The Detroit times., 1913-05-05
AUTO MAKERS
CUT FUEL COST
Factory Economies That May
Influence Gas for Testing
Save $1,75O,000 a Year

" AS a reaction against the high-price
OF gasoline automobile manufacturers
are beginning to employ cheaper
fuels for testing purposes, and while
this practice has not yet become gen.
eral, from present indications II Is
safe to predict that II represents a
possible saving Of upwards Of 3.O00,-
600 gallons OF gasoline within the
next ~ months alone. Although this
Is figuratively but drop in the
bucket as compared with the total
cost OF gasoline for automobile use,
II Is by no means negligible at time
when the oil refners are squeezing
every possible drop Of the lighter oils
out OF none too plentiful supply OF
petroleum. On the same basis Of cal
culation the employment OF cheap
fuels for motor testing will involve
a direct saving of at least sl,750.000.
This was one Of the many phases of
the gasoline situation considered at a
meeting held in New York last week
by the special fuel investigating com.
mittee Of the Society OF Automobile
Engineers recently appointed to CO.
operate with the gasoline producers
and others in seeking a solution OF
the automobile fuel problem. The
committee, which consists OF n. b.
Pope, technical editor, Automobile
Topics" Charles p. Grimes, expert
mental engineer. Wheeler q Scheb-
Ter. and 4. K. Sweet, consulting en-
gineer. Cadillac Motor Car company.
Is subordinate to the miscellaneous
division Of the standards committee
OF the 8. A. E., OF which Arthur
Holmes, engineer of the II. II. Frank
lin Manufacturing company, Is chair
man.
A preliminary canvass Of the work
to be done has disclosed that the in
vestigation. which Is being carried out
on behalf OF the National Association
OF Automobile manufacturers. should
De organized on rather more elab-
crate basis than seemed needful at
the outset. In view OF this, actual
productive work cannot be under
taken until certain pending arrange
ments with respect to laboratory
facilities and other matters are per-
fected.
The employment OF cheap fuels for
testing purposes Is subject more
or less aside from the main purpose
OF the investigation, which, however,
was deemed OF sufficient Importance
to engage the immediate attention OF
the committee. Quite a number OF
the more prominent manufacturers,
notably In Detroit and Cleveland, al
ready are using or are installing city
gas In their test rooms. In a number
OF instances the gas companies are
supplying mixing valves to replace
the ordinary carbureter during the
test, In others a simple attachment
for connection to one OF the air ports
OF the carbureter itself Is employed.
Sixty-cent gas SO employed has been
found to be practically equivalent to
innocent gasoline, and in general q
saving Of one-half the fuel cost for the
running Ia Of motors on the testing
stands Is possible by using gas. In
cities like Detroit where Accent gas
Ia available at present and where S5-
cent gas Is soon to become available
the saving Is proportionately greater
One maker who is turning out seine
1900 cars q year figures an economy
OF $4,000 gallons OF gasoline year by
the use of gas. In another case a net
saving Of nearly $50 a day in the OPP
Grating cost Of the test room Is being
realized, while In still another the
saving will amount to $24 a day. Some
concerns that are unable to secure
Illuminating gas at sufficiently low
price are even figuring on installing
gas producer plants for the purpose.
1T would be premature to discuss
at this time any Of the details OF the
fuel investigation" said Manager 8.
A. Miles, Of the National association
for which the work Is being carried
on by the engineering society. THE
plans OF the committee as yet are not
sufficiently we'll advanced to Warrant
any disclosures. The problem OF
securing an abundance OF good fuel
for automobiles at low price, seems
to me to be SO very important that !
might almost say our whole future
as an industry depends upon It. That
means, In a word that the investiga-
ton, to be Of any value at all, to the
public as we'll as to the industry,
must be very exhaustive and carried
out in a thoroughly scientific manner.
That means that we must proceed
very cautiously at the start
81 do want to say, though, for the
benefit OF manufacturers and inven'
tors OF kerosene carbureters, substi.
tute fuels and the like, who r/y al
ready have addressed inquiries TO the
n. A. A. NJ. or who may contemplate
doing so, that we welcome all infor'
nation with respect to such new fac.
tors In the fuel situation. And I may
add that the work OF examining and
testing appliances and products OF
such character forms an important
mart of the nlan that Is at nresent