Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

These distributors were more or less standard looking 4pin HEI with mechanical/vac advance, they just had the extra 5th pin. Evidently used some kind of analog retard method within the 5pin module, probably about as accurate as a dial back timing light was back then, but probably ok for what they di...

Used on early non-efi HEI vehicles for detonation control such as 1980 Pontiac TransAm Turbo (301 olds), retards BY 10 deg when 5th pin is grounded. Can be combined with knock sensor + esc module from same vehicle to make a crude sort of knock control, winds up being too sensitive for most as I reme...

Latest version of this book from SA design, can download as pdf for $20: Not sure what all has been changed though
http://www.cartechbooks.com/vstore/show ... 65&CATID=3

Do alot of high g cornering? An oil accumulator is maybe cheap bearing insurance, but it doesn't do anything to keep oil out of the cylinders and in the sump. Used one in a '74 Pontiac Trans Am years ago that had alot more cornering power than it's basic grocery-getter engine could handle. Always so...

I was looking at these "regulated" batteries awhile back to do what you're talking about: http://www.4xspower.com/lithium.html Very hi-tech, and I guess the $2,000 price tag is not too bad considering what they say they can do, although went with a normal-tech 16v battery so can't really s...

Had a similar prob and decided to check for clogged radiator tubes using an IR heat gun. Found that most tubes on the front of the radiator were hotter than tubes on the back of the radiator. A real WTF!? moment for sure. Finally figured out that air was being sucked by the fans backwards *through* ...

The basic technology here is Alpha-N, and is probably the best performing option when you got 8 throttle bodies and money to burn on the mechanical and electrical precision needed. The main problem with alpha-n is that the tune is very sensitive to mechanical wear, the weather, and just about everyt...

Anytime voltage to the ecu dips below about 6v, most ecu's will reset themselves and act like just turned on the ignition, this can happen hundreds of times per second with a intermittant power connection. This can make the pump run continuously and force continuous priming pulses from the injectors...

http://www.arp-bolts.com/Tech/T2_MetalsPages/T2_01_Metallurgy3.html How do you test Modulus of Elasticity with a Rockwell tester? I think I spot an error. Must be measuring Rockwell "C" modulus. Its a Rockwell tester alright, but where's the clamping fixture? In fact the more I look at it...

NOT true. If a grade 8 stretched as far as a Grade 5 with the same applied torque, why would it exist. Turns out that any steel, no matter what the alloy, tensile strength, or heat treatment stretches exactly the same for a given force. Up until failure, at least. Here's how Arp puts it: http://www...

Not sure if this contradicts anybody, but Grade 8 bolts stretch exactly the same as grade 5, if they're tightened the same and same size. So, sometimes buy grade 8 hoping to get at least a real 5. Bob D Maybe the only DIY ecu project not related to Megasquirt... http://users.ameritech.net/socrace/Ma...

Looking at current F1 engine specs, their 2.2 rod ratio comes out to a rod length of 3.6 inches. Not really a monster length rod. After leaving room for stroke (1.6 inches), that's barely 2 inches for big end clearance and lower piston skirt. To paraphrase Smokey, it really looks more like they're u...