Originally posted by Drumbo:
No, no ... Although I sometimes get a bit revved-up on a particular issue, I'm not a e-warmonger.

True, to say in the absolute that a properly-maintained modern engine "does not pollute" was, uh, a fantasy.

But to say, absolutely, that a properly-maintained engine in a modern vehicle is "environmentally harmless" is not an overstatement.

Even when it was 12-years old, CO and HC tailpipe readings from my gone-but-not-forgotten Merkur XR4Ti were so miniscule, the effluent outflows from any given elementary school would have created a greater EPA-compliance problem for the local water-treatment plant than 200 cars like mine.

The original point being that, modern vehicles being as self-monitoring as they are, by and large, to keep our vehicles from becoming environmentally unfriendly and subject to the political schemes of the corporate corn-belt "farmers", mile-by-mile, all a critical-mass of owners has to do stay current on maintenence basics ...

And, maybe, organize our own PAC.






All this is true, but if you even take the smallest of polluting cars, and put over 8 million on the road(an example...theres more than that) they will still cause a big enough factor to caus estricter EPA standing...especailly now since that a large chunk of O-zone layer is gone ovr our North and South Polls.....all there trying to do is prevent the spread of the deletion of z-zone with ethanol gas. Im not trying to start a war over this...but in the short term, its not a big deal like you state, in the long term though it can be. Living in CA, where in my town theres atleast 2 or 3 days out of the week....im glad theres some EPA regulation.

Do i think they can make cleaner cars with out sacraficing power, yes, but they problably will continue taking the easiest way.

In LA it is always Smogy...its sick....and CA has the strictest air laws.....i guess it all depends where you go to....But for me I ahve had no problems with ethanol....actully my car seems to like it better than MTBE, i honestly see better gas millage, and it feels like it gives a littel power....but i agree with eveyone here, check you fuel filter first then your pump. Those are the culprits most of the time.

Roz

3.0 SVT hybrid...all the fixens...Track/Race ready very soon!!!!!! 20,000 + miles