I'm going to CC this to the list, as someone else might be interested.
-Aron-
Ryan Watson wrote:
>
> I'm interested! Can a LBC or other older car be converted to run alchohol?
> Is it difficult/expensive?
Most, if not all, IC engines can be converted to alcohol.
The basics are; it takes about three times more alcohol than gas for
the proper air fuel ratio. So.......You need to change the carbs
acordingly. You can buy alcohol carbs, but usually in big CFM ratings,
ie mainly for big engines. So, you would need to increase the fuel
flow of your carbs to get three times more fuel through them. This can
be such a increase that simply changing jets probably wouldn't do it, you
need bigger float chambers, usually around 3/8" fuel line, and all
fuel passages (pump, carb internals, etc.) enlarged too.
A easy way to do this is to swap in a carb(s) that is much larger than
yours (maybe 3 times the CFM?) to already have the big fuel flow, then
just restrict the air flow down to the proper levels.
Doing the above will be enough to get the car running and driving.
BUT, there are inherent benifits to alcohol you should take advantage
of, if you're going to do it right.
One, alcohol doesn't detonate or run as hot as gas. So, crank up that
timing and compression ratio.
Ethanol has an octane of 110
Isopropyl Alcohol has a octane of 118
Butyl Alcohol has a octane of 107
So, 12:1 compression with 20* initial advance?
Two, a byproduct of alcohol combustion is water, lots of it.
This keeps the engine cool, but, you need to prevent water traps in the
exhaust, and stainless pipe would help too.
Three, alcohol can absorb water, lots of it. It would be good to
prevent this, ie sealing the system from condensation.
Four, alcohol is less volatile than gas, which means it can condense
out in the intake tract easier. A hotter intake manifold, with optimum
vaporization of the fuel, is the key. FI gets a nod here.
Five, you're burning three times more fuel right? How bigs your gas
tank? Imagine it's a third the size, for alcohol.
Where can you get it? Some farm/fuel supply depots, Abner's still, race
tracks, etc. I think if more people converted, it would become easier
to get. If the companies really geared up for alcohol, I can see it
being cheaper than gas too. Last I checked it was around $1.70 per
gallon, so if you're burning three times as much, compairable to
$5.10 per gallon of gas. But, I've read that if alcohol became the
fuel of choice, it should get to under a doller per gallon.
Now, since you can increase the compression ratio of an alcohol engine,
you can get better gas mileage too, like 40MPG, so that would offset
the cost too.
Other non-direct advantages to alcohol;
Non-dependance on forigen oil, giving farmers a better profit source,
you can make it yourself, less toxic fuel, technology is already there
(unlike electric, which seems to be waiting for the battery god),
cleaner, simpler (no cat. converters, air pumps, etc.), cleaner also
means easier on the engine-longevity, less volitile-so less vapors,
less explosive-so safer, and on and on.
To me electric cars are a joke, unless they can come up with a super
battery that is non-toxic too. I doubt it.
A electric car, zero emissions at the car, but gets its energy from
the coal burning electric plant, where's the over all benifit?
Now, I will admit that the farmers producing crops for alcohol stills
could potentially over fertilize, toxic fertilize, or over plant (dust
bowl), so that could be potentialy a polution spot. Suger cane has been
poluting for Florida, that's what Brazil uses for its fuel source, so
we could have that problem too.
I could go on, but we're on the fringe of the MG topic, and I got
things to do. But I'd be happy to continue this topic later......
-Aron-
"in a frenzy"
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