Prosecutor: Dr Doom - Defendant: Gerry Calhoun - Subject: Chevy vs dodge 
 
 >  LH> 1.  Lost the air pump.
 >
 >         What does that gain you?
 GC> can really pick up about 2 - 3 H.P. as it does take some power to run
 GC> it. Plus less weight. 
 
        You think it takes *3* horse poswer to turn a  FAN? That's 
        all the thing is, you know. A fan. It moves air through the CC 
        to assist in the conversion of pollutants. You cannot HONESTLY 
        tell me you think even 3 hp is a worthwhile gain compared to the 
        increased emmisions, let ALONE the hp improvment (which, in my 
        opinion, is NOT 3 hp).
        
 GC> Unless the converter was blocked (or partly blocked). Not totally
 GC> uncommon for a car with over 100k on it. 
                
        Then replace it. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know 
        when something isn't functioning properly, to fix the problem.
        
 GC> Depends, how much oil does it burn? An oil fouled plug needs more
 GC> spark. 
 
        You are /solving/ trying to reason to me, that, in order to 
        combat an oil consumption problem, you need to INCREASE the 
        spark output to BURN the extra oil? 
        
        Why?
        
        The PROBLEM, namely the valve guides (I assume you mean, in this 
        case..), should be repaired, not worked AROUND..
        
 GC> A too lean engine will probably let you know by a large performance
 GC> decrease. Most factory stock engines tend to run on the lean side
 GC> anyway. Could be somebody made it run richer before Lori and got a
 GC> little carried away. 
 
        What year is this pile, anyway? I don't recall.. I HOPE it's 
        pre-85. Otherwise, we've got a whole new problem altogether.
        
 GC> An engine on the rich side or one which burns oil can be helped with
 GC> hotter plugs (less fouling). 
 
        Again, you're working *around* the side-effect, instead of 
        curing the REAL problem.
        
 GC> If the original wires are more than about 5 years old, a new set can
 GC> help and hi-performance does not cost that much more with the added
 GC> help of having less resistance for more current to help keep the plugs
 GC> from fouling. 
 
        No. By replacing old, used up plugs, you are NOT *increasing* 
        horsepower output, you are RESTORING /ORIGINAL/ output. There is 
        a difference.
        
 GC> Even so, it would be hard to lighten her car by more than 100 pounds
 GC> without a lot of work. Modern econo-boxes do not have a lot of stuff
 GC> to remove/replace unlike real OLDCARS. 
 
        Finally, we agree. :)
        
Mike
... "And I say I'm dead, and I move." -Eric Draven
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