Multi fuel motors

[skeets]

Now I know there is a wealth of information in here so I will ask. A young man I know is in the Service and mentioned that his outfit was getting some new equipment with motors that were desigined to run on any type of flamable fluid that they could put in the tank. He said that the testing was going to be over the next several months and run through the desert, in the deep south and as far north as they could go for the cold weather tests. So what Im asking is this,, is such a motor really a viable thing? Could you use old used motor oil, trannie fluid gear lube,thined out of course, diesel or gasoline? Has anyone ever heard of such a thing before or was this young joker pulling an old mans leg???

[Eric McCarthy]

The military has had the same engine in their trucks for years. Like an old Kieser 6x6 can run on some pretty nasty ugly stuff and still power on down the road. You figure your out in some 3rd world country gas and diesel may not be readily avaible and you have to use whats on had. I think they can even run on Kerosen. It tickels me how everybody thinks that flez fuel is something new when the government has been using it for decades already.

[traildust]

Eric is correct.

Skeets, chances are your buddy might be out on a venture testing a new type of machine.

Back in my Army green day every thing was a Diesel engine and it would run on cow piss if you had it. The military has to go anywhere on the face of the planet so you need a power plant that can run on what ever is available. It is entirely impracticable logistics wise to try and accommodate several different power plants with its own type of fuel.

It's not uncommon to see a 5 ton truck get refueled from the same tank that a turbine powered helicopter just filled up from.


Scott

[skeets]

I kinda figured that. I guess the question was more along the line of how could an engine run like that. Internal combustion engine's all use the same concept I under stand that, fuel in, compress, combust, power stroke exhaust return fuel in...But I was wondering because of the different detonation rates of fuel, how you could keep from blowing the heads off? If you went from say fuel oil to gasoline.
Would these be of such a low combustion ratio it wouldn’t matter, like say 5 to1? Now I have my interest peaked Im gona have to do some diggin. Any more input guys???

[traildust]

Skeets, you're making my head hurt buddy :(



Scott

[Eric McCarthy]

Alls I could tell ya would be do some homework on Google and see what you can find.

[stuart]

In the back of my shed is a 1958 Allis Chalmers B-12 lawn tractor. The service manual details how to convert it to run on kerosene. To over simplify, put in an extra head gasket to lower the compression ratio (L head), then a separate fuel tank for the kerosene. Start it on gas, then cut over to kerosene as soon as it warms up a bit. Switch back to gas before you shut it off, to make it easier to start again. One day I should try this.

Stuart

[traildust]

1958 and she still runs :eek:

Would you by chance have any pic's of this tractor?


Scott

[Eric McCarthy]

YEAH lets see some granny tractor porn from the 50's

[traildust]

YEAH lets see some granny tractor porn from the 50's

Hot damn, now I really wanta see it :D

[Will In Tx]

Yeah the ole Texas Highway guys has some that run on propane, but just that.
If it was up to me I would get a duce 1/2 and fix her up!
Nothing feels quite right when gettn shot at and having her turbo screaming.

[Bulldog]

I can remember when I was just a kid raking hay with my Uncle's old MD Farmall tractor. It started on gas then had to be switched over to diesel to run on. I didn't understand the concept at the time but it's amazing to think about now.

[Bulldog]

YEAH lets see some granny tractor porn from the 50's

I think Eric has to much time on his hands. For that matter I really don't no what he might have on them after that comment. I'll never think about granny the same way again.

[Eric McCarthy]

Aint I just the worst!

[stuart]

Here's a flickr pic of one - mine looks just as bad.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46437437@N00/385899723/

Don't need a flickr account to see it. This guy has some neat stuff.

There is so much stuff in front of mine that it would take me a few hours to dig it out.

[traildust]

Pretty cool looking tractor. At first I thought the steering wheel was broken but looking closer it seems to be made that way. Is your like that?
If so, then it doesn't appear to be very practical.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/385899723_00f45a711a.jpg




Scott

[stuart]

That is correct for the steering wheel. Its a simple gear driven assembly, about 10 teeth around the steering column and a matching, almost straight driven gear attached to the steering arms. Hardly rack & pinion but I don't know what to call it. One turn lock to lock left to right. Its had so many years of turning mostly right (or was it left) that the end of the gear is stripped, and the steering wheel just clicks and rotates if you pull too hard.
Looks like he as the same problem - wheels straight but steering wheel isn't.

Mine has a 4' mower and a rototiller. There was a whole system available, including hydraulic pump, sickle bar mower, generator, hi/low range.
The unit came to me free when I bought the house in 1985. I used it for about 10 years, then got a green thing, but that was before I knew about Kubota.

[traildust]

Interesting steering and after you mention it the other tractor is out of alingment. With all the goodies they came with it might make for a fun restoration some day.

Your list of stuff had the sickle bar mower. Every year I go to the local rural olympics and they have salom races with Ford 8n's equiped with the sickle bar. They set about six wood steaks out and each one is less than the length of a Ford 8n' from each other. Obviously with the sickle bar hanging out to the left something like six feet you can't just drive real fast weaving through like a skier. What they do is get the engine to high rpm and use the shit out of the steering brakes to swing the entire tractor around and thread the sickle bar through. Without using the steering brakes they would never make it and the sickle would chop the wood peg. It's the craziest thing to watch.


Scott