Pulled over, but for getting 55mpg without hypermiling.

[freebeard]

He gives me a warning for defective vehicle and for impeding traffic and asks if I'd feel safer if he followed me home.

Last part creeps me out.

I may as well mention that the Dasher is in the shop. I had the fuel pump replaced and the mechanic (whom I trust when he's not off his meds) delivered the car to me with a failed fan and blown head gasket. I'll have to wait for quality assurance until the owner comes back from Hawaii. (must be rough)

OTOH, I've got a nominal 48hp and a 5-speed. Because of the space available with the longitudinal layout, I'd prefer a 20hp altermotor to the turbo. Or at least before the turbo.

but since then I turned back the maximum injection so that at these altitudes I can't feel any power difference, but at the same time I've reduced the black cloud effect greatly.

Can I subscribe to your newsletter? Is it in the shop manuals?

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I may as well mention that the Dasher is in the shop. I had the fuel pump replaced and the mechanic (whom I trust when he's not off his meds) delivered the car to me with a failed fan and blown head gasket. I'll have to wait for quality assurance until the owner comes back from Hawaii. (must be rough)

Ouch! Sounds like he didn't adjust the timing correctly after installing the injection pump. Wrong timing apparently can cause all sorts of problems, like burn glowplugs and such. I need to tackle the timing belt on mine but am a bit scared of messing things up.

Originally Posted by freebeard

OTOH, I've got a nominal 48hp and a 5-speed. Because of the space available with the longitudinal layout, I'd prefer a 20hp altermotor to the turbo. Or at least before the turbo.

Altermotor? Like a hybrid with the motor where the alternator goes? I've often thought of making either one of my VW's a hybrid by either doing that or figuring out how to run two chain drive off of sprockets attached to each transmission output flange where the CV axles bolt on.

Originally Posted by freebeard

Can I subscribe to your newsletter? Is it in the shop manuals?

I didn't know my work was that interesting. I'll have to look in my Bentley's repair manual to see what it says about the max injection adjustment. It was capped off so that it couldn't be adjusted, I guess for emissions reasons. Although Bosch did make diesel injection pumps with automatic attitude adjustment, VW apparently never used them until the could adjust it electronically with the TDI engines. Still, anything I researched said black smoke was from too much fuel. And I put two and two together, if the car is adjusted for sea level operation and I'm where air is now 25% thinner, maybe that's why nobody behind me can see where they're going up at the top of Monarch Pass (12,000ft IIRC).

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by freebeard

the mechanic (whom I trust when he's not off his meds)

Ha! Funny/not funny!

[freebeard]

Ouch! Sounds like he didn't adjust the timing correctly after installing the injection pump. Wrong timing apparently can cause all sorts of problems, like burn glowplugs and such.

The shop owner listened to the [description of the] symptoms (more clatter) and deduced the same. That's why I want him to put his healing hands on it. I've gone to the same shop for 30 years, they're generally good. Letting me drive away and make payments for instance. He's already negotiating, offering to strike the cost of the pump if I pay for more labor.

Altermotor? Like a hybrid with the motor where the alternator goes?

From the steamy jungles of Costa Rica:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tor-35003.html



The Buick OEM part is 1" larger in diameter, and I've got nothing but room on the underside of the slant four. The only hang-up I see is routing the serpentine belt drive around the front engine mount. It wants a ~115v battery pack.

'...subscribe to you newsletter' is a trope. All I know is the valves are adjusted with lash caps.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by freebeard

All I know is the valves are adjusted with lash caps.

By coincidence, I was just looking at availability of lash caps so I can do my valve adjustment sometimes soon.

I'm glad you have a mechanic you can trust. I've had a bad experience with nearly every mechanic I've hired. If I didn't know how to do mechanic work, I'd be looking for a health insurance plan for my car. Good thing I like doing mechanic work.

[jcp123]

That's sad but I kind of understand. Many states have posted minimum speed limits (which I assume are at least de facto, if not de jure, only aimed at car drivers, or discouraging scooters and the like); others have a REQUIREMENT to use flashers under a certain speed (which conversely I've always presumed to be aimed squarely at truckers).

As a truck driver myself, I can't fault the instinct to run flashers; it's a margin of warning for those who are running high speeds behind you. I'd probably have done the same myself. Maybe as a strategic move, it's possible to use a truck as a "rabbit"?

[freebeard]

I'm glad you have a mechanic you can trust. I've had a bad experience with nearly every mechanic I've hired.

Had. This last go-around is away from goodness.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by jcp123

Maybe as a strategic move, it's possible to use a truck as a "rabbit"?

I was thinking the same thing. That wouldn't have raised any eyebrows.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by jcp123

Maybe as a strategic move, it's possible to use a truck as a "rabbit"?

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I was thinking the same thing. That wouldn't have raised any eyebrows.

Yep. I've used big trucks and buses as "rabbits" in my Rabbit so nobody notices that I can't make it up the hill as fast as the rest of traffic. They probably just think I'm scared to pass. But this time I didn't have any trucks around to follow.

[freebeard]

A flat-bed semi with a half-height load (less turbulence), going just faster than you could make on you own. They will suck you up the hill. But beware the rocks and road debris.