My friend has a 97 eclipse and when something breaks or he has a question he goes to the DSM site and they have their "The answer to every question anyone has ever asked" section. I don't know the URL to give an example but it is EXTREMELY helpful. You type in your question and it searches the previously answered questions. Example, My Car has had error code 34& 36 forever and my MAF is fairly new and I've replaced the burnoff relay. I'd type in How do I fix error code 34 & 36 if I've already replaced the relay and MAF? This differs from our search in the message board because the whole point of this is to have an updateable(by anyone) list that will never go away. They only have answer that work..not really "try this, it might be the problem"..It's like, that exact thing happened to me, do this. The whole point of this message,(obviously) is to ask the higher uppers if it would be possible to have something like this on our site. Thanks alot

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-Red '88 IROC 5 Speed 305 TPI w/3.08
-Dual Friction Centerforce Clutch
-Accel 300+ Racing Ignition
-Accel 300+ Pro Sleeve Plug Wires
-Accel U-Groove Plugs
-Flowmaster Force II 3 Chamber Cat Back Exhaust
-Hypertech Chip
-Hypertech Airfoil
-Removed, Then Re-installed (out of fear) MAF Screens
-Gutted Air Box
-Best E/T 14.686, 60' 2.205, 1/8th mile 9.461, 1/4 MPH 93.91
-Best 60' 2.17

 

We have a FAQ section (Frequently Asked Questions), and a tech section with lots of articles, and you can search the message boards for answers too, as well as start a new thread. What more do you want? I'm sorry but we just cant hold your hand and walk you thru modifying your car. You'll have to join up with some local friends and/or a car club for that.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

also there may be many causes to a problem. there is not just one sinlge thing that will absolutely always fix every problem

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350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake 600 cfm carb and exhaust, headers

 

I think you kinda missed his point Kevin. People on here are constantly asking the same questions in their "new" threads over and over. Someone may have posted the topic before, but once it disappears off the current page, nobody sees it. It takes forever to search all the message boards for a specific topic or problem. If you could assemble a page with the most common tech problems that have links to threads on them, it'd be much more efficient, unless you like answering the same questions every day. Yeah, I've been to the tech articles section. I think I've noticed maybe one or two new articles there in like the last year! That was pretty damn rude to tell him he needs someone to hold his hand while he modifies his car. Modifying his car has nothing to do with offering suggestions to make a great website even better.



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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

Thank you! That's exactly what I am talking about. As far as Kevin's remarks,I don't need to have "a big strong man to add oil to my confusing engine thing" I don't see why this is such a ludicris idea. I wasn't complaining or pleading with you or anyone else. It was just a suggestion. No need to be stand offish. Take a look at http://members.home.com/costall/1000Q/index.htm to see what I have been talking about.

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-Red '88 IROC 5 Speed 305 TPI w/3.08
-Dual Friction Centerforce Clutch
-Accel 300+ Racing Ignition
-Accel 300+ Pro Sleeve Plug Wires
-Accel U-Groove Plugs
-Flowmaster Force II 3 Chamber Cat Back Exhaust
-Hypertech Chip
-Hypertech Airfoil
-Removed, Then Re-installed (out of fear) MAF Screens
-Gutted Air Box
-Best E/T 14.686, 60' 2.205, 1/8th mile 9.461, 1/4 MPH 93.91
-Best 60' 2.17

 

For tech articles like that, check out the Best Damn Garage on the Net at http://www.racer-x.f2s.com/

We have had the FAQ and tech articles for quite some time, and they have been updated every so often. The problem is, nobody reads them! I see questions on here that could be answered very quickly if people do the research themselves instead of asking us to spoon-feed it to them. Sorry I'm being a jerk, but

 

Before the site was "reborn" we had a banner up top telling new members to check here for commonly asked questions. We even had a board with commonly aske questions. Problem is every newbie that would come to the site would refuse to look for the answer, many times not even scrolling down to see the question asked just earlier in the day. So I believe we just said forget and lets just deal with the questions as they come.

Maybe it worked well for the DSM guys but for whatever reason it wasn't catching on here.

 

Maybe those DSM guys are just smarter.. lol

 

Yeah! Any one that drives a Mitsubishit is smarter? Smarter than what? Even my dog won't ride in a Misubishit, even if it's disguised as a Chrysler.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yarn,

Your idea is not necessarily bad. But for a few keystrokes and mouse manipulation, you can search the archives for anything related to your problem. If it doesn't appear, you can post a new topic. I would guess that the DSM forum probably has less traffic and can tollerate storing all the threads in a more active mode.

The one benfit of this system is that you don't HAVE to ferret through all the old threads if you don't want to. The membership is constantly growing, and the members are constantly learning. New ideas come along, and different opinions are born. Additionally, no two problems are exactly the same.

