Recent content by Cujet

It is the appropriate way to restore a new, but fully depleted AGM. The charge rate is very modest. It is 1/10th the 1 hour AH rate. Not the 20 hour rate. To convert, simply multiply the 20 hour rate by 0.8.

Just an FYI, if one depletes an AGM, the can be restored by a constant current charge. No need for a fancy charger. Simply set the CC charger at 1/10th the 1 hour AH rate and charge for 16 hours. Take a break at 8 hours if it gets hot. Let the voltage go to any level it finds. Example, a 20AH...

Today's aftermarket carbs are imported junk. They are not worth the effort.

Maybe. A century of auto construction has its benefits. Upstarts have teething problems galore. All of my F150’s lasted decades. I fully expect my 2024 to be similar. I’ll bet a dollar Chinese cars will suffer from needless and unnecessary problems

For quite some time, we have been able to purchase 120V 'grid tie' inverters. Not approved in any way around here in FL, and generally not particularly efficient or effective. But they exist and people do try them. I believe there are a few that might be reliable... Interestingly, some people...

You should have no problem changing the plugs on that engine. Nothing special about it. The spark plugs are not the ultra-long versions found in the early 3 Valve versions of that engine. While this pic may not be the exact year you have, it is very close and it does show the conventional spark...

One reason I avoid 0W oils is shear stability. I stand by my recommendation of M1 5W-30EP.

I believe it is a Y configuration IIRC. Three phases, each of which can provide 115V, 400HZ to the neutral. There are 4 wires on each IDG and on the Ground Power Cart. IIRC, the reason for this is the likelihood of unbalanced loads. For example: Phase A may see high loads with low loads...

On some engines, the dry sump oil tank is elevated. It will drain into the engine over time. Failure to drain it shortly after shutdown could leave plenty of dirty oil in the engine.

Neat. Our business jets use something akin to a hydraulic automatic transmission to keep all 3 of the integrated 3 phase, 40KVA generators in sync. All three stay in phase perfectly. We call it an "Integrated Drive Generator (IDG)" which combines a Constant Speed Drive (CSD) and a generator...

I'd suggest a robust 30 viscosity to start with, it is still a good choice. Remember keep oil temps out of the stratosphere and there won't be any issues with your nearly 3 thou main bearing clearance. Do this by not running too hard or too long. Again, a drain n fill at 50 miles is a great...

I stand corrected. The pour point may have changed. Although there is some speculation of a misprint, as some testing for a 5 viscosity oil is done at -31ºF Such a high pour point likely means it's an AN based oil, prob not Group III. Which is even better. The SAE J300 standard for 5W oils...

Also, I very much like the idea of a 50 mile oil change. While modern engines don't produce much in the way of break in debris, a monster old school V8 can. A fast drain n fill can be a good idea. Do not freak out if you see glitter in the sunlight. This is common.

The idea that the engine won't break in with M1, 15W-50 is incorrect. It is neither more 'slippery' nor too thick. Even so, using a high quality (robust) 5W or 10W-30 conventional as break in oil is a time tested method that has served people well for decades. As long as you are not asking the...

I am a huge fan of properly manufactured hybrids. From the eco cars, to the pickup trucks. I really like the idea of plug in hybrids too. But it seems they may fall short in battery life.