Posts by BKL

Sounds interesting. How large a reservoir do you use and how many miles between filling the methanol/water reservoir?
I hadn't realized that setup had its own controller and ASSumed it was like older injection systems. My Bad!

Someone, I think on the old site, used that spot to mount their handgun, IIRC.

I had been thinking about trying to make it, but I've got the dash on my Slingshot removed while I develop a how-to on insulating the radio cubby area. I'm taking my time and trying to figure out the best way (or at least the method I like the most). I hope the weather is great for the ride. Enjoy!

Is the phone still on the holder in that pic or is it just part of the phone holder I think I see?

Dang! @mytoy posted his response as I was composing mine.

I'd assume they're adapters to fit different headlight connectors from what Polaris used. I know when I converted my outer auxiliary headlights to run on the fog light circuit, I added a relay, a breaker, a switch and I had to convert the connectors on the fog light wiring so they'd fit the connectors on the outer headlights. I just cut the old ones off and crimped in new ones, IIRC. I wanted a set of decent headlights on a different circuit since Polaris hadn't come out with the headlight recall at that time. Had the recall done and then switched the outers back to the fog circuit, just in case.

Here in the Houston area, I can get tires they don't normally carry around this area from DiscountTireDirect with FREE shipping and usually at a lower cost than if DT had the tire in stock locally. Mounting cost at Discount Tire is the same as they charge for tires sold in-store.

I think that provides power to the muffler bearing cooling pump. Polaris saved some money by dropping that unit from the production run. I guess they thought they might use that connector for something else in the future.

Quote from Neosolidus

Has anyone tried getting their tires from costco, my local discount tires seems to hire their techs from the back of a truck every morning, so you can imagine how much care they put when touching your car.

They once put the jack point in the wrong place and crimped a break line, another time they broke a center wheel cap, so it is safe to say i never went a third time...

Wow! My experiences with Discount Tire have been just the opposite. Used to always use CostCo for tires, but switched to Discount Tire after giving them a try. I ordr my tires for my Slingshot thru DiscountTireDirect and have Discount Tire install them.
I meant to post this yesterday, but forgot. I'm glad the forum software saved my unposted response.

After we moved to Texas, I continued doing my own taxes. A year or so later, a local CPA situated in our local HEB grocery store offered a free review of several years taxes. We paid him a portion of the refunds he found us (I thought I had been doing a pretty good job on my taxes) and also suggested we form an LLC. We've used his services ever since. Typical cost is about $700/yr and we've consistently gotten money back since we started using his services.
I suggest you look for a similar offer in your area and give a CPA trial run.

Quote from Flybuddy

Wouldn't any increase in tire width increase susceptibility to hydroplaning?

Increasing the tire width does also mean it might increase chances of hydroplaning, given the lightweight of the Slingshot. I feel I need a wider tire once I install my turbo and hope using a tire with improved resistance to hydroplaning will reduce any chances of hydroplaning.
Nitto markets the Motivo as an All-Season Ultra High Performance tire and the 555G2 as a Summer Ultra High Performance tire. Here are the specs on the 2 tires -
Motivo - 560 A A Dry Performance 4/5 Wet Performance 5/5 Comfort 5/5 Quietness 5/5
555 G2 - 320 AA A Dry Performance 4.5/5 Wet Performance 4.5/5 Comfort 3/5 Quietness 3/5
The Motivos cost less than 10% more with longer expected treadlife and better wet performance, comfort and quietness ratings.

I've been posting my experience with trying to find an inexpensive way of getting the widest tire possible on my Base Slingshot. Here's the thread - Wheel/Tire question for Base Slingshot. Since you guys have been talking about the Nitto 555 tires here and have mentioned less than stellar performance in rain, I thought I'd ask about Nitto Motivos (I'm looking at a 315/35R17 on the rear. The Motivos are rated just below the 555 G2 for dry performance, but just above the 555 G2 for wet performance. I like the significantly longer treadlife (up to 60K miles on the Motivos) and would also like some good wet road performance since the wide rear tire might exacerbate hydroplaning.
Any body have any experience comparing the two?

I would try to keep lefts left and rights right, Since that is what we are accustomed to hearing.

SF Giants Player Honors Seal team 6 Warrior - Navy SEAL killed in combat identified, mourned by Giants star in online post - SFGate

Navy SEAL killed in combat identified, mourned by Giants star in online post

Staff and wire reports

Updated 10:09 am, Tuesday, January 31, 2017

The Defense Department announced the identity Monday of the U.S. Navy sailor killed during a raid on al-Qaida base in Yemen, and his death was mourned by San Francisco Giants star Buster Posey online.

Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens of Peoria, Illinois. died Jan. 28 of wounds sustained during the raid.
The Pentagon said Owens, 36, was assigned to an East Coast-based Special Warfare unit. Owens' death is the first known U.S. military combat casualty since President Donald Trump took the oath of office on Jan. 20.

