Good morning!!!!

[toppop52]

toppop52 said, "Ron, new cars try squeeze as much power as possible in the smallest engine, that requires high cylinder pressure from boost, compression ratio or both. In order to that you gotta have knock resistance or you have an expensive hand grenade.
My STS required premium or you got a noticeable drop in performance. My son’s CTSv is the same way."

I'd generally agree, but I have a 2017 Ford with a little 1.5L turbo engine that recently turned over 40k miles. I never baby it, it accelerates as fast as I need to when I romp down on the gas pedal, it's never needed any oil between changes, not a drop of a leak on my garage floor, and it's never had any kind of engine problem or repair. And an overall average of more than 25 mpg. I'd have to say it's actually the best car I've ever owned. Now i hope I didn't jinx myself when I said that.

No doubt that engines are better than ever and getting better all the time. I’m amazed at what they do with these little power plants. In 1988 we bought a new Grand Am with 2.0 turbo and it had 165 hp, now one that size might have 275 or more.

 

[toppop52]

Lockdowns don't cut back on cases when people ignore them ... or violate other rules and public health recommendations.

FWIW:

Ohio covid cases 1,008,913. (Ohio's population is 11,714,600 vs. Michigan's 9,992,430) Deaths are at 18,526. And Ohio reported 2,742 cases yesterday ... that's up from the 21 Day average of 1,556 (we had it as low as 735 new cases per day within the last three weeks) ... and the spike in cases corresponds to the relaxed business opening/operation rules which were implemented here in our state in the last month of so ...

And sadly, the spike in deaths will probably trail the spike in cases by about 3 to 4 weeks.

Nice sandhill pic BTW ...

Lock downs don’t cut down on cases at all. Distancing and masks yes. But it appears politics is more important than facts to some people. Every school in the country should have been open since last September. All three of my grandsons have been in school all year, two in Front Royal, VA and one here in Salisbury, there have been ZERO problems.
I don’t even want to start about teacher’s unions. They make Jimmy Hoffa look like a Sunday school teacher.

 

[RoyJackson]

Dump run is done, snow tires in the shed until next winter and the driveway markers pulled until next winter...
Did get to the field...as far as "Lake Jackson". Lot of downed branches, and looks like 2 or 3 small (5-6 inch trunks) need to come down so I can run the tractor to the field with no mishaps. Way too wet too do this today...I'd like to drop them before they bud, but I don't think the field will be dry enough for a couple weeks.
Putter rest of the day...maybe a movie or two...

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning!!!! 59F @ 8:15AM. Sunny. High 74F. Winds light and variable.

Out here, most of the new CV19 cases are still in the 18-24 age group. They're not wearing masks, and they're not practicing social distancing. St. Patrick's day, the local news showed videos of jammed bars and people standing shoulder-to-shoulder drinking out on the sidewalks. Same in Florida during spring break. And there's increasing concern that the current vaccines may not provide as much protection against the new variants as first thought. I guess we'll find out one way or another pretty soon.

I was hoping to get some herbicide sprayed yesterday, but the wind didn't cooperate. Looks like I might have better luck today.

Then on to finish welding hoops for the last pair of pallets, and get them all installed. Not sure I'll get all that done before quittin' time, though.

PG&E is sending out an inspector for another look at the power lines today. We'll see what he says about all the brush and trees under the lines in the state park. Haven't heard anything back from my state representative, who said they'd look into it.

Hope everyone enjoys a fine weekend!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Engines have had knock sensors for a long time now, and the usual response to knock is to ****** the timing. The spark plug fires when the piston is closer to TDC, so peak pressures in the cylinder drop and that stops the knocking. But it also makes less power and if the amount of fuel isn't also dropped, increases pollution. With digital fuel injection, they can do that now, too.

