Evening star., 1922-03-12
PROBLEM OF GOOD MOTOR FUEL
TAKEN UP BY OIL AND AUTO MEN
Leading Authorities of Both Industries
Discuss Engine Design and Efficiency,
Gasoline Supply, Quality and Price.

There has probably never been a
gathering Of such present and poten-
tial Importance to the motoring pub
lie as the joint meeting of the auto
motive and oil industries held at Chi
cago in connection with the annual
meeting of the American Petroleum
Institute, December 6. and 8.
The motorists two most vital and
inseparable problems are the motor
engine and the gas. In the motor fuei
problem, which was discussed Dy
leading authorities of both industries.
are involved the questions or engine
design and efficiency. motor car pro-
duction and price, and gasoline sup
ply. quality and price.
Warning Against Grades.
Some of the representatives of the
.autOmOtive industry warned against
gasoline OF too low volatility. and
representatives of the petroleum In
dustry pointed out that rigid specifi-
cations requiring a gasoline OF high
volatility would mean diminution
of supply, with consequent higher
prices for gas.
ii. M. Crane, autOmotive engineer.
said that by improvement in methods
the autOmotive engineers have grad
ually been able to use less volatile
gasoline, although in every case 1t
has been at the expense of simplicity
OF operation and apparatus. 1t is the
opinion of automotive engineers that
with the present form Of engine anc
the present simplicity the limit has
been very nearly reached for automo-
tive uses at the present distillatiOn
point of fuel at the higher end.
Difficulties Before Kerosene.
I'VE feel that there is a greater
saving in cost possible in the utiliza-
ton of kerosene as a fuel but it has
been clearly before the engineers in
the last fifteen years that the fact
that we have not been able to use it
successfully is fairly clear indica-
ton of the almost insuperable diff
culties in the way" he said.
Automotive engineers realize fully
that the success of the au4omotive in
dustry depends upon adequate fuel
supplies at q reasonable price. and
that with present knowledge it is evil
dent that an adequate supply Of best
fuel is not available at any price. We
do urge, however. that every possible
effort be made by refiners to make
the fuel supply more suitable for use
in the really only simple form of en-
gine now available. We also main
tain that a great degree Of simplicity
III our engines Is required IL d FtdSoH-
able degree Of economy in the use OF
fuel is to be expected when handled
by unskilled persons.
PEAK I'm Summer.
Fortunately for all concerned. the
greatest use is in the summer months,
when the less volatile mixtures are
more successfully handled and rea-
sonable amount OF variation between
summer and winter is expected"
o. {. Berry, chief engineer, Wheeler
Schebler Carburetor Company. said
while we can use our present fuel
very satisfactorily in some of our
having real and serious trouble with
it. We are not able to use it as ef-
ficiently as we should in the cars that
are now available. There are more
than 100000 Of these cars in the
country. and they should still have
several years of usefulness before
them. Their usefulness will be great
ly reduced by any considerable in
crease in the end point Of our fuel.
We. therefore, wish to urge that the
oil refners continue their efforts to
improve the volatility Of their gaso-
lines.
Car Designers to Aid.
I'm the meantime the automotive
engineers will be doing their utmost
to produce cars that can give proper
results in the hands of the average
driver with fuel as heavy or heavier
than our present grades. Our fuel
problem is one that will require our
united efforts. Getting the proper
solution is equally important to the
oil producer and to the automotive
Industry. We should. therefore. work
together, each making an effort to
understand the difficulties the other is
encountering and the progress he is
making. Finally, we wish to urge that
the refiners keep in close touch with
the progress made by the automotive
engineers, to the end that no further
reduction be made in the volatility OF
our fuel until the industry is prepared
to take care Of it.
One Standard Impractical.
1T is my belief that it would be
undesirable and impractical to at
tempt to hold all the motor fuel sold
in this country to one standard of
volatility" said F. c. Mock, research
engineer, Stromberg Motor Devices
Imposed on Economy by Volatility
Changes in Motor Fuel" There will
always be motors in use which will
demand more volatile fuel than the
average. Similarly, limitations on
the high boiling point side will tend
means for using heavier fuels. I do
believe, however. that it is highly
desirable that there should be a rec
ognized standard. and that fuel which
does not conform to this standard
should have the nature of such varia-
ton clearly specified. Such a system
will give the best economic CO.
ordination of supply and demand. and
will. at the same time. tend to clear
up some of the confusion which now
exists in the oil-refining industry, the
automobile industry and among the
automobile public
Difficulties Before Engineers.
Mr.. Mock said that the goal Of
automotive engineering work is an
intake system which will operate sat
isfactorily on any grade Of fuel; but
the limits Of "detonation' have thus
far taken this effect: That no en-
gines (to his knowledge, at least)
AWAIT