Blatant Lies
I am continually surprised how car "experts" such
as yourselves insist on calling a Subaru WRX a "Rex". A Rex and a WRX are two
completely different cars, just Google "Subaru Rex" and you will see what I
mean. Are you out there to deliberately deceive people who don’t know much about
cars? I'm sure many people come to this site for advice and articles, but this
site is just telling blatant lies. I look forward to your reply.
Chris
New Zealand
Electric Bike
I intend to build your electric bike from the 4
February, 2005 issue (and subsequent parts). Thanks for the great design and
writeup. Since it has been three years since you wrote the articles, is there
anything additional that you would suggest for my build?
My build thread is www.ecomodder.com
David Friedl
United States
It would be better to use a direct chain drive
rather than the roller drive to the tyre.
Variable Exhaust Butterfly
I was wondering, is the VariFlow system still
being sold? Do they have any mail address or something? Cause if I'd call them,
I could probably buy the whole system from the money spent on calling to
Australia. Thanks.
Jeffrey Teunissen
Netherlands
Try kevintdavis@bigpond.com
Retrofitting Stability Control
With all the articles on this site regarding
modification of electronic car systems, i have now been inspired to retrofit
some of these marvels to my own vehicle, a 2003 holden station wagon. This model
(VYII) already has some electronic goodies but the one i really want is
stability controll. i know the later VZ has it as an option an i would like to
retrofit a module (and brake actuator) to my vehicle. firstly are the stability
units a 'stand alone' system and therefore transferable? (by just doing a 'bolt
in ' fitment?) (my car already has abs sensors)
My second question is about using the air temp
sensor to control final igition timing (as mentioned in one of your fine
articles). i know these things are ultimately governed by the ECU programming,
but how effective is changing the voltage of the output on the degrees of
timing? (eg by drastically changing the 'percieved' air temp, would the ECU
change timing by 1/2 a degree or so, or by many degrees?)
thankyou for being fellow 'tinkerers'
Stewart Murray
Australia
We have never heard of anyone retrofitting
stability control, but if it came out in a later model there should be no
intrinsic problems in bolting it all in. It would also depend on how well the
loom is integrated with the rest of the car – it could be such a major job that
it would be cheaper and easier to buy the model that came with stability
control. However, that said, we really don’t know. Re the intake air temp sensor
– we’re doing some work right now on that topic... standby for an article in the
next month.
Real World Spoiler Development 1
Hi many years ago, Autocar ( I think) ran a series
of aerodynamic tests on the Ford Sierra. They had great success increasing the
front downthrust by creating a venturi under the nose. Perhaps you might want to
give this a go on the Lexus? Their venturi was a simple convex curved panel
sited between the front edge and the front axle line, with a flat surface
running a little way rearward of that from memory. I would love to see how that
might work with and without the splitter you have already tested.
Robert Lawrence
New Zealand
Real World Spoiler Development 2
I saw your article 'real world spoiler
development' which reminded me of something I've never gotten around to. Another
option to try for downforce at the front would be to add an undertray between
the bumper and the firewall. The undertray may be tucked under and fastened at
the lowest point of the plastic bumper; curve underneath the sump & subframe
etc.; before curving back up to fasten onto the floor pan. Higher curvature will
accelerate the airflow between it and the road and create a venturi, sucking the
nose down. The deepest point would be between the front wheels... so no scraping
the nose. It would need to be fastened well to the car (ie any downforce will be
trying to pull it off the car) and although aluminium sheet may seem ideal, it
could be disastrous if it came away. And if it doesn't provide more downforce,
you've probably still reduced the vehicle's drag. I imagine you'd also need to
cut a 'V' out of the rear to go either side of the transmission tunnel and
exhaust hot air from the engine bay.
Ben Guymer
Australia
We have fitted front undertrays to two cars and covered the results in AutoSpeed. One was on a Nissan Maxima and achieved
excellent results in improving the intercooler flow –
Undertrays, Spoilers & Bonnet Vents, Part 1
Undertrays, Spoiler & Bonnet Vents, Part 2
Undertrays, Spoiler & Bonnet Vents, Part 3
The other car was a NHW10 Prius –
Modifying Under-Car Airflow, Part 1
Modifying Under-Car Airflow, Part 2
Neither tray was quite as suggested but the
results are interesting anyway.
Fuel ‘Catalysts’
Hi. Love the site. Wondering if you have any
opinion or have done articles about in line fuel catalyst. EG Fitch or fuelstar?
They claim some appreciable fuel savings. Love to get an unbiased and expert
opinions. Thanks
Dean Lewis
Australia
www.choice.com.au
seems a good summary
DIY Electric Car
I am going to biuld an electric car sometime in
the future, and at this stage im hunting for information. You have no doubt come
across alot of imformation, and I do recall seeing on a current affiars program,
5 or 6 guys in brisbane that have built their own. Do you have any information
about these ones? I am searchign for information on parts batteries and motor
and controller suppliers.
John Warnes
Australia
We’ve recently covered a few DIY electric cars
–Electric Clubman!
and Electric Hyundai!.
There are contact details at the end of the articles.
In Brisbane we think the electric vehicle
experts are:
GWG Creative Engineering
5 / 148 Tennyson Memorial
Drive
Tennyson Q 4104
Ph. 07-3217 1175
However, this business deals with the state of
the art (AC motors and perm magnet brushless motors, special high efficiency
controllers, bespoke gearboxes, etc) and so systems are expensive.
Water Injection
Hello, I am a huge fan of the great resources here
at Autospeed, and I wanted to ask a question about water injection. After
looking at the article about intelligent intercooler sprayers, I decided that I
would do some for my car. And then I heard about water injection. I was
wondering if you had any products that would work well with this application? I
was thinking that something "intelligent" and adjustable would be much better
than simply an adjustable Hobbs switch. (something like the FANG feature in the
intercooler sprayer controller)
Jackson de Oliveira
United States
We have a series of articles on water injection
coming up in the next month or so.
Deadly Cars
After reading your article "Unsafe at Any Speed" i
was prompted to write this to let you know about a dear late friend of mine. She
always worked on her on a an old XF falcon wagon, one day it required new upper
& lower bushes so she place the wagon on the jack stands as ussual as dor
her it was the only way to work nice and safe well so she thought during the
attempt the undo the left hand upper nuts or what ever holds it in place the
wagon got a bit of a rock on it (she always work on a hard dirt base I mean real
hard) after a few seconds I heard an almighty scream I ran outside to see what
was going on only to find her trap by both her legs under the wagon. She spend
the next 9 months in plaster and the following 12 months on walking stciks
before she was able to walk without sticks again and she never worked on that
wagon again she sold it to a wrecker. In November 2006 she passed away not due
to any car related work accident but a peanut allergy she didn't know she
had.
I just thought you might like to know about what
can happen even when cars are safe on jack stands. I hope you put this in an
article to help other who might have an idea of work on rock hard dirt,
DON'T.
Russell Sharp
Australia
Since that article appeared another person here
in Australia has been crushed to death by a car falling on them. Take care when
working under cars!
No WA LPG Diesel Rebate
Diesel/Gas conversion article, thought that you
might like to know that the article was a little inaccurate. Rebate scheme for
gas conversions in WA is only for PRIVATELY OWNED PETROL powered vehicles. Does
not cover diesel conversions. Not sure on the federal rebate scheme.
Hector Smith
Australia
Article fixed.
Little Diesel
Check out some of the mind-boggling stats at this
URL! people.bath.ac.uk
Barry dal Herbert
Australia
|