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Old 02-28-2008, 04:52 PM   #29 (permalink)
s2man
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 128

Porthos - '96 Chevrolet Cavalier
90 day: 31.3 mpg (US)
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I've taken a couple of days off this week for a four-day weekend, to work on cars with my son. So this weekend the plans include:

1. install flat windshield wipers and cowling.
2. install Taurus chin tray on my Cavalier.
3. not indexing the plugs. the race shop didn't get the indexing washers in time for my long weekend.
4. test alternator disable. If the engine runs okay without the alternator, I've got the switch, wire, ammeter and A-pillar pod ready to install. (I'm good at buying parts before I need them)

So this summer's plans include
3. spark plug indexing
4. (maybe) alternator disable switch w/ ammeter
5. flat wheel covers. I priced aluminum pizza pans online for $5-7. This week I found pans at Walmart that fit my rims perfectly fo $3 ea. I grabbed them. Steel pans. I returned them Target has aluminum pans online, but I checked the store today and they don't carry them.
6. air separation lip around the entire, rounded read end. Not VG's. Yes, Metro, I'll do ABA testing.
7. lower the suspension
8. water vapor injection
9. WAI. I wish I had done that last fall
10. EFIE. homebuilt from online plans. I want to learn electronics anyway



What's not gonna happen: Better gearing. This Cavalier has a 3-speed auto w/ lockup. It really needs better gearing. The options I see are:
A. swap in a manual. Too much work and no garage. I'd be better off finding a manual tranny, 2 door with a blown engine and swap in my engine.
B. swap in a 4 speed OD automatic and ECU. I stopped at the tranny shop today and picked their brains. They don't want to be involved in this. I don't have a garage or spare car to drive during the swap.
C. swap the sprockets on the final chain drive. Yes, chain drive. This would put my final drive = OD, in all gears. Unfortunately, the sprockets are the last thing you reach on a complete teardown. So $800 to pay the shop to swap sprockets.

I guess the smartest thing would be to replace the dented fenders, sell the Cavalier, and buy something to play with that has a better baseline than the Cav's 25mpg combined.
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