"Paul" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "Cory Dunkle" > wrote in message
> ...
> : "Fao, Sean" -WANT-NO-SPAM> wrote in message
> : ...
> : > Patrick wrote:
> : > > A cool way to help save the planet.
> : > >
> : > > http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=101272
> : >
> : > I'm staying away from it until the bugs are found and worked out. It
is
> : > nice to see some larger vehicles jumping on the band wagon. And with
> : > 295-hp, 335-lb-ft torque, it doesn't look too shabby.
> :
> : Seems a bit low on torque for a 5,000+ lb vehicle, but I suppose torque
is
> : typical of the relatively small ejgine it has. I suppose they make up
for
> it
> : with gearing, being as how it has an overdrive transmission.
> :
> : Anyhow, nice idea to save gas, but I don't think I'll ever get another
> : vehicle newer than the early '70s. I tried it twice and it was no good.
> Too
> : difficult, frustrating, and time consuming to work on. Also, older cars
> are
> : cheaper to own. Less initial cost, less insurance cost, cheaper parts
> cost,
> : and easy to do the work yourself.
> :
> : Cory
> :
> Yeah, and don't worry about all the crap your 30-year-old engine is
pouring
> into the atmosphere, while burning about twice as much gas per mile as a
> modern car.
>
> Paul

Actually my engine is about 9 months old. My car gets only slightly worse
mileage than a modern 'full-size' car (13-14 MPG around town, I've seen as
high as 16.4-17 MPG on the highway) and would be equivalent if I had an
overdrive transmission. I'll get better mileage when I put a bigger cam in
and a bette rintake, as it will lower my compression so I can run more
timing on a better curve. Also, whenever the transmission goes it will be
replaced by an AOD, or if I decide to go crazy a T5. Then in will go gears i
n the 3.50-3.77 range which will give better mileage around town and allow
the engien to run at a better suited RPM in overdrive at highway speed.

A properly tuned small block in a full-size car is quite easy on the
environment compared to all those 4 banger beaters you see spewing smoke out
the exhaust and leaking oil and other fluids all over the place. Not to
mention the obscene amount of pollution that goes into making a new car.
It's easier on the environment to maintain older cars that are already built
and the price in pollution to create them already paid than to buy a new car
every 5-10 years and the gross amounts of pollution that goes into creating
a new car.

So in around town driving, which is what at least 3/4 of my driving is these
days, I get about the same mileage as a modern full-size car, and better
than most trucks that soccer moms seem to drive these days. As far as
pollution goes, my PCV valve works just fine and dandy.f I'll pass on the
EGR valve, I want my mileage to go up, not down. Cat converters are way too
expensive for myself, a college student, being as how they offer _ME_ no
real benefit. Maybe someday down the road if I decide to go with the whole
modern fuel injected 5.0 swap I'll do that, but I am leaning towards a 460
for the next time it needs a new engine.

Cory