tive fuel for petrolngined vans
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TQLKSWAGEN in Germany is currently carrying out a test irogramme involving the use of methanol as an alternative fuel or petrol-ertgined LT vans, writes CM's engineering editor. The roject is intended for fuel saving in the long term.
VW is making no claims hat methanol is more ,conomical. In fact the )pposite is true, as the methaLel costs 20 per cent more than oetrol; but the use of the Llcohol fuel saves the petrol vhich would otherwise have )en used. For example, a 10 P;allon-capacity fuel tank you'd require only 8.5 gallons petrol: the remaining 1.5 ;allons would comprise nethanol.
Most of the test vehicles are :u rently running on a mixu e of 85 per cent petrol and [5 per cent methanol although ;everal LTs in West Berlin are )perating satisfactorily on 100 )er cent methanol.
The test Volkswagens are )eing operated by government iuthorities, including the .a." way and the postal service. ere is no intention at the 11 ment to offer a methanol iersion for private usage.
e Audi spark ignition enii4e needs few modifications to run on 15 per cent methanol Al hough a change in corn pr ssion ratio from 8.5 to 12 to 1 s required for 100 per cent bebause of the increased octane rating. The carburettor je s are changed and a pre warming device is required for cold starting.
At present, there are around 10 filling stations in Berlin where methanol is available. Other cities with similar facilities are Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Diisseldorf and Hamburg.
I drove a VW LT 28 running on the methanol/petrol mixture from the Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg to the company's proving ground at Ehra-Lessien and found it surprisingly tractable at low revs.
Compared with the petrol version there was no obvious difference in performance at all although it proved somewhat reluctant to start when hot. Judged by the amount of cold air trunking aimed at the carburettor, I was not alone in finding this.
The LTwas very quiet at all speeds and I doubt whether anyone who did not know what fuel was being used would notice its non-standard specification.