50-50 Petrol and Dery Give Good Results
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A LL Perkins oil engines will operate satisfactorily without modifica tion on a 50-50 mixture of dery and petrol. The lowest octane commercial spirit available should be used. This announcement was made on Monday by F. Perkins, Ltd., in answer to questions put by The Commercial Motor.
As this journal reported exclusively on February 8, Henry Meadows, Ltd., have established that their oil engines will give full power when running on petrol with the addition of 2 per cent, of lubricating oil. The injection equipment must, however, be modified.
F. Perkins, Ltd., agreed that satisfactory results could be obtained from proportions of petrol higher than 50 per cent, but these were not recommended, because the injection equipment had to be modified.
The dery ensured adequate lubrication of the injection equipment, but care should be taken to see that there was no restriction on the suction side of the fuel-lift pump caused by a dirty filter or a faulty feed pipe, which might lead to yapour locks.
No alteration to the injection timing was required, but the maximum fuelrack setting must be increased to compensate for the lower volumetric calorific value of the fuel and restore the power output. The rack setting for the P series of engines should be increased by 1+ turns out, for the L series by one turn and for the R series
by turn. With a lower content of petrol, adjustment should be varied accordingly.
Little long-term service experience had so far been accumulated on petrol or fuels containing petrol, said Perkins. There might be some reduction in the life of existing engines en-fuel-injection pumps before overhaul when fuels containing the higher proportions of petrol were used, but it was not expected to be great and satisfactory service should still be obtained.
Other intermediate fuels, such as kerosene, could be used equally well. Perkins warned operators to make sure that the mixtures were legally permissible.
TURBINE RACE IN U.S.A.
THE big three 'American vehicle producers are competing keenly in the race to produce an economical gasturbine engine.
Chrysler have increased their laboratory space; Chevrolet are experimenting with a turbine-engined lorry; and Ford are fitting a turbine in one of their new goods vehieles. • A turbine more economical than a piston engine has not yet been evolVed, but it is likely that a unit .for heavy vehicles be introduced before one for cars.
H.R.S. PAY TALKS
THE management of British Road Services met .the trade unions on Wednesday. to discuss a waae claim believed to be generally similar to that submitted to private hauliers.