Batt. Supercharger
- Thread starter jw hash
- Start date
Mountain Dew
Senior Member
I am concerned about the vanes of the inner cone breaking of and being sucked into the valves and cylinders. They look like they are made from a thin sheet of brass.
Well, first of all, there is no proof that such gadgets do work. With the "100 MPG carb", the myths are always vague; it seemed that someone's uncle's third cousin's barber heard stories down at the corner bar and the myth grew from there. Wild conspiracy theories are repeated instead of hard facts, no real evidence proves such wild claims!
Heard of the Fish Carburetor? The myth says it was a 100 MPG carb. In reality, the inventor only claimed "up to 20% better fuel mileage". The typical car of the day got maybe 15 MPG; 20 MPG was seldom seen. So it was really a 18-24 MPG carb at best. Tens of thousands were built and sold by the Fish Carburetor Company, and they still show up on ebay so anyone can buy one and test it for themselves. Fish made enough money to sponsor a NASCAR car in the mid-'50's. But he never claimed 100 MPG.
As far as the "HHO" scam goes, it too is unworkable. The claim is that you can use electrical current from the alternator, pass it through a set of metal plates in a jar of water, and make hydrogen as you drive. Supposedly this gives magical fuel economy! Not true! It takes power to get electricity from the alternator. It takes extra gasoline to get the extra power, resulting in a net loss! Don't forget: A car engine is only about 20-25% efficient, and an alternator is 50% efficient at best. So a lot of the gasoline burned is wasted as heat. A gallon of gasoline has about 120,000 Btu's of energy. A gallon-sized container of hydrogen at ambient temperature and pressure contains about 42 Btu's! A typical HHO unit makes 1 to 2 liters of "HHO" a minute. "HHO" is 1/3 oxygen so that leaves 28 Btu's in our gallon of HHO and we only make about 1/2 gallon a minute. So there is not enough "HHO" produced to make any improvement!! It's all smoke and mirrors!
rotorwrench
Well-known member
Modern fuel injection and electronic ignition all with computer control gets the economy about as good as it gets and same with performance. To put a swirl tube device in the plenum likely doesn't help the vaporization all that much. The amount is likely just above negligible due to the amount of blockage drag there is in there. (One might help a bit while the other affect detracts a bit). It's most likely affect on economy would have been slowing down the fuel mixture to a degree that may have given a slightly better burn. The way a flathead is made, there is already enough chaos going on inside the cylinder to create a good burn but with the low compression, it also loses out a bit on performance.
Now an actual turbocharger might get the performance up a bit but then the economy would likely go down a bit too. It's always a trade off somewhere with these old flat motors.
Now an actual turbocharger might get the performance up a bit but then the economy would likely go down a bit too. It's always a trade off somewhere with these old flat motors.
Mountain Dew
Senior Member
BatInstall copy.jpeg
Still no luck with posting picture.
Still no luck with posting picture.
Mountain Dew
Senior Member
https://www.fordbarn.com/attachments/397203/
Here is a link from a previous post where I was able to upload a picture.
Here is a link from a previous post where I was able to upload a picture.
Mountain Dew
Senior Member
Would the extra length of the manifold have an effect? Sort of the same theory of a high rise manifold. I don't see any notable performance from an original manifold.
Patrick L.
Well-known member
I doubt the 'turbine' rotates. I think its suppose to sit there and get the fuel/air charge to spin as the charge passes thru it and enhance the flow/charge into the cylinders.
The manifold design could in itself [without the turbine] enhance the cylinder charging.
If I had one I think I'd leave out the turbine.
The manifold design could in itself [without the turbine] enhance the cylinder charging.
If I had one I think I'd leave out the turbine.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
It would cause a swirl or vortex in the air/fuel flow. My problem with it is the hour glass shape would redirect the vortex and hinder the flow more. A plain swirl tube would likely have been more effective but even that may hinder the mixture from staying in a good vaporized state. Some of the vapor may form into larger droplets instead of a nice even vapor flow.
These type of things were also developed for OHV engines as well and all it would really do is allow for a bit slower burn in the cylinder. This might reduce detonation but it won't do much for performance.
These type of things were also developed for OHV engines as well and all it would really do is allow for a bit slower burn in the cylinder. This might reduce detonation but it won't do much for performance.
Jack Shaft
BANNED
The browns gas generator actually works, a friend powered his Vw beetle with it. The car did burn to the ground from and electrical fire,and the generator was ungainly...but I saw it with my own highly skeptical eyes..
From the comment about the "ungainly" generator, I assume it was significantly larger than stock. Which means it took more power from the engine to spin it. Using more power means using more gasoline. The result is a net loss! While he no doubt made some "Brown's gas", it would not be enough to offset the extra gasoline used to produce it.
Wishful thinking does not replace science!
No, I don't think so! It takes a very special (very expensive) compressor to reach the high pressures needed to store enough hydrogen to get out of your driveway. And special high pressure tanks that won't be damaged by hydrogen embrittlement. Since hydrogen has such low energy density. the tanks needed would be huge.
Actually, the "HHO" systems in common use are on-board generators that only make miniscule amounts of hydrogen as you drive, using the vehicle's alternator for the electricity needed.
This scam seems to have died out in recent years, but just wait until gas goes over $4 a gallon again!
