Corn-based ethanol is a huge boondoggle. It is hard to transport, needs lots of petrochemicals to make and is a net environmental loss. Unfortunately, all of Washington is terrified of offending mid-west corn farmers who are accustomed to huge subsidies. There was a recent announcement that ethanol polluting your gasoline is going from 10% up to 15%. A gallon of ethanol contains substantially less energy than a gallon of gasoline. Expect slightly decreased mileage, possible increased hot weather vapor lock problems, more “check engine” lights, and absolutely NO benefit except for some a misguided perception that ethanol in your tank serves a “save the planet” purpose.
Author Archives: Matt
Come on, warm up out there! (9:18 AM)
Despite still being in final recovery from a cursed winter cold and sore throat, I am anxiously waiting for warm weather later today to ride the new custom bicycle I just finished. It has a Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub which is difficult to obtain in the US — marketed primarily in Europe and Great Britain. Shifts like a dream, and can be shifted while motionless! Joe Riley did some KICK ASS pin-striping work on it.
Get with it, Click & Clack!
I am not a great fan of these guys because I find it annoying how much they laugh at their own “jokes.” But, apart from that, as much as they are rolling in the $$$, why can’t they hire someone to check their facts? In a recent column they discussed a car with a broken timing belt. On many engines, if a timing belt breaks the pistons and valves crash because they are trying to occupy common space with things out of sync. This bends valves at great expense.
Click & Clack stated that bent valves can only be verified by teardown or by replacing the belt and seeing what happens. By merely removing the valve cover, we at Don’s Automotive have many, many times verified bent valves. It is easy to see if any valves are stuck down. This requires minimal time and NO purchase of parts. If this is what they mean by “taking it apart” they should have discussed this option.
Click & Clack stated that if valves are bent a new engine is required!! That’s news to us here at Don’s Automotive — and many other shops I am sure — who have removed the cylinder head from many a “crashed” engine, sent it to a good machine job to be repaired as needed, and reinstalled it with absolutely NO repercussions down the road.
Click & Clack alluded to a slim chance of extreme good fortune where the belt breaks with the camshaft in a position such that all the valves are half-way open. No such position exists! At any position of the camshaft(s) some valves are closed, some are open and some are in between.
If you enjoy hearing people laugh at their own jokes, listen to Car-Talk. If you want accurate information about matters automotive, look elsewhere.
Journal Launched
Everybody has a “blog.” The sound of that word is unpleasant to me, so I call this a “journal.” Check it out for totally random opinions on automotive and other matters. I seem to be unofficially retired or semi-retired from stock car racing, so there won’t be much about that in here. I have lots of passion for the sport of rollerderby and bicycling, so expect entries related to both of those.