Myth Busters SUCKS! (HHO mod, does it work?)

[chuckm]

If an HHO system is so great, why not go whole hog and buy bottles of H2 and meter that into the intake? You can then avoid any energy lost to producing HHO.

[aerohead]

I just culled through some Mechanics Illustrated Magazines dating to 1950.
There were already ads for "run your car on water." All sorts of crazy stuff:Ignition/crankcase additives/fuel additives/etc.
I'll post these as time permits,they're worth a chuckle!
You may hear about "chemical-intercooling," this one is for real.We did this in Vietnam for the Douglas A1-E Skyraiders.
It's demineralized and de-ionized water with methanol alcohol which is introduced during heavy loads ( take-off for the airplane ) to prevent destructive detonation.Quite an octane enhancer.
Water-injection systems seem to shadow high fuel prices,or in the case of the 1950s,the fear of gas rationing due to the new Korean War.
Since public schools remain silent with respect to our automotive culture,we remain ignorant of the physics,chemistry,thermodynamics,etc. of the automobile,and wide open prey for the likes of automotive Bernie Madoffs.
Education may prevent the flim-flam artists from "made-off with our cash."

[NiHaoMike]

Originally Posted by Mustang Dave

If HHO generators REALLY improved fuel economy, wouldn't the "Big 3" be installing them on their vehicles to meet and/or beat CAFE standards?
IMBFOS, but from my point of view, HHO is SNAKE OIL!

Aerodynamics are very effective (check out the AeroCivic), but no major auto company is looking much into it. So does that mean aerodynamics is snake oil?

[tjts1]

HHO is BS
[/thread]

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by aerohead

We did this in Vietnam for the Douglas A1-E Skyraiders. It's demineralized and de-ionized water with methanol alcohol which is introduced during heavy loads ( take-off for the airplane ) to prevent destructive detonation. Quite an octane enhancer.

...also used in the turbo-compound R3350's on our USN/Lockheed EC-121 "Warning Star" airborne early warning planes. Trying to lift 145,000 lbs off an 8,000 foot runway in Chu Lai, RVN, at 95+degrees and 80% humidity meant METO power almost always.

...thing people "forget" is that it was ONLY used in emergency situations (combat, takeoff, etc.), not during normal cruise. And we all (A1-E, EC-121, etc.) used purple AVGAS with 115/145 octane...containing LOTs of lead which left white lead oxide exhaust residue all over wings!

...the methanol provided extra oxygen and the water provided steam for dissociation (steam is compressible, but water isn't).

[Mustang Dave]

Originally Posted by NiHaoMike

Aerodynamics are very effective (check out the AeroCivic), but no major auto company is looking much into it. So does that mean aerodynamics is snake oil?

No. Aerodynamics is an actual science that doesn't claim to violate the laws of physics or thermodynamics.
The automotive manufacturers seem to be trying to balance aerodynamics with aesthetics that the public will buy.

[gone-ot]

...eggs are aerodynamically shaped but ultimately "fragile."

...samething can be said about car designs.

...remember EPA hasn't mandated "crash-proof" eggs (yet!).

...aerodynamics is the "science" of movement through fluids with minimum expenditure of energy...just as FE miles-per-gallon is to distance, aerodynamics is likewise to energy-per-distance.

[Frank Lee]

Thank you Mustang Dave; I wasn't going to be so nice.

[Mustang Dave]

I can only imagine. LOL! I've come to think of that as "being Frank with them".

[dwtaylorpdx]

They water injected B52's when I was in the Air force, made the ground shake when they hit the injection button. And they needed it to take off.

Dave