Date:         Thu, 28 Oct 1999 13:47:34 -0400
Reply-To:     Caston/Payne <happycampers@PICUSNET.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Caston/Payne <happycampers@PICUSNET.COM>
Subject:      spiralmax:a users opinion (semi long)
Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="iso-8859-1"

1st: Thanks to those publicly expressing their fondness or respect for
us. That means alot.

2nd: Usual disclamers apply. I'm not making any $$ form this post in
any way. I'm interested in ideas &  things that work for our Vanagons.

Now: I understand the opinions of some, that this type of device is
bogus. And, I too, try to see through smoke and mirrors claims. When I
had the spiramax installed in Vinnie, I was offered a discounted,
no-risk type of deal. At a discounted $, use it for 30 days. if you
don't like it we take it out if you want and give your $ back. I had
dealt with these folks a while and trusted them. They
<underline>really</underline> know Audis, VW's and Vanagons. Having
said that, I drove around for a while with the device in and, yes, I
could feel a difference between no thingy and thingy present. I do not
have any dyno type numbers. I'd be glad to do some testing if someone
has an accelerometer? It would be super easy for Robert Lilly to throw
one in his motor and see if it causes actual dyno gains or not. To my
knowledge, no settings would have to be tweeked. None had to be for
Vinnie.


I performed my "tests "on I-78 going east through Allentown,PA. You see
there is a large hill (South Mountain) that gains i'd guess about 4-500
feet over about a mile (Karl B could prolly give us exact data on the
hill I'm refering to). Tractor trailers going 75 at the bottom are
often going 25 at the top. 


What I tried to do was acheive 70 mph on the speedo at exactly the same
point at the bottom and then keep the accelerator to the floor going up
the hill. While doing this I would watch the speedo and look at speed
loss. I did this several times with the spiralmax thing in and after
removing it. My results were that: with the spiramax in; I tended to
loose ‰ 5mph less and acheived the same point at the top 5-10 seconds
faster.

So my testing methodolgy filters out the effect of other work performed
actually causing the benefit. (Sorry Ken.) And everything was running
really really great.

Most noticable difference to me was from around 2700 rpms and up.
Vinnies loves to run 75 mph. Power is super smooth at 4000-4200 rpms.
When I buy another car for my wife, I may put them in it as well.

So, in my opinion, if they have a no risk deal on the website then see
for yourself. After all, it's one screw and slip it in the afm and
voila, you're done. Do something like I did and see for yourself, then
make final judgement.

Thats it.


Dave & Sherrie

Williamsburg, VA

           zzzzzzzzzz__

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