD or RWD
since i was too young to car,  but she always kept a big old gravestone that
she got from some old lady who got a divorce and didn't want to have a
gravestone with her x's name on it.  She sure got a lot of funny looks
and some wierd comments, but then again my mother was and still is wierd.
funny thing she was working VNA visiting nurse assosiation in the hospice
division that is people living their last days at home.  NOt very 
appropriate.



Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.driving
From: jwg@iedv7.acd.com ( Jim Grey )
Subject: Re: NJ's Guv Jim says no to 65, was Re: speed limit
Organization: Applied Computing Devices, Inc., Terre Haute IN
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 12:55:44 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.185728.18107@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl) writes:
...stuff expunged 
>I also think most folks are happy knowing they are proceeding at
>a speed of at least 1 mile per minute (60mph).  That's (IMHO)
>a psycological plateau that I think lot's of folks like to use as
>a guage of how long it will take to go somewhere.  (ie. get on
>an interstate with 65mph limit and if the sign sez: "Cleveland 40 
>miles" you can expect to be there in 40 minutes.  I think it
>is ironic that the originators of the 55 limit picked that speed.
>I suspect that if they had settled on 60mph, there never would
>have been as strong a push to change the limit as has been the
>case with 55.  
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
>Morristown, NJ             email via UUCP      bcr!dancer!whs70
>201-829-2879 Weekdays      email via Internet  whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com


 
And I always thought I was the only person who felt that way!  Guess I just
never discussed it with anyone.
 
jim grey
jwg@acd4.acd.com
From: wrat@unisql.UUCP (wharfie)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Saab 900i Problems?
Date: 5 Oct 92 15:43:30 GMT
Reply-To: wrat@unisql.UUCP (wharfie)
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <147520021@hplsla.hp.com> andyc@hplsla.hp.com (Andy Cassino) writes:
>> 	Make that "really outrageous amounts of unexpected replacements
>Hey Wharfie, I've had my '88 SAAB 900S for 5 years and 111,000 miles and 
>there has been precisely one "unexpected" replacement and it did not cause 

	Hell, I've walked in back of lots of horses, and I've only been kicked
a few times.  So we're both lucky...  I had a Saab once and it was the
worst example of automotive reliability I've ever seen, and I've owned such
classics as a 79 Mercury Zephyr, a 77 Plymouth Volare, a 84 Yugo (my wife's
first car), and 72 Pinto.  A roommate of mine had a Fiat 1300 and *IT* ran
more often than that thrice-damned Saab ever did.

	I bought my Saab brand-new and kept it for 4 years.  The front
doors fell off.  The seats caught fire.  I did a complete brake job at
20K.  The dashboard lights shorted out.  The ventilation fan failed
three times.  Pieces of interior and exterior trim fell off so often that 
I had a box full of them in the trunk when I sold it.  The paint peeled. It
filled up with water when it rained.  

	And when something does break it ain't cheap to fix:  200 bucks
for new rotors.  50 for a _thermostat_.  600 bucks for new seats to replace
the ones that got burned up when the cute electric seat heaters entered
toaster-oven mode on the New Jersey Turnpike one morning.  I never could fix
the short in the dashboard: I used to keep a little toy flashlight in the
glove box and when the lights went I'd lay the flashlight on the ledge in
front of the speedo until I went over a big enough bump to make them come on
again.

	Pffftttt.  S wedish A utomobiles A lways B reak down.  The only
reason I'd buy a Saab is if I needed money and didn't want to waste a real
car on an insurance job.

								the wharf rat



Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: kindell@convex.com (Pat Kindell)
Subject: Re: OIL: SYNTH -> NATURAL
Followup-To: kindell@convex.com
Keywords: mineral oil, synthetic, RX-7
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
Distribution: USA
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 18:14:40 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In article <663@dwp.la.ca.us> tim@dwp.la.ca.us (Tim Mortensen) writes:
>Just got to ride in a co-workers new bat-outta-hell RX-7 and noticed in the
>owners manual that it specifically says to use mineral oil ONLY.  Couldn't
>read the manual too well as I was experiencing a variety of G's at the time.
>Ah, to be single and have no kids and......Damn!   -Tim
>
My 1990 RX-7 Turbo owner's manual says the same thing.  "Use only mineral
oil".  Anyone know why Mazda says this?  I thought synthetics, like Mobil 1,
were ideal for turbo-charged cars.  Something to do with the mixture-sensing
feedback controls for the fuel injection (oxygen sensor)?

