Have a Lot to learn

Watching Motor Week on PBS talk about what is needed to use E 85 gas, and all that is in the new cars, has me wondering if I will ever learn it all? Talking to a friend who just replaced his O2 sensor that cost him 160$, and a special tool to replace it, instead of paying 1600, or so he claimed the dealer wanted, to have it done, I am looking for the

26' Chevy that one poster said I needed.))

Just bought fog lights for my Sube, and was reading on a Sube forum that a guy fried his headlight wiring when he put a higher wattage bulb in. Sounds like more than a bulb change did that.

As a kid I was traumatized by an early aftermarket electronic ignition, and had a plug fouling problem in a new car, so not that keen on electronics, though I worked for a co on developing emission control sensors for Fiat. I did a lot with audio electronics, but electric isn't my fav energy.

Looking into synthetic oils, I read that the paraffin based PA oils are bad, when they Used to be the ones to use, I am starting to wonder what happened to cars. Used to be simpler, but I know when computers got faster in the mid 80's that things Changed a lot, but ALL the devices, features, and functions of cars has me reeling.

I have the fog lights, an alarm, a day/nite mirror, a neat 20' corded, reel in underhood light, and a 5 or 6 point seat belt harness, and a bar to mount them, and some mid 80's Mustang Recaro seats to install, plus trying to get some foam behind the bumper covers, to strengthen them, with some foam blocks and stripping, for the bumper car derby city I am in. On Top of that I have AWD to learn, and I am disabled and had brain and all other kinds of damage, and didn't keep up with cars that much for 20yrs. I guess it's what it feels like coming out of a coma.((

I know a little about turbo's and FI from my interest in the mid

80's Mustang SVO, but not intametly, and if I had a turbo Sube, I might need a straight jacket.)) I think the flat 4 has me boggled, since I keep turning my head to try to figure where things are. I've had straight motors, 60deg and 90deg ones, but not flat ones. In the service I was around them and a friends Beatle, but they were pretty much hidden. I guess I'll learn, slowly...

VF Well, I like to learn and know things, especially if involved.

Reply to
houndman
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Fusible link?

I bought aftermarket electronic ignitions from JC Whitney back in the '70s. I loved 'em.

The Impreza is a very strong cage with air-bags. I don't think you'll need all that.

It's a great motor.

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Reply to
David

Think I had one of the first CD ignitions back in 63', made by Prestolite, and it quit after 6mo, at the Top of a suspension bridge. I was able to coast down the other side and remove it.

I know Sube has a strong cage which I like. I'm not keen on air bags. Everything I read about them tells me I Don't want them, just like with ABS. I have thought about harneses for a long time, but haven't been motivated to install them in an old Chevy that I don't drive far or fast. I put a seat belt in a 52' Plymouth in 60', that probably saved my life, and talking about belts to a FAST driving friend who never used them, may have saved his life when he did the next day, and 30mi later rolled his Mustang on the interstate, and got a scratch on his knee, when he cut the seat belts to get right side up. He made the Stang Wedge Shaped sliding on the roof, and broke a few wheels.

I hope the motor is strong, but I bought the Impreza to make lots of changes, and the motor was one, though I might never get to it, but if I had to, it was planned.

VF

Reply to
houndman

Alternatively a heavier wire, through a relay, direct to the lights. The relay controlled by the headlamp circuit.

Had a Mazda RX4 back then (about 74) which had twin distributors. When used as a shopping trolly it used to regularly foul the plugs somthin' terrible. This was pre-aftermarket. We made our own circuit boards, wound up a special primary coil and could get 33 thousand volts out of a standard ignition coil. If we took the HT lead out of the coil the spark would jump from the centre electrode over and down to the earthpoint on the side of the coil. Using a signal generator to simulate the ignition contacts we would soak test them at the equivalent on over 30,000rpm. Finished up making 6 or 8 for mates.

Reply to
Bugalugs

**Aren't 5- or 6-point seat belt harnesses illegal?
**I can solve all of your problems. I think we should take you out of the Impreza and install you in a 1993 Chevy Lumina Eurosport. Problems solved! :)
**There's almost nothing to learn with AWD. The only thing that you have to know is that your Impreza is going to keep you on the straight and narrow when it snows. If you push it a little bit, unlike your Chevy Celebrity, the front end won't shovel when you're taking a snowy corner, however, the rear end will try to come around. Be mindful of that.

With ABS, just hit the brakes hard, ignore the vibrating, stay on the brakes and, above all, remember to steer to avoid! People steer their car like they are going to skid and end up throwing their arses right off of the road because they forget to keep driving after hitting the brakes. When it snows, take it into a snowy, unpopulated parking lot and test it.

**You freak yourself out too much. :) I had a 2003 VW Jetta 1.8T previously (I have an 05 Impreza RS wagon now). With the VW, I changed to synthetic oil at 12K and after extraordinarily long trips (or sections of a long trip), I would park and let the car run for a minute or two and then shut it off. Other than that, I didn't think about it at all. Well, at 2K rpm when the turbo kicked in, it was quite sweet :)

kaboomie

Reply to
kaboom

Did the Lumina have Recaro's?)) A few other cars did, but I always wanted the Stang, and now I can have the feel in the Sube. I want them for all the adjustments, and softer foam. I guess better would be injecting foam into a trash bag I was sitting on, to fit me, but that wouldn't look very neat.)

I freak myself In not Out.) I like to know what makes things tick, and make them tick better. Then I can relax and enjoy, when things are the way I want, like, and should be.

When did harneses become illegal, when they brought out air bags?) I'll disguise them as a double necktie and matching belt.))

Yea, the Sube will get some testing on iced or snow covered parking lots, to see which way it wants to take me, if not straight. I started doing that 40yrs ago, after coming down a hill and sliding through red light at an iced intersection. It was 3AM, and no one around, but there could have been. I only do it now with a car I'm not familiar with, or if I think something could cause a problem. I once had a Co car that had one new tire and 3 with wear, and on a rain soaked worn concrete road with smooth stones protruding, the new tire gripped, and the other 3 slid when stopping for a red light, making the car want to spin. A pickup next to me spun and took out 4 cars waiting in a left turn lane.

VF

Reply to
houndman

I found this on the question of 4/5/6 point harnesses:

In the US, as long as they are listed with the U.S. Department of Transportation ([USDOT), there is no case for them not being street legal as long as you follow the statutes of 49CFR571.209, Seat belt assembly anchorages.

Blair

Reply to
Blair Baucom

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