Turbo Sprint Weird 80s Car
1987 Chevy Turbo Sprint
This past weekend I went to a local car show and saw a weird 80s car that an ex-girlfriend of mine owned. It was a 1987 Chevrolet turbo Sprint. This was her first new car and was one of only two years that you could buy an intercooled three cylinder engine in the 1600 pound car.
In 1987 intercooled turbochargers were brand-new to the car market and General Motors was installing them on the legendary Buick Grand National. Although regular turbochargers had been around and available on older GM cars the intercooled version was new automotive technology to us. It allowed for higher boost pressures and overall better performance due to intercooling.
When she let me drive the car I realized that this roller skate was something special. I wasn’t sure how special until a guy at work said my girlfriend’s car is faster than your girlfriend’s car. To a mechanic in the auto repair business this is a glove slap to the face. So I said oh yeah, how would you like to put your money where your mouth is. He said I’ll meet you at Atco Raceway for the Friday night Street night event and we’ll see whose girlfriend has the faster ride.
Weird 80s car drag races
Broken Power Seat Switches
Broken power seat switch
Some vehicles are susceptible to broken power seat switches. My neighbor has a late 90s Ford pickup that has had the control switch for the power seats replaced several times. Although he would like to blame his wife I think it is actually a poor design.
The power control master switch sticks way out from the base of the seat. It’s positioned in such a way that when you swing your feet in (depending on the length of your legs and the size of your feet) the Master control is kind of in the way.
Add to this the fact that the automotive parts themselves are made from cheap plastic and they will not survive a collision with a person’s foot. Just below I have included some popular power seat switches. Replacing this part on most models is relatively easy and often only requires a screw driver. Keep in mind Luxury German cars have complex systems that make it much harder to diagnose and repair. In some cases you might want to have the step by step instructions from a factory service manual.
In my neighbor’s situation its just a matter of removing the trim panel that snaps into place and then removing the two Phillips head screws that secure the master power seat switch to the bottom part of the seat frame. Read more
Automotive Emission Controls and You
Muffler Tailpipe
Controlling tailpipe emissions is considered important in the United States and growing around the world except for a few tough holdouts. If the U.S. is so serious about regulating automotive emission controls and controlling tailpipe output then how come some states require no testing at all?
Some States have rigorous testing and some only have very basic testing procedures that test tailpipe emissions at idle. These engine idle tests might certify that the vehicle exhaust emissions are within the limits set by the local or federal laws even though they may not under road conditions.
Although most States require a yearly vehicle emission control test it would seem more efficient if all States where doing something. Some states like New Jersey that use to have some of the toughest standards and required a yearly inspection have pulled back to an every other year inspection process.
Smart Automatic Transmissions
Smart Automatic Transmissions
Smart Automatic Transmission
Some drivers do not realize how smart automatic transmissions are in modern vehicles. This is one of the few systems on the automobile that actually learns what the driver wants and how they normally act. After studying the driver’s long-term and short-term habits the transmission control module does its best to deliver what the driver expects.
Smart automatic transmissions are able to change gears automatically in response to operating conditions as well as the driver’s habits. The transmission computer monitors the condition of the engine and compensates for any changes that are required for optimal performance and fuel economy.
At the same time it also memorizes the typical driving style of the primary driver. With this information the TCM can adjust the timing of the shifts by controlling the valve body and even the converter clutch lock up engagement to provide what is required by the driver at the appropriate time.
What else can a Smart transmission do Read more
Daytime Running Lights
2004 Chevy Blazer
Daytime running lights was voted into a Canadian law several years back and required all new vehicles to be equipped with running lights that were automatically turned on during daylight hours. This automotive technology was developed with safety in mind.
In the United States General Motors was one of the first companies to also make this standard equipment on all GM vehicles that were sold in North America. My 2004 Chevrolet Blazer is equipped with daytime running lights. And they have not been completely trouble-free.
For one thing they are on so much that they experience more bulb failures than any other bulbs all my truck. There is also quite a lot of heat generated from the bulbs being on all the time. This can eventually melt the bulb sockets and the plastic lenses and housings that they are mounted in.
How daytime running lights work
On some vehicles they use the high beam lights as dedicated daytime running lights. Read more
All About Fog Lamps
Fog Light Kit
Note at the end of this all about fog lamps article will be links to some of the most popular fog light kits and replacement halogen bulbs for factory installed systems. But first didn’t you ever wonder about your cars fog lights. Why they are constructed different than headlights. Why they are mounted in positions that are far lower than regular headlamps.
