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Re: Computer shit

To: MLishego@aol.com, "mgs@autox.team.net" <mgs@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: Computer shit
From: Trevor Boicey <tboicey@brit.ca>
Date: Sat, 31 May 1997 21:17:58 -0400
MLishego@aol.com wrote:
> Moral of the story:  I like to be able to make the car run BETTER than it ran
> when it was new.  On an MGB, that means Weber carbs and a big exhaust.  On a
> newer vehicle that means removing the computer that regulates everything.
>  Before the computer, the turismo needed a factory muffler to run right.
>  After the conversion, I could run a flowmaster for more power.

  This is really quite unfair though. What you are saying is
that "with my computerized car, I can't change anything to
get more power with the stock computer".

  ...so change the computer! Reprogram a new fuel curve! Reprogram
a different way of handling sensors! Companies out there will
sell you a chip with any programming you want! (ok, maybe not
for a Turismo)

  The turismo needs a factory muffler because the computer is
programmed to think it has a factory muffler. This has analogies
in our LBCs, if you radically change the air intake of a
carb system, you need new needles, because the needles are
"thinking" the airflow was the way it was from the factory. This
is not a fault of the needles.

  As well, your "performance" carb, the Weber, gives better
performance because it gives more optimal fuel flow at
all situations. It also allows you to fine tune the fueling
better than stock. Can we think of something else that
provides this power? Howabout EFI! Fully programmable
fuel delivery! A dream come true! A carb that behaves exactly
the way you want it at all times, and doesn't have to
rely on venturis and pressure affecting mechanical
systems to make it happen.

  Just like electronic ignition can be though of as an
idealized set of points, EFI is essentially an idealized
carb.

  If you aren't happy with the performance of your
stock carb (you weren't) then you thought nothing of
changing it. You didn't knock carbeuration because your
original one wasn't as good as it could be, why treat your
computer the same way?

  As for your "better than it was new", I agree very much. I
also love my LBC for a lot of reasons, and it's simplicity
is right up there. However, I don't delude myself into
thinking that the carb on my LBC is anything but outdated.

  Let's separate the performance from the charm. I am allowed
to love my carbs and mechanical advance even though it's
not the best system today in the 1990s. I am not insulting
LBCs when I praise computers, but lets call it like
it is. 

-- 
Trevor Boicey
Ottawa, Canada
tboicey@brit.ca
http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/

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