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The Car Talk Thread

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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    Australias Holden to go diesel. Probably of little interest to anyone outside of 0z.
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    ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    Go away for a day and I miss the entire Civic discussion! I owned two '88 CRX Si's (and totalled them both, but neither was my fault). The worst thing Honda ever did was replace it with the del S***.

    I still notice the few that exist, but the Miata and it's lack of solid roof has more than made up for the CRX's demise.
    Chris
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    K&N Air Filters:

    Completely asinine waste of money?

    or

    Single most cost effective mod you can make to your car?


    I've heard both.
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    K&N Air Filters:

    Completely asinine waste of money?

    or

    Single most cost effective mod you can make to your car?


    I've heard both.
    New car in the city on tar all day...total 100% waste of money IMO.
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    gus wrote:
    New car in the city on tar all day...total 100% waste of money IMO.

    I should have mentioned: I put one in my Camry at around 50k, and it's up to nearly 250k, I've recharged the thing once or twice. Given that kind of usage, not a waste of money, but I totally get what you're saying. Not necessary. Got it.

    Anyone else?
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    I should have mentioned: I put one in my Camry at around 50k, and it's up to nearly 250k, I've recharged the thing once or twice. Given that kind of usage, not a waste of money, but I totally get what you're saying. Not necessary. Got it.

    Anyone else?
    On our dirt farm when i was a kid we had a V8 4.2 lt car that got nothing but regular normal oil & filter changes as per spec. It drove on roads that would be almost indescribable to most people outside of australia..we called them bulldust tracks. It did almost 280k miles (450 000klms) on these sort of roads before its first rebuild. We also had trucks/tractors & harvestors that were purely working vehicles that were 20 years old & lived in grain dust all their lives. Paper elements were all we had & we did clean them at regular intervals along with oil changes.

    People will no doubt have diff ideas but i recon the more you fool with what the designers created (other than ergonomics) the more you invite troubles for a simple non performance engine that is looking for a long life.
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    Antonio CorreiaAntonio Correia Registered Users Posts: 6,241 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    Can I post this photo here ?
    If I shouldn't, please move it. Thank you.
    thumb.gif
    109295312-M.jpg
    All the best ! ... António Correia - Facebook
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    K&N Air Filters:

    Completely asinine waste of money?

    or

    Single most cost effective mod you can make to your car?


    I've heard both.

    Complete waste. They flow maginally better than a stock filter, but the car won't be able to use that extra air because a car is a vacuum pump so it sucks in all the air it can and there are mechanism in place to limit this to match the amount of fuel, plus you won't get more in without getting more out (exhaust). Plus, they let it substantially more grit (check around google, one of the F-150 guys had a flow analysis done.
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    DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited November 10, 2006
    K&N for a Prius? buy some beer instead!
    Combine what Gus and Marlin said, and you have my answer: car designers are good these days. If you're not going on a race track or changing the main focus of the car completely from its intended one, stick to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

    If you want more science, Marlin answered it: your engine is already getting a surplus of air, I almost gaurantee it, especially for that tiny little Prius job. So why would you introduce an aftermarket element that might let in other undesirable things?

    Your Camry may have ran fine, no question. But what do you think you would gain by adding the K&N on the brand new Prius?
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited November 10, 2006
    Hey, Zac! I did miss that. Thanks!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    xtnomadxtnomad Registered Users Posts: 340 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't think most of you in this thread are old enought to remember to old auto part store adds about spark plugs that would double your horsepower and triple your gas mileage. Sounds like the same thing. headscratch.gif Just my two cents.
    xtnomad :wink
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited November 10, 2006
    xtnomad wrote:
    Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't think most of you in this thread are old enought to remember to old auto part store adds about spark plugs that would double your horsepower and triple your gas mileage. Sounds like the same thing. headscratch.gif Just my two cents.

    You forgot the little gizmo that goes in the air intake that swirls it all up
    for a mere $50 lol3.gif
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    xtnomad wrote:
    Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't think most of you in this thread are old enought to remember to old auto part store adds about spark plugs that would double your horsepower and triple your gas mileage. Sounds like the same thing. headscratch.gif Just my two cents.
    I remember staying up late one night with the adults in our old farm house with the smell of kerosene layering heavily in the air from the lamps as we listened to the first moon landing on an valve HMV wireless...hows that rolleyes1.gif
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    xtnomadxtnomad Registered Users Posts: 340 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    gus wrote:
    I remember staying up late one night with the adults in our old farm house with the smell of kerosene layering heavily in the air from the lamps as we listened to the first moon landing on an valve HMV wireless...hows that rolleyes1.gif

    I remember that day. I was staying up with Dad and he told me this was a day to remember. As living in Houston the landing was on the tele (B&W) and I thought that he was talking about this thing that would let us close the windows called air conditioning. N5PPK mwink.gif
    xtnomad :wink
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    But what do you think you would gain by adding the K&N on the brand new Prius?