Photo: U.S. Navy
IMAGE 1 OF 3
Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens.

"My deepest thoughts and humblest prayers are with the family of this fallen service member," Trump said when Owens' death became known.
Owens, a recipient of two bronze stars, Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal among others, joined the Navy in 1998 and received his special warfare training in Coronado, California.
Owens was a "big" Giants fan and met (Buster) (sic) Posey in 2012, according to Posey's Instagram account.
"He would come to spring training frequently and I had the honor of meeting him and his son in 2012," Posey wrote. "For me, it is easy to take for granted the life that my family and I get to live everyday. Words don't do justice for the gratitude that I have for people like Ryan that sacrifice their lives fighting against evil, so that we may live with freedom."
<iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6ilHWh4Pu/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=7" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="996" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(219, 219, 219); margin: 1px 1px 12px; max-width: 658px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 4px; box-shadow: none; display: block;" >
Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski, the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, said Owens was "an exceptional SEAL" and highly respected, adding that he served "silently, nobly and bravely through several combat deployments."
Three other service members were wounded Sunday during the firefight with militants from al-Qaida. The raid left nearly 30 others dead, including an estimated 14 militants. A fourth U.S. service member was injured when a military aircraft assisting in the mission nearby had a "hard landing."

This is an older story, but I choked up reading it.

Everyone Thought He Was Just A School Janitor, Then They Discovered His Heroic WWII Past

Everyone Thought He Was Just A School Janitor, Then They Discovered His Heroic WWII Past

">Image: U.S. Army / via Pinterest/ibiblio.org

As crowds of young men throng the hallways of a busy military academy, a lone figure winds his way through the crowd. An older man, he busies himself with sweeping floors and cleaning up the mess the cadets continually create. But while few even stop to give him a second glance, this janitor is hiding a secret past that’s almost too incredible to believe.

In the late 1960s that man – a Colorado native named William Crawford – began working as a janitor at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs. His job was to keep the building neat and tidy, taking care of everything from emptying the trash to cleaning bathrooms.

And by the 1970s Crawford – known to his friends as Bill – had become a familiar figure to the cadets who called the academy home. What’s more, many of those who have crossed his path have said that he was good at his job. Still, he never did anything to make himself particularly memorable to the young men preoccupied with exams and parades.

Indeed, Colonel James Moschgat, who was a cadet at the Colorado complex in the late 1970s, has recalled a man who was easily overlooked. “Bill didn’t move too quickly,” he wrote in a 2016 article for the United Service Organizations’ On Patrol magazine. “And in fact, you could say he even shuffled a bit.”

Yet although the cadets did not seem to consider Crawford anyone of importance, a chance find in a military history book would change their opinions for good. As Moschgat would discover, in fact, the humble janitor was concealing a heroic past.

It was in the fall of 1976 that Moschgat was flicking through a book about World War II. And in it, he came across some interesting details about the difficult ground campaign that Allied forces had fought in Italy in 1943.

In particular, Moschgat’s attention was caught by the story of one man. He had been a private belonging to the U.S. Army’s 36th Infantry Division. And on September 13, 1943, that private had found himself in the midst of a brutal battle at Hill 424, an enemy-held position close to Altavilla, Italy.

While the rest of his platoon came under heavy machine gun fire, however, this private took it upon himself to take down the enemy gun placement totally solo. Even more amazingly, he managed to crawl close to the gun and toss a hand grenade in its direction. And as a consequence, he obliterated the weapon and killed its crew.

Incredibly, though, the private didn’t stop there. As his platoon advanced, he made his way towards another enemy machine gun. And yet again he wiped out the weapon and its crew with a carefully aimed grenade.

The soldier then attacked a third machine gun post, causing the crew to flee. And after gaining control of the enemy weapon, he turned its firepower on the fleeing German forces. Just like that, he had secured the advance of his platoon.

Unfortunately, however, the private was captured later on in the battle on Hill 424 and assumed dead by his comrades. Nevertheless, news of his brave actions soon spread. His father even accepted a Medal of Honor in his stead – the highest military honor awarded in the United States. And when the private emerged unscathed from captivity in 1944, he found himself a hero of the first order.

When Moschgat stumbled across this incredible story, moreover, he couldn’t believe his eyes. That was all because the name given for the private was none other than William Crawford. And he had exactly the same name as the janitor he had been strolling past without a second glance for months.

Intrigued, Moschgat approached the janitor with a copy of the book. After staring at it in silence for some time, Crawford confirmed that the private described in the dramatic passages was indeed him. According to Moschgat, Crawford’s response was simple. “That was one day in my life,” he said, “and it happened a long time ago.”

Crawford had remained in the military until 1967, retiring as a Master Sergeant. Upon his return to civilian life, he had then started work cleaning the hallways of the academy. In fact, he had lived a quiet life out of the spotlight ever since – and at that point had never even attended an official ceremony for his Medal of Honor.

