Engine Conversion Cuts• Miller's Costs
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Thames Oil Engine Returns 21 m.p.g. as Against 9 m.p.g. With the Ford V8 Petrol Unit : Conversion Kit Available QUBSTANTIAL savings in operating }•-) costs have been recorded as a result of an interesting conversion carried out to a Thames 7V forward-control chassis in which a Thames four-cylindered oil engine has been substituted for the original V8 petrol unit. This represents the second conversion carried out by Mr. R. H. Kilner, Premier Garage, Woodhead Road, Honley, near Huddersfield, to vehicles in the fleet of a firm of millers.
The first conversion was put on the road early this year, having been devised largely as an experiment in the fitting of the Thames oil engine into the forward-control chassis and especially to check the performance against other vehicles in the fleet which have been converted from petrol to oil. The chassis concerned was a 3-ton model with a rear-axle ratio of 5.85 : 1.
3-tonner Shows 21 m.p.g.
This change is reported to have been entirely successful, the resulting performance being well ahead of other oilengined vehicles of the same capacity operated by the company. According to the operators the vehicle has been principally employed on delivery work to farms within a radius of about 20 miles and during the period since the conversion a consumption rate of 21 m.p.g. has been obtained.
Loads carried have been about 31 tons and the weekly mileage has been in the region of 300-350. With the petrol unit previously employed the same vehicle with the same driver, .engaged on similar work, gave an average of about 9 m.p.g.
Following upon experiences with the original conversion, a number of alterations was made in completing the second change-over and Mr. Kilner has decided to make available a conversion kit. All the special parts are now in production and the price of the complete conversion, ready for the road, has been fixed provisionally at £310.
The engine is mated to the gearbox by using the standard Ford adapter plate, but at the front the whole engine mounting has been altered so as to suit
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a frame that is narrower than the ET6 design. A new front engine-plate has been made up to replace the normal 4D front-plate, the standard 4D front mounting rubbers being used. These rubbers are carried on brackets bolted to the web and bottom flange of the side members in the position occupied by the original front cross-member.
This cross-member is cut out and a tubular one, with welded-on bracing plates, is fitted at the front of the frame, picking up the original holes in the spring hangers and the front-bumper mounting plates which arc retained in the original positions.
The normal radiator support brackets are removed and conical rubber mounts are fitted into the interior bottom-members of the cab structure. The radiator is then suspended entirely within the cab front panel, being relieved of stress as between cab and chassis. The cab and radiator grille are refitted without alteration.
New three-panel engine cowlings are 'employed within the cab and an ET6-model flexible top-mounting is fitted to the steering column. The original ignition switch has been discarded and a fresh switch located in the place previously occupied by the starter button. A new starter pull-control is mounted on the gearbox cowling, adjacent to the handbrake lever, as is the engine stop contra The electrical system has been changed to 12 v., a single heavy-duts, .12-v. battery being mounted on the cab floor in the place of the passenger seat. This, at least, has been the practice so far, as the vehicles concerned are normally used by the driver only. Otherwise, a pair of 6-v. batteries will be employed, one being fitted under each seat
Self-contained Exhaust
Suspended in its entirety on the engine-gearbox unit, the exhaust system obviates all need for flexible pipes or mountings.
In carrying out the conversion, standard Ford parts are being employed so far as possible, these in many cases being adapted to suit new applications Plans for fitting the Ford oil engine to 3-4-ton chassis of other makes are under development by Mr. Kilner.