Cars overloaded with electronics

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Old vehicles were underpowered and inefficient. Avoidance of technology is a strange reason to settle for underpowered and inefficient vehicles.

Sometimes a more conservatively-designed engine might not be so bad at all, just look at the 6.7 Cummins fitted to the RAM trucks. A gear-driven pushrod valvetrain which is not so much of an issue, never prevented the fitment of a 24-valve head for instance.

Not needing to go that far, I'd much rather rely on a 4-cylinder "underpowered" Cummins F3.8 also featuring a gear-driven pushrod valvetrain than on any 3.0L chain-driven DOHC V6 or straight-6 turbodiesel, yet someone else may disagree on that. I guess you remember the ISV5.0 DOHC V8 which Cummins initially tried to make a modular platform for a 4.2L V6 and a 5.6L V8 back in 2006, and went as far as willing to replace the B3.9 and B5.9 with it...

[Piotrsko]

Under powered by what metric? The only few times I wished for more hp commuting was getting on the Pasadena freeway with it's ridiculously short merge ramps. Aka stop sign, hard right turn and boom, you're on the freeway needing to merge right now.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Under powered by what metric?

The BSFC metric.

[Piotrsko]

Oh quarter mile timed accel. Yup underpowered.

Cruising on the 405 northbound below the airport rush hour friday evening, not so much. Tricycle is adequate there. Walking is a bit fast for the flow.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Even some older cars with a low hp rating may not be effectively underpowered at all, as long as they have a decent low-end torque.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Even some older cars with a low hp rating may not be effectively underpowered at all, as long as they have a decent low-end torque.

Disagree. My criteria was BSFC. Moving a small amount of mass inefficiently isn't a sign of adequacy.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

What prevents downrevving from delivering a good BSFC?

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

What prevents downrevving from delivering a good BSFC?

If it's too far outside the area of max efficiency. Remember, it's a bell shaped curve

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

What prevents downrevving from delivering a good BSFC?

Older engines delivered less power for a given amount of fuel for all the reasons I pointed out in post #25.

I have nostalgic feelings about some older vehicles, but I would want to retrofit a modern engine into all of them. For instance, I was considering a Delorean 14 years ago, but the original Renault engine is not good by modern standards.

[Piotrsko]

24 years ago there were kits to install a computer controlled CA apcd smog approved caddy V8 in there, plus you could get one assembled from remaining parts that was Cali smog compliant. "Curly" my neighbor had such an animal with the V8.