When I first started to drive at 16, no cars had factory mounted driving lights. This was an aftermarket accessory that I quickly added to my vehicle so it would look cool. To my surprise not only did they look cool but they actually came in handy. I found myself driving through foggy areas often as I lived near cranberry bogs in a low lying area of New Jersey.
A side note when you are adding auxiliary lights you must make sure that your alternator and wiring are heavy duty enough to handle the increased wattage. In the case of my 1974 Dodge charger the fog lights were too much for the standard wiring and charging system. After an electrical fire that melted all the lighting circuit components I upgraded the alternator and installed new heavy gauge wiring. After the upgrades all was good. Read more
Automatic Transmission Problems
B&M performance transmissions
Automatic transmission problems can be some of the most expensive repairs on today’s automobiles. In my 25 year career the entire automobile has advanced and gone through many changes.
The automatic transmission in my opinion has seen more changes than any other system on the automobile. Back in the 60s a two and three speed automatic transmission was all that you could get in any new car.
Today it is more common to have a six speed transmission or even a constant velocity transmission or CVT. What is amazing about modern units is that they use all of the advancements in automotive technology to improve operation.
Even though these advancements help improve drivability and efficiency they have not seemed to reduce automatic transmission problems. Internal malfunctions continue to be on the same level as they were in the previous years.
Automatic transmission history
Sidebar: In my day B&M was all the rage for those interested in high performance. They still offer shift kits and high performance automatic transmissions
Automatic transmissions in the 80′s and 90′s relied on hydraulic controls to up shift the transmission. This upshift through the gears was controlled without a computer. The use of a governor and a throttle valve were the internal components that controlled the up shifting. Read more
New Automotive Engines
3.8 L automotive engine
The new automotive engines on the market today have gone through a lot of changes compared to engines installed just a decade ago.
This new wave of engines is designed to meet the performance and fuel efficiency that the public demands.
It is clear if the automotive manufacturer does not come up with a strong power train that impresses all who drives it their sales will begin to sag and possibly never recover.
This is mostly due to the word-of-mouth from disappointed drivers. The power of this viral negativity is truly amazing.
Example: My father had a bad experience with a Ford Pinto. He told everybody that would listen about all the troubles he ever had with this car.
Right off the showroom floor this car would use a quart of oil a week. The pistons and rings had to be replaced under the old-fashioned 12/12 warranties. The hard part was getting the dealership to admit a problem existed.
It took much fighting with Ford Motor Company and the local dealer about what normal oil usage should be.
Every Christmas and thanksgiving our large family sat around listening to details of the battle for justice. The results are that nobody in my family or circle of friends has ever bought a Ford product since my dad’s bad experience in the mid-70s. Talk about holding a grudge!
New automotive engine construction
RX8 Rotory Engine
Modern automotive engines are made of lightweight engine castings, and in most cases non-iron materials.
Some of the types would include aluminum, magnesium carbon fiber materials, and in some cases reinforced plastics.
If the block is made out of aluminum the use of a stainless steel cylinder liner is used most often.
When it comes time to assemble the engine, fasteners that hold things together are now fewer and smaller than ever before.
This is made possible through computerized engine design (CAD, CAM) that optimizes the loading and sealing patterns when the motor parts are assembled. Read more
About Automotive Technology
Automotive Technology Image
One thing about automotive technology is that it advances quickly, but in spurts. New systems are developed and tested on a regular basis.
These advances are then put into vehicles, and unfortunately real world tested by the brave automotive consumers.
Changes and improvements are then applied to the new technologies and re-introduced into the automobile.
Most auto mechanics will recommend shying away from brand-new automotive systems until they are perfected.
Sometimes automotive technology advances to quickly, and new ideas are rushed to market.
One reason for this would be to give an advantage to the sales force of an individual carmaker. Having a unique and useful automotive technology can be a strong sales driver.
Advances in automotive technology
Leaking Timing Cover
If you ask me one thing that has brought about the greatest change in the auto repair industry, is the deployment of the computer control module.
These computers control the engine support systems, and nearly every other major system on the car has some kind of electronic control circuitry.
The use of electronics has changed the automobile and will continue on this track as advances are made in other automobile technologies.
If you add to this the new composite materials that are being used for engine parts there are a lot of changes going on.
Example: I have a 4.3 liter Chevy V6. This engine has been time tested and is very reliable. For the 2004 model year the metal timing cover was replaced by a composite cover. With only 20k miles oil began to leak from the warping cover on my truck. A non-warping replacement is now available but will not help the stains in this mechanics driveway. Read more
