The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-20
NEW DEVICES FOR
SAYING OF FUEL
Expert Discusses the Question
of Economy From an In
teresting Angle.

II hardly need be mentioned that at
. time such A. this, when every drop
OF fuel must be utilized ana the most
obtained from It. motorists and
operators Of gasolene using vehicles OF
all kinds win be approached by, those
offering fuel saving devices. The mar
ket In being flooded with all sorts Of
contrivances--wftch are claimed 70 save
gasolene or mako possible the use Of q
fuel II lower grade. II ~ true that
some OF these devices have real merit.
but goodly number are worthless for
the purpose designated. The motorfst
who reads much automobile literature
and tho accessory manufacturers ad-
vertisements already knows that dozens
OF different types Of devices are offered,
and IL one were to believe all the claims
made for some OF them the device
should be worth ten times the amount
asked. Often some of the devices do
good work In one direction but do more
harm In another.
The very commonest form of fuel saw
Ing device Is the auxiliary air attach
ment. There are any number OF forms
OF these. all designed to do practically
the Same thing-admit more air to be
sucked In with the mixture. In some
Of these the manifold is tapped to re-
ceive either an automatic air valve or
one controlled by hand or by some part
OF the engine. It Is clear TO see that
II these devices merely admit more air.
the very same condition can be had IL
the carbureter air range IL suffis.ent.
In practically every modern engine the
carbureter installation Is correct for that
engine, and the air range, cannot be
improved upon for all round perform
ance. Better economy may had. to be
sure. but lin many cases something is
| going to be sacrificed-Nccelerati alton,
climbing ability. speed or throttling
| down ability. o On some cara the aux
Hilary air devices are helpful, but why
| not find out first II your carbureter can
be made to feed more air. II economy is
all you are after?
Another class OF gasolene saver.
and large class, is that 'includ-
Ing heated maRifoids. This form
consideration than II seems to be get
ting. While the modern carbureter can
handle present day fuel with fairly good
results additional heat certainly helps
| toward better vaporization and greater
| economy. II Is regrettable that most
| OF the heated manifolds are applicable
| only to Fords and some other small cars.
! Aside from the heated manifolds there
are numerous heating devices of other
construction. including exhaust pre-
heaters. electric preheaters. &c. doubt
whether these can compare. in the mo-
| iority OF cases. with a well designed
heated manifold. In the newer mani
| folds the inlet passage is in contact with
the metal o. the exhaust passage either
all along its length or part way. Diff
ferent internal constructions arc used to
heat the whole mixture thoroughly. In
some no provision 10 made for thorough
heating, the object being merely to get
some heat to the mixture. These will
be found not so efficient as the thorough
heaters. Many Of these manifolds are
claimed to make possible the use of
kerosene as fuel. after the engine has
been started on gasolene. 1t Is quite
true that fair degree OF satisfaction
will be had and often an attractive econ
omy figure obtained but there are other
| things to be considered which will be
taken up later In the treatment OF .kero-
| sene burners.
There are any number of compounds
on the market designed to be put into
the gasolene. ! know of only one such
compound which actually has any merit
whatever. The great majority OF these
compounds will not do all that is claimed
considered cannot see how the motor
LIST can accept them unless the manu-
facturer guarantees n certain economy
and Is a maker of such responsibility as
to stand back Of that guarantee. The
action is explained in all sorts OF ways.
but I should like to see one OF, these
compounds which from It's mere pres
ence In the mixture will give better
economy. II Is stated that the mixture
| can be thinned when the compound lie
I used, but unless the maker fully guar
antees the product (unqualif1edly guar
antees ~ first /fhin the mixture with
out the compound and see how that
| works.
All motorists are aware that car
bureter makers advance certain claims
for their product when substituted for
the chrbureter you now have. In some
cases the change Of a carbure;er does