1986 Dodge B-250 extended bubble-top van for an unconventional guy

[debit.servus]

The pedicab thing is encouraging.

Yes it is.

Pull the transmission dipstick and smell the fluid.  Does it smell burned?  

Congratulations on the job.  That will get you in shape.  I spent one summer installing irrigation pipes in Sonoma.  Hard work, but I was in great shape after.

Checked the dipstick, the fluid is very burnt and there is a dark reddish stain on the dipstick that smells like meat.

Here is an account on how my first night went:

Friday at 6PM went up to be trained at the shop then work the Friday San Jose Sharks game and was postponed to Saturday due to the rain.
Saturday night went I got trained as a pedicab operator for EcoCityCycles in downtown San Jose. Arrived at their shop at 5:30 PM, was oriented on the shop and pedicabs until 6, then went out with my trainer for get-acquinted-with-a-pedicab time. Learned the procedures for clocking in and entering the shop with no one else, locking the shop up when I leave after everyone else. Rode with my trainer to San Pedro St, near the Old Spaghetti Factory, along the way memorizing the names of the hotels, bars and restarants in Downtown SJ.  Rode out to San Pedro St, on the way recieved a complementary Monster energy from Monster reps pre-game. Tonight I was to work the San Jose Sharks hocky game.
My first ride ever was from San Pedro st to the SAP center. Took a hydration break,Discovered my phone was missing, and was not worried too much as the odds were great it was left in the shop. There was moderate rain on and off throughout the night, and I did get cold and wet; EcoCityCycles doesn't usually come out in the rain, tonight the chance of percipatation dropped below 50% so we took the chane. The competing pedicab company does (and they have canopies for their riders to keep them dry).
Had two rides pre-game and two post-game for four rides that I pulled over $75 in fares. Was tired by the time me and my trainer went back to the shop, and sure enough my phone was on the desk where I left it with the Squre reader in it. Went through pedicab return procedure, wiped the pedicab dry, clocked out, an Rode home in my trainers car because she happens to live in the same neighborhood I do. On the ride home I shared more about my ideals, goals and dreams. I was dropped off at Walgreens, being tired and feeling top of the world to an extent. Not wanting to spend a great percentage of what I pulled, looked for snacks and drinks on sale with no real preference.

Not bad for my first night, and much better than working for McDonalds.  Landing the gig is half and battle; and now that I am through the door, doing everything to stay in the room (holding down the gig). Great way to pull money and get in shape, and I'm so thankful to have landed this gig...

I just sold a trike because I found it difficult to ride and feel comfortable, nothing like riding a bicycle. Take it slow until you get used to it. Or maybe it was just me. It seemed counterintuitive.

Guy

I just sold and electric-powered trike too (and a parted up custom-built ebike).

... I have tried and after having him flag my posts as being "mean" (And Bob removed them)  I gave up.  

BTW, he is in the San Jose area.

They did sound kind of condensating (talking down), I think that is why bob deleted them.

You are right. No getting thru. I guess I will block him, too. If he refuses to learn the easy way, Life is going to teach him the hard way. I don't enjoy watching train wrecks.

San Jose. OK. Thank you. I remembered wrong. I did not go back and look for it, but there are probably trade schools there, too.

Before you block me, I landed the gig as a pedicab operator and considered your advices. Money always goes the farthest and is the best barter item. Now I have landed a gig that is much better than working for MCDONALDs. Pulled $75 from 4 rides on my first night, pedicab lease was free for my first night! If this is the precedent (average pul

 

[BradKW]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]They did sound kind of condescending (talking down)....[/font]

There is a certain backhanded humor to this statement that I really like  

 

[TMG51]

Now I have landed a gig that is much better than working for MCDONALDs. Pulled $75 from 4 rides on my first night, pedicab lease was free for my first night! If this is the precedent (average pul

The pedicab thing is a job with practical experience, social exposure and physical labor. It ought to be very good for you. Congratulations for going through with it, and stick with it.

As a side note I have a belief that being physically active does more than affect health and physique directly; I believe it also affects things like hormone and serotonin production, and serves to regulate everything from sleep to overall happiness. I think a lot of people who lead sedentary lives are missing this component. Again, keep it up.

 

[nobodyG17]

Congrats on the job dude. 

So after your first night what will the fee be to the company renting you the pedicab?

 

[SoulRaven]

I still NEED a cheap energy solution to travel thousands of miles on my income.

https://www.greyhound.com/

https://www.amtrak.com

 

[debit.servus]

https://www.greyhound.com/

https://www.amtrak.com

Can't live in a GREYHOUND bus or on an AMTRAK train, plus one is on someone elses schedule. Cheapskate KRIS can, I AM not Cheapskate KRIS.

