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32986

General Discussion Area / Re: commodore

« on: 05 February 2008, 11:17:23 »

In normally aspirated form the 3.8 V6 generates a little less power than the 3.0 and 3.2 V6 models we have in the UK (208 and 218 BHP respectively IIRC). The engines are a bit more refined and of newer design than the 3.8 being DOHC per bank 4 valve per cylinder engines rather than the 2 valve per cylinder pushrod design of the 3.8 so their improved breathing and willingness to rev makes up for the shortfall in capacity. The only down side is that you really need to keep on top of the cam belts  (change belt and tensioners every 40k / 4 years).

I've never driven a commodore but I have driven cars with the 3.8 GM V6 in the US and comparing them with my 3.2 Omega tells me you won't have a problem with it.

We have a similar 4 speed auto box (the 4L30 instead of the 4L60). The cars are obviously similar size and weight. I can't comment on the interiors and ride, handling, etc but I think you'll be happy with an Omega.

Kevin

32987

General Discussion Area / Re: tech info

« on: 04 February 2008, 20:40:52 »

Bisley is only up the road from me so I'm happy to collect and forward as required any time.

I'll put them in the middle of the workshop at Telford and we can have a scuffle for them.

Kevin

32988

General Discussion Area / Re: 'It seemed like a good idea at the time' thread...

« on: 03 February 2008, 17:00:13 »

2 stroke Diesel engines?

Plenty of them in marine and rail use. Never seem to have made it down to the smaller scale a car would require.

I heard a rumour that Ford initially designed the Ka to take a new design of two stroke GDI engine but the EU started specifying not only what emissions standards car manufacturers had to meet but how they were to do it, and this rendered it still-born. So, they had a rummage in the parts bin and found the only engine that was suitable was the horrible old cast iron OHV engine it eventually got saddled with.

Kevin

32989

General Discussion Area / Re: 'It seemed like a good idea at the time' thread...

« on: 02 February 2008, 23:42:12 »

There's nowt wrong with an 800 matey, had a few & i couldn't/can't fault them  

Apart fom their 100 ft turning circle .......  
I was lent one for the day. :-?

I was hired a facelift 827 sterling by work to go on a business trip to Telford many years ago when they first came out (they'd run out of escrots, it seems). I remember a certain amount of "honing" of my skills on that journey, to coin a phrase, and on the M54, as it happens. [smiley=evil.gif]

Kevin

32990

General Discussion Area / Re: I wish they would have made this

« on: 03 February 2008, 23:26:17 »

Rip me to bits, but I would have had one

Problem is, had it made it off the drawing board, Rover's management would have decided they'd have to make it using the same door and roof panels as the 4 door to save money. They'd have spent a fortune redesigning every other panel on the car to accomodate this instead of telling them no, and the end result would have been a minger.

Kevin

32991

General Discussion Area / Re: GPS - Under £60.00

« on: 31 January 2008, 15:35:52 »

Cheaper than a tank of petrol.  

With my navigational awareness (on the ground) it would pay for itself pretty quick in saved petrol.

Kevin

32992

General Discussion Area / Re: saw these in the works car park

« on: 03 February 2008, 23:18:32 »

 The Maybach might be owned by Mercedes and use the drive train, but that is all, every thing else is bespoke and to a better standard.
 You can have some surfaces in stone (Marble, Granite) along with leather and wood etc etc   very very nice

That's where I differ with the whole concept of a Maybach. Why, with that sort of budget, would you have anything other than carbon fibre and kevlar?

Kevin

32993

General Discussion Area / Re: saw these in the works car park

« on: 01 February 2008, 23:16:07 »

Ooh, that Aston is nice.  

Would rather have a DB5 but it's close, and I'm afraid the VXR is not in the same league.

Kevin

32994

General Discussion Area / Re: 2.5 manual against 3.0 auto - the test !

« on: 03 February 2008, 15:57:28 »

Last night, Markie and I had the chance to test miggy against miggy on an empty dual carraigeway back from Oxford private road.

