What's everyone's background?

[IsaacCarlson]

grew up on farm fixing stuff and then was a mechanic, now a farmer again.
It's in my blood.

[chembustion]

Originally Posted by busypaws

Busypaws, My wife's company name.

Live in Tucson AZ. Work in San Jose. Engineer. Work in the defense industry.

We'll see what the VX/155 do next tank. Time to get a computer since it takes me 2.5 months between fillups.

CHEMbustion here ... long time car nut; hooked on the thermodynamic / chemistry reasons behind MPG ( altho' I've played with gear ratios, stuff like that). The more I learn, the more I find I don't know.
Let me comment on something I just found -

Don't strip your car to gain MPG, don't hypermile (drive funny) to gain MPG, and by all means...get a ScanGauge !! It takes the wondering out of your picture and gives you a "peg" to hang questions on.... It will change your driving forever!

Oh, when you get tired of buying this slop called gasoline, let me know. I've changed this, too. Literally. U see, I'm an engr., too.

[gabe502000]

Originally Posted by chembustion

CHEMbustion here ... long time car nut; hooked on the thermodynamic / chemistry reasons behind MPG ( altho' I've played with gear ratios, stuff like that). The more I learn, the more I find I don't know.
Let me comment on something I just found -

Don't strip your car to gain MPG, don't hypermile (drive funny) to gain MPG, and by all means...get a ScanGauge !! It takes the wondering out of your picture and gives you a "peg" to hang questions on.... It will change your driving forever!

Oh, when you get tired of buying this slop called gasoline, let me know. I've changed this, too. Literally. U see, I'm an engr., too.

Back in the '60s, before high tech, there was a gadget called a Vacuum Gauge. You "Teed" it into a carburetor vacuum line and then watched it while you were driving. If you kept it reading as low as possible you got better fuel mileage .... Sounds like this high dollar gizmo is the digital equivalent!

[fidalgoman]

As an intro, my background is computers, copiers, aviation (pilot and mechanic). I like designing and building things, hiking, sailing, aero and fluid dynamics, electronics, just about anything technical and hands on. Doing more with less is my bent in life. I'm married, one (happy) teenage son, am a christian who goes to church. No hardcore politics other than liking to be left alone.

One of the greatest epiphanies I ever had was when I realized that if I just drive the car like I want it to last a long, long time no matter what it's condition, I will do well. Don't stress out the machine. Yes I pay attention to the instant mileage readout, but after a while you train yourself to know just how that feels in the car. Vehicles speak to us if we will only listen. Things last longer, police ignore me and I get great economy. I don't go so slow that the guy behind me is fishing his gun out of the glove box, but I seldom drive over the speed limit either. Usually on the freeway I drive 60 or a little better. On a back road two lane I often find myself moseying along below the limit as well.

[BrianAbington]

shade tree mechanic. Grew up poor, and when I was a teen my family couldn't afford to help me fix my cars, and I didn't want to pay a shop $700 to change my brakes, or alternator, or name the issue here...

So I learned to do it all my self. Read alot, manuals, internet how to's.

Extensive background in car audio, which is were my modification skills come into play.

I try to make modifications fit well, and look like they should be a factory part. I also have always been good at solving problems and coming up with a solution to them. Guess that counts as amature engineering of some sort.

[jcp123]

I'm a student as well as your good old fashioned retail slave at AutoZone. After school...maybe more school? I want a lifestyle job...park ranger, bush pilot, something like that. Or a government job. Mmm job security.

[downeastah]

Former USCG helo flight mech and forever gadget freak. Serenity is my 5th Toyota and first hybrid. Let's see how she handles our far DownEast Maine winters, eh.

[cerondipity]

Newbie to the art of efficient transportation. General Contractor 22+ years with a lifetime in construction. Currently have an old GMC pickup with the 6.2 Diesel. Am entertaining body/transmission/engine mods to increase mileage. I have a firm belief that diesel will be the last internal combustion holdout given its increasing efficiency and the likelihood of practical renewable bio sources, like weeds. Not this silly corn alcohol bull that uses more resources than it saves!!

[TempoRacer]

20 years plus class A automechanic.
25 years plus stock car racer.
I love tuning and moding and engine swaps.

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted by chembustion

... The more I learn, the more I find I don't know.

If everyone realized that the world would be much better place!

Back in the '60s, before high tech, there was a gadget called a Vacuum Gauge..... Sounds like this high dollar gizmo is the digital equivalent!

The vacuum gauge was marketed that way but they are not even close in usefulness. Certainly a great example of "you get what you pay for."