I have been having issues with devices running out of battery power. I need to conserve the laptop for doing things that need a physical keyboard, and use my other two devices for reading Twitter and webcomics. I have my phone that only connects to the Internet via WiFi to use for web browsing and also playing Klondike solitaire, my actual phone I can call people on for that and Twitter, and this laptop for actual things involving many words with actual letters and not emojis. If I work it like that I have enough battery life to do everything, otherwise I end up missing posting to the blog because the only device I have with charge is the phone I play solitaire on, with the really crappy on-screen keyboard.
I’m still thinking about the Subaru engine installation in the Sprint-T. One thing I have been thinking about is intake packaging with the turbo not behind the engine, and setting the car to run on 87 octane regular for transit and 100 octane E85 for racing. Now if I get a junkyard 2.5 engine and rebuild it to run on 87 octane as a NA engine with a huge waste gate that basically only allows ~ 1 pound of boost when open and set it to be always open, then install a water to air intercooler with an ice reservoir for running boost then I can tune for best mileage with the regular gas. I just need to have a way to switch between the two tunes at the track so I can tune for best power at all RPM points for the E85 tune for the Goodguys autocross, then switch back to the 87 octane for the trip home after running out the E85 to prevent it from going stale in the tank. Basically I’m looking at a storage tank in the tire trailer that holds the transit gas after it gets pumped out while changing from street tires to autocross tires, then pumps the transit gas back into the transit tank to use after the race gas is burned from the race tank on the way home. Yes, this system will have two gas tanks, a big one that weighs lots when full and gives me the range to get to races even when I have to drive through I-80 in Wyoming or western Utah and eastern Nevada where there can be hundreds of miles between gas stations. Not that I expect there to be any events that require such range, but it’s good to be prepared for that and not need it rather than need it and not have it. As I was explaining this the thought came that I could use the storage tank in the trailer as a range extender if the situation arose that I was crossing vast gasless wastes. When the transit tank gets low enough pump the extra fuel stored in the trailer into the transit tank.
I just realized I never mentioned why I would use the water to air intercooler rather than the stock Subaru air to air intercooler. Well there is the ducting issue, a water to air intercooler can be installed in the manifold plenum and get fed directly from the turbo, and as I can use icewater as a coolant the possibility of having an intake charge colder than the outside air inside the manifold can be used to enhance performance, combined with the fact that water to air intercoolers flow air almost like they weren’t there to maintain unboosted airflow for better transit gas mileage. In a new installation without previous parts all of these advantages really add up. To summarize, lower weight, less restriction and colder charge temperature compared to air to air at a similar cost even including the pump and ice tank. That’s if I get a junkyard engine without all the intake stuff.
And as I was composing this post we had another mass shooting with a confirmed 4 injured and unknown number of dead, in an industrial park in MD the third mass shooting in three days. As per usual the GOP response is “Too early to talk about new laws, we are sending thoughts and prayers to the victims.” That is great guys, how about sending paid in full for their medical bills since you have been doing fuck all about preventing these events? At least that would be accomplishing something!
Witch on a Bicycle 