Jump to content

a2ndopinion

Toyota Advanced Member
  • Posts

    103
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by a2ndopinion

  1. The problem with those spark plugs is that they are almost completely shrouded. The four ground electrodes close the area of the spark, restricting the flame travel once the spark has ignited the mixture. They might work great with a large amount of advance in a high compression engine that is much more subject to detonation (NOT pre-ignition), but can't do much on an engine like a late ('85+) 22R/RE that has closed chamber (faster burning) heads.

  2. Was it National's bright idea to put the t-stat straight across from the furnace? Two nights ago, it got down to 33 degrees, and with the furnace set at about 65 (actually 60 degrees - it's off by about 5 degrees), it was cycling about every 3 mins 40 seconds, both run time and off time. Is this a common issue?

    I'm tempted to move the t-stat to the end of the cabinet by the door, hoping that it will take longer for the t-stat to sense the temp increase so the furnace won't cycle so often. I'm also building a diverter to direct the heated air towards the front of the coach, as we (cats and myself) sleep up top.

  3. To resurrect and hijack an old thread, I'm having the same problem on electricity. Our ambient temp has been between the lower 30s up to almost 60 here in the greater Portland, OR area since I moved into my '87 Dolphin. The fridge is an RM2400. I just turned the t-stat down to "OFF", then back on a minimal amount. I'll check the temp when I get back in this evening, but I'm getting tired of frozen liquids.

    Ideas?

  4. I didn't know if I should high jack this thread or start a new one.

    I just picked up my '87 Dolphin, and had checked all propane appliances beforehand, but didn't have water available. I found out this AM that water is leaking from the hot water tank. I haven't investigated really close, but don't see anywhere else around it the water might be coming from.

    And for a second question, Linda mentioned that the clean tank water will be coach "room temp" anyway... If I'm connected to city water, the shower cold water would the be the temp of the incoming water, right - not the temp of the water in the tank? I'm in Portland, OR, and the weather is getting a bit chilly.

  5. I know the A40D isn't as strong as the A43D, but if in a pinch, which is kinda what I was assuming from the OP...

    I'm building an A43D for my Corona wagon with a higher stall converter, better clutches, modified valve body... The stock A40D doesn't like the built 2xR hybrid's increased power!

    jdemaris - I have found info saying there are some stock converters with different stall speeds depending on the application, although stall speed is relative to torque, and a 2 or 3TC in a Corolla doesn't have near the torque of a 20R, which has less than an early 22R, which has less than a later 22RE, and much less than a 5M, which all use an A4x_ trans.

  6. I'm with jdemaris - spark plugs are spark plugs. People who tell you they feel a difference - it's in their head, just like those that run premium fuel when their engine only needs regular. I use iridiums in everything I own - '81 Toyota Corona 22R to my '95 Lexus LS400, and will be putting them in my newly acquired '87 Dolphin.

    The big advantage with iridiums is that they'll last well over 100,000 miles. That in itself is peace of mind to me, as I drive about 40k a year.

    I also live by the adage that "friends don't let friends use Fram", as I've seen and heard of engine failures when they fail. I prefer Purolator PureOne filters, as they have routinely been listed as one of the best in many studies, and I use the big (Ford type) filter on all of my 2xR/RE motors and in my Lexus (Purolator 30001), and only Valvoline oil (NAPA oil is made by Ashland - same stuff, and NAPA filters are Wix).

  7. Lee & Joan - I'm going to assume that since you posted your question over two months ago that you've already had your trans issue resolved, but to answer your question, if you have a 22R/RE, the A40D out of a Celica or Corona ('81-'85) will work, but your driveshaft might be a couple inches too short. The A43D behind a 22R is only found in trucks, but your bellhousing could be substituted to an A43D out of a Supra or Cressida that used an M series engine.

  8. Brake fluid should be flushed at least once every two years. Brake fluid is "hygroscopic" - that is, it absorbs moisture. That is what causes master cylinders, wheel cylinders and calipers to go bad - simple rust.

