Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-12


ton and power development. The
writer's personal experiments in this
direction, while limited, corroborate
this fact.
At 80 Pounds Compression.
One engine that operated on gaso-
line at compression pressure of So
lbs made a good showing on alcohol
at an increased compression to rs lbs.
And did much better, l might say ex-
cellently we'll, when the compression
was increased to 80 lbs. At Is lbs.
compression on gasoline this engine
would ignite its charges too early. that
is, premature its ignition on account of
the increased compression pressure
But under the heaviest load on alcohol
at 80 lbs. compression there was no
indication whatever of preignition or
auto-ignition.
1 did not carry this experiment any
farther but am inclined to believe that
this engine would have stood a COM
preston pressure of 100 lbs, without
self or premature ignition, and with
advantage in favor of fuel consump-
ton and a decided reduction in the
quantity used. The quantity of alcohol
consumed at 80 lbs. compression was
practically the same or only slightly
in advance of the quantity of gasoline
required at 55 lbs. compression.
Compression Experiments.
Other experiments the writer madf
bear out the one above reported as to
compression necessary for alcohol. In
fact, it seems to be the general conclu
sion of all experimenters along this
line that practically all engines that
have been built for the use of gasoline
as a fuel require heavier compress
sion for alcohol, to deliver the greatest
amount of power from the least guam
tity Of fuel.
We are Of the opinion that the aver
age compression pressure for alcohol is
somewhere between 80 and 100 lbs. A
simple method of testing the compress
sion pressure on a gas engine is to
screw an ordinary steam gauge into
the sparker plug port or some other
port that connects with the compress
sion space and then turn the engine
over by hand and note the highest
point reached by the needle just as the
piston passes over the inner center
on the compression stroke. If it does
not reach at least the So or 80 lbs.
point we think it advisable to increase
the length of the connecting rod suf
f1ciently to bring it up. We might say
that engines that have been run for
some time may have a worn condition
of the cylinder so that there is an Off
set at the point of reverse of the pis-
ton on inner center. This would in
terfere with an attempt to drive the
piston further into the compression
space by frightening the pitman or
connecting rod. And in such cases re-
boring of the cylinder and fitting with
new piston and rings will be necessary
to bring about increased compression.
Alcohol does not vaporize and mix
with air, at ordinary temperatures, as
readily as gasoline, consequently the
starting of the engine on gasoline is
easier.
Alcohol engines are running success
fully on each of the three processes for
admitting the fuel to the engine:
First, by using the suction of the
9iston for mixing the air and alcohol.
Second, by spraying the alcohol into
he air current by means Of fine
sozzle and pump.
Third, by heating the air and fuel
~ means Of passing it thru or around
exhaust pipe connections. Any one
Who desires to do so will be able to
un his gasoline engine on alcohol sue
eessfully by doing some experimental
york and original investigating along
my or all of the processes above out
lined While cheap denaturized al
.ohol will not be on the market yet
or possibly year, we can be making
our experiments and be ready for it
when it does come.