Quote:
Originally Posted by sarguy01
Why are you defensive about your truck?? You are taking this thread personally. No one is arguing that a truck used as a truck is a bad thing. But, OP hasn't told us what he needs a lifted big block Bronco for. My guess is that he just wants to drive it. Whether he commutes in it or tows with it, I don't care either way. It's not my money I am throwing away on lift kits, big tires that wear quickly, or fuel. Besides, most people I know that have a truck to use as a truck don't lift them. They keep them stock so they can actually load and unload the bed and that it still can tow safely. Safely towing with a lifted truck is another arguement.
You can take a 10 mpg truck, gain 100% mileage and still only get 20 mpg. If we are commuting to work (without the need for towing trailers and carrying large loads) or going to get groceries, who cares about a 100% improvement because the 40 mpg car is still getting DOUBLE the mileage to achieve the same results.
That class 8 truck serves a real purpose. What he did was awesome. Let's keep the arguement relavant.
An "ECO win" as you put it, would be for our country as a whole to buy efficient vehicles and get out of the mindset that we need full size trucks, SUV's and sports cars to get back and forth to work in.
We get excited over pie tins and grill blocks because they are cheap and work. If you can improve the aero of a car, it will use less energy overall.
But let's face it, how many people have made any major modification to improve their engine, that can be PROVEN while repeatable and reliable? Please show me examples. I am not saying it can't happen, but it usually takes a large budget and a lot of time.
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If the OP wants to do some engine research, it can benefit anyone else who would seek to do the same no matter if the vehicle is small or large. Diverting the discussion into the social re-engineering of our country and the world is just burying the topic under drivel. Trying to dissuade him because of money and time is simply doing the same.
There is a group on this forum that continues to do work on lean burning engines. As to making it repeatable and reliable for production? That is another topic altogether and you very well know that. Zip ties and cloroplast fall under the same proof of concept. Give the engine guys the same courtesy.
And I offered my trucks as an example of a large world of transport that could benefit greatly from an engine that could run on syngas and an agnostic fuel source. Heavy payloads dominate the vehicle operating profile so aero-aids, light weighting and battery electric drives can only go so far.