Response

Suggestions

A couple of articles for the near future, Liquid LPG injection system and the Rotary valve head for the 4 stroke engine. People need to be informed for advances to happen. Thanks.

Mick Miljevic

Australia

Diesel LPG

After using a couple of petrol engine convertions, I am now looking at GAS ON DIESEL, using BOTH fuels simultaneously. Most systems on the market inject LPG as a vapour, but there are several companies injecting LIQUID LPG which will be very beneficial to diesel engines. Most convertions use about 25% Diesel 70% gas, obtaining diesel type power output. One Aussie company does it the other way round 70:30 to increase both power AND torque about 30% COULD A MODIFIED PETROL INJECTION SYSTEM BE USED TO INJECT LIQUID LPG INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD?

Joe Stanyer

Thailand

We have covered vapour LPG injection on diesels – see Diesel LPG - an Amazing Breakthrough. We have not covered liquid LPG injection.

‘Totally Unacceptable’

Great read and very informational. But reading the article http://www.autospeed.com.au/cms/A_3006/article.html. It has shown that Julian Edgar has used his power of a press car to abuse the vehicle. This is totally unacceptable as this is a courtesy vehicle and it seems that was not shown!.

Some people need to take there job seriously and write constructively and maybe clean the vehicle before returning it so they can make sure the vehicle is in the same condition as they received it. Also from reading Julian's replies it seems that he may of lent the car to a friend to drive that's why he never knew of the damage done, but that would be unacceptable.

Good Luck with this issue.

Bobby Benvenuto

Australia

‘Glaring Obmission’

Re The History of Mazda's Rotary Engine

A Very good Story but Mazda's Non Recognision of Ford First Production car with a Wankel Rotary Engine is a Glaring Obmission. Ford P{roduced a SINGLE Rotor Wankel Rotary Powered Engine in the Mustang in the Early 1960's and has the honor of brrn the First Production car with a Rotary Engine

Mazda Only Claims the first Twin Rotary Engine in a Production Car

Tony Gowshall

Australia

‘Wrong Conclusions’

Your explanation of torque and horsepower is correct only in a frictionless environment. In the real world you must consider sum of forces, including friction and drag. Without an analysis of sum of forces the results and conclusions are wrong. Please take a look at these linked documents.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dfjcvtc2_8cn85bvcn&hl=en

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dfjcvtc2_9dt8w9ffw&hl=en

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pBCH2Clzmrpk4iegLhabkAA

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pBCH2ClzmrpmqhY6LFzt2DQ

Andrew Gallien

United States

‘Such a Stupid Comment’

Astra SRi Turbo review of 6 February, 2007 by Julian Edgar,

I just can't get over this reviewer saying "For some but not for us' I have never heard of such a stupid comment for any car review. Car's are usually reviewed for readers to consider buying it not for reviewers for their own personal preferences.

He said Astra engine lacks VVT which is a clue to how old it is. The Golf GTi 2 Litre Turbo, XR5 2.5, new Audi 16V 1.8T all do not have VVT. Big deal most VVT engines (Honda, Toyota, Yamaha)have very little torque.

The suspension.....hmmmm....18" wheel/tyres are too low for the setup. He reckons he knows far more than Opel and Lotus Engineers. The Civic Type R with similar rear torsion bar (although non-adjustable) suspension has a 18" package but with very hard supension it handles much better. However, it rides like a go-cart. Much worse than the Astra.

This a car you can get for $35,000 driveaway and the more expensive XR5 gets better reviews with its heavier front end, very hard ride, sure much better handling/steering but no foot rest or even cruise control and you say it's brilliant. Or I guess you say brilliance is a hard riding low torque VVT Honda Civic Type R made in UK for $40,000 or a well engineered VW GTi Golf made in the poorest area of South Africa? No not German made. It should be much cheaper because of this yet you will say brilliant for $40,000.

What sort of biased publication do you run there? I say for some but not for me.

Robert

Australia

Fuel Additives

Can you also run an article about the various Fuel additives available in the market and specially those Ferrocene + detergent based fuel pills which claim to boost performance and Fuel efficiency.

Their Pro's and Con's on the engine etc.

Saurabh

Australia

We would suggest that if the correct fuel is being used for the car, no additive claimed to increase fuel economy actually works.