I think I found my cheap travel solution (Can not find any reason for this to not work, eager to test this on the genset):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP5Q_tenG2I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxwJ8mIDtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsFRaV4zKEQ
Gasoline vaporization. Still burning gas but a lot less of it. If this works this will fuel my experience in the Canadian Summer.

Need to buy a 55 gallon metal drum, fill it with 50% off gas (gasoline won't stay on sale forever) if/when gas shoots back up to $4/gallon this summer.

Second night as a pedicab operator, pulled $75 profit (after $25 pedicab lease) from 4 rides before and after the San Jose Sharks hocky game. At this rate I can afford the transmission fix by the end of the month.

 

[debit.servus]

Does anybody have anything to say about gasoline vaporization?

Commited to work Justin Biebers concert at the SAP center tonight, lease is $50 so aiming to pull $100 profit (after $50 lease). Waay better than workin' for MCDOLALDS...

 

[ascii_man]

<delete>

 

[debit.servus]

This is basically how cars worked in the 1800's. It was dropped when the carburetor was developed. At least it only costs a few bucks to try it out. Seems to me that you could just run a vent line from the gas tank, HA! It's easy to make those kind of mods when one has the money/skill/tools to reverse the decision at anytime. Don't want to iterate about this too much before testing, small scale on the HFT 3200 watt genset. Looks comparable to those hydrogen generator gizmos that are supposed to allow you to run on water. Which IS possible BTW. The old saying "If it looks too good to be true then it probably is" would be a good guide in most "miracle" mileage devices. Did you watch the YouTube videos I linked? To me, the videos speak for themselves. In two of them they even stop the air flow through the vaporization container and the engine subsequently stops from lack of fuel. 
...

Many people refuse to think outside the box, so they're quick to dismiss these underunity mods as a "miracle fuel saving device". It's your life, sip gas on a sore ass while I sip gas on a pampered ass. I'll report the results of the small scale test, then the full-size test. Again, I can NOT find a reason for this not to -at least- double the MPG on the van.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

May I suggest you take a basic automotive class at your local Jr College. I'm sure it would help you understand what you have and what you might actually do with those resources.
You might luck out and get an instructor (or sharp student) into experimenting.

Oh...congrats on the job. Hope it fulfills your financial needs.

 

[highdesertranger]

well I am not sure what you mean by gasoline vaporization. this is how gas engines work. liquid gas is not fed into the cylinders, but vaporized gas. either the fuel injectors or the carburetor vaporizes the fuel. if you where to dump liquid gas into the cylinders you would get an overly rich condition. this would foul your plugs and wash the oil off your cylinder walls causing major engine damage.
15 parts air to 1 part gas is considered rich. 15.1.
14.1 is considered lean.
if you run to lean your engine will run hot. the leaner it runs the hotter it gets. this will also cause catastrophic engine damage.
now a gasoline engine will run on fumes, but this will result in a super lean condition. if you run your engine in a super lean condition very long you WILL destroy your engine.
so there is your basic primary on air fuel ratio AFR. so what did you have in mind. btw you don't have to believe me this information is readily available. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

Commited to work Justin Biebers concert at the SAP center tonight, lease is $50 so aiming to pull $100 profit (after $50 lease). Waay better than workin' for MCDOLALDS...

With a proper business education, one would learn demographics. And therefore, understand the difference in disposable income between the hockey fans and 15-year-old girls high on club drugs

 

[SoulRaven]

Does anybody have anything to say about gasoline vaporization?

Commited to work Justin Biebers concert at the SAP center tonight, lease is $50 so aiming to pull $100 profit (after $50 lease). Waay better than workin' for MCDOLALDS...

I wanted to research this a bit before replying.  I like it much better than wood gasification, but the jury is still out in my mind as to it's actual viability.  I watched a bunch of Youtube video's about it, and it raised a few questions.  Seems like a few had problems with them catching fire, a few had acceleration problems, and a few said the increases in MPG were not that much.

On the up side, it looks like it could be cheap to experiment with if you're careful about the fire dangers.

I am tickled to hear about your job, and it does sound like more fun than McD's.  Whether it will be more financially rewarding on an ongoing basis remains to be determined, but I am rooting for you!

A couple of things concern me a little... First is the varying lease rate, that seems odd to me.  Second is whether the company is setting your hours and/or location.  Neither of these are necessarily problems, but it occurs to me that if you rent the pedicab for a day, and you can work all day, at locations you choose, perhaps you could make more money.

I am also curious as to the payment scheme, fares or donations, and whether or not they are city regulated, or whether licenses, or insurance is required.  Perhaps if the opportunity presented itself, you could purchase your own pedicab and work as many hours as you like.  Lots of if's, but thoughts that have crossed my mind.

