376 MPG Blast From the Past

[cfg83]

Frank -

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Right!

I bet they were inspired by the antics of Smokey...

I hate to admit it, but Saturn S-Series usually burn oil too, and I'm no exception. I am at about 1.5 quarts per 3000 miles. If I'm really really really honest, I'll start adding that to my fuel log, .

CarloSW2

[Christ]

Carlos - you turning into a Palmear on us?

I really can't believe I missed this when it was posted. There was mention of this at the "engineering" fair (obvious exaggeration on the finger quotes, there.) that we had when I was in high school. The mention was extinguished immediately when anyone who knew ANYTHING about street cars (basically, myself, the auto shop teacher, and a few others who raced since they were like... 5.) spoke up and noted the utter stupidity of the sheer thought that this could ever exist in a streetable environment.

Yes, the only cooling that goes on in that radiator is whatever air the engine pulls through and exhausts. That's really all it should need. Look at Basjoos' car, notice the extremely small inlet for his radiator, and the fact that his (well insulated) engine doesn't overheat.

I, too, would like to see under the head of that engine. I'd also like to spend a week or so testing and tuning with it. I'd bet that even under the best circumstances that I could reproduce in the real world, I couldn't even touch 250 MPG with it. (Of course, I'd isolate the air intake through the block, so that it couldn't intake any vaporized oil. I'd still use an air-to-air heat exchanger inside the block, though, so that there couldn't be any mention of "you're not getting it hot enough!!!".)

I mean - seriously - come on, guys. You want to talk about vaporizing fuel, let's try to understand how the fuel system on an injected car works to begin with. The only thing you could do better is to atomize the fuel... and then it wouldn't technically burn at all, at least not in the same way that it burns now.

[cfg83]

Christ -

Originally Posted by Christ

Carlos - you turning into a Palmear on us?

I really can't believe I missed this when it was posted. There was mention of this at the "engineering" fair (obvious exaggeration on the finger quotes, there.) that we had when I was in high school. The mention was extinguished immediately when anyone who knew ANYTHING about street cars (basically, myself, the auto shop teacher, and a few others who raced since they were like... 5.) spoke up and noted the utter stupidity of the sheer thought that this could ever exist in a streetable environment.

...

Hee hee hee, I don't think it gets 376 MPG, but maybe that's because I don't use Palmolive for my hands, . I just want to know what they did. If the car "burned oil" to displace fuel consumption, then that's funny because they exploited a loophole, i.e. the referees probably didn't check the dipstick after the run. This is assuming that burning the oil is "the gimmick".

Even with scams, there's usually a "kernel of truth" that advances one's knowledge.

CarloSW2

[Christ]

I still abhor the existence of purpose built vehicles for MPG competitions, because even though there is a kernel of truth to the BS vehicles, there is still no way that real world conditions can be controlled to exacting circumstances necessary to find the type of mileage that they're getting.

Obviously, you can't account for every real world issue that might arise, but damn, at least try to cover SOME of them.

[Frank Lee]

I LOVE the super fuel economy competitions, and was involved in an SAE competition car. Great learning experience. Wish they'd have had them at my high school too.

Even with scams, there's usually a "kernel of truth" that advances one's knowledge.

When I see someone referring to it's "Vapor Engine"... well... that's sorta true.

[aerohead]

The closed-course and velocities attained during the open class competition bares no resemblance to the real world.

[Frank Lee]

Of course. (PUN!!!)

The vehicles, the course, the speeds,... everything, not very applicable to the "real world" of the street.

But as a school learning experience for teamwork, product planning and plan execution, nothing else I've ever done in the classroom even came close! And, it gets you thinking.

aerohead, surely you've seen this thing many times since '73. What do you think of it? Have you ever seen the "Vapor" scam exposed? I haven't.

[outsidethebox]

This competition has been going on for some time. The new race they got around 1,600 MPG.




This is the link2009 2009

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Of course. (PUN!!!)

The vehicles, the course, the speeds,... everything, not very applicable to the "real world" of the street.

But as a school learning experience for teamwork, product planning and plan execution, nothing else I've ever done in the classroom even came close! And, it gets you thinking.

aerohead, surely you've seen this thing many times since '73. What do you think of it? Have you ever seen the "Vapor" scam exposed? I haven't.

I thought,I hope I have a photo of the cover of book,"200 mpg Carburetors,"published by Lindsey Publications.They walk you through the Pogue,Fish,etc.,carbs which run vapor into the engine.There are 12 designs illustrated in the book.Yes,a Mercury V-8 station wagon can get remarkable mpg! Here's the rub-------------- You must push the car up to 35-mph,start the engine,engage the transmission,and drive 35-mph.You can't go slower,you can't go faster.There is no "transient" driving,you can only drive at a constant 35-mph.------------- And that's the price of these fabulous "vapor" carbs.------------- The book was about $13 US 20-yrs ago.I don't know if they are still in print.A great waste of $13.

[Arragonis]

Arise Lord Thread....

Originally Posted by hu_man

I have no idea myself but I do hope to get 55mpg with my Morris Minor 1000. It will be fuel injected and timing controled with the computer MegaSquirt. The little car did 44mpg bone stock.
Hugh

My grandfather had one of these (1098cc long stroke model) and kept a fuel diary until it went. No trip was under 55 mpg Imperial and he was a giffer and not an ecomodder.

Miss him though.