    Nothing, is what I think. :D
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    Combine what Gus and Marlin said, and you have my answer: car designers are good these days. If you're not going on a race track or changing the main focus of the car completely from its intended one, stick to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

    If you want more science, Marlin answered it: your engine is already getting a surplus of air, I almost gaurantee it, especially for that tiny little Prius job. So why would you introduce an aftermarket element that might let in other undesirable things?

    Your Camry may have ran fine, no question. But what do you think you would gain by adding the K&N on the brand new Prius?

    Even John Hennessey, who sells a kit for the 300C SRT8, once said in a post about his own kit that you aren't going to see any gains, it's more a cosmetic thing than anything. He said if you do see any gains at all it'd only be by switching your existing intake system for a ram air system and even then it'd be very small gains and only at high speeds.
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    xtnomadxtnomad Registered Users Posts: 340 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    This is for Gus.
    In Texas !
    109433070-L.jpg
    xtnomad :wink
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    NHBubbaNHBubba Registered Users Posts: 342 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    what part of beating a dead horse don't you get? I'm not saying "I'm right, you're wrong". I'm merely pointing out I didn't make any typo's, so reread it and take a second to interpret it if you care to do so.

    Apparently, I'm the only one that has spent some time behind the wheel of a Civic Si, so why don't you guys do the same before ripping it to shreds. At least on the points I'm trying to "argue".

    Sheesh, damn kids!
    Take it easy!

    As I mentioned, I have spent time behind the wheel of my neighbors' Si. As I said, I wasn't impressed. As I said, I didn't have the heart to say so much to her. Clearly some people love it, as she does, others don't, as I don't. If you side w/ her, well, more power to you.

    What part I didn't understand is the digital tach business. I went back and read the posts over again, and I still don't follow. One minute there was discussion of digital SPEEDOS, the next post you make a comment about digital TACHS. And from the photos posted I see a tach w/ a needle that goes 'round. I'm sure it is electronic (aren't they all these days?!) but I wouldn't call it 'digital'.

    So yeah, yah lost me.

    Whatever, not worth the time. You don't want to 'discuss' it further?! I'm beating a dead horse? Sure, gotcha, subject dropped.. moving on!
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    xtnomad wrote:
    This is for Gus.
    In Texas !
    ta mate...what are they racing ?
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    xtnomadxtnomad Registered Users Posts: 340 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    Last week they were doing some testing for the Houston Grand Prix. I was lucky to get this photo. No photos as they were testing . Any contacts for pit pass? ne_nau.gif Or tickets.
    xtnomad :wink
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    NHBubbaNHBubba Registered Users Posts: 342 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    K&N Air Filters:

    Completely asinine waste of money?
    I think so. Paper's good 'nuf fer me. I've read enough scary reports of (properly oiled) K&N's not filtering out some pretty large particles that paper filters grab w/ ease. I also hear a lot of reports of people gumming up intake electronics (like the MAF) by over oiling their filters, which is reportedly easy to do. Paper is safe and affordable enough that I don't mind swapping them out every 15k or so..

    But then I should add that my primary driver is a 4x4 pickup that sees dirt and mud. I won't touch an aftermarket inake (so called 'cold air intake') either. My buddy's call me nuts, but to me a minscule improvement in performance is not worth the risk.

    Guys at work are on me to mod the intake on the Miata too. I'm undecided on that as the Miata is obviously street only.


    (Finally caught up w/ the other posts, seems most of us agree!)
    ian408 wrote:
    You forgot the little gizmo that goes in the air intake that swirls it all up
    for a mere $50 lol3.gif
    Ah, yes, the tornado! Drop by a pickup forum, they are discussed once a month, like clockwork. That and the whole tailgate up vs tailgate down bit..
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    RE: K&N.

    There was a post on my Prius forum that the K&N's are now available for the Prius. I was not interested in it, for most if not all the reasons you all listed above. But I was curious what you all thought, since I'd heard both sides of the story before.

    The other big controversy over at priuschat.com is the BT Stiffening Plate, which I DID buy. It replaces this flimsy steel plate that transverses the U channel that runs the length of the car, whatever you call that channel. Anyway, this plate I bought is much thicker, stiffer and seems betterer to my ignorant eyes. What I can tell you is that my car handles better and corners much better with it. It's more solid, less lean in tight u-turns, for example.

