Response

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 3^rd 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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