In the example of your MAF problem, most people might have advised replacing the MAF and relays as you have done. While this cost you a few dollars you probably could have spent otherwise, it didn't solve your problem. I would hate to give a "cookie cutter" answer to every problem encountered, since all our cars are different. I'm guessing that there ae only about twenty of thirty possible different configurations you could devise on a POS Mitsubishit engine, but literally thousands of bore, stroke, chamber, valve, piston, cam, injector, carburetor, rod, exhaust, ignition, timing, boost (and so on) variations of the small block Chevrolet that are represented on this board. Coffee cans on tailpipes and Nagasaki wings don't constitute "mods", so the Mitsubishit board could probably be handled by a three-year old with a Pentium. It's a little different here.

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

[This message has been edited by Vader (edited December 07, 2000).]

 

yea, this sounds like a good idea, but the setup here is equal to the other 'searchable' site, just in a different way.. i'd also like to say that i, and im sure all the rest, really appreciate all of the info that is available here, just new ideas come to some of us everynow and then. on the same note.. i emailed the webmaster about a 1984 road and track article comparing the camaro and mustang. i said that i'd type it out and mail it to them if they wanted it, but got no reply. i know their busy, as Vader has informed us before, but should i just send it in or not?

 

LMAO. I totally agree with you on the Mitsubishi* comments Vader. I actually agreed to change the timing belt on my sister's Eclipse last summer. Shooting myself in the foot would've been a lot more fun!



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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

First off I usually don't get in the arguments, But today I feel like a good fight. I feel the archives are seriously under used, by most people, They just ask the ? again. We are most likely not going to be able to have an (I'm an idiot, fix my car board) Thirdgen's came varied from 4 cyl carbed to 8 cyl TPI. Then if you go look at most rice burners, they are and have always been TPI or some form of that. Carbed rice buners are seriously in the minority. This simplifies the repair process, for imports. Just try to tell me that when my (original)4cyl carbed bird isn't getting fuel, that it is the same problem as a FI car. You are full of (you know what), and you know it.
Now about the use of the archives, if you wern't a newbie then you might have known where to find them, but you would rather rip on the site then inform yourself. So go play on your rice buner site and leave this one.
John

[This message has been edited by spud (edited December 08, 2000).]

 

The difference I see with the archives and a huge FAQ, is that people don't ussualy post an answer to a problem they fixed that they didn't ask the board for help with. I love this site and it has been an ennormous help. I wasn't in anyway implying that we are lesser than the DSM site. It was just a suggestion..not an innvitation to flame. You silly people from the south you!



------------------
-Red '88 IROC 5 Speed 305 TPI w/3.08
-Dual Friction Centerforce Clutch
-Accel 300+ Racing Ignition
-Accel 300+ Pro Sleeve Plug Wires
-Accel U-Groove Plugs
-Flowmaster Force II 3 Chamber Cat Back Exhaust
-Hypertech Chip
-Hypertech Airfoil
-Removed, Then Re-installed (out of fear) MAF Screens
-Gutted Air Box
-Best E/T 14.686, 60' 2.205, 1/8th mile 9.461, 1/4 MPH 93.91
-Best 60' 2.17

 

Well, maybe I'm ignorant, or just plain stupid, but I have tried repeatedly to use it in the past few months. All I get is stuff from the old board from '98. The oldest stuff I can get in the general search was Oct. 2000. I've tried IE and Netscape - no diff. So what gives? You can't tell people to go search the archives if they are not there. I have a copuple of posts I save the names to, so I can search for those specifically - no dice for anything before Oct. 2000.

 

Your probably thinking of vfaq.com they have vast information about toying with DSMs.

I'm with Kevin, I can't stand the countless fill in the blank posts that pop up. All mainly from people who are too scared to do the simplest thing or too god dam lazy to do a simple board search. That sure little button under reply to topic...

I kinda wish there was an advanced tech forum for questions that are not so common, I'm sick of seeing my posts get buried by topics answered time in and time out.

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1989 Camaro RS LO3 WCT5 "The Hose Queen" 0-60' 2.34 1/4 15.8@87mph
http://350.StreetRacing.org

 

Many very good points. And like RD, I've had trouble with the message archives, but I thought it was just me. Maybe time for a mail to the Man...

And Blown makes a good point about many of the posts being less than technical. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on perspective), the board will probably continue to host every question from "Where's my oil drain plug?" to "With an overlap of X-degrees and this cam profile, should I advance the cam base position X-degrees and compensate with spark timing or X-degrees and plan on smaller jetting in the main circuit, while jetting up the power enrichment side?"

I know some of the "simple" questions can get tiring, and having an emphasis on using the Tech Articles and archives (if they worked right) would probably help much of that. I guess that's where I've dropped the ball at times.

We all started somewhere, and I'd put a little money on the fact that Dirk doesn't want to discourage anyone except those who would be threatening or insulting.

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0