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I do remember a discussion about tire construction and the differences between how Firestone molds their tires versus Michelin. IIRC Firestone uses a sectioned mold (like a grapefruit) and Michelin uses a clamshell type mold. The result was that Michelins tend to be "rounder" and easier to balance than the Firestones. Now this was second hand info from the explorer newsgroup debating the firestones vs. michelins (this was prior to the wilderness fiasco) so I can't back it up but it seems to make sense. That doesn't make the Firestones inferior, just different. But that may explain why some folks have had problems with balancing.
Brian
LLSOC mixmaster
Also you are right the Stones would be about $150 on the street in which case for about 40 dollars more I might be willing to try the Michelins. I whole heartedly agree. The thing is the Michelin is not tuned for the LS, so I wonder if it really is better in all respects, because I am sure some of it is psychological. I know it would be for me.
Can someone check with Jonathan on his input regarding the New MXM4 (Not the Pilots) on the LS Vs. the Stones. Would be nice to have someone that has tested both and is a SME. At least more than we are. Also which one would he pick in a purely performance (cost is no object) situation and also with cost as a factor. At which pricepoint would most people pick one over the other (without brand Stigma of course, just on the performance, and build quality issues)?
Regards,
Airwolf1000
Scott
LLSOC Charter Member
Any body ever tried it?
http://www.electricsupercharger.com/
Ron (tongue planted firmly in cheek)
Thank you.
This AM the Ext Temp in the dash showed 39 degrees as I drove my daughter to school. Pretty darn cold here in tha Bay Area of California. (Sorry, Artie et al :>) So as I'm driving along, I see an amber light on the HVAC display I've never seen on before. When I get home, I pull out the Owners manual, brush off the cobwebs and find out that my LS has an automatic supplemental heater for the bottom of the windshield where the wipers are parked! It comes on if Ext Temp is 40 or below. Hey! I didn't know that. Must be a boon for all you northern LS owners. (I also read that the rear window defroster also heats the side mirrors. Cool. I mean Hot!)
Also, as I'm scanning the book a bit, I find an entry for speed-sensitive volume control. I thought my radio (the Alpine in-dash changer model) had that feature, but never found how to use it. I can actually excuse myself on this one, cause the explanantion was not in the section on my unit, but rather it preceeded the cassette unit section. So I set that up (hold Volume control pushed in for 5 seconds then use up/down arrows). That'll be nice.
A fellow traveler pulled up beside me at a redlight yesterday and powered down the pass. window of his black LSE with all the effects. Looked real nice. He yells over "how do you like yours? We *love* ours." Me too.
George
Yes, George - I rather enjoy the little luxuries that make the LS great in the winter - UNFORTURATELY - Mine gets parked to avoid the salt! (How I will miss those heated seats that I've been using religiously over the past couple months!!)
WINTER WARNING:
For those LS owners with the "Covenience Package - ala the Moisture Sensitive Wipers" Be warned: never leave the wipers in the "Auto" position during the winter - unless you enjoy cleaning snow off of your seat.
I learned this lesson hard last winter - when i was cleaning off my car for a quick spin on the freshly fallen 5 or so inches of snow. I cleaned off the door - opened it - reached in and started the car and almost instantly - the wipers sensed the covered windshield and soon COVERED the inside of my car with a couple inches of snow!
Don't make me say - "I told ya so..."
Several posts back, someone asked how to tell if they had the 3.58 or 3.31 gear. I think there is a tag on the rear end "pumpkin" but I haven't had a chance to crawl under there to look. On the sticker just inside the driver's door (where the build date is posted) there is a section marked "axle." The code for mine is UBC and it has the 3.58 gear. I don't know what the code is for a 3.31 or even if the code UBC refers to the axle ratio, but I presume it does.
I nearly always turn the heated windshield strip off unless it's actually snowing. Another handy feature is that, when you shut the engine off, it "remembers" that it's turned off for a short time (either 5 or 15 minutes?), and won't come back on when you restart the car. Another nice touch is the defroster ducts on the rear window shelf. So, driving to work the other morning with the temp at 3F, glass clear, buns warm, heater cooking along nicely, I noticed how cold the steering wheel still was. Amazing what occurs to a person when they're so otherwise coddled.
