How green are our 914s?, How can we reduce their carbon footprint to preserve the species? Options

[lesorubcheek]

Most 914's are extremely Green as they never see the road...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)
Perfect! Ours fits this case, and in addition has a good bit of green mold growing on it as well.

Dan

[horizontally-opposed]

I also read recently that e10 is 4% cleaner than pure gas. Given all the crap we have to deal with, replacing rubber fuel hoses, fuel pumps, injector seals, aluminum derogation, and greatly reduced MPGs, plus higher cattle feed costs, I say it's not worth it.

See that in so many other places…

"Environmentally friendly" wiring harnesses made disposable by rodents. Emissions controls systems that must be "ready" to be tested after being driven (and driven) in a certain way. Modern cars without dipsticks that must be driven for XX miles without the hood being opened before the oil level can be checked.

On the other hand, rooftop solar reduces our need to burn stuff for electricity which is a bigger win for all life.

This x1000.

The solar industry has done a terrible job in educating consumers. It took a 928 DIYer's garage expansion > looking into a whole-house generator to get us to consider solar + a home battery. Our rooftop setup was built to deliver 108% of our average use but is making ~170%, for about the same monthly bill (was estimated @ +$11~/month). No more rate hikes, and no more electricity bills after 2030. This is something a lot of people can do.

But I'd still love to clean up my 914's exhaust, too…

[Jamie]

I would like to see some environment enforcement to stop the fad among some diesel pickup drivers who modify their trucks to "roll coal" when they want to show off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

[rhodyguy]

no dipsticks? Wow, new to me. Not doubting you. Is that throughout the industry or a specific manufacturer? Is the oil check complimentary? Or a book time bill service? I'm not planning on buying a new car. EVER.

[Superhawk996]

I would like to see some environment enforcement to stop the fad among some diesel pickup drivers who modify their trucks to "roll coal" when they want to show off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

Be careful, the knife cuts both ways. Next thing you know there will be a law that will affect your car.

[wonkipop]

strangely cats increase CO2 emissions from the car engine.
by converting CO, NO etc into CO2 and a couple of other things including water vapour.

the purpose of the cats was to clean up urban air quality. CO2 was not thought to be so problematic in the 70s and 80s. was regarded as a "harmless" gas.

[NARP74]

I saw a Tesla in an accident 2 days ago. The fire station was right across the street and arrived in record time. They could not clean up the scene, they had to wait for a hazmat team to show up. Had the street blocked for a long time. All things have a price...

[Spoke]

no dipsticks? Wow, new to me. Not doubting you. Is that throughout the industry or a specific manufacturer? Is the oil check complimentary? Or a book time bill service? I'm not planning on buying a new car. EVER.

I'm not a fan of no dipsticks.

My '08 and '14 BMW 328 do not have dipsticks and neither does my '13 Audi A4 although the A4 does have the tube for the dipstick with a cap on it.

One has to run a diagnostic routine after the car is warmed up to get an accurate reading on the oil level.

[Front yard mechanic]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yawn.gif)

[colingreene]

914 is pretty green as most of them are on jack stands, Right?

[horizontally-opposed]

no dipsticks? Wow, new to me. Not doubting you. Is that throughout the industry or a specific manufacturer? Is the oil check complimentary? Or a book time bill service? I'm not planning on buying a new car. EVER.

No dipstick is one of the worst things about modern Porsches. Well, that, and the infuriatingly un-intuitive electronic e-brake and the lack of a spare tire. Fortunately, our other newer car, a Mazda, has only the e-e-brake…so it isn't all new cars. You can check your own oil in a modern Porsche via the dash—if the level is "ready to be measured." Sort of like the emissions test. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Before leaving for AZ, it took 7-8 "errands" over five days to prompt the right conditions to measure my oil. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

What was that about green? 7-8 trips to…check the oil? Otoh, there's a lot to like about modern cars—with #1 being the safety.

This video came out in 2009, and was an eye-opener for me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHp1GAFQzto

But these comparisons drive the point home—safety tech moves fast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TikJC0x65X0

Our family has seen more than its (un)fair share of loss due to drunk drivers, so I view daily drivers differently than I once did.

[partwerks]

HHO cell?

[mgp4591]

There are crank triggered ignition systems being developed for stock 914s that will trigger the injectors as well, all monitored by A/F sensors and probably won't need a cat.
The Subaru conversions are already set up like that and if they're like mine before I pulled the engine and wiring harness, they're putting out less emissions than is Federally mandated. That's a green solution that gives the car more power as well.

[Chris914n6]

To answer the second question... smarter EFI. A system from the obd2 era (maf & o2). Our aircooled engines won't like the lean burn of this decades system.

Ideal for that would be shorty headers into a single pipe for the o2, then thru a cat and out the muffler. Means smaller heat exchangers but I recall they got plenty hot so no real loss.

With all those changes you take the 914 from a smog standard of 500/250 ppm to <1 on the sniffer test.

But if you are really serious about emissions you will need to do what Porsche did to meet 1997 standards and go watercooled.

[VaccaRabite]

There are crank triggered ignition systems being developed for stock 914s that will trigger the injectors as well, all monitored by A/F sensors and probably won't need a cat.
The Subaru conversions are already set up like that and if they're like mine before I pulled the engine and wiring harness, they're putting out less emissions than is Federally mandated. That's a green solution that gives the car more power as well.

The tech has been out there for at least 15 years for DIY fuel injection systems.
And I say 15 years as that's how long I've owned my 914 and been following the tech.

I'm not sure who is making the crankfire trigger wheels these days, but I have one on my 914 now, as well as full modern EFI running without a cat (but monitoring AFR with a wideband).

The difference between now and 15 years ago is the prevalence of CNC laser/waterjet/etc. cutters, CNC mills, and 3D printers available at the hobbiest level, and not only at a giant machine shop.

Zach

[horizontally-opposed]

Inputs above remind me that my tired old Type IV was impressively clean in at least one of the measures—blowing right to the limit in one part of the emissions test but scarcely registering in another.

It was very impressive in terms of MPG, too, so I'm not sure I'd mess with a Type IV with factory FI (that's running right). Carbureted 914s, four or six, are another matter entirely…

[Gatornapper]

My '76 914 is a CA car, so it came with a CAT, and the CAT can is still in place. A PO had totally removed its contents.

Is a replacement CAT available for my car? I doubt it, but will check.

Even if it is available, I'm not getting one. Probably cost a fortune and wouldn't make enough difference.....

GN

[mate914]

Admin Edit: Nope - keep the political BS out of this thread.

Matt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif)

[mate914]

This whole "green" thing is a cult of Government as your god.
Everly person in the world that plants and maintains life is GREEN.
Matt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif)
Ya, know like the corn belt? More Oxygen then the whole rain forest!

[mate914]

If you want to join this thread PLEASE stay factual and don’t turn political. Just the facts ma’am. says the man with the bigger stick?