Reality of Fuel Consumption

[Clare Snyder]

>The biggest bottleneck to both performance and economy is 
>the legislatively mandated catalytic converter.  In order to work
>the mixture must be in a narrow range - stoichemic - which is 
>neither good for mileage or power.  What happens is that an 
>engine must pump out crap so the secondary scrubber can 
>work and clean the crap up.  Typical government non-thinking.
>
>Virtually all work on running on lean efficient mixtures has stopped
>because its a waste of time as long as devices are mandated and
>not numbers.  Until numbers matter more than devices, no one will
>ever see high efficiency transportation.
>
>"When some one gets something for nothing -
>             some one else gets nothing for something "
>
>If the first ingredient ain't Habanero, then the rest don't matter.
>Robert Harris <bob at bobthecomputerguy.com>
>
>
>----------
>> From: Dave J. Andruczyk <dave at scarlet.buffalostate.edu>
>> To: diy_efi at coulomb.eng.ohio-state.edu
>> Subject: Re: Reality of Fuel Consumption
>> Date: Wednesday, August 13, 1997 6:49 PM
>> 
>> > >IF you could capture ALL of the heat energy known to exist in a gallon of
>> > >gasoline, and get it ALL to the wheels, 100MPG would not be such a
>stretch.
>> > >A low-tech Austin Mini 850 from the very early 60's was capable of in
>excess
>> > >of 50 MPG. That engine is only about 30% efficient, by common knowlege.
>With
>> > >heat rejection coatings, fuel injection, full engine management, and
>> > >turbocharging, possibly a bit of ceramic componentry to allow higher
>> > >temperatures, it should be do-able. 100 MPG from a behemoth like a 61
>> > >Cadilac IS a stretch.>
>> 
>> Speaking of MPG, I used to own a 86 Chevy Sprint ( 3 cyl 1 litre
>> Carbureted (feedback) that got a consisitent 55-58 MPG on the highway with
>> a full load. ( two people plus luggage).  Not bad for a not so wimpy 1
>> litre, with a carb.  Ironically the newer version ( geo metro) gets poorer
>> mileage with fuel injection..
>> 
>> Dave
>>   
>
The cat is not mandated. Only the end result is determined by law, if you
are the manufacturer. IF you can meet the requirements of the law without a
cat, and have the money to certify it, you can. You are then a
manufacturer.Don't put the blame on the legislators, although they deserve
it for a lot of the crap they put together. Throw enough money at ANY
problem, and you can either solve it or make it dissappear.