Curt Fink's Metro project

Can some one tell me what link I should start reading to figure out what size to scale to for 55hp 1.0 liter engine

should have said hello this is Jeff and curt

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Our cruise rpm is 3000 rpm at 30 hp

I have another question when some gets a chance. We don’t have access to making chunks of wood but we do have pellets or wood chips which we can get very reasonable. What were not sure is if the WK instructions in our book for the grate need to be modified for each type of wood style or shape.

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You may want to check out JO’s rabbit build for a start. If I remember correctly his is 1.8 liter. You can probably change restrictions to run the smaller engine. As you are reading it pay close attention to what size fuel he uses.

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Wood chip from a tree service are usually green(wet) with a lot of unwanted stuff included leaves bark etc so they need to be dried and sorted (labor intensive). Use the search function and you will find several threads on the topic hope this helps

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These are purpose cut wood chips for the local paper mills. They come out of the mill. I’ll get some and post a picture. We had hope to buy them by the truck load and store them under black tarps like we do our lumber to keep them dry? Were just doing it for fun to see it work so we can go any direction I imagine.

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I read the write up on the Rabbit. I’m still trying to learn all the terms. I see its not a Wayne Keith Gassifier. Is it just possible to scale the system down from the plans and have some thing that will be tune able. I’d like to start collecting up materials but with out a size to start with I’m lost. The Rabbit engine is almost twice the HP of my engine and .8 liters bigger? I think it was a 1.8 liter. I assume its more about CFM of properly mixed air ratio than engine size for the burner. I’d really like to build the current WK set up scaled so when i have a issue at least the design can be compared to another for Diagnostic work.

What is the final use, automotive with speed and gas-flow variable, or more of a constant load, like a water pump?

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Automotive, Geo Metro. 55hp at 5000rpm, 3000rpm at 30hp 60 mph. Basic specs

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I am no expert. I would check out the “Mini-WK” posts. There is discussion on various sizes of WK firetube that might be tried. You might be the first one with a 1 liter project! I have owned 3 1 liter metros myself…

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I read that as well but there is so many conflicting ideas since there has never been a base line established. Is it possible it could be scaled to size or is there a minimum size you need for it just to work. I see guys building out of paint cans and doing small stuff? I have air bags on the back of my Geo to level the ride when I’m towing my trailer. They work well and a small version of the WK i should be able to install on a frame that goes in my trailer hitch receiver and not be heavy enough to make much of a difference. Ive been drawing up a design that allows some weight reduction as well like the frame work holding the gassifier being my cooling tubes as well. Plus the fact I assume I’ll be able to use much smaller barrels? though I’m not sure how small my pipes can be on the system being that WK uses two 2" pipes if a single 1" or 1"1/4 works or? Some things in scale might not work but I know the plans are over size for what I’m doing. sorry so long

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I have lots of questions as i learn more about this and i have read a lot and watched hours of video. Ive read WK manual a couple times now and feel I’m starting to grasp the idea as its much harder to under stand this TECH than i ever expected it to be. Ive built oil burners and did the viggie thing, installed propane units. This is almost like building your engine from scratch and if it works then the engine under hood will just come to life as well.

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I think Wayne uses two pipes for redundancy and ease of routing through tight spaces. If you use your trailer hitch, that is sturdy, but no more trailer pulling. If it was me, I think I would possibly build a trailer- mounted gasifier until I found out the sizing was correct, plus getting a Metro engine tuned up for woodgas. You would benefit from the advice of a more experienced person than myself. Maybe time to start an actual new subject post! That’s almost as fast as the chat feature! :grinning:

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Moved to a new topic.

It’s based on the same post engine. So, every bit as fast. :wink:

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Curt,
Wayne has said you should design for less than full power (all the time) operation in a vehicle. It is better to perhaps add some gasoline when a “burst” of power is needed. If the system is large enough to provide gas for maximum power, it will not be so good for parking lots and slow-speed operation: It will not be keeping the fire hot enough. I am thinking about building a WK system for my 2 liter Honda CRV. It fits in the “already have it” category. Building a Dakota V8 would be best, because that is proven to work well. Any other vehicle is pioneering, which many on D.O.W. have done! I believe the WK design has a wider operation window, “turn down ratio”, then the Imbert style, and thus is less critical in the dimensions.

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How well do the computers adjust the injector on time in those Dakotas running obd1 systems using the O2 sensor. If they 02 sensor sees the correct Air Ratio does it virtually shut the injector off in the pulse time? Ive never had the chance to run two fuels at the exact same time except when i switch from propane to unleaded and the lines have to clear out on the propane. The geo idle does not appear to go up or down> I never considered the ecm wasn’t adding the fuel tell the propane was showing a lean condition running the lines out. The switch over is almost completely seamless and you cant even feel it. This makes more sense now but what i’m wondering is how low can the injector pulse go? Is it possible to leave the fuel unleaded system on for say when you got to WOT and start using more woodgas than you have? Also do we know the best compression ration for this fuel. propane is right in about 13 to 1 and they work decent on unleaded at about 1 to 2 degrees base timing and on propane some super high timing marks. from the power reduction I may have to run on unleaded to pull my trailer. But its more of novelty for me. Some one must have a BBQ or a meat smoker in there set up. I have room under my air cleaner housing for a good size piece of salmon to sit and smoke.

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Dear Mr. Curt; I know this is called DOW and is hosted by Mr. Wayne who sells books on his design, but I am going to go out on a limb and say, “for small engines, there are other alternatives”. None has been as reproduced from one design as Mr Waynes has, and in most cases you will have to do some thinking on your own. The two I have in mind is the Imbert design which was the standard during WWII or the latest to gain favor with small engines is Charcoal gasifiers. There are several who post on here that are running small tractors, a Geo Tracker, and a small Ford pick up. All of these would fit very nicely into your situation. Then as I mentioned, the Imbert was the standard in WWII and there is plenty of information out there; it just isn’t all in one place for you to read the whole story at one sitting. I have a design that was done a few years back that ran a 1000 cc Ford and it is so simple that I have been looking for a reason to reproduce it. Mr. Ryder posts on here and he build Imberts down to lawn mower size and I run a 4.3 L truck on one. Very versatile…
I am just saying, you now have the book and can learn everything you need to know about the WK and possibly are seeing the challenges that you are going to face using that design in a small vehicle. Look at all the option.TomC

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That is the kind of info I was looking for. I’ll start reading up on the Imbert style. Can some one give me a description of what makes the Gasifiers different? Or maybe I’m wanting to know what makes one style more functional on smaller or bigger engines so I can start to put the pieces together as I go through the pages. Tom do you have a thread on here for your 1000cc ford. Was it a tractor? Gas or diesel I think of a 1000cc ford engine. Thank you so much for your help

Some questains are best suited for the preamium side of dow or the bought the book side of dow. The best trucks of the dakots were the 1993 too 1995 v8 dakotas, due too timeing ajustable abillity, and malti port injection advantages.

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