Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:22:12 -0700
Reply-To: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Cleaning up your Vanagon
In-Reply-To: <32553662.2549.1254265937351.JavaMail.mcneely4@127.0.0.1>
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I recall the Zetec is the Ford Focus motor. Foci abound hereabouts so I
suspect the motor passes just fine. All the tiddly bits that control the
motor come with it. Jim Akiba could give us the skinny on that. The
california craziness about not allowing replacing old worn out motors with
newer cleaner motors is lunacy. BUT it gets the 'clunkers' off the road
and fattens the carsalers pockets, increases the tax revenues, fattens up
the insco's coffers.
California just won't certify the motor. They hate viable competiton. I
copied Jim on this.
Pensionerd.
On Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 4:12 PM, <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> Al, you make important points. One quibble. Is the Zetec cleaner? I've
> heard that it cannot pass California emissions test. Waterboxers properly
> maintained pass, don't they? Or am I completely off on this one? Where I
> live, the politicians and citizenry are insufficiently enlightened to
> require emissions tests. Oklahomans generally think pollution is a good
> thing, it smells like money (27% of the state's economy is directly due to
> the oil industry).
>
> I do try to keep my vanagon up to snuff, properly tuned and so on. I do
> wonder about the heavy oil we are recommended to use (15W50 or 20W50)
> increasing fuel demand. Or is that a myth, too?
>
> Dave Mc
>
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 29, 2009 at 5:44 PM, Al Knoll wrote:
>
> With all the talk over bad polluters, and the half truth that some not all
>> of our beloved road divas are among them, perhaps we need to consider
>> making
>> our vanagons better citizens.
>>
>> As a start, to reduce total pollutants measured in pollutants per mile,
>> just
>> drive it fewer miles. This is the simplest solution.
>>
>> Keep it tuned, and aligned, and the tires (o no Mr. Bill) inflated so you
>> maximize your miles per gallon thus minimizing your pollutants per mile.
>>
>> Change the oil often. Change the air filter often. Change the fuel
>> filter
>> often. Might help, can't hurt.
>>
>> Drive 55, proven to enhance MPG, after all it is a touring car, so tour.
>>
>> Road rage is what happens when you have a 130mph 50K$ 15MPG 'investment'
>> and
>> you spend most of your time with your teeth clenched surrounded by your
>> fellow man on the superslab at 20MPH stop and go.
>>
>> More expensive options include upgrading gearing, tires and wheels and
>> brakes, and the pollution device, the legendary wasserp*sser engine, with
>> its 1980s engine management technology.
>>
>> What if you could improve your fuel economy by 30%? You get 24mpg instead
>> of 18mpg or so. A motor with a modern engine management system emits far
>> less pollutants on a bad day than the WP does on it's best day. If your
>> fool consumption drops by 30% so does the pollutants per mile. er ah
>> 'fuel
>> consumption' it should be.
>>
>> The options are out there. Zetec, Subaru and others to be sure. All a
>> cleaner solution than you can ever have with the WP. Not inexpensive and
>> you'll never get all the expense back but it will make you feel better and
>> run cleaner. AND your impact on the state of global affairs didn't
>> involve
>> making a new car with all the inherent unspoken environmental impact that
>> that entails.
>>
>> You could move to NYC and ride public transit or walk and just pass the
>> diva
>> on to some appreciative soul who promises not to sacrifice her in her
>> dotage
>> as a 'clunker' to a future 'discount' on a brand new fluffmobile in
>> which
>> you cannot sleep.
>>
>> What else does the group.wisdom think would improve our sorry lot?
>>
>> Pensionerd.
>>
>
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