Have you noticed that the weather is getting worse?

Thanks for the informative posts, kccountryboy. So...a Supra, a Viper and a Pontiac G8? Nice.

I'm a little bit more optimistic about the future of hotrodding. It all depends on what the future is, though. Pure electrics would be better from a hotrodding standpoint than hybrids because they aren't as complex. Alternative fuels could end up being a good thing, too. For example, if your Supra was originally built as a Flex-Fuel vehicle and there were E85 scattered around the KC metro area, then you'd enjoy the octane and fast burn of ethanol at cheap prices and you'd be able to run more boost.

Since you brought up Diesel locomotives, what's your opinion on using a powertrain layout like that on a pickup truck? That would allow the use of a smaller prime mover and wouldn't require a large battery pack. The only battery needed would be the one to start the engine. In this type of vehicle the electric motors take the place of the transmission. That allows full power at zero MPH. If this works for trains, then why wouldn't it work if it was scaled down to semi trucks and pickup trucks?

Can gasoline engine tricks (cam phasing, variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation) trickle down to Diesel engines?

I think a flywheel hybrid would be great for drag racing.

Longermonger this a career navy veteran speaking at you. Electricians Mate Chief Petty Officer so watch where you throw your weight.
I know you are a cynical person that doesn't believe anything unless you thunk it up. Look up the C.V. Ricketts, the Preble, and the Guam. Originally Posted by john_galt

Speaking AT me? Why not speak TO me like normal people? I mean, you aren't a snobby officer. You're a regular enlisted guy like most people. We're all just a bunch of average joes here. The last thing we want to see on these boards is a bunch of civilians trying to pull rank on each other because there'll always be some Army reservist that retired as an O-4 or something to one-up everybody. I bet there are even a few Senior Chief, Master Chief, and Warrant Officer lurkers that would give you a scare.

Hey, I looked up those little boats you listed. It sounds like you spent some time in Norfolk, VA.

I think a flywheel hybrid would be great for drag racing. Originally Posted by Omahan

I think that idea has been tried already in drag racing. I seem to remember reading about it in Hot Rod years ago. Chrysler made a big deal about a LeMans racer with a flywheel several years ago, too. Since a racetrack is nothing more than a series of drag straightaways connected by corners, it is sort of the same thing. If you want to see the cutting edge use of flywheels for energy recovery/storage/and use, then Google "KERS Formula One" and read about it.

An offspring of this technology for a road car could help recover the energy that is normally wasted by slowing down or stopping...store it for a few seconds or minutes...and then accelerate the car. Using braking power to accelerate the car is a neat trick.

You know Longermonger I'm getting awful tired of your antics. You pull out the veteran card and YOU get offended that are also talking DOWN to a fellow veteran.
You call out people you percieve as rednecks with insults and then YOU get insulted that someone points out that people you think of as rednecks are techologically advanced enough to build weapons and cars (sounds like engineers).
You always take things personally especially you launch the first attack. Typical lib attitude...
I wish the Omahan would call you down for your crap but I'm out of here on this thread. It has traveled so far from where it was supposed to go. (sigh**)

Actually it is a W-body Pontiac and there is in inherent problem with E85 in vehicles. It takes a special kind of plastic in the tank and the lines for it to work. Otherwise the acidity and corrosive nature of the fuel would destroy most plastics over time as well as the windings in the injectors. An injector is merely an electromagnetic solenoid. As the fuel passes by the windings, it degrades the protective layer and causes it to misfire. E85 vehicles require special lines, injectors and even gaskets. Also, E85 is more likely to absorb water. It is ethanol, the primary component in HEET fuel additive.
While E85 has a higher octane rating and when burned, produces more power than heat, it is not favorable in cold weather climates. I have run many sprint and circle track cars on methanol and on a cool night the fuel line and intake would have ice on them due to the low temps. Combine this with water contamination and you have a recipe for failure. Fuel itself would remain liquid but pockets of water in the line could freeze resulting in stall. Not good on the highway. E85 produces more power, and burns cleaner. However, fuel economy decreases greatly. At that point it becomes a wash in cost to fuel. With E85 to fuel more often, but have more power with that fuel. Great until the injector fails and the E85 one is more expensive so then you have to factor in cost of repair. The injectors are not interchangable yet either.
The reason that OTR Trucks and passenger trucks cannot run a series style electric vehicle is due to weight. The electric motors are enormous, and then the battery voltage to run those motors. A prius generator/electric motor weighs about 510lbs. It is not a transmission at all. It is comprised of MG1 MG2 a planetary gear set and the output shaft. It about 2.5 times the weight of a standard automatic or manual trans for a similar vehicle. This is due to the copper windings. the prius is a gutless wonder. however, if torque what you are looking for, electric motor is the way to go. The Prius produces 295ft-lbs of torque from a stop. This is instant. Good for towing, but dont ever do it with a Prius. But it only produces 67 HP. Not good for acceleration. The ICE in a Prius produces 76HP and 82ft-lbs of torque. The ICE in the Prius is not a typical engine either. It is an Atkinson cycle engine. Orginally developed in the 1882! The cranksshaft is offset 12mm or about 1/2" from center in order to produce a longer power stroke. This also reduces side load on the piston for longevity and decreased friction. It has a 13 to 1 compression ratio. It produces its torque at higher RPMS. The intake valve is varied up to 33 degrees relative to crank position. The intake plenum acts as a charge canister as well. Compression is pushed into it and stored for the next intake valve open.

