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Re: Great fuel mileage?

To: Mark Sirota <mark@sirota.org>, autox-cm@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Great fuel mileage?
From: Dick Rasmussen <rasmussend@mindspring.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 21:34:29 -0400
At 03:59 PM 6/3/2002 -0400, Mark Sirota wrote:

>Anyway, it was our first event of the year and certainly much of the
>time difference was due to the fact that we both drove like crap.  However,
>it occurs to me that if our rev limiter has drifted downwards then that
>might explain why we seemed to be running out of gear sooner while at the
>same time going slower and using less fuel.  And given that we haven't run
>the car since October, if the limiter were coming in early, we probably
>wouldn't pick up on it.
>
>I'll test the rev limiter when I can -- other than starting it up and
>revving the motor while watching the tach, what methods are there for
>testing a rev limiter?


Mark,

It always scares the $h!! out of me to even think about reving an unloaded 
engine to the rev limiter. So, before you do that:

What kind of rev limiter? If it is a microdynamics, Pegasus can check/reset 
them. I found trying to do it myself in the car resulted in either a low 
setting or an "oh my God I rev'd to how high?" setting. If it is an MSD, 
try a different module or dial setting. If it is a rotor type, all sorts of 
variables change the limit point from my Lotus experience years ago.

What kind of tach and does it have a telltale or playback? If so, what does 
it say?

In the "old days" there were shops that could test distributors (for 
curving, etc.). I'll bet if you find one that they can check the limiter also.

This all assumes: First that what you thought was the limiter wasn't a 
missfire. Second, that you accurately measured the fuel usage. How do you 
measure? If it is a dipstick, with the wind I saw on the Weather 
Underground records, maybe the reading wasn't accurate.

My best guess for "slow" is a combination of rusty drivers and, if you used 
the tires from last Fall, crusty tires. Once your butts get calibrated to 
crusty tires, it is hard to recalibrate in just a few runs, especially if 
the temps were as cold as the reports I saw indicated. With "no" traction, 
when could you get aggressive?

This is a first by the way, complaining about good gas mileage:-)

Dick Rasmussen
CM 85
85 Van Diemen FF

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