auto maintenance vs website access, need for speed

[Mike Arman]

First, I'd like to thank all the people who sent me advice on using Corlar
primer, and there were a bunch of them! I have a few things to buy (cheap
spray gun, mask/respirator, etc.), and I'll give this a try. Stay tuned for
progress report . . .


Saw an incipient flame war between two posters, something about "I'll bet
you pay as much for car maintenance as you pay for internet access!" Ooooh,
testy! Same old problem with e-mail - it is almost impossible to tell if
someone is kidding or not, and sometimes a comment made in jest is taken
the wrong way.

Personally, I would be absolutely overjoyed if my type 44 only cost $15.00
a month in maintenance!!!!

I'm just glad it isn't the other way around - paying as much for web access
as I'm paying for Audi maintenance. At 300 baud, no less.




Need for speed - how do we get more HP out of the internal combustion
engine? (Invented in 1861 by Karl August Otto, BTW.)

Four words: Make it breathe better.

Pump more fuel and air mixture through it, and it will do more work in the
same amount of time (make more HP).

Spin it faster. Problems with valve float, component life. Stronger valve
springs reduce valve float, lighter valve components help (titanium keepers
and collars $$$), but these stronger springs can cause premature cam wear,
and even stretch the valve stems!

Raise compression - going from 6:1 to 10:1 gets you a small amount of
"free" HP since you're buying five pistons anyway, just buy five with bumps
on top. Now you have to buy high test gas, which will cost you more for the
entire life of the car. Ugh.

Stuff more air into it - either lots of labor (port and polish) or lots of
money and complexity - turbo! Force feed it, and it will make a LOT more
HP, but we are all acquainted with the complexity of turbo engines. Very
good B4B, though!

Make it bigger! All other things being equal, a five liter engine will make
more power than a 2.3 liter engine. Witness the LT-Q, Vette engine in a
5KTQ - I hear it FLIES! Pity I can't take the 2.3 and slide it onto my
copier with the enlargement set for 120%.

Fiddle the timing (modified spark advance - careful, too much will hole
pistons!)- cheapest way to go, chips for GM cars cost $50 at JCW. Some
penalty in drivability and fuel economy.

Easy way to go faster - clean all the junk out of the trunk, reduce weight!
Keep tire pressures accurate, wheels aligned. Keep windows closed (but then
you may have to run the A/C, and there went all your gains!).

It is all a collection of compromises. You have to ask yourself what you're
willing to give up to get what you want.


Best Regards,

Mike Arman