From: aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer)
Newsgroups: alt.autos.antique
Subject: Re: Alternative Fuels
Date: 28 Sep 1992 20:47:20 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


About all this natural gas, lpg, butane, propane, whatever-you-
may call it..i don't consider myself an expert, but i saw a few
errors i'd like to mention...as i said..it's entirely possible that
i may be the one mistaken, and i apologize in advance for not useing
the quote thing, but I've been unable to get an editor to work to date.
The first mistake i would like to mention was the claim that these
alternative fuels have a higher btu content that gasoline...in each and
every article i've read, exactly the opposite has been the claim...how-
ever, the claim that compression ratio was increased is indeed the case,
as these fuels tend to run octane levels around 110 (as opposed to super
unleaded at 98, at best..).  Now, common sense would here dictate, that
due to the lack of fueling stations for these alternative fuels, and thus
the added fear of running out, one would desire to have a car which would
burn conventional gasoline AND the fuel of choice... Todays cars usually
run between 8 and 10.5 compression ratios...of course, the ones that
are on the high end of the spectrum are preformance oriented computer
controlled samples...and those around 8-9 tend to be conservatively
powered and driven for family transportation and high fuel mileage. 
What you would want to do, therefore, is to find the best compromise..
find out what kind of alternate you want to use, and what it's octane
rating is...then choose the highest octane rating you can run with unleaded.
since the optimum octane rating for the alternate will most likely be
higher than you can possibly run on normal gasoline...probably around ten.
AT that rating, you would be on the verge of detonation problems with gas, 
but you would be getting better power and miles per ratings from the alt.
Of course, what this would mean, is a rebuild of your motor to install
the higher compression pistons, which is okay, since you're going to have
to rebuild your heads, at least, if you have not had to already, since the
loss of lead additives has called for harder valve seats, guides, and
other miscellaneous parts, though those are the major ones...so the question
becomes...is the good feeling given the user from using a less polluting
vehicle and the cheaper per gallon price of the alternative fuel going to
offset the added expense that it will take to get the most from your 
conversion...well...this would depend on how long you plan to drive the
vehicle...the alternative fuels are cleaner burning..this means less con-
taminants in your motor, which means that it will tend to run longer with
higher mileage and less wear...of course, the higher compression, and the
possibilities of detonation from getting the wrong grade of gasoline or
just getting screwed on a tank could offset any gains in that area...
but, overall, a car which burns one of the mentioned alts will last longer
and be much cleaner...
(i don't, bye the way, mean to say that all of this is necessary for the 
conversion to work..i've known of people who have put conversions on their
otherwise bone-stock chevy 350s and been happy as punch...gotten great
wear ratings of over 100,000 miles..etc,etc..but these mentioned conversions
are necessary to see the true potential of your conversion...but cost more..).

	To sum up..you get what you pay for...anything that costs less in one
way will cost more in another...though you can sometimes skirt those extra
costs, if you are extremely careful...your decision...best way to learn
about anything you don't understand is to go to a library and read up on
the subject..i.e. octanes...btu content...conversions that have worked..
conversions that have NOT worked(these mite be the most important..if you
can find any), etc,etc....hope to've helped....

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DISCLAIMER : ALL OPINION, NO HARD FACTS..JUST STUFF I'VE READ...DON'T REMEMBER
WHERE I GOT IT ALL...JUST COMPILED IT ALL INTO THE OL' BEAN...I CLAIM NO RE=
SPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PROJECT UNDERTAKEN WITHIN THE LIMIT'S I'VE DEFINED, OR
EVEN OUTSIDE THE LIMITS I'VE DEFINED, WHETHER IT BE PRODUCTFUL, OR NOT...
THOUGH I'D LIKE TO HEAR IF YOU USE ANY OF MY SUGGESTIONS, AND HOW THEY WORK..
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-- 
"The egg is but a potential chicken, but the chicken is a real
chicken, and since reality must at all times proceed potentiality,
the egg must have come before the chicken."----Aristotle(?)