I was in my facelift 2.5 manual, he was in the 3.0 Auto Elite Estate.

We must have both been thinking the same thoughts at the lights... which miggy is quicker!

Well, to begin with the 3.0 got away a little quicker.. but I gave the 2.5 everything it had, and I definately had the leading edge. Grinning, I changed from 2nd to 3rd gear at just under the red line, and booted it in third.

Thinking "I'll leave it behind me".. the 3.0 suddently came effortlessly sailing past me  

I kept pulling in 3rd gear to just under 90mph, and then gave up, 'cos the Elite was practically on the horizon, and it was obvious which car was quicker.

Bearing in mind that the 3.0 Estate doesn't yet have the multirams properly working!

The 2.5 is not slow, and is running very nicely, so there's obviously a big improvement between the two engines?

'dangle berries'. You cant drive lad

2.5i V6 24V CDX 4d 8.2 s 142 mph 167 bhp

3.0i V6 24V Elite 4d Auto 9.0 s 148 mph 207 bhp



http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Summary.aspx?model=985

... but Parkers reckon the 3.2 MV6 gains 4 BHP by not having leather trim

Kevin

32995

General Discussion Area / Re: 2.5 manual against 3.0 auto - the test !

« on: 03 February 2008, 10:29:45 »

We need to get my AP22 performance meter out some time, James, and add a 3.2 auto and a Westfield to the 'stats. [smiley=evil.gif]

Kevin

32996

General Discussion Area / Re: Whats the weather doing

« on: 03 February 2008, 16:07:43 »

Grim in N.Devon   Raining and blowing a gale. Thankfully we have a nice pool and sauna and free broadband.  

Kevin

32997

General Discussion Area / Re: Trivia question (sort of)

« on: 02 February 2008, 20:06:25 »

the handbrake is on the front wheels

Mental note: Don't EVER try a handbrake turn in an Alfasud

A mate of mine had a really nice one. Inherited it from his grandfather who was a parish priest and used it to get to church on sundays and little else. Jet black 1.5 with no rust whatsoever. We had a little convoy to Le Mans the year I got the Westfield finished. 8-)

Kevin

32998

General Discussion Area / Re: Trivia question (sort of)

« on: 02 February 2008, 19:52:12 »

having no front brakes at all would also prevent brake dust on the front wheels

I'm sure it's not unknown on an Alfasud

I guess you just end up with brake dust in the engine bay, instead. Makes me wonder what would happen if you got a catastrophic oil leak all over the brakes.

Kevin

32999

General Discussion Area / Re: Trivia question (sort of)

« on: 02 February 2008, 19:45:54 »

Inboard disks, IIRC.

Kevin

33000

General Discussion Area / Re: Off Topic - Small 12V petrol generator

« on: 31 January 2008, 09:46:15 »

My father recently bought an 800 watt 2 stroke generator for 50 quid brand new. OK, the voltage is wrong but for that money it hardly seems worth messing about, as said (if you just want to charge the battery). The output was dirty as hell, by the way, so don't anyone buy one of these to power anything sensitive! You'd need something to take this down to 12 volts, of course. I'd probabl;y have a look for a substantial 12 v switched mode DC supply,  but that would cost you more then the generator unless it came out of a junk box somewhere.

If your plan is to run the outboard and / or charge the battery from the generator then you would be better off with a vehicle alternator IMHO. Have a look at your pulleys and guesstimate the ratio of drive to the alternator. I would take a guess that they need to run at around 5,000 - 10,000 RPM which might allow you to direct drive it from some 2 strokes. Alternatively a 4 stroke lawn mower engine typically runs at 3,000 RPM or so and would need gearing up a little.

They do need the "battery light" circuit wired up to a 12v supply via a bulb to provide a little current to "self-excite" the alternator at start-up.

Regarding power, let's say you got a 100 amp alternator. 100 amps output at 14.4 volts is just over 2hp. The alternator won't be 100% efficient, of course, but clearly a 3HP mower engine would be ample. 100 amps will charge the battery and run the outboard with output to spare!

Sounds like a fun project.

Kevin