http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2013/02/consumer-reports-finds-small-turbo-engines-dont-deliver-on-fuel-economy-claims.html bob

Awl -- As all usenet thermodynamicists know, engine efficiency increases with higher compression. But high test can cost 10% more than regular. Does high compression increase engine efficiency by at least 10% to account for the higher cost of high test gas? My crude PV=nRT calcs + Carnot's...

My wife has an 07 Escape. It has a terrible noise when it is in gear, sittinf still, with foot on the brake with the ac on. It even does it some with the accelerator pressed as you drive off. Worse when going in reverse. I have crawled all over it trying to diagnose it but cant find anything. Any...

It screws into the thermostat housing on my 89' Cressida. I see it id'd as bi-metallic vacuum switch - has an AISIN p/n 90925-05068 Link to pics below. The hose nipples have deteriorated and broken. What does it do and what happens when it's not working? Car seems to run okay but obviously it's...

Is there a way to legally require the California DMV to provide data? The data we want is related to the SIZE of motorcycles taking the riding test, and the result of that test (pass or fail). The test is an unrealistic circus act, called the "lollipop" or "keyhole" based on what it looks like: ...

I'm try to find the paint codes for Toyota Signal Yellow paint before 2010. Not doing well with Google. I purchased a rebuilt Mini pickup and they swear that is the color they used, it was a multi part urethane they remembered, I can find no reference to it. I tried a match at the local paint...

Awl -- I thought the subthread with the semi-asstute-but-still-deluded Whoyakidding should get its own thread, cuz it's a really important topic, imo butt another facet of Le Pubic's Global Ass****ing. . =============================== Moi:

Have an 89 Toyota Cressida with a 7MGE DOHC 6 engine. For a while I've had a chronic, persistent oil leak on the passenger valve cover. On the driver side, I hand tighten the valve cover seat of the pants, no particular special effort, no problems. On the driver side I can't get it to seal. Where I...

Turns out my previously mentioned issue of oil leakage isn't due to the valve cover gaskets, it's the cam seals. Do you recommend using any sealant on the outer diameter of cam seals aside from pushing them into place? Thanks

http://www.impomag.com/news/2013/03/ford-recalls-230000-minivans-fix-rust-problem Whats a little hole in the floor anyway?? ;) bob

while window shooping on subaru.com I noticed 2 things 1. ground clearance is notably absent on "full specs" for legacy 2. the cute tan interior color options that's available with the nearly all legacy exterior colors is not an option on brz. You can have any brz interior color as long as it's...

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/93-old-florida-woman-retires-her-64-mercury-204007316.html bob

Wondering how accurate a Sunpro oil pressure gauge is likely to be - trying to determined whether I have an oil pressure issue. Anyone ever checked one against a known accurate gauge?

Hi - I have a 1976 corvette that I am trying to keep going on a minimalist budget.

89 Toyota Cressida recently mentioned in here with bad cam seal. Going down the road and find that a temp fix with Permatex on the seal didn't hold, by 200 miles into a trip the engine is hemorrhaging oil. Low oil pressure light comes on at idle though the light wasn't on going down the road. Find...

On the metric sizer it seems to best fit an M10 x 1 thread however it's tapered. Can anyone identify what size it is? Thanks

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/8550606114> this is what happens when you use cheapo brake shoes - you abrade the inside of the drum, create a lip, and end up having to cut the drum off because the lip will no longer fit past the self-adjusting shoes... this from a honda civic. use...

Awl -- After a recent thread on the Volt, I'm really tryna justify the purchase of one, but bleeve, it's hard. I figger my gas cost per year is $1600 or so, and payments for a Volt would proly be $6,000 year.... PLUS electricity costs. Now, about those electricity costs..... If you calculate...

Hello, Have a 2009 Buick LaCrosse. Came with the standard wheels, which I imagine are termed "Alloy" Just noticed that I lost the center part of one of them. This is the small, somewhat round, center section that covers up the Nuts. Not sure if the right term is "Hub Cap," as it's only the...

A week ago vandals spread feces on my car's windshield. I used a pressure washer on it and have been through a car wash twice, but it still has a bad smell inside. It may have gotten into the air intakes or something. Are there any suggestions for getting rid of this smell? -- Replace you know...