Variable valve timing can possibly trickle to diesels as well, but engineers have decided to utilize the the DPF system instead. I would have to say there is a reason for this, I just am not sure what it is.

These pics are representative only. No need to show my neighborhood on here. The blue vehicles are correct in color. I actually have 3 toyotas in different colors and different levels of modifications.

Every few days another climatologist has to redact a statement or finding that supports climate change. And you'll only find coverage of these in the UK press, not in the drive-by media...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...etract-siddall

I'm glad I wasn't drinking milk when Galt defended rednecks by bringing up NASCAR otherwise it would have shot out my nose and onto my keyboard. NASCAR? Really? I'm supposed to be in awe of a spec-racer series with heavy cars on little tires on steel wheels powered by cookie cutter carbed V8s that only turn left*? Color me unimpressed. I've driven a dog-box formula car in the rain in heavy traffic. Originally Posted by Longermonger

Color me unimpressed, but not surprised. I've been to a number of SCCA Nationals, and only once have seen a race worthy of the name.

And that was a GT1 race.

But you guys with your little tiddling formula cars are cute...

All.......you too Omahan....LOL!!!!! This thread is about the weather.....NOT cars. You car gurus go start your own thread!!!!

Me and my 79 Gremlin have things to do.....see ya!

My apologies for continuing off topic Bubba and Omahan, it won't happen again.

Every few days another climatologist has to redact a statement or finding that supports climate change. And you'll only find coverage of these in the UK press, not in the drive-by media...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...etract-siddall Originally Posted by fritz3552

If a climatologist has to redact a statement or finding every few days, how many days until all of the claims are retracted? ...a million years? As I understand it, his paper was reviewed by his peers (exactly how it is supposed to be) and they caught the miscalculations based on fossilized coral data and ice cores records. Will you believe his estimates of sea level change after the corrections are made? You should.

If a climatologist has to redact a statement or finding every few days, how many days until all of the claims are retracted? ...a million years? As I understand it, his paper was reviewed by his peers (exactly how it is supposed to be) and they caught the miscalculations based on fossilized coral data and ice cores records. Will you believe his estimates of sea level change after the corrections are made? You should. Originally Posted by Longermonger

My point is/was that you would never find any mention of any retraction in the sympathetic US. mainstream, drive-by media. You have to go overseas for any information that does not fit into the template of the climate change believers. And no, I would not believe an updated finding by this climatologist because of all the other fabricated evidence that has been published as fact.

Longer, the one retraction a day seems to be part of a long term strategy to keep blatant errors in the report in the news. The fact that it will take a long time to point out all of the errors is not a redeeming factor for the report...it should be embarrassing as hell to the authors.

Peer Reviewed? Read some of the British media. The whole point of 'Climategate' is that the CRU and Penn State deliberately tried to stop peer review. And now, the current excuse for letting mountain climber articles define glacial retreat is that they didn't have time to review everything. And these are more than miscalculations - transposed numbers, getting data from pop culture...and the biggie: the dog ate my homework and we threw away the hockey stick data!?!?!?

Inhof has called for a congressional investigation...he probably won't get it, politics being what they are. However, the Brits are investigating the CRU.

Alot of people have large emotional investments in this. Its hard to believe that this all stinks. Look at it rationally. Do you think the CRU should be able to replicate the hockey stick graph? Snake oil salesmen get more scrutiny, if the answer is no.

Its simple. Prove it. Make your work public. Demonstrate it is reproducible. They simply cannot do that.

You have made this a political D vs R issue. I don't know why. Prominent Republicans have signed on to the hoax - Newt, RNC Chair Steele, McCain, a reluctant nod by Bush. All politicians, of every stripe, are salivating over the funding power that fear has. So I really don't understand why you make it a political issue. Its a moral issue to me...I hate being lied to. Do you? Why put your head in the sand? Why not ask the question: prove it?

You have made this a political D vs R issue. I don't know why. Prominent Republicans have signed on to the hoax - Newt, RNC Chair Steele, McCain, a reluctant nod by Bush. All politicians, of every stripe, are salivating over the funding power that fear has. So I really don't understand why you make it a political issue. Its a moral issue to me...I hate being lied to. Do you? Why put your head in the sand? Why not ask the question: prove it? Originally Posted by lacrew_2000

Crew, the answer to this is very simple. As an ultra liberal, he views things differing from his view point as evil and all evil things are Republican. He is exactly what is wrong with our givernment. He blind allegence to his liberal democratic view points, is exactly the same as the members of our house and senate. Unless an idea comes from the party they represent then the idea is deemed invalid and without merrit. You can never ever get him to admit that a democrat has done something wrong, tried many times even when it is obvious. Personally and as I have stated many times, both parties are full of shit, and I will point the finger at both of them.

One more thing Mr. Monger sir, I know this may be hard for you so sit down okay, ready, there are Democrats who dont believe in climate change around 25% according to the most recent poll.