Terrible mpg's = new interest in old ideas.

[Tygen1]

I'm almost begging my ATX to die, so I have a good excuse to swap to a MTX
301K...ZX2's are durable cars!
Have you done that A/C and P/S bypass yet? I'm itching to try something like that soon.
Also, post up a pic of these burnt "Cam pistons". My feeling is that it's just from short trips, you can find plenty of pic's of motors with short trips that have brown cam shafts. It's not a problem as long as the cam is still smooth and shinny.
Just got the fourth tank at 40+ mpg. This is real nice. Warm weather helps sooooo much. I really want to push for 45+ this summer.

[mhmitszach]

Originally Posted by Tygen1

I'm almost begging my ATX to die, so I have a good excuse to swap to a MTX
301K...ZX2's are durable cars!
Have you done that A/C and P/S bypass yet? I'm itching to try something like that soon.
Also, post up a pic of these burnt "Cam pistons". My feeling is that it's just from short trips, you can find plenty of pic's of motors with short trips that have brown cam shafts. It's not a problem as long as the cam is still smooth and shinny.
Just got the fourth tank at 40+ mpg. This is real nice. Warm weather helps sooooo much. I really want to push for 45+ this summer.

I'm kinda waiting for your reply to that PM. I'm hoping to try it next week.

Yeah, they were just brown. Not silver and shiny. I'm not gonna take my valve cover off so yeah.

I'm jealous of your tanks. I haven't really been driving much. I don't do too much highway as compared to last summer. So everything is just kind of one highway trip and then like 5-10 mile trips around.

I'm just hoping for a few tanks over 40 soon.

[mhmitszach]

UGH!!!!

Got all the pulleys moved around and a/c removed. But cannot find a belt.

Had to play guessing games because teamzx2 refuses to allow me to join the site, so i can't ask. And all the threads that list belt sizes do not list the car without ac!

So I've tried 76, which was way wrong. 60, 60.5, 62(too big), and 60.95. So tomorrow we're getting a 61.5 from the town 20 minutes north. I'm having my dad pick up a 50 inch belt just incase that doesn't work. 50 inch belt being the size to by pass the power steering too.

[theunchosen]

Just take a tape measure and measure it. And then order a belt. They make a belt for just about any length out there. . .
Thats what I did anyway. .

[mhmitszach]

Originally Posted by theunchosen

Just take a tape measure and measure it. And then order a belt. They make a belt for just about any length out there. . .
Thats what I did anyway. .

Should've. But we've got it figure out now. If 60.95 is just too small and 62 is just too big. 61.5 has to be it.

I'm gonna get a 50 inch belt just in case too (i know for a fact thats right sized belt minus power steering) and i'll just drive against the pump for the weekend . Then just get the correct belt or just loop power steering.

Although, if 61.5 doesn't work. I haven't got a single clue about what to do. Try a 61 1/8 or 61 3/4 I guess. Haha.

[theunchosen]

We have a special belt supplier at the shop thats local when we need some odd sized belt(we repair tractors and alot of times they are not quite tight enough to fit with some of the tensioning equipment(but they are usually really long so there aren't as many out there. . .))

[mhmitszach]

61.5 inch belt was the ticket.
It squeals if you punch it HARD from basically 10 mph or under.
It squeals a lot when you turn.
It's most likely the fact that the one pulling isn't spinning good and it's sticking. Going to try some belt dressing tomorrow.

Estimated cost...

9 dollars for cut off wheel and mandrel
16.99 for belt
?? for belt dressing
Misc ?!

I dunno. Maybe like 30 dollars total. I'll most likely never gain that back, but I felt like I learned something about cars and I like the idea that all that a/c crap is no longer in my car.

Had to put more quick steel on the radiator because we accidentally jammed the a/c radiator into it. 0_o

[Christ]

So lets do some math for you quickly then...

IF you get 1 more mippig out of this whole ordeal:

30 dollars total cost, divided by $2.50/gal for fuel = 12 gallons of fuel

12 gallons of fuel at 34.3 mippigs = 411.6 mippits (miles per tank)

12 gal @ 35.3 mippig = 423.6 mippits

423.6 - 411.6 = 12.0 more mippits than before.

411.6/12 = 34.3 tanks of fuel to reach payoff.

This doesn't take into account mileage spent going to gas stations specifically for fuel, etc...

Also - you can further add to the payoff point by saying something like: "My money stays in the bank for another 12 miles per tank, thereby getting "x" more interest."

It's snipping hairs, but so are many mods.

[mhmitszach]

Thanks for that math work! Hah.

It's more, I just wanted it out. One less thing to rust out of the car. Eventually, I may do the under drive pulley and get rid of power steering. But for now, this is good.

[Christ]

I'm still debating on keeping the A/C in my van when I put the diesel engine in, as long as the project gets off the barn floor.