Myth Busters

[Phil D]

14 hours ago, Av8r3400 said:

The 5.7L GM diesel was based off the Oldsmobile gas engine block - Fact.  They even marketed a smaller 4.3 (260") V8 and 4.3 (262") V6 version also off the gas engines.

The 1981 and up 350 DX block and the 1982 and up V6es were mechanically sound engines, with the only remaining "weak link" being the Roosamaster injection pump, but that was the current diesel injection technology in that era.  Had the DX block-based 5.7 V8 and 4.3 V6 been the starting point for the Olds diesel, they'd have avoided the lousy reputation that they earned during those first three years, and they'd likely be regarded as a success.  And had they continued on and evolved into modern, direct-injected engines with HPCR injection systems, turbocharging, and intercooling, they'd probably still be selling the V6 and likely a four cylinder derivative today.

[spindrift]

15 hours ago, Av8r3400 said:

The 5.7L GM diesel was based off the Oldsmobile gas engine block - Fact. 

That begs the question...how do you define a diesel engine?  If it's, well the block must have a certain weight/HP ratio, you may be right.  They may have used the same block as the gasser, I don't know.  Everything else on that engine was specifically designed to compete with the MB...however poorly it may have been done.

[rickeieio]

8 hours ago, spindrift said:

That begs the question...how do you define a diesel engine? 

In generic terms, a diesel is described as compression ignition.  But there are certainly variants.  Heck, even a Cummins ISX and X-15 can be found in spark configuration.  For example, look at all those UPS trucks with CNG tanks.

[Steve from SoCal]

Speaking of CNG tanks, 

 

There was a CNG fueled truck that caught fire in L.A. last week, a CNG tank exploded while the fire department was on scene.    Nine firefighters were injured, one in really bad shape.     Video showed the explosion, like an air burst mortar.    I know these trucks are statisticly safe but this was a horrible outcome.

 

As for Olds diesels, I worked on them at a dealership when they came out.    Used to rebuild 3-5 pumps a day!

[rickeieio]

U.S. satellites travel east to west, but Russian satellites travel west to east.

[spindrift]

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

U.S. satellites travel east to west, but Russian satellites travel west to east.

Personally, I think you're straying a bit too far from the original intent of thus thread.

But for the record, it depends on where the Russian satellite crosses the Equator.  This is a trick question. 

[rickeieio]

9 hours ago, spindrift said:

Personally, I think you're straying a bit too far from the original intent of thus thread.

But for the record, it depends on where the Russian satellite crosses the Equator.  This is a trick question. 

I know a learned person who swears the US/Russian thing is true.  Educated beyond his intelligence?

As to the original intent,  I started the thread, so I can change the rules.😛

[Dutch_12078]

44 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

I know a learned person who swears the US/Russian thing is true.  Educated beyond his intelligence?

As to the original intent,  I started the thread, so I can change the rules.😛

"Satellites and other spacecraft can orbit with the rotation of the Earth, in the opposite direction of Earth's rotation, or in any other direction! Usually satellites orbit in the direction of Earth's rotation, but there are some satellites that travel in the opposite direction"

https://howthingsfly.si.edu/ask-an-explainer/do-satellites-and-spacecraft-orbit-rotation-earth-or-opposite-way#:~:text=Satellites and other spacecraft can,travel in the opposite direction.

Edited February 27 by Dutch_12078

[rickeieio]

Hint: one organization pretty much has say ( think flight control ) over the orbits, since that country has the most satellites.

Edited February 27 by rickeieio

[GeorgiaHybrid]

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Hint: one organization pretty much has say ( think flight control ) over the orbits, since that country has the most satellites.

Bangladesh????

[spindrift]

Corvairs were prone to rolling over.

[Av8r3400]

19 minutes ago, spindrift said:

Corvairs were prone to rolling over.

Only as much as Suzuki Samurais were...

 

[spindrift]

18 minutes ago, Av8r3400 said:

Only as much as Suzuki Samurais were...

 

Porsche and Volkswagen had been using the same swing-axle, rear suspension design.  Ralph Nader stuck his nose where it didn't belong.  My brother and I stuffed a Corvair engine in to our Dad's VW bus.  What a blast it was to drive.

[Dutch_12078]

11 hours ago, spindrift said:

Porsche and Volkswagen had been using the same swing-axle, rear suspension design.  Ralph Nader stuck his nose where it didn't belong.  My brother and I stuffed a Corvair engine in to our Dad's VW bus.  What a blast it was to drive.

Cool! I installed a Corvair engine and Powerglide automatic transmission in my '68 Westfalia camper conversion VW bus.

[spindrift]

3 minutes ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Cool! I installed a Corvair engine and Powerglide automatic transmission in my '68 Westfalia camper conversion VW bus.

Dutch...do you still have it?

[SuiteSuccess]

12 hours ago, spindrift said:

Corvairs were prone to rolling over.

Aw, those were the days.  No power, no torque.  My “Fred Flintstone” mobile.

[spindrift]

6 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Aw, those were the days.  No power, no torque.  My “Fred Flintstone” mobile.

GREAT pic.  Before we did the engine swap, you needed everyone in the bus to lean forward in order to get through a headwind.

[rickeieio]

I remember a feature in HotRod magazine about flipping the transaxle over to put a small block in the back seat, making a mid-engine car.

[Wrknrvr]

  How about a reverse rotation Chevy v-8.

 

  If you know the answer, let’s give it a day to see what can be found.

[rickeieio]

4 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

How about a reverse rotation Chevy v-8.

I've worked on several of those.

[Dutch_12078]

11 hours ago, spindrift said:

Dutch...do you still have it?

No, the last I saw of it, the fellow that bought it had turned it into garden shed after he laid it on its side in a ditch.

[Dutch_12078]

6 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

  How about a reverse rotation Chevy v-8.

 

  If you know the answer, let’s give it a day to see what can be found.

I had a friend years ago that had twin Chevy V-8's in his boat, one of them was reverse rotation.

 

[Wrknrvr]

   We have a winner.

    The reverse engine was used to counter the force of the regulator engine drive on the prop and propulsion on the water column. When using twin engines in a boat.

  At least that was one reason.

 

    Back about 1990 I was in discussions about building a reverse engine for a sprint car.  That idea was to hold the left front wheel on the ground.

   The conventional rotation engine lifts the left front wheel of the ground while cornering with power down. 

 

    Since the person I was talking to was a low budget operation and no internet. Things were hard to discover new ideas. So talking was all that was ever accomplished on that subject. Although I do believe that reverse drive small blocks were around then.   When racing cars, who would look at boats.

    

[Wrknrvr]

    So now let’s go back in racing time.

 

   What is the name of the private citizen that took a reverse Offenhauser engine to the Indianapolis 500? 

 

  

[sandsys]

3 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

When racing cars, who would look at boats.

When building out a van or similar sized vehicle, it is good to look at boats. Those marine folks have solved a lot of problems.

Linda