 

[SoulRaven]

This is basically how cars worked in the 1800's. It was dropped when the carburetor was developed. At least it only costs a few bucks to try it out. Seems to me that you could just run a vent line from the gas tank, HA! Looks comparable to those hydrogen generator gizmos that are supposed to allow you to run on water. The old saying "If it looks too good to be true then it probably is" would be a good guide in most "miracle" mileage devices.
http://www.motorera.com/history/hist04.htm

Guy

Interesting read, thank you.

 

[SoulRaven]

Many people refuse to think outside the box, so they're quick to dismiss these underunity mods as a "miracle fuel saving device". It's your life, sip gas on a sore ass while I sip gas on a pampered ass. I'll report the results of the small scale test, then the full-size test. Again, I can NOT find a reason for this not to -at least- double the MPG on the van.

I will be anxiously following your experimentations with this.

Just for kicks, check out "Maynex" on YouTube, I stumbled upon it by accident while researching gas vaporization, and found it interesting.  They seem to be comparing costs equal to 100-150 mpg.  It appears to be patented, but not quite in production yet, but the initial cost is being estimated at only $850, for a smallish unit that is close to plug and play.  Future costs or dependencies are slightly concerning, but if it could pay for itself in short order, without screwing up your original system, it could be a big winner.

FWIW, I don't believe in this over/under unity thing, nor that physics is an absolute, as I have seen things over the years with my own two eyes that defy both.  They just adjust both when they are proven wrong.

I also believe that both big business and government are unnecessarily keeping us all as slaves for the enrichment of the few.  I am 100% in favor of any invention or innovation, that can loosen the chains of wage slavery and involuntary indebtedness and servitude.

 

[SoulRaven]

well I am not sure what you mean by gasoline vaporization.  this is how gas engines work.  liquid gas is not fed into the cylinders,  but vaporized gas.  either the fuel injectors or the carburetor vaporizes the fuel.  if you where to dump liquid gas into the cylinders you would get an overly rich condition.  this would foul your plugs and wash the oil off your cylinder walls causing major engine damage.
15 parts air to 1 part gas is considered rich.  15.1.
14.1 is considered lean.
if you run to lean your engine will run hot.  the leaner it runs the hotter it gets.  this will also cause catastrophic engine damage.
now a gasoline engine will run on fumes,  but this will result in a super lean condition.  if you run your engine in a super lean condition very long you WILL destroy your engine.  
so there is your basic primary on air fuel ratio AFR.  so what did you have in mind.  btw you don't have to believe me this information is readily available.  highdesertranger

Your post reminded me of an old Chevy van I once had, that was always inclined to ping and overheat, no matter what I did to try and correct it...

Back in the 70's, I was at either a county or a state fair, and beside the STP booth was a fellow hawking Slick 50. Better gas mileage, cooler & smoother running engine, basically a cure all oil additive.  Spendy at like $20 for a quart, but it was supposed to be a one time additive for life, with a lifetime money back guarantee.

So what the heck, I had spent considerably more than that without any positive results.  I proceeded to change my oil and substitute the Slick 50 for one of the quarts of oil.  It was immediately noticeable that the engine was idling faster, so I adjusted that back down to normal.  That van never pinged or overheated again, even after numerous oil changes without further addition of additional Slick 50.  My gas mileage almost doubled!

I am still hooked on Slick 50, even though I think it now says good for 40k or 50k miles, but I have to give a voluntary plug for the stuff, because it has been very good to me.

The last time I got my oil changed at a Jiffy Lube, I was pleased to see that they offered it, and I treated my van to another infusion of it.  Nothing is too good for my trusty old steed.

 

[SoulRaven]

Whats my ass got to do with this? I'm more often (correctly) described as a smart ass rather than a sore one and the last contact I had with a Pampered ass it was the messy end of a 3 month old. HA!

Guy

Your post made me smile...
While I was told that it is never good to be an ass, if you have to be one, it's always better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass...
I guess it kinda stuck, because I have been accused of being a smart ass, but never a dumb ass...

 

[debit.servus]

I wanted to research this a bit before replying.  I like it much better than wood gasification, but the jury is still out in my mind as to it's actual viability.  I watched a bunch of Youtube video's about it, and it raised a few questions.  Seems like a few had problems with them catching fire, a few had acceleration problems, and a few said the increases in MPG were not that much.

On the up side, it looks like it could be cheap to experiment with if you're careful about the fire dangers.

...

The fire danger is because they were using modified gas cans in the engine bay. When I build this for the van, looking at a safe setup. Metal or heat tolerant plastic container, with semi-transparent air hoses or rubber hoses (depending on what is affordable/durable), Piping into the vans mechanical fuel pump to "recirculate" the fuel from the container back to the tank via the fuel return line. Of course keeping the carb hooked up to fall back on incase something happens to the vaporization container. Looking to minimize fuel vapors while parked, and using one big hose instead of 3 little ones to keep it simpler (like in one video). Perhaps have two large PVC pipes for the air inlets with those tapered cone filters. 