Later,
Pat
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Using Synthetic
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 5 Oct 92 07:13:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


-> I gather from reading this group that there is no problem in
-> switching from mineral oil to synthetic regardless of mileage.  Am I
-> correct in this assumption?  Is this all just a load of BS spouted by
-> synthetic oil salesmen?

 Synthetic oil is wonderful stuff, but some people would have you
believe it's a dessert topping *and* a floor wax.  After a while you
need to get the hip waders out.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Threshold braking (was Re: "tank" superchargers)
From: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Date: 22 Sep 92 21:04:00 GMT
Reply-To: dave.williams@chaos.lrk.ar.us (Dave Williams) 
Distribution: world
Organization: The Courts of Chaos * 501-985-0059 * Public Access Usenet


-> What about the mechanical forces on the car?  A rusted strut (I have
-> lots of those :-( on my car) may withstand 1000 N for 2 s, yet weaken
-> or break under 2000 N applied for 1 s.

 If you drive on Interstate 40 much, the whole question of extra stress
becomes irrelevant.  Between the potholes, ridges, patches, blobs of tar
and concrete, ruts, and what look for all the world like miniature speed
bumps, your main concerns are

        A)  "Will anything fall off the car before I get out of
             Oklahoma?"
   or
        B)  "What are the prices on four wheel drives this month?"

=======================================================================
can you help me...help me get out of this place?...slow sedation...
ain't my style, ain't my pace...giving me a number...NINE, SEVEN, EIGHT
(Nazareth)               XJ900 TURBO at 15psi          DoD# 978  KotFAQ
=======================================================================
      
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Neal Howard)
Subject: Re: Seal for gas leak?
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 02:35:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

In article <92274.013639QXF1@psuvm.psu.edu> QXF1@psuvm.psu.edu writes:
>I got a leak somewhere on my 82 Civic fuel filler pipe beause of rust.  I
>was asked ~$120 by dealer for replacement, about 1/6 of the total car price.
>I am wondering whether there is any kind of epoxy seal which is safe to gas
>for problem like this.  Help me netters.  The only thing dealers interested
>is to get money out of my pocket.  I gotta no way to turn to except you folks.
>
>Ching --> :-)

Good old J-B weld. I glued several dozen holes closed in a '77 Ford LTD gas
tank using pennys as patches over them. THat was three years ago and it's 
still holding fine. (they were on the bottom of the tank too).
<--------------------------------------------------------------------->
< Neal Howard                         | '91 Harley Sportster XLH-1200 >
< email: neal@cmptrc.lonestar.org     | DoD # 686                     >
< CompuTrac, Inc. (Richardson, TX)    | '69 Cougar XR7-GT390          >
<--------------------------------------------------------------------->
From: bphdarcy@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Sean J. Roc D'Arcy)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Control Chips
Date: 29 Sep 92 13:13:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Does anyone know the namse (besides GM, Ford, etc) of some of the 
"computer" control chip manufactures?  Also, some of the distributors 
(aside from JC Whitney)?  I am looking for a different set of chips for 
the GM 88-92 4 cyl engines.

Thanks,

SJRD
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Re: toyota spark plug wires unreadable by inductive pickup
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 21:31:35 GMT


I think your coil is the problem. If the ground was weakly connected once,
the problem could have re-occurred. Because of this, your spark could be
less, and may not show up on the inductive pickup. This would also explain
the cold start problem and the loss of average MPG's.

