Random Thoughts....

That much weight will make a difference especially for drag racing. Aero isn't as huge as a factor at low speeds.
 
1. Ask NASCAR
2. Yes, it's simple thermodynamics, but the difference is immeasurable
3. er... it's complicated?
 
1) Torque needs to be accounted for drag racing, horsepower is meaningless if the engine can't put it out quick enough.
 
NooDle said:
2) In one of Clarksons "long driving tests" (I think with the Audi A8 diesel), he says that diesel shrinks when it's cold, so if you fill up when it's cold you get more than you do when it's hot... is this actually true?
And if it is, can someone give me a percentage? Like you get X% more fuel if the difference in temperature difference is X degrees? Because it would be cool to see how much money I can save this way

yes I am stingy and super anal
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Yes, it's the same as with water, it's heaviest and has the highest density af 4 degrees celcius, I don't remember the numbers in my head but it's in one of my uni books, dunno if there are any official percentages for petrol/diesel.

Dunno about 1 and 3.
 
NooDle said:
okay, NooDle's Random thoughts of the day

1) I was thinking about power/weight, and had a question
Say you have 2 identical cars in size and shape (to keep aero identical), one weighs 1000 kgs and has 100 hp, the other weighs 2000 kgs and has 200 hp, and have a drag race, do they accelerate to 100 kph in the same time. In my head, they are, but in reality, I dunno

Also, if you have 2 identical cars, both weighing 1000 kg, one with 100 the other with 200 hp, is the 0-100 kph time exactly double that for the "slow" car?

2) In one of Clarksons "long driving tests" (I think with the Audi A8 diesel), he says that diesel shrinks when it's cold, so if you fill up when it's cold you get more than you do when it's hot... is this actually true?
And if it is, can someone give me a percentage? Like you get X% more fuel if the difference in temperature difference is X degrees? Because it would be cool to see how much money I can save this way

yes I am stingy and super anal

3) when comparing petrol to diesel engines, diesel engines are almost always more economical when they have the same size, yet they are down on power. This is because diesel by it's nature has more energy in it, so it's easier to do high mpg on a diesel car. Is there a way to tweak this, so that the diesel engine does like 50% worse in MPG but gives more power as an upshot? Me would like a switch like that in my car....
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1. If they had the same torque and HP curves, e.g. if they were both electrical engines with perfectly flat curves, then yes. "Identical" only exists in theory anyway, so it's a hard question to answer properly in the real world.
2. Yup, the same way any solid or liquid expands or contracts with the temperature. You just have to know the coefficient of expansion, which a more thoroughly-trained engineer than me might know. Odds are that on a relatively small scale like a car's fuel tank, unlike, say, a bridge, where those expansion joints are there for a very good reason, the amount of expansion caused by normal temperature variations is not very noticeable. In a situation like Clarkson's, though, every little bit counts, no matter how little.
3. Manual boost control. Just make sure the turbo (and cooling system) can handle it.
 
You know that DU gets more radioactive as it decays into it's daughter elements, right?
 
I agree, and to ensure that it remains exclusive the car will wipe the magnetic stripes and microchips of all the other cards in your wallet.
 
Speaking of radioactivity, the first firetrucks that were dispatched to the Chernobyl accident still pumps out between 15-30 roentgens per hour. That's pretty nasty. :|
 
Blind_Io said:
I've heard of the "Black" card, but it must not be terribly hard to get since my friend has one in his wallet - and he lives in his parents' basement.
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The American Express "Centurion Card" (the official name of the black card) is made of titanium and cannot be applied for. You only get it on invitation from the Amex management. I suppose that is not the one your friend has got?

The fact that it's made from titanium has had some very funny side-effects, when it was introduced: Because the cards are handcrafted, they sometimes used to damage card readers, resulting in some merchants not accepting it :lol:

To receive an invitation for the Centurion Card (at least in Germany) you must

- have been in possession of the Platinum Card for years with a spotless customer history
- spend at least 120,000 Euros per year with the card
- present a bank guarantee of your house bank of at least 100,000 Euros

However, it's easier to get, when you're a celebrity or the son of a well-known billionaire or industrial tycoon :mrgreen:

And btw., the annual fee is 2000 Euros but some very valuable high spenders also get it lifetime free.
 
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Blind_Io said:
I agree, and to ensure that it remains exclusive the car will wipe the magnetic stripes and microchips of all the other cards in your wallet.
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Do I sense a hint of jealously for the radioactive death card? :p

The American Express Depleted Uranium Death Card: The inconvenience of excess.
 
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MacGuffin, I didn't realize it was made of Titanium. The one my friend has is just a plain black credit card.

argatoga, not really. A credit card is just a tool. I'd love to be rich enough to just not have a credit card at all.
 
Blind_Io said:
MacGuffin, I didn't realize it was made of Titanium. The one my friend has is just a plain black credit card.

argatoga, not really. A credit card is just a tool. I'd love to be rich enough to just not have a credit card at all.
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There is the genius of it. By making it a status symbol they can make money off the rich who don't need a credit card as well as get the free advertisement.
 
My parents got a letter from Visa a couple years ago saying something to the effect of "Thanks for being with us for so long and always being perfect with your card, we're raising your credit limit an additional $10000"

My father was horrified because they never use their cards for anything huge and keep the limit somewhat in case it gets stolen. Come to think of it, next year will be the 20th year they've had their account with Visa. Their AmEx account is even older. :lol:
 
Yeah they want money from your parents. Hell Chase gave me $125 so I wouldn't close my account (I've moved everything to USAA).
 
Nabster said:
My parents got a letter from Visa a couple years ago saying something to the effect of "Thanks for being with us for so long and always being perfect with your card, we're raising your credit limit an additional $10000"

My father was horrified because they never use their cards for anything huge and keep the limit somewhat in case it gets stolen. Come to think of it, next year will be the 20th year they've had their account with Visa. Their AmEx account is even older. :lol:
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That's happened with me and I was horrified for the same reason. When I was a teen and only allowed to use the card for gas my dad used to call and have them lower it all the time.
 
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