These feedback loops require sensors, computers, and lots of wires and programming to tie them all together. The higher combustion pressures also put more stress on the engine and drive line parts. It's a wonder most modern cars make it to 100K miles, let alone twice or three times that. The down side to this situation is that when something goes wrong, there are a lot more parts involved, and tracking down the fault requires good problem solving skills and a deep understanding of what everything is supposed to do. It also requires sophisticated test equipment. Those testers cost big bux, and make up a large fraction of what Snap-On and other tool makers bring in every year. And that makes it cost and time prohibitive for the shade tree mechanic to tackle the same jobs. But I guess that's what passes for progress these days.

 

[daugen]

*Record Scratch!* You're Probably Wondering How Lexus Got a Record Player in Here

Lexus stuffed an old-school media player into a new-school sedan.

www.motortrend.com

since most glove boxes this day are pretty useless, perhaps this would be a better use of the space
got any vinyl records left in the attic?
I can just see Popgadget installing a nice Thorens in his car...for that true analog sound.
And a tube Macintosh amp in the trunk. With large Klipch horns taking up the other half of the trunk.
Too bad the roads here are so potholed it just wouldn't work at all.
Those little memory sticks sure are durable in comparison.
But there is a purity about turntables and reel to reel tape decks that will never lose appeal for me.
The Ampex deck would need to go in the trunk. Along with a lot of heavy gauge wiring...

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

49 high of 66 to rain this afternoon and Sunday

upstairs heat pump on the fritz not cooling

all of our cars run on 91 or better and they average between 24 and 30 mpg

prayers for all our Country

My V6 3.4 Impala got 25mpg, my 4cylinder 2.5 Altima gets 26-27. Impala definitely has a better ride.

Took daughter to her math student. She tutors on Saturday. She is currently grounded, from leaving campus at lunch, or having boyfriend come over. Another week. She is the type of person that will let others influence her, or a "follower". Wifey is wanting her to "focus" on her own self. Thank you for the prayers.

I'm working on my wife's uncle's Mule 3010 gas SXS. Just figured out it needs a new fuel pump relay for starters. Battery is weak.

Popgadget, looks like a science experiment. I Like your QC manager.

Pollen is going crazy down here. Temp going up to 83ish.

Hope to BBQ some pork chops, if not too windy.

 

[sodamo]

65°F and .01 inches rain.

Looks to be nice, but overcast morning so far

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day

 

[Thomas]

57F clear sky t shirt weather.

Plan taking Kubota tire chains and rear blade but the ground was way to soft sooo plan B,all the southern banks and south lawn now rake...whew,hopes tomorrow morning able to get front lawn rake to snow line before nasty weather arrives.
Going to be kick ack evening setting comfy chair with smooth cigar and spirit,maybe movie afterwards but pillow time shall come early tonight.

Enjoy the evening all.

 

[toppop52]

Engines have had knock sensors for a long time now, and the usual response to knock is to ****** the timing. The spark plug fires when the piston is closer to TDC, so peak pressures in the cylinder drop and that stops the knocking. But it also makes less power and if the amount of fuel isn't also dropped, increases pollution. With digital fuel injection, they can do that now, too.

These feedback loops require sensors, computers, and lots of wires and programming to tie them all together. The higher combustion pressures also put more stress on the engine and drive line parts. It's a wonder most modern cars make it to 100K miles, let alone twice or three times that. The down side to this situation is that when something goes wrong, there are a lot more parts involved, and tracking down the fault requires good problem solving skills and a deep understanding of what everything is supposed to do. It also requires sophisticated test equipment. Those testers cost big bux, and make up a large fraction of what Snap-On and other tool makers bring in every year. And that makes it cost and time prohibitive for the shade tree mechanic to tackle the same jobs. But I guess that's what passes for progress these days.

You used to be able to defeat knock sensors by simply screwing them out screw in a plug and wrap it in sound deadener. That was the eighties and early nineties.
In all my restomod swaps we either had a tuner do the Pcm or we did it with a laptop, depending on what the donor drivetrain was. The LT1 swaps were easy to get a good Pcm tune from several places but the KS motors and tranny controls are way more sophisticated, and you’re better off tuning it with a laptop.