AutoNotes #1, 06/30/92                   copr. 1992, Dave Williams
==================================================================

Cadillac Northstar V8:

The new engine is a 90 degree, 32 valve DOHC V8. It is designed for transverse mount FWD applications; no RWD is planned at present.

Power output is 290hp @ 5600, 290 ft-lb at 4400, from 4.6 liters. Those numbers are quite high; the article didn't have any curves showing the range of the powerband. Being that it's a Cadillac, it's probably adequately powerful at lower RPMs. The complete engine weighs 404 pounds without accessories.

The engine uses an aluminum block with free-standing liners, much like the old Vega. There is no deck surface as such. Fortunately, the liners are cast-in-place iron, not aluminum. There are four head bolts per cylinder.

The main caps are joined together in a large ladder-shaped web that bolts to the bottom the the main block. There are four bolts at each main (including front and rear) and assorted others. There's a separate bolt-on oil manifold.

The intake manifold (called the "fluid-induction system" is a magnesium box with separate internal manifold runners made from phenolic. The injectors and fuel rails are inside the box.

The starter is under the intake, in the area that would be a lifter valley in a pushrod engine. Access is supposedly easy - four bolts to remove the entire airbox. The article didn't mention disconnecting the fuel lines, throttle cable, MAP sensor, air cleaner, etc. Well, it's probably no worse than a Fiat X1/9 or late Pinto.

Ignition is distributorless, with the coils plugging onto the spark plugs like a SAAB or a preWWII Fordson tractor. (and SAAB thought they thought of it first...) Firing order is 1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8, claimed to be "unique", and to reduce torsional loading and front-main-bearing loads.

Extracted from Automotive Industries, June 1992:

AC/Rochester patented a new variable cam timing system called the Variable Cam Phaser. From the exploded view, it looks like it works pretty much like the one Alfa Romeo has been putting on cars for the last ten years. The Patent Office will evidently let you patent anything.

Arvin Industries has joined the tunable electronic muffler brigade. Still no word on the patent problem there - Arthur C. Clarke described the device quite thoroughly in the mid-1950s, in enough detail that the patent probably isn't valid.

Lotus Engineering is still working on active suspension. Their latest project: an Alvis Scorpion light tank. It supposedly lets the tank travel faster over rough terrain. AI also reports Lotus is working on special shoes for UK race horses, designed to prevent leg injuries on hard surfaces. Ri-ight.

Morgan Motor Co. has an eight year waiting list for their cars. Last year's production was 464 units. The bodies are framed in ash and you have the option of either steel or aluminum bodywork.

ASHA Corp's new Gerodisc positrac uses a gerotor hydraulic pump to load a standard clutch pack. The packs are loaded when differential left-right speeds exceed 150 RPM. Looks like one of those "Why didn't someone think of that years ago?" ideas. Though ASHA claims tire wear and fuel economy benefits for FWD and 4WD applications, it looks like it would be *very* easy to adapt the unit to external control of the breakaway point, which would be sorta handy for electronic traction control units.

Mercedes is doing road testing of their new laser lookahead cruise control, which can adapt speed according to traffic ahead. It looks like a variant of "radar braking", only MB's idea looks more useful.
-30-

=====================================================================
AutoNotes will be published irregularly as the mood hits.  Contains
no cyclamates, backwards-masked messages, FNORDs, or recycled fibers.
=====================================================================