The Peckish Synapse

The Zip · April 6, 2023

Man lost his perfection, animals didn't, IMO. I'm not a cat lover, but have the same feeling for all animals and respect their individual perfect space. Even more so with a cat like yours, remained perfect while establishing her parameters. Good looking cat, nice shot. I have 2 monster dogs and will reverse what you said, the reward is worth the pain.

Grumpy Bear · April 7, 2023

Long day and Mrs. Bear is checked out for the night. I, no, WE appreciate all the support from members of this forum. Thank you all. And a special shout out to @txab a fellow feline lover and great supporter of Louise. She passed in peace and in comfort. Thank you, Prairie View Animal Hospital of De Kalb Illinois and staff. She spent 15 years under their care.

txab · April 7, 2023

Grumpy Bear · April 18, 2023

The Theory of Theory

Title from a Red Skelton skit of the absent-minded Professor.

Question, will oil last as long in a motor with a 5% leak down as one that has a 50% leak down? Okay, put that on the shelf a minute. If the OEM OCI will get only 0.3% of all motors to 200K but 98% of all motor to 100K how effective was that OCI? That one was easy. Just effective enough to get past the warranty with a bit of cushion to keep warranty work at bay. For you? Not so much.

You don't have to be as avid a reader as I to ferret out the idea that the recommended OCI length is a matter of more WHO is doing the recommendation and their goals than what is the truth and your wishes or need.

Wear, which increases blow by and reduces ring seal is not normally an event like stepping off a cliff. It is gradual like walking down a ramp and as seal is lost, blow by increases, oil load increases and OCI by extension should shorten. And who is promoting that idea? No one. OEM would like you to burn through that motor fast enough to get a repeat sale but slow enough to promote the illusion of reliability. The Government would like to reduce the amount of waste oil that is generated and generate more votes. The Lube Oil business would like to sell as much oil as possible but as they sleep with the OEM and are watchdoged by the government a balance must be struck. UOA labs push longer by use of their services promoting their use knowing darn few even believe longer service is even possible. How much of this has anything to do with the elimination of wear?

Power boating uses more power than a car for the same motor. Chart for Indmar for the 5.7 GM. These motors have a 50-hour OCI in an unballasted boat but 20 to 30 hours for powersport use. That would be 800-to-1600-mile OCI's! This is based on "load". Load isn't just a function of how far you have your foot in it but is literally what percent of available power is being used. That is a 100 hp motor using 50 hp is under more load than a 500 hp motor utilizing 50 hp. It's also about power density. A 200 CID motor making 200 hp is under motor load using 100 hp that a 500 CID motor making 200 hp is using 100 hp. A 300 hp motor using 30 hp is under less load new than one using 30 hp at 300K and only now making 250 hp.

All of this is intuitive and yet we don't see it plainly. Why? Distraction for those with louder and 'more trusted' voices. We doubt ourselves.

What else? Interesting that guys with piston planes also change on hours and like boats use a high percentage of available load and consider rebuilding a motor every 500 hours about right even when changing oil every 50 hours. Boats about the same. How would you feel about a motor rebuild every 15K to 20K miles?

If you don't see the application because your truck is treated like a car ask yourself about the load a truck sees hauling your 30-40 foot travel trailer or flat bed and end loader, skid loader, farm tractor etc.? Track truck? Short haul light loads are not better.

Million mile diesels vs 150K mile gas trucks is more than hard cylinders and chrome rings.

Something stinks here.

Grumpy Bear · April 29, 2023

Are people really this stupid?

Best Motor Oils For 2023 - Forbes Wheels

METHODOLOGY

We specifically chose highly-rated and readily available motor oils that are compatible with a wide range of vehicle makes and models on the road today. Forbes Wheels considered the products that are the most accessible to consumers residing throughout the U.S. and selected five types of motor oil by considering a broad range of end-user ratings and professional evaluations, including our own experiences using these products. We rate all motor oils based on the following weighted metrics:

Quality (35%)
Durability (30%)
Vehicle compatibility (20%)
Protection from wear and sludge (15%)

Grumpy Bear · May 25, 2023

Go Fish

I can no longer tell the intent of a question. Used to never give that a second thought. Blindly trusting an inquiry's honesty, that the intent of the question follows the form of the question is no longer viable. Trying to answer questions is like a catching a falling knife. Just plane dangerous.

Not just a matter of dishonest intent in the question either. That's only the chum. Now, fight the sharks it draws. Why? Not why does it happen, why bother?

Ya all got an internet to answer questions. Use it. You decide what to believe.

This is going to come out funny and I know that before I even think it. Teaching is not the art of erasing ignorance. Basically, what answering a question does. Teaching is the art of getting someone to discover the truth in a way that they own it. In a way that ownership lets them assemble other truths to a correct conclusion all by themselves. That teaches them to find those answers.

The saying goes, "Give a man a fish and he will be hungry tomorrow. Teach a man to fish and he will be richer forever." I'm just not very good at it. I could be. I used to be. When people wanted sincere answers and sharks didn't infest the water.

Wife and I will be having a conversation. My personality is such that when she is conveying an idea and makes a mistake in doing so, I just don't feel the need to correct that (and every) mistake IF I can say "message received and understood." If not, I will ask a question of clarification. Around here it is not just important to correct every mistake or void of knowledge, but there is a need for the corrector to show not just superiority but to attempt crush the one delivering it. Sharks. And at times in a feeding frenzy.

I read about two men who walked on water. I never met these guys, but I meet many who think they can.

I don't wither and die when someone acts without grace and latitude. As I don't know a single living perfect person, I don't give much weight to those who think they are. I actually trust them less than those who own their errors and allow others theirs. Grace and latitude.