On the speed-sensitive volume control: Mine is set at 1 or 2, forget which; not much compensation needed in a quiet car. But it only seems to affect the volume of the radio, not the CD player. I've never used the cassette player, so don't know about that. Has anyone else noticed this? Mine is the non-audiophile, in-dash cassette, CD changer in the glove box.
Scott
LLSOC Member
Artie
Charter Member LLSOC
Delivery Date-12/01/99. Happy 2nd Birthday
Where is that button? LOL....... I didn't notice a button for wiper heaters.
As a joke, of course....
rgnmstr: It's the button that looks sorta like this: ^^^^
Stan, the heater is electric. The weight is insignificant.
JLinc, LLSOC member, thinking outside the box...
Helm has been doing this stuff for decades.
There's lots of stuff to learn in the manual, whether or not the dealer wishes you to know it.
When the new parts arrived, the bad ones were replaced--if I remember correctly, this job was subbed out to Bosch--and shipping resumed. I've seen a bunch of '02 V8s on lots here in Central Texas; a buddy of mine took delivery of one several weeks ago.
This was only a problem on a batch of parts that were supplied for '02 production; none reached dealers, and the problem was resolved quickly. '00 and '01 LSs are not affected.
Marsha and Stan Re: Blower. JEEZ, what a couple of Negative Nellys you two are! Here I come up with a perfectly plausible idea that only needs a couple of minor tweaks to be production-worthy, and you're ready to shoot me down before I even secure start-up funding! How am I supposed to float an IPO with this kinda bad press??
It's just this sort of nay-saying that doomed Edison's methane-powered dinner fork. Never heard of it, you say? I rest my case.
JLinc, doggedly marching toward the future...
(Note to the literal-minded: Yes, I'm kidding.:))
After noticing a rattle in the passanger sdie front door around the speaker/winow contol area and a ticking (like valve tap ticking) from the AC compressor, I brought the car into the dealer from whom I bought the car Haddon Licoln Murcury in Hannover, MA. I was not too happy with the response. "...can't find the rattle and there is nothing worng with the AC." These are the same people who put regular oil in at my last change, even though I WROTE Mobil 1 down for them and also left off a lug nut during a trie rotation. Time for a new service station.
Off to the next guy, Sullivan Brothers in Kingston, MA. There was definately a problem with the AC, also found a leaking exhaust manifold and the rattle was the window control unit. The car runs much nicer now. It took a week to fix, but I am very happy with both their persistance in and professionalism displayed by their staff.
The tech said that the exhaust manifold is welded steel and the welds had deteriorated. Has anyone else had this problem? As an engineer, it seems to me that this could easily be a recouring problem every x-miles. It sounds outrageous to me that I may have to replace the exhuat manifold at all. Any comments?
This is a problem that occurs with the 2000 model V-8's. Passenger side mainly. I had to be different and have the drivers side manifold go out.
Yes they are welded steel, just like aftermarket headers. I suspect it was a inferior batch of manifolds from the supplier that has been corrected. FWIW, I have over 40,000 miles on my replacement and have had no problems.
re: leafblowers. You guys have it all wrong. Just use a shop vac. Get more puff for your efforts and when you need it, you can use it to vacuum out the car
Brian
LLSOC member (who's wondering who ate the bad turkey to come up with these things!)
Einarviking - The exhaust manifold is a documented problem on early LS V8's, most often caused by too much grinding down of the weld beads. This is the first I have heard of someone claiming it is a reoccurring problem. My LS-8 is 21 monts old with no problem so far.
Mike
LLSOC Charter Member
Yes, it is a 2000 V8 Sport of course. After a week with a Town Car loaner...gawd do I love this car.
You folks definately ate tooooo much turkey with your thoughts on leaf blowers, shop vacs and such. What about old fashioned Nitro. Guarunteed to add a few more HP. Ah, who cares, torque is where it's at anyway. HP is way over hiped.
Enjoy your cars folks, I certainly am.
What did I miss ??!!
Tell me how it goes on the movement,
Mike
I will keep everyone posted on the progress.
Looking for more juice for the LS,
Mike