TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (1 Viewer)

[weejub]

Ehh, not like I haven't pushed the limits of the term "wrenching" in the past, so why make today different.

I was just about to chuck my old Cerwin Vegas in the landfill but have been putting it off for, well, several years.

I bought these new back when CD players were just coming out. The very first thing you learn when you get a CD player is that your old speakers suck! So here I was, in college, with a fresh new credit card, and hauling my butt to Circuit City so I could feel that bass.

Fast forward 30 years and the foam had dry rotted away. As a last ditch effort I went online and found just what I was hoping for .... foam replacement kits for Cerwin Vegas!

$23 and about 2 hours and they are back!

Those CV speakers where my dream to own in high school. I had a set at the local stereo shop picked out and was saving up! I would go in probably three times a week and would listen to them w/ the awesome sub they made.

The shop closed before I could buy them, even on deep discount. Never got them A dream dead.

Then I went to college and the rich kids had Infinity, and I thought they sounded great and wanted them, so bad . . and I never got them either.



But now I own these:

Magico Loudspeakers


They are OK . . . .







OK that last part is not true.

 

[tgadd]

New headlight install.


What the hell is the golf tee for? Obviously a plug, but what is it plugging?

 

[Rice]

Those CV speakers where my dream to own in high school. I had a set at the local stereo shop picked out and was saving up! I would go in probably three times a week and would listen to them w/ the awesome sub they made.

The shop closed before I could buy them, even on deep discount. Never got them A dream dead.

Then I went to college and the rich kids had Infinity, and I thought they sounded great and wanted them, so bad . . and I never got them either.

On CL:

Cerwin Vega E-310 pair

 

[Steelman]

Does this count?

 

[roadstr6]

Got started on the Turdle desmog:

 

[NCFJ]

You go boy! I am amazed how much CRAP was put on these motors to pump fresh air into the exhaust stream.

 

[roadstr6]

I know Stan. The way it was done almost seems like enviro-cheating. I can't understand how diluting the exhaust with fresh air before it exits the vehicle is any better than sending out the exhaust as is and letting it naturally dissipate on it's own? It's not like the vehicle's carbon footprint is modified at all. I'm sure it smells nicer though and I guess that's all that mattered in '84. Anyway, the Turdle's I/E manifold gasket is leaky as well, causing a lean condition. While I'm this far into it, I plan to remove the manifolds as a unit, resurface if needed and install a fresh gasket. Fun stuff.

 

[jamesurq]

So what you're saying is it was common practice for auto makers to knowingly pump extra air into the exhaust to lower the bad emissions in the total volume of exhaust? So I guess the difference is the VW trick turns off when it's not being tested?


Sent from my iPhone

 

[RedHeadedStepChild]

It's about introducing oxygen to the hot exhaust stream to aid in burning of partially burned hydrocarbons.

 

[NCFJ]

That is about it, take a look at the open injectors in the photo. I am sure that Toyota has some multi syllabic explanation for how the system works. Bottom line, it injects air pressure into the exhaust stream. That and the theory of that time "When in doubt add another vacuum line".

 

[NCFJ]

Jim read the Toyota pamphlet

 

[izzyandsue]

What the hell is the golf tee for?

It's for whacking the little white ball while wearing embarrassing clothes, obviously.

 

[Rice]

I know Stan. The way it was done almost seems like enviro-cheating. I can't understand how diluting the exhaust with fresh air before it exits the vehicle is any better than sending out the exhaust as is and letting it naturally dissipate on it's own? It's not like the vehicle's carbon footprint is modified at all. I'm sure it smells nicer though and I guess that's all that mattered in '84. Anyway, the Turdle's I/E manifold gasket is leaky as well, causing a lean condition. While I'm this far into it, I plan to remove the manifolds as a unit, resurface if needed and install a fresh gasket. Fun stuff.

Turns out (in the early days of emissions control) pumping air into the HOT portion of the exhaust stream (i.e. at the manifold) really did perform some chemistry that was good for the environment. Once catalytic converters came online they were even useful at helping get the cat up to temp faster and so remained on engines for some time.

 

[NCFJ]

I do not know how exactly their system worked. I had an 84 Ford straight 6 with an air pump that blew air through a tub into the exhaust. It blew on the Cat kinda like a bellows on a forge and got super hot, which in turned burned off more stuff in the exhaust before going out the pipe.

Down side, the temp switch that turned the fan off would go bad and leave the fan running. The Cat would overheat and that heat would go back up the tube and warp the exhaust and intake manifolds.

 

[roadstr6]

I've had several of the old Fox Body 5.0 Mustangs (love those cars BTW). They do something similar except that the pump is pulley driven and not a switch-controlled fan.

 

[NCFJ]

The pump on my pickup was belt driven as well. I forget how the switch turned it on an off. I know that I ended up having to replace the exhaust and intake manifolds. I ended up using a header, an Offy intake and a Holley 4 bbl and a Mallory Unilite dizzy. Stayed out of the secondaries and got 4-5 MPG better than that huge stock 1 bbl and restrictive system.

 

[roadstr6]

I believe the 5.0's had a vacuum actuated diverter valve that channeled the smog pump air either back to the heads or straight to the cats. Maybe that valve was what kept failing you. I desmogged a couple of 5.0's for friends of mine who lived in SC. It was a lot simpler than the Toyota....a whole lot simpler!

 

[roadstr6]

Does this count?

View attachment 1193118

Steelman, I see your 100 has the same trim crack as my LX (by the back window). Same exact place. Wonder why they do that?

 

[Steelman]

Steelman, I see your 100 has the same trim crack as my LX (by the back window). Same exact place. Wonder why they do that?

Yep...I have 2 cracks on each side. One closer to the top and the near the bottom on both sides. Seems to be a common problem across the platform. I try to just overlook it as I'm sure what one could really do to fix it.

 

[RedHeadedStepChild]

What the hell is the golf tee for? Obviously a plug, but what is it plugging?

Tiger was on his way back from The Masters, when he needed to gas up his Bentley, so he pulls into some tiny little back woods service station.

The attendant comes out, and pulling the greasy ball cap from his head exclaims, "My goodness, that is one pretty vehicle", and starts to fill the tank with premium.

Tiger decides this would be a good time to drain the bladder, and hops out of the car. As he does, a few tees that were in his pocket scatter on the ground.

The attendant, not being a golfer, says, "What are those tiny mushroomy things for?"

Tiger says, "What, these tees? I rest my balls on them when I drive."

The attendant says, "Well I'll be damned, that Bentley sure thinks of everything!"