However, with Moschgat’s discovery, all that was understandably about to change. The news that the lowly janitor had a secret past as a war hero spread rapidly, and cadets who had previously dismissed him were suddenly eager to share their time.

In addition, Moschgat believes that the revelations also had a profound effect on Crawford. “After that fall day in 1976,” he wrote in the On Patrol article, “he seemed to move with more purpose. His shoulders didn’t seem to be as stooped [and] he met our greeting with a direct gaze and a stronger ‘good morning’ in return.”

Yet despite his newfound acknowledgement Crawford continued working as a janitor, cleaning up after the cadets. Moschgat, meanwhile, has also recalled his graduation ceremony in June 1977, when the aging Crawford wished him luck in his future career.

Eventually, then, Crawford retired to the town of Pueblo, Colorado. And he was in good company: at the time, the community was home to no fewer than four living recipients of the Medal of Honor.

But Crawford’s story still wasn’t quite over yet. In 1984, more than four decades after the battle of Hill 424, he was invited to attend a special graduation event at the United States Air Force Academy. There, in the presence of cadets and officers, President Ronald Reagan formally presented Crawford with his Medal of Honor.

In March 2000, aged 81, Crawford passed away; in recognition of his status, flags were flown at half-mast across the state. And, appropriately, he was buried in the USAF Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs – the only non-enlisted soldier ever to be bestowed with such an honor. It’s a fitting end, then, for a hero who could so easily have been forgotten. NOTE - I tnink the test should ahve referred to MSG Crawford as the "only non-USAF enlisted member..."

I Googled William Crawford CMOH winner and found many hits - Google

Although I'd still like to see a comment on using a water/methanol injector, from Bob at MEFIburn, This is beginning to sound like it might have potential to avoid one of the biggest problems facing turbo users, so I'll be following this thread to see what happens.

Thanks for the link, @pigmanfu. It's been quite awhile since I revisited Otter's work. Last I remember, he had removed the hood wings and had a Lotus 7-ish look.

@rabtech, BTW, I noticed that you had mentioned considering Nitto Motivo tires awhile back over on TDS but bought another brand that was in stock at your dealer. Did you have previous experience with the Motivos?
I'm considering the Motivos for my Base Slingshot once I get my Hahn turbo installed. The Motivos have almost the same ratings as the Nitto 555 G2s except the Motivos are rated higher for wet traction and the G2s are rated higher for dry traction. Given the Slingshot's lightweight, I'm thinking the Motivos might be a better choice since they have a longer tread-life rating and better resistance to hydroplaning from what I've read.

@rabtech, Thanks. That's what I feared. In the CS video, they just lift the cable bundle over the top of the support strut, but by that ppoint, IIRC, they have totally removed the dash top, glove-box and instrument console. Will probably try later today. Temp was 45F when I got up at 0730 to wait for yard guy. I don't usually go to bed until between 0200 and then read until around 0400-0500, so I don't usually get up until noonish when it's warmer! 0730 is too early to function w/o cause!

This is a picture of the hole between the Infotainment cubby in the center of the dash and the hole into the engine compartment.
Slingshotonly briefly had a 3-pc heatwall that provided insulation between the engine compartment and the dash area. It's installation required disassembling pretty much the entire dash area along with the glove-box and removal of the instrument panel. The picture shows the main area where most of the heat gets in. Their installation video shows the cable bundle marked by the White arrow lifted up and re-positioned on the engine side of the support struts and screws indicated by the Pink arrows. Re-positioning this cable bundle gives a much flatter and cleaner area for trying to seal off the Infotainment cubby area from engine compartment heat.
I'm trying to avoid the level of disassembly involved in the Slingshotonly Heatwall installation video and am hoping that by removing the various screws/bolts attaching the top of the dash behind where the hood meets the dash will allow me to re-position the cable bundle w/o disassembling/removing the entire dash, glove-box and instrument panel.
Has anyone re-positioned the cable bundle w/o totally disassembling the entire front area of the cockpit? It will probably be easier just to use a sheet of self-adhesive insulation to cover the cable bundle, but it will look better if the cable bundle can be re-positioned.

MY understanding of the mixture could be wrong, but I believe the water functions to delay the combustion process, yet the methanol is designed to produce additional energy. My main concern about using such a mixture would primarily be focused on the additional energy introduced into the combustion process by the methanol, since the ECU has no programming to allow for it. Might be a non-issue, but I'd want additional info before proceeding.

I think I'm going to go ahead and get a tire to try out the AM Wheel.
It looks like I'm going to be ordering some Nitto tires. I was torn between the 555 G2 or the Motivo All Season tires. The 555 G2s are rated 320 AA A and the Motivos are rated 560 A A. Cost per tire is about the same, although the tire replacement certificates seem to cost a little more for the 555 G2s. The Motivos also seem to havebetter wet road performance and a longer life, while the 555 G2s seem to have slightly better dry pavement grip.
At this point, I'm leaning towards the Motivos. Anybody have any experience with either tire?