As it is what it is and what is isn't about the change..... Get your keyboard warmed up. If I can find it, so can you.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · June 2, 2023

Follow it to the End!

Rub anything over your paint. What will happen? Depends. Is it rougher that the texture of the paint? Is it harder than the paint? Will it cause a chemical reaction with the paint? Will it thermally degrade the paint? Is there third particle participation? What is the current condition of the paint?

Run it down. All of it. No matter the topic. You can bet the marketing department did. When they do they look for your ignorance or apathy as leverage to say or do something to lead you to a conclusion that is false with plausible deniability that gives them a perceived advantage over nothing at all or perhaps a competitor.

Grumpy Bear · June 12, 2023

UOA Interpretation

Wear Metals

I sand a board for 10 minutes and get 5 grams of sawdust. I sand for 8 hours and get 2400 grams of sawdust. Which event showed the highest wear RATE?

This OCI of 3,000 miles shows 20 ppm Fe. The following OCI of 6,000 miles shows 40 ppm Fe. Which event has the highest wear RATE?

Both cases the results are identical. A bit of common sense goes a long way.

If you get the same or nearly the same ppm in two OCI's but the event cycle was twice as long the result improved by 50%.

Yes you could make a special case where this is invalid. Run the sump dry for a few minutes during that OCI or some other event. Blown head gasket or HPFP leak. You can always find an exception to what is usual and normal. But you know when that happens. It would not stand alone. Could you have an even where you didn't know? Sure and the result would be a result that fell outside the normal distribution. So, you have to trend and you have to normalize.

Will a 3 hp Briggs & Straton have the same normalized distribution as say a Hell Cat? No. Each has it's own normal. Trends are your friend. History is your friend.

I'd figure that out for you but someone would blow that up to muddy the water so you figure that out for yourself. Ya got all in info you need to do that much.

Grumpy Bear · June 17, 2023

Inflation? Or Greed?

A few months ago, the Avian Flu decimated the egg industry. As large eggs come from old hens the supply was greatly reduced and the price went up. Basic supply and demand. If eggs are part of baking, then prices to bakers goes up and eventually so does the cost to the consumer. Simple cause and effect. But flocks recovered and eggs are currently under $1.50 a dozen. Normalized but that passed on cost is holding. Greed?

This week I had a need for a single plastic push lock or Retaine as GM calls them. GM's price? $6.65 each. Doorman sells these at a cost of 47 cents each. I'm told body shops pay 2 or 3 cents each for them. Is GM's price a reflection of inflation or just unmitigated greed?

My local Stealershlp doesn't seem to understand my very well explained reasons for not using their services. My Casey's is upset with me for discontinuing purchasing their gasoline at 20% over two miles down the road. ACE Hardware for not honoring quotes seems puzzled as well. I just saw a Honda Pilot for sale at the Toyota dealer with 200K miles on the clock selling for over $25,000!!! :wtf:

:idiot:

Donstar · June 18, 2023

Our thrift stores and recycled building supply stores have also got the "inflation or greed" bug. The supply chain for these stores is still by donation. I think "opportunists" is a polite term for these people.

KARNUT · June 18, 2023

Most of my outerwear comes from resale shops. My wife is an army brat, it’s how she was brought up. I was bewildered at first. All our furniture is from moving sales. Or downsizing sales. We have the best stuff. Our appliances are from a local scratch and dent store. TVs, shoes and underwear of course are new. Same with cooking pans and coffee appliances. It’s amazing what Mr Jones turns his nose up at. Usually high prices are from Mr Jones and the neighbors who are trying to keep up with him.

Grumpy Bear · June 18, 2023

3 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

It’s amazing what Mr Jones turns his nose up at. Usually high prices are from Mr Jones and the neighbors who are trying to keep up with him.

P.T. Barnum comes to mind. Sad stuff that.

Grumpy Bear · June 21, 2023

Speaking of throttling,

Why install a thermostat that has a 'throttling range' and not provide enough cooling to actually accomplish the task?

KARNUT · June 21, 2023

57 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Speaking of throttling,

Why install a thermostat that has a 'throttling range' and not provide enough cooling to actually accomplish the task?

My brother in law swears his electric company controls his thermostat. To combat the problem he installed secondary AC units in his home. Reminds me of low volume dishwashers requiring hand washing before use. Making me wonder where the so called experts get their education.

Grumpy Bear · July 15, 2023

Seems Simple to Me

I have a pretty singular approach to processing. Work the problem, not the person.

In a time long-long ago in a land far-far away I used to race in NHRA class system. Long before bracket racing or indexing.

Your dial in was given to you and it was the current National Record. Naturally the closer you could run to that record, or quicker, the better your chance of winning that round. There was no breakout but run far enough below that record and you set it and lower your own dial in. National events only.

Some guys spent allot of time once at the track in worry over who was in the other lane and how fast that guy could run. A lot of emphasis was placed on consistency. Allot more on copying the other guys setup. I did other.

Your program is always in a state of progress. Even if you're the record holder. Round by round and week by week my focus was on the next quickest ET I could turn. The guy I was racing was myself. The bike I was trying beat was my own. The problem to be solved was the one I was having. Be better this round than the last and if not solve that problem and move on. It was impossible to get into my head at the line. I didn't even know you were there. If you do that eventually you win a race or set a record. But the goal remains the same. Be better.

I made a living out this process in refining. Do it long enough and your result becomes the benchmark.

Many believe they are successful when others tell them they are. When the get national recognition or a coveted prize or people see them as the source. Every day I went to the track or the job and came home with a better result than the last time I was there. I was successful at everything I put my hand to. It can get you hated.