Diesel Engines Burning Gasoline

[EvelynDickinson]

Hey Y'all,

I ran across this interesting article today which discusses the hows and whys of a mechanical engineering combustion research project to modify an diesel engine to combust low octane gas to reduce emissions.

Sounds like it would make a darn good engine for a tow vehicle. Maybe we'll see these in our TVs in a few years?

Making Diesel Engines Burn Gasoline | Autopia | Wired.com

Enjoy!


Dave

[moosetags]

Interesting article and concerpt.

Brian

[dznf0g]

This sounds like the next step beyond HCCI. You should start seeing HCCI in the next few years as we approach the 2016 CAFE regulations take place.
29 years ago, when I was in tech school, I asked my advanced engines professor why we can't do this. He explained it is technically, mechanically, and chemically impossible. Haven't we come a long way since then!?

[easyride]

When I was in the Army [way back when],our semi tractors would run on almost anything,diesel,gas,jp4 helicopter fuel,and avgas airplane fuel,doesn`t look like we have came very far in 40 years.Dave

[Jim Foster]

Many smaller sailboats used the two cylinder Albin gas engine with carburetor modifications to run on diesel fuel so that they don't have gasoline on board. They have a second fuel tank with alcohol to run their cooking stove, so run a line from that tank to a valve they can switch from alcohol to diesel for the engine. The engine is started on alcohol then switched over to diesel after getting warm. Before shutting down, the fuel valve is switched back so that the carburetor is filled alcohol for the next start.

Woe be unto the guy who forgets to switch back to alcohol, as the engine will not start cold on diesel.

Just a little info from an old boat guy.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by easyride

When I was in the Army [way back when],our semi tractors would run on almost anything,diesel,gas,jp4 helicopter fuel,and avgas airplane fuel,doesn`t look like we have came very far in 40 years.Dave

Yes, but the military doen't have to comply with CAFE and EPA. Just "burn and go!" And rightfully so.

[dmreilly10000]

In the 1970's, I saw an ancient bulldozer that would run on either. One side of the engine had injectors, the other side an intake manifold. I never understood how that could have worked. I was told at the time that in really cold climates, you would start it on gas, then switch over to diesel once it was running good.

[TG Twinkie]

Two of my old farm tractors are set up for multi fuel. You start it on gasoline, then switch it to a fuel much like todays kerosene. You had to adjust the exhaust manifold and wait for the engine temp to increase before it would run on the distilate.

[Splitrock]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Two of my old farm tractors are set up for multi fuel. You start it on gasoline, then switch it to a fuel much like todays kerosene. You had to adjust the exhaust manifold and wait for the engine temp to increase before it would run on the distilate.

My dad had one of these when I was a kid. It was my job to cultivate corn with it. We hand crank started it on gas, ran it till it was warm and switched it over to diesel, and then switched it back to gas and let it run a while before shutting it off. It was a Farmall F12 or a Regular. I can't remember which. I know I hated them both.

I remember it had lots more power running on the diesel.

Gary

[masseyfarm]

I believe what Cummins Westport are doing is basically what you discribe. They convert the Cummins diesels to spark ignition and electronic injection, and run them on clean natural gas.
Available worldwide now.

www.cumminswestport.com

[dlb435]

Sounds like they still have a lot of problems to solve. The fuel injection timing for one. It's going to reguire a very complex computer control system to get this thing to run under all conditions. Then there is the fuel issue. They are not using pump gas but their own blend. There would have to be an industry wide commiment to get these engines out on the market. I wouldn't expect to see this on the market any time soon.

[doneuald]

My father had a 2 cylinder AR John Deere that would start on gas, run on just about anything that would remotely burn IE diesel / motor oil mix if thats what was lying around, hand flywheel start with compression releases, BUT it would haul 3 or 4 hay wagons the size of 5 ton truck when running on diesel, it was real interesting getting them to stop considering the brakes were only on the rear tractor tires!!

[EvelynDickinson]

The wife and I recently attended the Oregon State Fair where we saw an amazing collection of restored farm and mining equipment. They even has an old restored steam engine running. Very cool stuff.

Dave