BTU's gasoline

[toyyoda]

I noticed for years the cars and engines getting larger. Did everyone forget what happened before ?
Then it happened again, gasoline prices went up. Now they want to put little engines in everything.
Did they forget following a VW micro bus up a hill ? You need passing power to get around one.
The race track is a good school for passing power.
If the

Comments

[theheretic]

So should there be a sensor to determine a running percentage of ethanol in any given fuel and thus impact the timing of the spark to realize max power from that fuel mix? Does the O2 sensor do that already

[toyyoda]

The O2 sensor monitors the unburnt exhaust gas's adjusting for lean or richness and the computer can adjust timing according to it's programing. That is not enough for optimum performance.
To run on alcohol fuel the cylinder head volume, piston head shape & compression ratio need to be ideal for the fuel. Which is not the same as ideal for gasoline. These are not adjustable pieces. The best "adjustable" option is a turbo.
The engine needs to be fuel specific built.
What they sell now is a dual-fuel compromise that runs on both yet not the best on either fuel. The problem with a fuel specific engine is that is the only fuel that can be used.
Poor performance, mileage, emissions if miss-fueled.

All the new "clean diesels" require DEF, diesel exhaust fluid, sprayed into the exhaust. Trying to clean up a mess after it is already made. Adding DEF , Urea, synthesized carbon dioxide & ammonia, to the environmental equation does not seem to be a good idea.