/Nexus - 0212 - New Times Magazine/pages/0047/image.png)
Page Content (OCR)
who was interested. But he was highly Open Letter to Nexus Magazine sceptical of the principle. He informed me that Cunningham (the great racer) stated flatly that once a flame front was The "Open Letter To All Working On developed in the engine cylinder, it Alternate Energy" fascinated me. I can couldn't be re-ignited. I had the device relate to much of what Paul Brown rigged so that [ could flip a switch and wrote. There are many devices which change from normal ignition to experi could be classified as 'alternative ener men~. gy' which are nO.thjQg more than clever improvements on inefficient everyday machines. I've been fascinated since high-school days with fuel efficiency; probably from the well-advertised 'Mobile Economy Run' - a competition open to anyone using standard automo biles, driving from Los Angeles to New York. The rbest Miles Per Gallon was the winner. When I bought my first (used) car, [ installed a vapour gas extender. It was nothing more than a line attached to the bottom of the carburettor that sucked air through a water-filled bottle which created water vapour as the incoming air bubbled up through the water. Many a moon later, after Uncle Sam's Navy had trained me in electronics (and atomic reactors), I adapted an oscillator circuit to a standard capacitor discharge ignition improver. The principle was to make the spark-plug fire many times during the normal single firing time. I had to use a 'high wind' coil (in place of the standard coil) to get enough spark because of the increased pulsing therefore shorter spark duration. My first vehicle was an International deliv ery van that used the Austin of England 4 cylinder slow RPM engine, which had those long threaded spark plugs. Because of the slow RPM, and ideal maximum number of pulses gave a doubling in gas mileage! Many a year later, I installed the same device on a used police cruiser that used a 440 cu.in. 4-barrel carbuJet tor. I had a rather humorous and enlightening experience with it. In try ing to market it, I brought it to a friend FEBRUARY-MARCH '93 opened slightly, and when over the hill, ' it had to be closed back to 'normal'. A pain in the neck, but worth it when it improved mileage 27%. The device routed fuel from the fuel pump through a 1/4 inch diameter copper tube that was coiled a dozen loops inside a 2 inch copper pipe (with end closures soldered My friend and I took a ride in etc.). The header lines were cut and the vehicle. At about 40 mph, I flipped tapped to run hot water through the on the experimental ignition. larger pipe which acted as a heat "Varoom!" An increase in G-forces exchanger to the coiled 1/4 line inside was clearly felt, without my changing it. One of the tricks of assembly was to the pressure on the accelerator pedal. ? use 1 l/2 to turn coils in the 1/4 lines His remarks: L,"Scratch Cunningham." as it entered and exited the heat If one is electronically and slightly exchanger, to take up vibration. I first mechanically inclined, my description tried plastic connectors with clamps, is enough .to cre.ate the device. It is the but it is vulnerable to vibration and type of thing that needs no drawings or leaks. A 'hard plumbed' system with circuit diagrams. It is merely the mar ferruled connectors solved the leaks. rying of a few devices, and installing it The needle va,lve is the more difficult on the vehicle. piece to find. Some kind of mechanical I sold the vehicle and forgot to Unkage is needed from the valve so the remove the device. I sent away for driver can adjust the valve. A solid rod plans for a 'Hot Water' fuel extender. worked better than a flexible choke rod. From my description, a shade-tree When I was out of work, that vehicle mechanic should be able to design and and its gas extender went 'by-by'. FQr install one. The principle was to warm about 9 months I've been collecting up the fuel to almost the point that older parts and pieces for a device I saw on vehicles had a problem called 'vapour lock'. This was fed to the reg ular fuel inlet to the car burettor through a nee dle valve. It took me a month of driving before stumbling onto the the principles of how it worked. The needle valve was Ithrottled down to the point that it just about fed or kept up with the engine's demands. Actually, the carburettor's bowl was empty and the warmed fuel partially vapourised. As one approached a hill, the needle valve had to be .s~ NEXUS·47