I wonder, can these things be easily switched to run on alcohol? With gas at and exceeding $2 a gallon now, alcohol has to be fairly comparable in price, and if it could be converted to do so, can it be done cheaply AND take advantage of the alternative fuels tax breaks?
Jim, you have any answers? Anyone?
Methyl alcohol is probably what you're thinking of pricewise..... very corrosive, especially to aluminum parts IIRC. Racers running this kind of alky are doomed to changing oil frequently and flushing fiuel systems with gasoline at the end of race day. Grain alcohols are, I believe, spendier.
Factor in that your fuel mileage will take a hit.... there is less BTUs per pound of alcohol and I think you could expect to consume at least half again in alcohol (does that sound right?) as you do gasoline. Alas, our dependency on fossil fuels will remain for quite some time...... even though I believe technology exists to reduce our dependency, manufacturers don't like to make sweeping changes until something forces their hand.
That's my take on it, anyhow..... (Lord knows I've been wrong before).
Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net
I have a 2003 XLT. The fuel door label says that it will run on any combination of fuels from pure gasoline to pure ethanol. (what about methanol)
No, actually, I was thinking of the ethyl (grain) alcohol that is currently mixed in gas at 10 and 20%. I am in the plains/midwest where grain is easily produced at a few already existing plants. Now, IIRC, denatured alcohol is grain alcohol with an additive to make it poisonous ( for tax reasons really ), so people don't drink their fuel. This is the alcohol I was thinking of. I'm not real sure how methyl alcohol is produced. WE have enough food getting wasted every day in the form or grains and produce, such as potatoes and beets, that it would almost make sense. What do you suppose the maximum percent alcohol *can* be run, if you can't run on alcohol only? How about LPNG or CNG? Things I should need to know? Of course, a guy needs to know he can get fuel along the way if traveling across country, so propane might be an option.
-- John ( who is not a rocket scientist )
"Jim Warman" wrote in message news:nqiqc.19179$0e6.8942@clgrps13...
I'm not familiar with the flex fuel vehicles though all the "environmentally friendly" fuels I have seen seem to come at a bit of a premium in price or might be at a similar price but with a noticeable hit to performance.
Living where I do, people spend a lot of time a long way from anything resembling civilization and in weather or other circumstances that can turn deadly quite suddenly. Understandably, there is a very real reluctance to stray from tried and true fuels.
YMMV.
Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net
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