‘What the Hell is the Go?’

http://autospeed.com/cms/A_110214/article.html

Fairly annoyed, i'm certain i've read this very same article a long, long time ago. Nearly put it into effect on one of my vehicles previously.

What the hell is the go here? The writeup on centrigual fans WAS a huge part of the old one, i remember this keenly?

Adam

Australia

As indicated in AutoSpeed is Changing!, which was published in November 2006, some of each week’s content comprises material that has been previously published in AutoSpeed. There has been no change over the last 17 months in this approach.

New Electronic Modules

I'm a big fan of your electronic kits developed in conjunction with Silicon Chip magazine and I was excited to read on your blog late last year about the upcoming electronic modules developed with eLabtronics and some of their features. I was hoping that you might be able to give an update or estimate on when these will be available / articles published in relation to the modules?

Cameron Sanderson

Australia

We’re working on prototypes of them right now. The first module should be ready for release in the next 4-6 weeks.

Exhaust Volume

Test idea. I'm considering modifying my exhaust to see if providing a larger volume post-turbo will allow the car's boost to spool significantly faster. No other modifications to the exhaust, just an extra volume attached to the intake side of the downpipe that allows extra air to be packed in before substantial backpressure is realized. It may be as simple as an additional exhaust pipe running parallel that then re-joins the exhaust (probably pre-cat for emmisions reasons, though post cat would probably be more effective). This volume would work essentially as an exhaust reservoir, initially reducing backpressure on the turbine. This would essentially be similar to running a larger downpipe, though it could be done very cheaply to one's current exhaust, requiring some cutting and welding but very little cash money.

Julian Santa-Rita

United States

Electric Bike

I am very interseted in your article building a electric bike.I have saved parts1,2.and 3 in my favouirites.I have ridden a bike for a lot of years, but now, after a left knee and a right hip replacement,with right knee replacement this year its become difficut,i have been looking for a used elecric bike,The cost is out of my price bracket, even fior a used one, me being 81 years old pensioner.Can yo pleasse advise suppliers of the various parts required in my area , which is Newcastle NSW,.Thank you for a most informative article.

John Drewett

Australia

The cheapest way to assemble such a bike is to salvage the parts from discarded goods. For example, PC back-up power supplies contain sealed lead acid batteries, wall plugpacks can be used to charge the batteries, aluminium to build the supporting frame can be bought very cheaply at scrap metal dealers, the high current switches can be sourced from consumer goods like photocopiers, and the motor can be a motorcycle or small car starter motor. However, even once all these bits are found, lots of work will be needed!

Happy Medium

Hi guys my idea of a article is about the New Generation turbo setup's. In the olden days you would buy a bigger turbo,bigger intercooler,big exhaust and get teh car tuned and make big power. But all these New generation cars. They are slighty tweaked and then Do Software upgrade's and get 40% power increase. The Bigger turbo setups do still make more power, but acceleration wise the New software upgrades just domminate the old school way of thinking there are golf 5's/focus ST's making 200kw & 450nm. Where is the happy medium? I enjoying upgrading turbo's and making boost pipes fitting bigger coolers but these New generation cars are TOOO strong

Shaun

South Africa

We’re not sure what the problem is...

In-Cylinder Pressure measurement

Has in cylinder pressure measurement/logging made any progress in terms of becoming available for a tuning shop or small scale experimenter? I heard Champion makes a spark plug that is also a pressure transducer.... Any insight or information into this?

Johny

Canada

We don’t know of any such sensor priced at the tuning shop level.

Water Injection

Good article on water injection, I've recently been playing with it a lot. Check into Honda's use of water injection in the exhaust of their two stroke GP bikes to widen the powerband by changing exhaust gas speed. Would be interesting for your article.

Bill Cardell

United States

Cheap Data Logger

Thought you might like the look of this: http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=2000/135.0.25789.0.0.0.0

At around US$130 it's got to be the cheapest yet most highly featured data logger I've come across.  I'll be getting one when they are released! I haven't been able to find details on sampling rate or resolution but I have just sent them an email asking for more information.  I'm sure with a very small amount of ingenuity, you'd be able to get a road car all hooked up in no time.... I keep telling you, you need to keep an eye out for what is going on in the R/C car world.

Peter Boden

Australia

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