Okay I admit it, I have finally written an original content message that is
too large to sneak past the list server in one piece. But it is list
appropriate content (arguable point), so I have cheated a bit and broken it
into multiple smaller parts to sneak it through. If you don't like part 1
just delete the rest.
At 12:31 PM 11/14/2000 +0930, eric@erickson.on.net wrote:
>....
>Yep, the 'econoguage' or 'economy guage' was a big thing for a while here.
My '86 .... has one of these with markings for 'POWER' and 'ECONOMY'....
>
>Why couldn't they just call it a 'vacuum' guage and calibrate it properly
....
Oh, this is going to be fun! This topic is perfectly suited to this list,
covering a multitude of interests that should encompass every subscriber
here. Those with no sense of humor may "delete now". Those with
absolutely no electrical comprehension may delete now. Technical geeks may
warm up the printers. Long time list members should grab a beer, put on a
Jethro Tull or Pink Floyd album, and browse through names in the list
address book while reading this message. And WARNING, this memo could be a
real time waster if not deleted immediately. Did I cover all the
disclaimer requirements?
I'll get right to the meat of the matter ("obligatory LBC content" thread,
or at least "list" content). I guess this can be appropriate for this list
(staying on topic or not thread), as we spend a lot of time chatting about
changing final drive ratios and installing OD's (noise, economy, cost,
comfort, and durability threads), at least partly in the interest of fuel
economy (ficticious cost savings thread), and also the function and
calibration of dashboard instruments ("wobbly/misguided needle" thread).
For those of us who can figure out how to delete or ignore the unnecessary
verbage ("don't copy the whole message in the response" thread), this can
be a very informative tech article ("useable content" thread).
I once had a real fuel economy gauge that actually worked (contrary to the
"laws of Lucas" thread), and worked well (reliability/accuracy thread), and
I miss it, sort of (don't make them like they used to thread), as I lost it
when the car was vandalized (unlocked parking thread). This was no vacuum
gauge (current thread), and I actually paid good money for it as an after
market accessory (J.C.Whitney plug) in early 1975 (good old days thread),
about $50 then as I recall (inflation thread), just around the time of the
"first" oil embargo (fuel shortage/prices thread) and the beginning of that
silly 55 MPH national speed limit in the U.S. (ficticious politics thread).
I had just dumped a kit car (DPO and fake car threads) and was in between
MGAs (no LBC content because I didn't have one at the time), needed
something automotive to fiddle with (car addiction thread), and as usual,
thought this gadget might be appropriate technology at the time (snake oil
thread, but not snake oil). I wasn't interrested in the "power" range
(cams and carbs thread) or the shift points (current thread), but was
commuting 600 miles a week at the time (reliability and distance driving
threads), so I had some interest in determining the most economical highway
cruising speed (torque curve thread), regardless of the speed limit
(flaunting the law in the interrest of comon sense thread). Given the
opportunity I might buy another one today just as an interresting toy
(models and gadgets thread), but I haven't seen them in years (obsolete,
obscure, and unavailability thread).
The design and function of the instrument is interresting and quite simple
(much like our LBCs), as well as accurate (oh ye of little faith thread).
It has a round analog gauge (days of old thread) that gives a direct
readout in Miles per Gallon (too logical for today's society thread). It
is (was) available in two dial ranges, 0-30 MPG for the gas hogs (SUV
thread) and 0-60 for the economy cars (jellybean appliances thread), and is
intended to have the readout somewhere in mid dial for constant speed
cruising (aircraft in the movies thread). For the state of technology at
the time ("who wants computers in the cars" thread) everything is analog
(car instruments thread), nothing digital (computer problems thread). The
two essential signal inputs are fuel flow rate (obstructions and spillage
threads) and ground speed (cops and speedmeters threads), both of which
should be measured in a linear fashion for simplicity (more of the good old
days). The electrical function was to be a simple analog division, ground
speed rate (miles/hour) divided by fuel flow rate (gallons/hour) yielding
the economy ratio (miles/gallon). Simple math, even by today's standards
(poor schools thread).
{continued in part 2]
|