Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
There is potential in some alternate fueling and engine management schemes but IMHO you need to walk before you can run. There is a lot of variation in a vehicle's operating environment and I think the learning curve for much of this sort of thing is too steep. I'd use a stationary engine as the mule, and make it perform useful work like space heating and power generation, or even pumping water or some such.
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Gotta have to second that. Actually, if you could find either a 2-stroke spark-ignited engine or a 4-stroke Diesel, they seem to be the best options for a "multifuel" development. IIRC Evinrude once developed a "multifuel" outboard motor which could also run on Jet-A1 and JP-8 (altough I'm not sure about how it would fare with heavier stuff such as Diesel fuel or wood tar). Lotus also have been working in a 2-stroke "omnivore" engine...
You may also be interested in a system currently under development by Westport which uses a glowplug to ignite CNG in a direct-injection Diesel engine. If you could apply that as a replacement for the average spark-plug in a random 2-stroke engine, that would be possibly the best setup as far as "multifuel" ability goes, with a quicker cold-start than the old hot-bulb engines...