johnc

Maybe... aluminum or stainless tubing?

1999 Dodge 3500 pickup with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. I've been looking for the spark plugs on that thing all weekend and I STILL can't find them. I bet they will be a bitch to get out when I do...

Actually, the synchros in the 4 speed (and I assume the 5 speed too) need some drag from the transmission fluid to work correctly. Too little friction will cause exactly the sysptoms you describe. I lost the 2/3 syncros in one of my 4 speeds immediately after switching to Swepco low friction gear oil.

Press them in from behind making sure the shoulder is seated absolutely square. This usually requires hub removal but if you modify a big C-Clamp (weld a deep socket on the screwing end) you can install the studs on the car. I have used the lug nut tighten down technique when in a hurry but it often doesn't seat the stud square. This creates side stresses and eventual failure. BTW... this is from a racing perspective. You might not ever have the stud fail on a normally driven street car.

I've never seen the type of bend you're describing above and as part of your accident. The more common failure mode is bending or breaking of the spindle itself. Adding material in the area you highlight would only add weight to the car.

> Why not use flywheel power ratings? And which measurement method would we used? Horsepower is basically an imaginary number derived via torque with this calculation: bhp = torque x rpm/5252 Being an imaginary number there are various methods of calculating it, with some methods more precise then others. Until 1972 most US auto manufacturers used an old SAE standard method develop to the so-called "gross" horsepower numbers. This standard was designed to measure the horsepower output of the basic block, cylinder head, and internals. The standard did not specify intake, exhuast, and accessory configurations. In 1972 the state of California, as part of their Clean Air act implementation, required all auto manufacturers to specify horsepower ratings using the SAE J245 (now SAE J1349 and J1995) standard. Somewhere the term "net" was thrown in by the automotive marketing folks, but there's nothing "net" about that standard. It measures crank horsepower with the engine as configured in the car including complete exhaust and intake systems. Recently a lot of people have been quoting "Wheel" horsepower numbers. These numbers are even more imprecise then the old "Gross" horsepower numbers from years ago because there is no set, agreed upon standard for their measurement. Each of the chassis dyno companies (Mustang, Dyno-Jet, etc.) appear to generate horsepower numbers based on their own, proprietary process and algorithms.

While you're at it, you might as well replace the stock wiper motor with a lighter one from a late model car.

1. Improperly installed wheel studs. Most common example is "pulling" the wheel stud into place with a lug nut and some washers. 2. Cross threaded, worn wheel studs or lug nuts. 3. Lug nuts too tight. 4. Lug nuts not tight enough. 5. Wheel studs too short (at least 5 full threads engaged or the stud protruding from the nut when torqued to spec.) 6. Wheel studs damaged from an accident and not replaced.

8.5 to 9" wide with a 5" backspace. You can do a 5.5" backspace if the spring perch is moved up a little bit.

Since you are only talking about 70 to 80 ft.lbs. of torque on a large stud, either thread type is well under its tensile strength limit. There is no advatange to either thread in this application.

My gift pack ran out. Wife's got me on Midol. I'm still grumpy but at least I'm not bloated...

If the local shop doesn't work out: Taylor Race Engineering 2010 Avenue G Suite 914 Plano, TX 75074 (972) 422-0567

I gots me too Quaifes! And i mite be gittin' me too mo'! Poke back atcha you cheatin' bastard (remember, I saw your suspension parts at Erik's!)

It would be A LOT of work. I do remember this topic coming up before and one person said they were going to do it. Maybe do a search threw some of the forums here to find the old threads. Good luck and be sure to keep us posted if you decide to do this. Also, remember the old mythical warning, "Be wary entering yon labyrinth - for here be Dragons!"

Never heard of one but it should be pretty easy for a machinist to make if you give him the specs.

Are you going to run the fuel injection system from the L28 or the carburators from the L24?

As stated above, the last thing you should check for the problem you describe are the stub axle and companion flange. But! If you don't know the condition of your wheel bearings, now is an excellent time to pull the stub axle and replace (not repack) the bearings.

Lots of guys run wheel spacers in front when autocrossing and running in ITS with 7" wide wheels. It gives you a wider track and reduces understeer. Wheel bearings and spindles last just fine with proper maintenance and regular replacement - which you should do on any race car.

With aftermarket coil-over springs and perches you're reducing the spring and perch diameter to 2.5". That picks up enough space to increase backspace to 5" with 8 or 10" long springs and to 5.5" if you crank the perch up and run shorty springs.

The F54 is arguably a stronger block. In more extreme turbo applications it was found that the non-siamesed cylinders of the N42 tended to go out of round and lose some of the ring seal. These extreme applications were the Electromotive competition 280ZXs build by John Knepp and driven by Don Devendorf, Paul Newman, etc. If you want to run 10's you'll need at least 400hp. Its probably a toss-up whether to use the N42 or the F54 at that horsepower level. If you go above it then I would recommend the F54.

Take them to one of the many polish shops in Santa Ana and pay $30 a wheel. Same day service, outstanding shine.

The major difference is siamesed clyinders in the F54. Yes, you can build a good turbo using the N42 block.

In the very early 1980s I had a pretty serious problem with freebasing. I was down to 115lbs and spent days by myself inside the apartment, with the curtains drawn, basing and drinking beer. Luckily some part of my brain realized this wasn't a good thing - and I also ran out of money. I figured I had to get out and find another peer group to hang around with if I was going to clean up. I tried the "gym" thing and that didn't work - lots of drugs in gyms at that time. What did work was joining a casual running and bicycling club. No pressure (except for the pressure you put on yourself) and a bunch of friendly folks. On my first 5K run I covered about 1/4 mile before I had to sit down. Four of the club members hung around and encouraged me to finish the run. Having weekly runs or rides to prepare for, a new circle of friend, etc. all helped me clean up and get back in shape. I ended up running weekly competitve 10Ks and riding centuries at least once a month. I don't know if this advice will help you in your current situation, but it worked for me. I couldn't clean up on my own, I needed a different peer group as motivation and a standard to compare against.

Large company HR departments spend a lot of time whispering worst case scenarios into the ears of managment. This leads to fear and knee jerk reactions by management to any hint of sexual, racial, religous, or other types of "harrassment." Management focuses on risk minimization tactics as opposed to solving the problem. Large company HR departments do this for a number of reasons: 1. As a way to increase their power and control within the company. 2. Out of ignorance of the laws and case history. 3. A side effect of "lawyer masturbation" where the most unlikely, worst case scenarios are discussed as if they have some reasonable probability of occurring (similar to "engineering masturbation.") The laws as written make sense and are not Draconian. Case law is also reasonable and reflects a common sense resolution of these problems. What's wrong is that managment at many companies cave in and settle before all the facts are out - and plaintifs know that and take advantage of it. BTW... having been part of a 100 person software startup we had a couple sexual harrassment issues. In both cases we showed some backbone and ended up getting criminal charges filed against a false accuser and getting criminal charges filed against a guy who really deserved it. In both cases we also never faced a civil lawsuit.

http://www.coastfab.com/itgairfilters.html You had to look at the ITG press releases. Coast Fab is in Huntington beach, CA.