Mark Hofmann wrote to Roy Witt:   
      
      
    RW>> Hmmmm. Behind the glove box. Do you have to remove the box before   
    RW>> accessing that panel?   
      
    MH> Correction.  That information was for another type of car.   
      
    MH> For the Dodge Charger, it is the complete opposite of what I had   
    MH> said.  You give the KEYFOB to the valet parking and keep the key that   
    MH> comes out of the keyfob.   
      
   That's normal in GM cars, give the igniton key to valet parking and keep   
   the trunk and glove box key in your pocket.   
      
    MH> The key will let you in the driver's side door and in the glovebox   
    MH> (which locks).   
      
    MH> If the battery is dead or near dead, you are supposed to hold the   
    MH> keyfob directly up to the push button start.  Not sure how this works   
    MH> if the battery is totally dead, but hope I don't have to find out.   
      
   RFID; the FOB is powered by the vehicles RF energy to read the VIN code   
   imbeded in the FOB's memory...   
      
    MH> Typically, you will notice a bad battery in a keyfob in advance -   
    MH> since the distance you can use it will decline.   
      
   That's true. The remote entry FOB for my Camaro is getting pretty weak, as   
   it won't unlock the doors or hatch until I'm next to the car and pointing   
   the remote in the window. I used to be able to find my car from a long   
   distance in a parking lot with that remote.   
      
    RW>> I'm thinking of my friend, Fred. He has a 2007 Tahoe, that   
    RW>> downshifts out of 4th (OD) when climbing a small grade. Especially   
    RW>> when he's towing his boat. That motor is the same as my pickup,   
    RW>> which has no downshifting problem like his; a 4.8L V8 with about   
    RW>> 300hp and the same torque values. Both vehicles have the same trans,   
    RW>> same rear end gear ratio, but the Tahoe weighs slightly more than my   
    RW>> short bed pickup. Another differnce is that I've re-programmed the   
    RW>> trans to use more hydraulic pressure when shifting. 99% vs 90%   
      
    MH> You have one of those fancy programmers?   
      
   HD Tuner...I just got a software update for it yesterday too.   
      
    RW>> Yeah, but what is the torque spec on that 6 banger and at what RPM   
    RW>> does it peak?   
      
    MH> I have seen it go over 6000rpm.  Red line is in the 7500 neighborhood   
    MH> and goes to 8000.  I can floor it at 80mph and still get a kick back   
    MH> in my seat.  :)   
      
   Ahhhh. That tells me that it doesn't make much torque. A 300HP V8 will   
   make gobs of torque down low and these days, only rev to 5800 RPM, 6000   
   max...   
      
    RW>> Computers do wonders for old technology. That 3.6L wouldn't perform   
    RW>> as well as it does without it. GM's 4.3L V6 was vastly improved once   
    RW>> they put a computer in the car to manage fuel, etc.. Then they   
    RW>> deleted that option (in pickups) in favor of a small V8.   
      
    MH> Yes, the PCM and TCM.  Both engine and transmission are computer   
    MH> controlled.   
      
   Yeah, Mopars have two CPUs onboard...GM only uses one PCM to control   
   engine, trans and braking...   
      
    RW>> Worst case I ever got was running into a 59 Cadillac sitting in an   
    RW>> intersection pointed left, but with the right turn signal flashing.   
    RW>> I went to the left and he began to move left. I swerved right but he   
    RW>> stopped and I hit his rear tail light with my knee. Damn glad I   
    RW>> didn't hit that tail fin or I would've been punctured through the   
    RW>> middle. Got a new trans and front end on my Triumph bike because the   
    RW>> driver was drunk driving.   
      
    MH> I didn't tell many people (so not to scare family members), but I was   
    MH> rear-ended on an interstate going home from work on my Harley a few   
    MH> years ago. There was traffic backed up and things slowed to a crawl.   
    MH> A young girl wearing flip flops didn't stop in time and hit me going   
    MH> around 10mph or so (as I was stopped).   
      
   Something similar happened in the lane next to me on I-15. Only it was the   
   opposite; biker hit the car next to me and he got sandwiched by the car   
   behind him. Last I looked, he wasn't doing very well.   
      
    MH> The back tire acted as a soft bumper and just pushed me forward about   
    MH> 15 feet or so while the tire skid.  I kept the bike up the entire   
    MH> time.  No damage was done other than the tire and bent license plate.   
      
   Lucky you...that's a close one.   
      
    MH> Her car had more damage than my bike..  I felt that an angel was   
    MH> looking over me that day..   
      
   That's a good posibility...   
      
      
            R\%/itt   
      
      
   --- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-31012   
   --- D'Bridge 3.92   
    * Origin: Bow Tie Racers, Been There, Done That! (1:387/22)