[Diy_efi] Evaporative fuel injection: or why they all fail

[Ben P]

Hmm well that sucks...

And you said something about needing X identical vehicles... what about 
targeting vehicles which have used the same parts in many models. I.e. the 
inlet manifold bolt pattern and port spacing is the same in falcons from 
1988 to current, and they have used the same inlet manifold from 
1994-curent. If you were making inlet manifolds (which this evaporative 
injection system will need) for cars like this, you wouldn't need a whole 
lot of variety to sell a lot of manifolds.

Another option is developing this system for an overseas market. Ie if this 
evaporative injection system was sold in america, the amount of potential 
customers just drew dramatically, especially if you then target common 
models/engines. ie how many americans want better fuel economy from their 
350 chev powered vehicle? it has to be more people than want better economy 
from their 4L OHC falcon...

just a couple of thoughts...

cya
Ben

>From: Phil Lamovie <phil at injec.com>
>Reply-To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
>To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
>Subject: Re: [Diy_efi] Evaporative fuel injection: or why they all fail
>Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:55:33 +1100
>
>
>Hi Mike,
>
>The cost of design test and production is often in excess of what a
>small market like Australia can return to investors.
>
>It is possible to estimate fairly accurately how many sales you require
>per $million invested, then you look at aftermarket uptake rates and
>conclude you need "X" million vehicles of an identical build so that the 2%
>uptake rate is sufficient.
>
>Really, since the 80's it's not even a pipe dream it's just a silly waste 
>of
>money.
>
>There was a rule of thumb back then that if you could lower fuel 
>consumption
>by 15% you went aftermarket or if you could lower production cost by 30%
>you went OEM.
>
>When our LPG Liquid Injection was ready for market we found that our 
>sponsors
>at the time, Ford Australia, had been spending a multimillion dollar budget 
>on
>a twin converter vapour system that cost about the same.
>
>This was despite featuring our system on the front cover of the Ford 
>in-house
>product magazine and never mentioning their own developments.
>
>It had "special air box retainers" that were essentially springs that were
>capable
>of saving the airbox from exploding each time the car backfired. The airbox
>cost about $300 and the taxi drivers were wrapping them in "ocky straps" as
>a solution.
>
>On top of that there is all the costs associated with manuals and training 
>and
>testing and spare parts.
>
>Worst of all our conversion had more torque with a std engine than Ford's
>Special Vehicle's go fast model with the funny camshafts etc. We all failed
>to grasp that even though it was better in every way it didn't fit into 
>their
>product line up and thus would never be sold.
>
>We always saw the improvements as a great selling point but it was really
>naive of us not to consider their marketing depts horror at the thought.
>
>In the end, the Boss of Tickfords (Ford's Partner in Special Vehicles) 
>Howard
>Marsden and his Powertrain Engineering Manager took the car we prepared
>for a "drive it like you stole it" ride around the industrial estate.
>
>After 20 minutes they parked in the car park and switched off the engine.
>The ticking noises as the exhaust cooled were loud. Nobody moved, the
>powertrain manager counted to himself and after 20 to 30 seconds he
>restarted the engine. We had just passed a heat soak test without fuel rail
>insulation.
>
>As I drove away that day I was thinking about buying an Island for 
>Christmas.
>
>It never happened.
>
>Phil
>
>
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