Winter Weather Begins This Week

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by zamler

I think on your vehicle, you remove one phillips screw and the cover will lever out (towards the center?). Sorry not 100% sure, maybe someone with a similar car can chime in.

LOL. Sorry, but can't help but laugh. The atmosphere is 80% nitrogen, so at best because your tires have 100% nitrogen, you will have a 20% improvement. Plus all gasses change their volume with temperature, just to varying amounts. Nitrogen in tires is a waste of money. If you can get it for free, okay then you might see a small improvements. But it's fairly close to snake oil.

Oh I got it for free and haven't had a change in tire pressure in a year and a half. That last 20% must make all the difference especially with aluminum rims.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Oh I got it for free and haven't had a change in tire pressure in a year and a half. That last 20% must make all the difference especially with aluminum rims.

Rubber is less permeable to nitrogen than to the 20% of air that isn't nitrogen, so you don't lose gas as easily as with air if you have a good fit on your rims. But the pressure will still change with temperature.

[CKPThunder]

This is what I love about CP. No matter what the topic, after all the bickering settles down, there is always a ton of great information that is left behind. Thanks to this forum, I'd like to think I've been able to make more informed choices about computers (Apple vs PC), smartphones (iphone vs blackberry vs android), tires (winter vs all season), automotive maintenance, purchasing & financing and real estate.

Thanks, you guys are awesome! I learned a lot this year.

The OTF is fast becoming one of my favorite spots on CP.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by SebC

Rubber is less permeable to nitrogen than to the 20% of air that isn't nitrogen, so you don't lose gas as easily as with air if you have a good fit on your rims. But the pressure will still change with temperature.

Physics question. Seeing that oxygen and nitrogen are 1 atomic weight from one another, why would N permeate to a lesser degree vs. O?

Okay I answered my own question by searching. Read all about it here (pdf). Interestings stuff

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by zamler

I've never seen a car that won't run without a battery.

When the ignition switch busted on my '89 Beretta, my mechanic had me bring it into his shop. (It was running at the time.) To shut off the car he simply removed the negative post from the battery; the car stalled immediately.

However my '84 Trans Am will run without a battery. I think it all depends on how much the computer controls the operation of the engine.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I have no idea how anyone would create a dead short in the system except if they laid a wrench across the battery touching both posts.

Can't really for see either situations where this would happen if you follow basic boosting instructions.

You obviously have not boosted very many cars, any well used booster cables will show the tell tale signs of arcing.

Hooking up in the dark at -30 with it snowing sideways, dealing with those stupid side terminals GM came up with, a battery mounted against the fender or the headlight bucket...It's real easy to accidentally arc out, hell I've seen a cable pop off on it's own and weld itself to the fender.

Ohm's law can kiss my ass

Zamler, Thanks for the great post last night, the children were getting to me

[Champion]

Love the weather this morning in Edmonton. Just went to the airport and came back. I barely needed a track jacket to go outside :-)

[burn_this_city]

The "children" were merely pointing out that you're full of crap.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by ken0042

When the ignition switch busted on my '89 Beretta, my mechanic had me bring it into his shop. (It was running at the time.) To shut off the car he simply removed the negative post from the battery; the car stalled immediately.

Was the ignition broken mechanically, or electrically? That's interesting just the same.

[ken0042]

Mechanically. The key would simply spin in the cylinder. I went to shut my car of and I heard a "crack."

I know there is a significant difference between those two cars; the '89 was fuel injected and the 84 was carbourated. (SP?) When you hook the 84 to a computer it would just tell you some very simple sensor info; but the 89 had a lot more info.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Pinner

You obviously have not boosted very many cars, any well used booster cables will show the tell tale signs of arcing.

Hooking up in the dark at -30 with it snowing sideways, dealing with those stupid side terminals GM came up with, a battery mounted against the fender or the headlight bucket...It's real easy to accidentally arc out, hell I've seen a cable pop off on it's own and weld itself to the fender.

Ohm's law can kiss my ass

Zamler, Thanks for the great post last night, the children were getting to me

So now your story changes, again...What's a plasma have to do with what we are talking about? The arc would be high in current and low resistivity which would lower voltage. Still not seeing were this magical boost in voltage happens. It can happen whether the alternator is generating power or not so why would one not have a car running?

You have yet to provide an example of how a voltage boost, short or load dump is possible when standard jump starting procedures are followed and the system is in relatively good shape.

Thanks also for sharing your expertise on all subjects (not just those in this thread) were it is quite obvious you are the only person who has any knowledge or expertise 'round here. Others be damned! You're right and no one else could possibly have any proof otherwise. If they insist, they must be pricks or children.

Sharing your poorly formed arguments, calling people pricks while trying to disguise the fact that you have a vague familiarity of some subjects, but no real expertise in any of them and hiding behind wink smilies like you're holding back massive amounts of knowledge shows us just how much more mature you are.

My diagnosis: Passive aggressive, narcissist with a touch of Aspberger

So go ahead and address the first two paragraphs with your typical misdirection but I am sure you are eager to address the last 3 since now, I am actually being a prick. Before, I and others were just right.

[Pinner]

Seriously dude, get back on those meds

We're just boosting a car, it's OK.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Pinner

Seriously dude, get back on those meds

We're just boosting a car, it's OK.

Solid response.

Originally Posted by zamler

Physics question. Seeing that oxygen and nitrogen are 1 atomic weight from one another, why would N permeate to a lesser degree vs. O?

Okay I answered my own question by searching. Read all about it here (pdf). Interestings stuff

Interesting article. I never thought N2 would make a difference because it makes up the majority of the atmosphere but when I had new tires put on, they used N2 and I haven't needed to add any air at all since I got them (plus you get super cool green valve stem caps).

The low tire pressure light did come on when this cold snap hit but I think the cold has just affected the sensor or my spare on the back rack is low. I always forget to check it. It has just normal air in it.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by zamler

The battery acts as a giant capacitor, without it you are feeding half wave AC into the system. The various electronics are protected and filtered as well, but that does not mean they can't be damaged. As for what voltages a car will function under, it's surprising how low the voltage has to go before the car won't run at all. I've seen cars run (although poorly) with about 8 volts. 18 volts is the upper end the car can tolerate without possible damage. Proper regulation is 13.8-14.2 Volts.

As for boosting a car with the engine running, it has risks. It can put maximum load on the alternator, and initially connecting the jumper cables can put voltage spikes into the system, which is very hard on electronics. The best way to boost a car is to connect with both cars not running, wait a few minutes, pull the cables, start the car, then reconnect the cables. This will put some charge into the dead battery, so when you connect things with the engine running, the load will not be so severe.

Another thing to remember is, a block heater will make a huge difference in getting a car started. Even with a 100% charged battery, in very cold weather the engine oil is getting close to a solid state, which means turning the engine over will put a huge strain on the battery. 100% synthetic oil is worth every cent in bitter cold weather, it flows better in extreme conditions.

Batteries are not, and do not function, as capacitors. Capacitors block DC current at full charge, and then release their charge as the voltage across them drops. They, along with the battery, are in parallel with the alternator, not in series, which is what I think you are visualizing (that's how one would conclude a battery is functioning like a big capacitor).

All you people worried about voltage spikes have clearly not given any thought to the enormous electrical noise generated by your starter motor, which is a DC motor with enormous high current electromagnetic coils.

As I've already said, if voltage spikes and dirty voltage regulation were a concern for your vehicles electronics, simply starting your car each trip would be fatal.