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Subject:Re: gas prices- a canadian perspective
From:Marc Sayer
Date:Sun, 6 Mar 2005 21:29:10 -0800

It takes about 25% more fuel to get the right mixture not twice as much.
You will get about 5-10% fewer miles per gallon in most cases with
alcohol. Though according to the article mentioned earlier in this
thread, the mileage in a heavily loaded vehicle (I'm thinking Westys
could benefit here) supposedly went up.

And some of the drop in mileage can be offset. Raise the CR, or run
boost, reduce coolant system related parasitic losses. There are ways to
mitigate the lower fuel mileage. Besides the down sides seem more than
offset to me by the benefits. Produce your own fuel and you can be
looking at $.050 to $1.00 per gallon fuel costs. Buy E85 and you will
still save as much as $.50 per gallon. You are not at the mercy of the
gas producers. The byproducts of production are not harmful, and have
real value. It is a renewable, and mostly unused resource. And most
importantly for me, it takes fuel production out of the hands of the few
and makes it possible for almost anyone to produce their own fuel.

Any FI system can handle the increase, even your suggested increase.
Just go to bigger injectors. You won't even need to remap the mixture
unless you change the CR or run boost, because the engine is exactly the
same, it just takes more alcohol than gas to get the right mixture. FI
is actually the best setup for alcohol fuel. It eliminates cold start
issues and improves combustibility.

Robert Cardo wrote:

> Alcohol does run cooler, and cleaner.
> However, It requires just about twice as much to do the same amount of
> work as gasoline.
> So the pilot, and main jetting would basicly have to be almost twice as
> large to allow for the correct volume of fluid to run through them to
> get the job done.
> We're almost talking 4,5 mpg with the alcohol.
> I don't think the Digijet,or Digifant would be able to handle the
> correct volume of fluid required to make the engine run right.
> We'd be all back to carbs with big jetting.
>
>

--
Marc Sayer
Journalist, Photographer, Dog Trainer (APDT member #062956)
Director of Operations & Training - Deaf Dane Rescue Inc.
Springfield, OR USA

My Homepage - http://gracieland.org

Deaf Dane Rescue Homepage - http://gracieland.org/DaneRescue/

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