Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Hi All:

___I forgot another important item … I asked the question about the PZEV warranty of an Escape HEV when purchased in one of the green states (CA., ME., MA., NY., and VT.) but the owner does not reside in/register it in one. One of the Product Concern Engineers E-Mailed me today with the answer to that question.
___With that, according to at least 3 engineers I spoke with, the Escape HEV no matter from where it is purchased is a PZEV. The EPA seems its have its own rules as to its emission capabilities on HS and LS fuels around various parts of the country however? She only receives a rating of 1 - LEV in Chicago, Milwaukee, Atlanta, etc., a rating of 7 - Tier II/Bin 4 everywhere else except for the clean states, and a rating of 9 - SULEV-II in the clean states?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Maybe part of the rating is the fuel?

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Hey Wayne,

Yeah, that was me on the phone with John. Hope you guys got enough sleep that night - I know you were probaby rolling into town around midnight and then had to get up early for the morning session the next day (and I recommended showing up early because I knew you two would want plenty of time to grill the engineers). ;)

I was wondering if John was able to get some photos or if security had to be called when he pulled out his camera.

Glad you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.

Randy

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Another tip from the Ford Engineers (and this one is hard to believe)...

This tip is about the key fob. My salesman told me this tip when I bought my car in April but it seemed too outrageous to believe and, honestly, I was afaid to try it in public. But when the Ford engineer who went with me on my drive-along said it was true I guess I believe it now, though I am still a bit embarrassed to try it.

Here it is...

If you want to get more range from the key fob hold it under your chin just behind the jaw bone and open your mouth wide then depress the button on the fob. This is supposed to get you more range but, like I said, I fear the folks in my parking garage would think me more of an idiot than they do now if I tried it.

However, since I now have 2 independent sources of this tip - and one from a Ford engineer, I guess I believe it. If anyone tries this, let us know if it works.

Thanks!

Sadie

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Nothing new there, I first heard about that four years ago or so, it does seem to work.

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

I'm searching through everything I've learned so far in medical school and thinking about those electromagnetism classes I took way back when... how would this possibly work?

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

___When John arrived at my home, the first thing I did before we even attempted to drive off for some test runs was to modify his Escape HEV a bit. His pressures were 44#’s when he left CO. but were between 34 and 36 when he arrived here? I upped them to 47 front and 46 rear to start. I would drive with 50 #’s all around myself but it was a good tradeof..

just a quickie safety-related. Altitiude Altitude Altitude! Pressure readings are psig...pressure above the ambient. John, pls check your tires back there in the land of low ambient pressure- 46 in IL will be >10psig higher in CO, as you discovered while going downhill on the trip in.

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

I did a quick google search:

"The small keyless radio transmitters are *really* inefficient at
radiating electromagnetic waves, purely because they are small.
Efficient radiation of energy requires an antenna of one quarter of the
wavelength. Why? If you picture a wave, the maximum amplitude is one
quarter of the way along from the point at which it starts. Putting it
simply, that's what you want at the end of your antenna. That's why
model control transmitters, which use similar frequencies to
keyless control units, have long antennae attached to them.
When you put the device close to a conductor, the radio frequency waves
can couple to it and get a much closer match to a quarter wave. That's
why an FM radio can often receive a better signal if you touch the
antenna or even stand close to it. The same thing applies to a
transmitter - the technical term is that your body acts as a coupled
antenna more closely matched to the wavelength of the signal.


And, before the hysteria starts, it's absolutely harmless!"

And if you wanted to increase it further, hold the fob under your chin in one hand, and raise your other hand.

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

About the tire pressure... I had *just* checked pressure and adjusted all tires up to 36# a few days earlier. But a few days earlier it was 80F outside. By the weekend of the event, the temps dropped to just a little above 50F (welcome to fall in Michigan). I suspect the 30deg temperature drop had something to do with all the low tires.

Since the weather has made it's mind up to stay in the 50's (although this weekend they are promising a heat-wave all the way back up to 61F!) I went ahead and re-inflated all my tires. I check them pretty regularly -- maybe not at *every* fill-up, but close to it. I'm sure as temps continue to drop as winter approaches I will be adding more still.

About that key-fob transmitter trick... I'm *still* skeptical. For the life of me I can't imagine why a transmitter held in the hand can't coulple to your skin and use your body as an antenna just as well as putting it under your chin. What's so magical about the bottom of your chin that this particular location of your body works better? Let's call MythBusters http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/my...thbusters.html :)

Re: Dearborn Hybrid Event
 

Hi GoNavy:

___We were contemplating the pressure change over ~ 4,500 feet for more hours then you care to count as soon as we learned that his tire pressures had dropped so dramatically between CO and IL. John E-mailed me once he arrived back home with the following:

FL just before leaving IL.: 45.0 #’s. After his arrival in CO.: 46.0 #’s
FR just before leaving IL.: 45.0 #’s. After his arrival in CO.: 46.5 #’s
RL just before leaving IL.: 48.0 #’s. After his arrival in CO.: 48.5 #’s
RR just before leaving IL.: 48.0 #’s. After his arrival in CO.: 41.0 #’s

___There is no explanation as to the large decrease upon his arrival (~ 8#’s) given the increase (just .5 - 1.5 #’s) by comparison when driving back home. He is watching the RR for a possible slow leak however ...

___Tcamppb01, as a rule of thumb, tire pressures drop ~ 1 # for every 10 degree F drop in temperature.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net