    As for bleeding brakes when alone, here's a trick. Fill the master cylinder, pump the brakes, then, in the usual "starting farthest from the MC, crack the bleeder loose, put a hose (vacuum line works great) on the bleeder, submerge the hose in a bottle with a little brake fluid in it, then go pump the pedal a few times. As the bubbles are forced out, fluid will be drawn back in. I've done it this way for many years.

  9. Per my Dometic manual, "NOTE: After a replacement of the gas container or a long shut off period the gas line is likely to be filled with air. In such a case the lighting procedure has to be repeated until the air is pushed out of the line and the gas has reached the burner."

    This may be why you are unable to get it to light off. I had the same issue with the '87 I just bought. I still haven't gotten the furnace to light, but did finally get the water heater to light. The stove had the same issue, but only took about 30 seconds to light.

  10. I agree with the heat in the bowl affecting fuel. Pedal to the floor may help. Also, this has a mechanical fuel pump, so may be vapor locking, although it should still start with the fuel in the bowl. I had a Corolla that after warmed up, driven and shut off would start, drive a few feet and die - like on top of the RR tracks one day (I was tempted to leave it).

  11. You all are missing two numbers out of the tire size. The 185 is section width (widest portion of the tire) in MM, and 14 is the rim size in inches. In between those numbers is the series - 60, 65, 70, 75, maybe even 80. That is the profile - height of the sidewall in percentage to the width, which makes a huge difference in gear ratio, speedometer accuracy, fuel mileage and performance - just like changing rear gears.

  12. First off, being a newb here, I don't mean to jump on toes, and this is a great discussion, but I'm seeing some things here that I just have to comment on.

    Air cooled motor cycle engines are cooled by fuel, they run a very rich mix that is why comparatively small engines get poor mileage.

    What?!?! :huh:

    Where in the world did you get that from?

    I see that Derek wanted to know about my Propane powered Toyota in a post above, just saw that. Also in college I had an Organic Chemistry professor that was from Phillips Petroleum (now you know how old I am) & he turned me on to Propane. Propane has a much higher octane (112-115) and as a dry gas does not wash the oil off the cylinders & pistons like gasoline (a solvent). Although it has way less BTU's per gallon than gas, it essentially combusts every last BTU where gas does not completely combust every molecule (thus pollution). So Propane just puts out CO2, Water, and Nox (Nitrous oxide) while gas engines put out "unburned hydrocarbons" + carbon monoxide in addition to water & CO2 + Nox.

    All of the above is great, except that NOx is nitrogen oxides, a by-product of combustion - which increases with temperature. Nitrous Oxide is N2O.

    Oh - and it is not predetonation, it is just detonation. I think you are mixing pre-ignition and detonation. It sounds kind of like irregardless.

    Again there is much more to it then just BTU numbers. The gas engine is only 16%-18% effencient so there for your not using anywhere close to the full number of BTU's for power. If you rise the number of effencieny, which you can with a fuel like ehtanol, you can use a lot more of those BTU's. The more complete burn of the fuel you can get the better effencieny rate you will have. There are guy's that will run CNG kit's on their diesel trucks to work with the diesel. It mixes in at the intake of the engine. Some of these guys are getting upwards of 40 MPG out of a full size diesel truck that would usally get around 20 MPG. The BTU rating of CNG is about 1/4 of diesel so how could that be. It's because it lets the fuel burn more completey. CNG always works very well in diesel engine's because of the high compression because CNG is around 120-130 octane if I can remember correct.

    Efficiency does not necessarily make power. Period. Complete burning of the mixture does not mean more BTU's have been created, it just means that the exhaust will be cleaner. Now maybe if you were to raise the compression ratio to more like 11:1, the engine could take advantage of the cooler burning (lower BTUs) of the ethanol, and then make more power. Ethanol isn't a bad thing, but it can't be dumped into our current engines and expect better returns.

    CNG to a diesel is kind of like what Nitrous Oxide is to a gasoline engine, and puts the same kind of strain on components.

×
×
  • Create New...