"Wes" wrote in message
...
"Ed Huntress" wrote:

Part of the reason I bought that car is that people told me they made
really
nice transmissions and solid engines. I saw inside of my gearbox when my
friendly shop owner had it cracked open and I couldn't believe what I saw.
They slimmed down the case and made the walls so thin that there was
hardly
any flange to support the bearings. The bearings would flex, and there
would
go the transmission.


I've always thought that ATF is used now to bump up the EPA Cafe numbers.
Like how cars that used to use 10w-30 are now spec'd for 5w-30.

That may be, but the trend toward lighter oils also contributes to longer
engine life, they tell me. I don't know about transmission life.

My 2.3 liter Ford Focus is lubed with factory-recommended 5W - 20,
semi-synthetic. After 40,000 miles it doesn't burn a drop, and my mechanic
tells me the engine life with these new oils (and the new cylinder
machining, and the new coatings) is incredible.


If you think walls are thin now wait until they try to meet the 2012 35mpg
CAFE standards.

After my first car it was 21 years before I owned another car (not counting
two full-size vans) that got *worse* than 32 mpg. So you're talking to the
wrong guy. I'm the one who thinks that any car that weighs more than 2,500
pounds should be taxed out of existence.

I've owned four cars that weighed 1,650 pounds dry or less; one was 1,350.
The biggest engine in any of those was 1,300 cc, but one of them did 125
mph -- although it was a little rough running below 4,000 rpm. d8-)


Listening to the j*ck*sses in Washington claim how the new energy bill is
going to save each citizen lots of money just about made me want to puke.
My
next car will likely rust out before I finish paying for it.

Think how much lighter it will be when the quarter panels and door panels
rust off. It might not be such a bad thing.

--
Ed Huntress