Oppressed By The Price Of Gasoline?
by DAVID KACHUCK
Oppressed By The Price Of Gasoline? By David A. Kachuck
Are you feeling oppressed by the price of gasoline? I certainly am feeling the pinch. My snack food vending business depends on vehicles that have been getting 10 miles per gallon. During hot weather the dual air conditioners run non stop to protect the product. We have been forced to consolidate routes and serve our customers a little less often because of the price of fuel. But this is still not enough and we feel there is a limit to the price of a snack.
The past few months I have been researching ways to relieve the high cost of gasoline. There are probably a lot of businessmen with small and large fleets as well as individuals who have been suffering as I have. I��d like to share what I��ve learned.
The choices I��ve looked at are bio-fuels, hydrogen on demand systems (HOD), over the counter products, combustion catalysts and gas additives. Many people are producing their own bio-fuels and this subject would require it��s own specialized report. Over the counter products are attractive but do nothing for the economics of operating a vehicle. I have described why I rejected HOD for the time being. I bought into 2 companies that offer combustion catalysts and gas additives.
In addition the ��Care Care Council�� offers some straightforward advice that will help you save gas.
Bio-fuels
It may amuse you to learn that alcohol was pushed out of the market early in the 20th century by John Rockefeller who invested heavily in the temperance movement. I suggest those interested in alcohol as fuel read the book ��Alcohol Can Be A Gas�� by David Blume.
Alcohol fuel can be made from a variety of things including waste product. However, producing your own fuel alcohol or bio-diesel would require further feasibility study, developing expertise and a significant investment at start up.
All gasoline sold at the pumps in here in Missouri offer 10% ethanol. You can find E85, 85 % ethanol, 15% gasoline at certain stations. They are listed by state on the web site: http://e85vehicles.com/ . Your vehicle may have to be adjusted to run all E85 or buy one of the new flex fuel vehicles. You can expect to get less mileage from E85 and the savings may not be worth the cost.
Hydrogen on demand (HOD)
Hydrogen on demand (HOD) is a very interesting idea. A small amount of your car��s battery current runs into an electrolyte made of distilled water and baking soda. The resulting HHO gas is piped to the fuel intake and supplements the gasoline supply.
Look around and you��ll see a lot of people selling rehashed instructions how to make and install the devices. Remember the saying ��Those who can do, those who can��t teach��. True, the parts can be bought at ordinary hardware stores for about $50.00. There are lots of success claims. A few people are selling ready to install kits. Very few are actually installing the device for others.
The idea seemed valid and I bought the instructions for making and installing the devices. I was ready to buy a few ready made kits to supplement the instructions and use them together to build my own kits and try them on my vehicles. But, I learned that HOD implementation faces serious obstacles. I cancelled my orders and put this idea aside.
The process is still very new and each vehicle has its own complications that require individual adaptation to make the thing work. The problems you will have to solve include temperature control of the electrolyte, current supply and regulation, durability of the parts and long term effects of the HHO gas on the engine. In other words maintenance and the errors of experimental designs still present problems that have not yet been solved. Ignition timing and air mixture settings have to be changed to accommodate the modified fuel which was not anticipated during engine design.
Since 1994 most all vehicles have an on board regulatory system to control spark timing, gas mixture and emissions. The computer is fed data from MAP sensors, O2 sensors and a host of other response devices that are different on every car. The addition of an HOD device will require defeating or tampering with these controls. This is illegal even if the result is an improvement. In Missouri and many other states each car must pass safety and emissions inspections to be registered. None of these devices are EPA approved and your car will not pass inspection with an HOD device installed. Furthermore, you will not be able to sell the car with HOD devices on it. And if anyone installs the thing on someone else��s car they would be liable for severe fines.
HOD is illegal, long term issues have not been addressed and furthermore, it��s only for an automotive engineer, who understands fuel, combustion and exhaust issues.
Over The Counter Products
Every auto supply store carries a dazzling array of products to accomplish every fantasy a driver might have to fix or improve his car. I��ve tried a lot of them and my conclusion is that every one represents an increase in operating costs.