    Anyway, that's most likely the only performance mod that I'll make on this car. I've got the iPod thing going (still working on resolving those issues posted above), and I've got some door side molding (the bumper things) waiting to be installed on the car. I'll get tinting eventually, for the heat in the summer, and probably put on mud guards. I'm not sure why I'm doing that last, really, I just kinda want to. ne_nau.gif
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    DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited November 11, 2006
    DavidTO wrote:
    It replaces this flimsy steel plate that transverses the U channel that runs the length of the car, whatever you call that channel.
    Last time I checked, the Prius was front wheel drive. Why do you have a channel that runs the length of the car? headscratch.gif I'm not being sarcastic, I really can't figure out what this channel is or does. Anyone?
    What I can tell you is that my car handles better and corners much better with it. It's more solid, less lean in tight u-turns, for example.
    This channel runs the bottom of the car, right? Longitudinally? If so, I'm even more befuddled. Purely mechanically, a mysterious "channel" in what is essentially a box cross-section - the car unit-body - is doing the stiffening. Think I-beam vs. open box cross-section. Tying together then open end of an I-beam does not affect its torsional stiffness. This defies any dynamics I've ever learned in school and practice. Placebo effect perhaps?

    You've got me intrigued. Photos perchance?

    Now some friendly ribbing: you guys discuss performance mods on the Prius??? Shouldn't priuschat be all about which political bumper stickers you're adding?
    :D
    :hide
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    Last time I checked, the Prius was front wheel drive....

    You should hear the talk on there. Amazing. And the spreadsheets these guys have, tracking mileage for the past 3 years, tracked with mean temperature, etc.


    You can see pictures of the stock plate and the replacement here.
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    Here's a sample signature from that forum:
    '06 Seaside Pearl Pkg #6
    Avg 43.4 MPG ~ 25.3k miles after 8 months [Updated:11/2/06]
    Sound: MTX Thunder 10" Subwoofer & Mono Amplifier($535)
    Tint: 70% V-Kool (Front), 30%-15% Suntek HP (Rear & Hatch) ($400)
    Misc: Garmin C320 SteetPilot GPS ($300), Prius MPG Decal ($7), Charcoal Metallic License Frame ($10),
    K&N Air Filter ($35), DarrellD's LED Converison ($320), TRD Emblem ($3), Tools ($18)
    Wheels/Tires 17" Scion tC Wheels w/Sumitomo HTR+ 215/45ZR17 ($790), Chrome Wheel Valve Caps ($8), Wheel Locks ($42)
    Total Burn on Wallet: $2,468
    Satisfaction gained from owning a 'Personalized' Prius: Priceless
    Upcoming Mods:
    BT Tech Plate (Undecided)

    and another:
    Inside...
    Pioneer AVIC N-2 Navigation | XM Radio & NavTraffic | Jonhson Silhouette 20% Tint | Infinity Kappa 62.7i Speakers | Dynamat Xtreme Speaker Mats | Center Armrest Cover | Canvas Heatshield | HSD Keychain

    Outside...
    McCulloch 5000k Dual Beam HID | JDM Side Blinkers | Coastaltech 2" Hitch | Yakima KingPin4 Bike Rack | Toyota Hitch Cap | OEM All-Weather Mats | Weather-Tech Cargo Mat | OEM Mud Flaps | Polarg B1 Bulbs | Zaino Wax

    Performance...
    Royal Purple & Amsoil Synthetic 5w30 XL | K&N & Mobil One Oil Filters | BT Stiffening Plate | Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S 195/60/15

    And check out this "beautiful" carbon fiber dash mod (blecccch).

    And definitely take a tour through the navbar on the left at this site.
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    Hahahahaha! I like any list of performance mods that involves 195 tires.
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    Hahahahaha! I like any list of performance mods that involves 195 tires.


    Heheh. Yeah, that's a step up from stock!
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    Merc Brabus Rocket Its got some wild looking specs to its name.


    The maximum power output of 730 hp / 537 kW is produced at 5,100 rpm. Peak torque is 1,320 Nm, but is limited electronically to 1,100 Nm, available from a low 2,100 rpm.

    The front axle features vented ceramic brake discs in size 375 x 36 mm and 12-piston aluminum fixed calipers. Vented and perforated steel discs in size 355 x 28 mm and 6-piston aluminum fixed calipers on the rear axle complete this efficient and strong brake system.
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    antriebantrieb Registered Users Posts: 285 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    My car is so much fun! I took it for a drive up to Manchester VT.

    109570808-L.jpg

    109570587-L.jpg
    Photography runs in my blood :andy

    http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
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    AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2006
    antrieb wrote:
    My car is so much fun! I took it for a drive up to Manchester VT.

    Hey now, there ya go! Is it driving ok? Nice color, it looks good, like 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 better than the smurfmobile
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