Right Wool
re cleaning overspray with steel wool - u
omitted to mention to ONLY use 000 or 0000 grade steel wool (avail from hardware
stores) as otgherwise normal household steelwool WILL scatch the glass – very
expensive to rectify!!!
Mark
Australia
CAN Buses
You guys are awesome and consistently have the
best articles on the web and better are much better for tech than any print
publication.
I would like to request a more in depth article
series on CAN and how the average enthusiast can work with it, modify it, and
use CAN controlled engines in swaps into older vehicles. I am starting to swap a
340z VQ35DE with the factory ECU and wiring into a 1995 240sx US spec vehicle.
Specific questions are how to terminate and deal with CAN lines and what tools
are available at the enthusiast level for CAN system diagnosis and modification.
Hopefully some one will develop a universal module that can plug in to an
existing CAN system, read and modify the traffic and header ID database, and
seamlessly integrate with the existing system and allow for added functions to
the system.
Russell OConnell
United States
Technical Training
I read your article "Making Things Part 8"
with interest. Not so much because of what can be done with a lathe but
that you have to tell people about what a lathe can do.
Our country is in
a very sad situation with bugger all metal trade enrolements at our TAFEs.
Especially in the areas of Fitting & Maching. I enrolled myself in a
statement of attainment course for exactly the reason you stated... To
learn how to use the machines. Unfortunately (but fortunate for me), it's the
guys like me who are keeping the courses running.
There is a wealth of
knowledge available, proper workshop safety, correct cutting speeds fo metals
(if your machining a large diameter piece in a lathe you might have to change
the speed of rotation 3 or 4 times), selection of appropriate tooling (dependant
upon the material to be machined and its finish), the list goes on.
Some
years ago, I had cast a number of pedestal dollies which I recently finished
polishing and heat treated to change the metal properties from black to white
cast iron. The dolies are now extremely tough and hard, files just skid off
them, perfect for planishing metal... I wouldn't have known how to do this
if I had not had appropriate upskilling.
So, keep up the articles, but
there's nothing like hands on guided experience!
Mal
Land
Australia
RX7 Info
Re Issue: 257, Last of the Line RX-7 by
MIchael Knowling and David Hey, The article mentioned was written in 2003. I
just found it after spending hours searching forums, groups and google
specifically for the Rx-7 Chassis Code Nomenclature that is in this article.
That alone was worth it, but I have now printed it off and will keep it next to
my FD in the garage. I cannot thankyou enough for an article that covers details
of the 3rd gens from an Australian perspective. I will be sure to
check back :) Thankyou!
Lachlan
Australia
Natural Gas Vehicles
www.autoweb.com.au
What happened to these vehicles and why has
australian public been denied purchase of said vehicles for so long when rest of
world has had them for years?
Lindsay Wilson
Australia
Prius HV Battery Repairs
Over in Prius Technical Stuff, "George Tyler"
of New Zealand repaired his battery pack and discovered a couple of other issues
that had to be corrected. I under he ordered a D-size, NiMH from a Chinese
company and fitted into his battery pack. If for a hundred bucks or so you can
get the NHW10 "lawn furniture" rolling again . . .
Bob
Wilson
United States
Where can you buy 240 NiMh D-cells for $100?!
We have one Prius NHW10 HV battery in pieces but are still seeing what can be
done with it.
Water Injection
Hello there, my name is Matt and i have set out to
install a diy water injection kit into my naturally aspirated falcon i6. So far
i have the diy frequency switch availible from jaycar, the next things on my 'to
get list' are;
1. A high pressure - low volume water pump that
can be run for hours at a time,
2. An 'injector-like' spray nozzle, that is able
to atomise the water as it is sprayed into the intake manifold. This will need
to be fitted to the intake manifold, so a thread may be preferable.
If the water is not atomised, the water droplets
can only impede on the ignition process.
After i have these, i have the name of a trusty
tool maker who will be able to install the nozzle for me.
Also, could i please ask for your thoughts on
water injection on an NA falcon 6.
My intentions are to have the frequency switch run
off the engines rpm, then set to trigger on at 1600rpm (cruise), so allow the
water to be spraying into the engine, cooling the internal combustion chamber,
the ecu will / may realise less fuel is needed as the engine is cooler and the
exhaust gas sensor (its name escapes me) will detect whether the engine mixtures
are correct and advise the ecu with this information.
Ultimately leading to either greater economy,
longer engine lifespan, both, or neither.
Matt H
Australia
A very simply water injection system working
only in cruise would use the vacuum present after the throttle body to draw in
water from a container. That would avoid the need for pumps and
controllers.
Skyline GTR All Wheel Drive
Congratulations on a top publication, there is
always something thought provoking in every issue.
Your articles on the Nissan awd system (godzilla
tamed etc..) left me wondering how a clutch based awd system could provide
positive driving torque to the front axle mid corner, but without slipping the
rear wheels first. After a bit of web research later it turns out that
porsche developed a brilliant solution. Use different final drive ratios or tyre
sizes front to rear, like the Porsche 959 (+1%).
"To make this system work, the front and rear
driveshaft's must run at different speed in normal condition. (so 959 adopted a
pair of front tyres with 1% larger diameter than the rear's) Because of the
speed difference between front and rear driveshafts, the 2 frictional plates of
each independent clutch are rotating relatively to each other. When apply
hydraulic pressure to the first clutch, a small amount of torque will transfer
to the front axle.” www.autozine.org
I
guess most clutch driven awd systems don't have problem as they are front wheel
drive based, and as the vehicle turns the clutch supplies torque to the slower
turning prop shaft.
I'd be facinated to see the results of fitted
larger diameter front tyres to a GTR, perhaps it would then be possible to run a
lot more front axle torque earlier in the corner? Why didn't Nissan
investigate this option? Are they convinced that oversteer is
better?
I look forward to hearing your views.
Derek
Holder
Australia
An interesting point but we don’t have anything
to add.
One Hand Human Powered Vehicle
i would like to know if i could build a hpv with a
steering wheel for those that only have 1 hand to steer??? and pedal breaks is
that possible???
Jonesy
Australia
It’s easy enough to delete one of the
handlebars on a recumbent trike and then fit that single handle-bar with a
two-into-one hand brake lever to brake the front wheels.
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