The Car Thread

[ygmir]

I'm coming in late on that Carter 4bbl, but have you replaced all of the vacuum hoses recently? If you've got any of that emissions crap and a vacuum leak, then all bets are off for Carters. If you replace the hoses and haven't done so before, make sure you don't rip them all out at once, but replace them one at a time to make sure you don't inadvertently change anything. If the vac hoses haven't been replaced for a while, they should be anyway. They can look great but be leaking too.

the high idle was from my choke circut , got that fixed. thanks

high folks do tend to get idle

and spend too much time choking their circuit

[Thecatman]

Found this crazy shift pattern. From what I was told, it's from an early 1950s Mack?

[Elliot]

They also told you this Mack could fly, right?

[Thecatman]

No! They didn't try selling me the Brooklyn Bridge either.
That's more complicated than a 5x4.

[GreyCoyote]

So... Reverse is... Where?

Segue: there was a Soviet made truck in the 60's that had no reverse in the shift pattern. Reverse was done with a shuttle gear in the rear end. So for each speed forward, you also had a reverse. Unfortunately the rear end frequently lost the reverse function. Maybe Ygmir knows the name. Big mutha. Military. Diesel 2-stroke.

[Thecatman]

So... Reverse is... Where?

Good observation!

[ygmir]

So... Reverse is... Where?

Segue: there was a Soviet made truck in the 60's that had no reverse in the shift pattern. Reverse was done with a shuttle gear in the rear end. So for each speed forward, you also had a reverse. Unfortunately the rear end frequently lost the reverse function. Maybe Ygmir knows the name. Big mutha. Military. Diesel 2-stroke.

Tatra?

[Elliot]

Most current domestic big-truck transmissions have two ranges, and reverse works in High Range just as well as in Low Range.

[a figment]

In the Mack 12 speeds I worked on reverse was in the trans and operated by air switch on shift knob

[Thecatman]

Most current domestic big-truck transmissions have two ranges, and reverse works in High Range just as well as in Low Range.

You might slip the clutch a little but then you can back up faster! Which usually won't be needed if you're backing up a trailer to a dock.

Reverse could be a separate shifter as well, on that crazy shift pattern.

[The Rod]

Car question: 8th gen Honda Civic vs 6th gen Volkswagen Jetta TDI? Any opinions or thoughts?

We had an '07 civic but I was rear-ended 3 weeks ago and it was totalled . Now we're shopping for her replacement. We're looking at TDI Jetta's but also thinking about getting another civic.

I like the handling and zip of the Civic for an economy car, reliability and low cost of maintenance/repair are nice too.

VW's seem reliable if maintained, better economy (and diesel is almost cheaper than regular in Oregon now) but more $$ to repair and maintain. But after test driving a couple Jetta's they seem to drive more like a family sedan, lacking what little pep the Civic has...



And just for fun I test drove an '07 Civic SI 4-door yesterday, If I was just going for fun factor and not economy it would've won, but the 2.0 I-VTECH is much thirstier than the 1.8...

[tatonka]

update on carb , i put the 2bll on and its getting about 10 mpg around town. about a 40-50 % increase In july im going camping and will see true mileage then.

[ygmir]

update on carb , i put the 2bll on and its getting about 10 mpg around town. about a 40-50 % increase In july im going camping and will see true mileage then.

yeah that's what I'd expect.
a 2 bbl. gives you just as much power at low end, but, there is no "transition" stage when the secondaries open. and, it can run leaner at higher settings, no having to consider for secondaries effects.
You'll probably notice, less "top end" at high rpms, so, top end hard hill pulls may well suffer, but, simplicity and economy should make up for it.

[tatonka]

wasnt to bad on power empty so far ,crosses fingers when i put a load on it

[ygmir]

wasnt to bad on power empty so far ,crosses fingers when i put a load on it

a larger two bbl. will get you a long way for power. the 4bbl. really shines at very high rpm/load. Slow it down with the load and it can get too rich. On my gas trucks, I always switched to a big 2 bbl. if it was a 4. Only exception was a 71 Chevy 3/4 ton with an LT1 350......it could make use of the 4bbl. since I had 4x4 (hi/low range) along with a manual 4 speed and added a 3 speed brownie aux. trans.

[tatonka]

wasnt to bad on power empty so far ,crosses fingers when i put a load on it

a larger two bbl. will get you a long way for power. the 4bbl. really shines at very high rpm/load. Slow it down with the load and it can get too rich. On my gas trucks, I always switched to a big 2 bbl. if it was a 4. Only exception was a 71 Chevy 3/4 ton with an LT1 350......it could make use of the 4bbl. since I had 4x4 (hi/low range) along with a manual 4 speed and added a 3 speed brownie aux. trans.

ah , thanks I think it will do well , going to load it up and go to the Oregon Country Fair jul-11 to the 14th . Going to bring the camper and stay the weekend.

[ygmir]

wasnt to bad on power empty so far ,crosses fingers when i put a load on it

a larger two bbl. will get you a long way for power. the 4bbl. really shines at very high rpm/load. Slow it down with the load and it can get too rich. On my gas trucks, I always switched to a big 2 bbl. if it was a 4. Only exception was a 71 Chevy 3/4 ton with an LT1 350......it could make use of the 4bbl. since I had 4x4 (hi/low range) along with a manual 4 speed and added a 3 speed brownie aux. trans.

ah , thanks I think it will do well , going to load it up and go to the Oregon Country Fair jul-11 to the 14th . Going to bring the camper and stay the weekend.

what route do you take?
I'm off I80 between Reno and Sacramento, about 1.5 hours west of Reno.

[tatonka]

I live in Ore just north of salem its a couple hour drive from my town Dundee Or to Eugene area. It was 500 miles to the playa last year.

[ygmir]

I live in Ore just north of salem its a couple hour drive from my town Dundee Or to Eugene area. It was 500 miles to the playa last year.

ah. I was just in Portland and Yacolt last week.

[gyre]

[Captain Goddammit]

You can make a few MPG difference just by inflating your tires to max pressure. If they are low at all the rolling resistance goes way up.

[EspressoDude]

lotus? morgan?

[gyre]

[gyre]

[Thecatman]

You can make a few MPG difference just by inflating your tires to max pressure. If they are low at all the rolling resistance goes way up.

Good way to illustrate that is take a hand truck/dolly that has inflatable tires/wheels. Inflate the tires to 25lbs or so, load 15 cases of beer on the hand truck and push it around. Pretty easy.
Now deflate one tire to 15lbs, keeping the 15 cases of beer on and push it around. There's a big difference. Experience is a good teacher.

[Ataki]

Nice.. I love those Morgans..

[gyre]

The Morgans have a certain style.
Good guess, Espresso.

Just cruising ...

Image courtesy of Chasecam

[gyre]

[gyre]

Street version based on the W196

[gyre]

An extremely rare photo of a Lamborghini with a front plate