I will be anxiously following your experimentations with this.

Just for kicks, check out "Maynex" on YouTube, I stumbled upon it by accident while researching gas vaporization, and found it interesting.  They seem to be comparing costs equal to 100-150 mpg.  It appears to be patented, but not quite in production yet, but the initial cost is being estimated at only $850, for a smallish unit that is close to plug and play.  Future costs or dependencies are slightly concerning, but if it could pay for itself in short order, without screwing up your original system, it could be a big winner.
Not holding my breath for Maynex, as they could be bought out/sued by the oil monopoly and patents shelved.
FWIW, I don't believe in this over/under unity thing, nor that physics is an absolute, as I have seen things over the years with my own two eyes that defy both.  They just adjust both when they are proven wrong. Overunity IS possible. Magnet motors, HHO, torodial energy, capacitor-voltage, and wireless electricity have all been made, but get supressed out of the mass market.

I also believe that both big business and government are unnecessarily keeping us all as slaves for the enrichment of the few. Agreed, the best way to keep us down and easily controlled is having us work long hours for food and fuel. I am 100% in favor of any invention or innovation, that can loosen the chains of wage slavery and involuntary indebtedness and servitude. Overunity energy will really move humanity forward. Imagine clean skies, no power lines, no gas lines, no battery banks, no loud gas generators, no oil refineries, no more power bills, no more pain at the pump, because of portable & limitless energy. We can leave the oil in the ground because we won't need it with overunity devices. Energy is the reason we don't have flying cars and jetpacks to fly across the fence to talk with neighbors.

...
Back in the 70's, I was at either a county or a state fair, and beside the STP booth was a fellow hawking Slick 50. Better gas mileage, cooler & smoother running engine, basically a cure all oil additive.  Spendy at like $20 for a quart, but it was supposed to be a one time additive for life, with a lifetime money back guarantee.

So what the heck, I had spent considerably more than that without any positive results.  I proceeded to change my oil and substitute the Slick 50 for one of the quarts of oil.  It was immediately noticeable that the engine was idling faster, so I adjusted that back down to normal.  That van never pinged or overheated again, even after numerous oil changes without further addition of additional Slick 50.  My gas mileage almost doubled!

I am still hooked on Slick 50, even though I think it now says good for 40k or 50k miles, but I have to give a voluntary plug for the stuff, because it has been very good to me.

The last time I got my oil changed at a Jiffy Lube, I was pleased to see that they offered it, and I treated my van to another infusion of it.  Nothing is too good for my trusty old steed.

Is Slick 50 a friction reducer like NMF Ionic Friction Reducer (Which I am planning to buy to try it out)?
NMF Ionic Friction Reducer claims to be a fluid additive which is compatible with any type of fluid; engine oil, trans fluid, hydraulic fluid, brake fluid, differential fluid, even gasoline and diesel! Very skeptical because all the videos I found about it on YOUTUBE are from the company that manufactures it. Has anybody tried NMF Ionic Friction Reducer?

 

[Gary68]

the best known way to improve an old v8's gas mileage is to simply disconnect 4 cylinders,if you can replace with a modern computer controlled engine you would almost double everything,hp,torque,mpg

with gas under $2 it should be the least of your concerns ,there are reasons you dont see steam,gasification or other unusual designs on the road

the quickest and easiest way for you to more then double your fuel milage would be to get rid of the dodge and replace with a newer toyota 4 cylinder

 

[debit.servus]

the best known way to improve an old v8's gas mileage is to simply disconnect 4 cylinders,if you can replace with a modern computer controlled engine you would almost double everything,hp,torque,mpg

with gas under $2 it should be the least of your concerns ,there are reasons you dont see steam,gasification or other unusual  designs  on the road

the quickest and easiest way for you to more then double your fuel milage would be to get rid of the dodge and replace with a newer toyota 4 cylinder

Good to know, unplug 4 spark plugs and just run on 4 of the 8 cylinders?

Gasoline won't stay at $2 forever. How much do you want to bet that gasoline will shoot back up to $4 a gallon before June 2016? Won't be surprised if/when the gasoline sale ends this summer, and thousands of people have to scale back their summer road trips, eat the cost, or cancel their plans altogether.

Why do you think I desire to run on a fuel that can be grown, processed and stored by the ton in a pile at home??????????

...
debit.servus, I am wondering wondering why you would have an interest in these products.

Guy

Because I believe in the power of fluid additives! Desire to try out NMF Ionic Friction Reducer so badly, put it in the vans engine oil and the 3200W HFT genset oil and see if it delivers!