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenneth R. 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.
	    "Motor oil?!?! <splut> YOU GAVE ME MOTOR OIL?!?!"
From: borowski@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Don T. Borowski)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 21:33:55 GMT
Subject: Re: oil pressure guage
Organization: Hewlett Packard Company, Spokane, Wa.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech

In rec.autos.tech, sstout@yukon.EBay.Sun.COM (Steve Stout, Mgr. Sales Negotiations) writes:

>Last weekend the oild pressure guage on my '79 Chevy 4X4 w/race
>built 350 started acting up.  It would read normal at idle, then
>go off the scale as I accelerated and stick there until it got
>back to idle.  I figure it has got to be the sending unit or the`
>guage- the wiring looks fine.  Is there anything I can do to
>check it other than just buying another sending unit and seeing
>if that fixes it?

First of all, make sure your other gauges are working right.  A bad
gauge voltage regulator can create artificially high readings, but
will usually effect more than one gauge.

After this check, you have two choices.  You could go to an auto parts
store and buy a mechanical oil gauge.  You would (temporarily) remove
the present oil pressure sender and substitue the new gauge.  You will
probably need to consult a service manual to find what the normal readings
should be. 

One the other hand, this will probably cost you about the same as a new
sender.  But then, you would have in independent means of measuring oil
pressure.


Donald Borowski    WA6OMI    Hewlett-Packard, Spokane Division
"Angels are able to fly because they take themselves so lightly."
                                       -G.K. Chesterton
From: ristad@elan (Eric Sven Ristad)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: please recommend shock absorbers
Date: 29 Sep 92 03:07:41 GMT
Distribution: rec.autos.tech, rec.autos
Organization: Princeton University, Dept. of Computer Science


Can you please recommend replacement shock absorbers 
for my Acura Integra '91 RS?   I seem to drive over
a lot of potholes (in Princeton and NYC).
Thanks,
Eric

ristad@princeton.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: jrp@bohra.cpg.oz.au (John Pitman)
Subject: front wheel bearings for FWD
Organization: Computer Power Software
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 23:54:15 GMT

Hi there
The difference with FWD is that the bearing supports a drive shaft going 
through the fron suspension, rather than a wheel hub on a stationary spindle.
Usually you need to undo a largish pinned nut to release the wheel hub from
the drive shaft, maybe also release the disc caliper from the disc by 
unbolting it from the suspension, and pull the wheel hub off the shaft, or
in some cases off the bearings.
jp
From: pkap@panix.com (Peter Kapner)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Using Synthetic
Date: 5 Oct 92 02:38:30 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC


I've heard that one should never go back to mineral oil after using
synthetic oil.  This is due to the engine "breaking in" on the
slickness of synthetic.  Whether this is true or not, I don't know.

I gather from reading this group that there is no problem in switching
from mineral oil to synthetic regardless of mileage.  Am I correct in
this assumption?  Is this all just a load of BS spouted by synthetic
oil salesmen?

--Peter K.
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Kapner
pkap@panix.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
From: ccw@slee07.srl.ford.com (C. C. Warren)
Subject: Re: Platinum Plugs
Organization: Ford Motor Company Scientific Research Labs, Dearborn, MI
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 15:44:19 GMT

D1SAR@VM1.CC.UAKRON.EDU (Steve Rimar) writes:
: What are the advantages of platinum plugs over the standard spark plugs?
:  
: >What are the advantages of platinum plugs over a standard plug?

Platinum plug's advantage over conventional plugs is that they have much
less gap erosion. This means the gap can be increased for better combustion
and the plug change interval can be greatly extended.

--
*************************************************************************
*My opinions are mine and do not necessarily reflect in any way those *
*of my employer.                                                        *
*Chris Warren:  ccw@slee01.srl.ford.com                                 *
From: michaeln@hpcvnb.CV.HP.COM (Mike_Nason)
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 92 04:36:19 PDT
Subject: Re: 73 Mustang and new 302
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, Oregon