Thank you wery much Max! I wish a tar free new year to you too!
My computer is dead so l cant update pictures, lll make a video later if you like.
For now, some updates.
It is interasting how “alive” the wood gas tehnology is. So many factors to lean, small things that are very inportant to work well as a system.
I found my biggest mistake before was l didnt poke the charbed enough at startups and refills (thanks JO). The ash started to buildup soon. I allso found at cooldowns the steam eats a part of the charbed, giveing eggsized cavitys that make startups longer. I poke them tight at lightups and l have good gas in about a minute.
Allso, this allows me to use much smaller fuel. I swiched from cigarette box size to egg-wallnut size. Since the fear of ash buildup is gone, a tighter charbed gives me much, much better turndown ratio and power.
The resaults are the cruizeing speed went up 10 kmh, 90-100 kmh at highways is doable. But what l am wery happy about is driveoff from a traffic light shorter of about 3 min is possible WITHOUT gasoline!
Shis sayd, in the last week, l drove about 600km and burned about 10l of petrol. Before, l wuld use at least 20l for the same mileage.
My theory is l had such a high petrol consumption before becouse there has to be a sort of a expansion container at the patrol suply line, and everytime l hit the hybrid swich it filled with pressurized gasoline, pushing it trugh the injectors eaven with the fuel pump off. Less hits on the hybrid swich reduced petrol consumption drasticly. Any thods?
Allright, Kristijan!
6.1.2017
Pictures, when you get your computer working…
Then the Y-build.
Happy the start-poking helps; I use it always after lighting, just before setting off, but only above the nozzles, because of cavities which form by startup and close down fuel consumption without any shakings. Kicking the silo does not work…
Not to kick in an open door… unless you disconnect your injectors from the electric circuit, vacuum from closed throttle WILL suck your gasoline…
To avoid error or limp mode, install a resistor box with relais switch ( available at any LPG installer )
Congratulations on your progress. DOW is a wonderful business: Right when you think you know it all, you learn something new. Happens to me almost every day
That cavity from sitting over night is a pita. Most of my oxidation zone is usually empty. I try to take advantage of that and light through that bridging all the way down the restriction. When it’s lit I drill all hole down to the grate and tap it. The hole makes air get sucked down and light the whole reduction really fast. I don’t poke much after that, only bust lose what’s glued to the funnel. The center will then cave in in the right order. By the time I’ve added wood I’ve got drivable gas.
I’m sorry about your gasoline consumption.
Hint (again): An electromagnetic shut off valve will pay for itself in no time
Koen,
those resistors might be something worth looking at. Ill pay them a visit thank you!
JO,
Yes, l do the same now with a strong vacuum cleaner fan installed now. I light the char on top of the restriction trugh the new lihghting port, then l open the hopperlid and with a pokeing rod mix the reduction char (glowing hot at that time) to loose the ashes. Add fuel and l can driveoff.
Edit; it turns out petrol comoatible electromagnetic valves are not that easy to get…
Yes l have thod of that, but then at every hybriding l have to first start the fuel pump and then the manual valve. Two operations that complicate things quite a bit. And my wife wuldnt be happy about a more complicated procedure
A electromagnetic valve culd be operated in paralel to the fuel pump. When it runs, the valve opens, when fuel pump is off, the valve closes.
I allso thod of a mechanical valve, to open only when a sufficiant fuel pressure is asstablished. I culd make such a valve, but here is a highly flamable liquid involved in diy mechanics, something l am not prepared to risk for.
Lets see first what the LPG guys have to advise.
I wonder if you had the proper valve that could be adjusted with a sort of rheostat switch that would be all you need to control petrol. With the valve totally off, the fuel pump would turn itself off when up to pressure and also you could add a little hybrid petrol with the valve cracked open or open all the way for conventional petrol driving?
Don,
Such a valve shuld be a sort of pressure regulator.
The fuel pump never shuts off, it always pushes petrol to the pressure regulator, then some goes to the injectors, most gets back to the fuel tank. At least thats how l understand this.
The fuel rail is always under constant pressure. So, one shuld put a nother pressure regulator to lower the pressure on the injectors or shut it off completely. But how culd this be made practicaly?
When I turn the key on I hear the fuel pump for a couple seconds and then it shuts off. I thought it would do that also if the fuel line was valved off if there is no return line from the rails to the tank.
Kristijan, I remember SteveU once mentioned a solution for this kind of feal supply system a couple of months back. I know I said to myself: This I have to remember. Well I didn’t, but I know it’s in a reasent thread - maybe even yours. Ha, I’m not beeing very helpful
Myne does the same. But if the engine is running, the fuelpump always runs. I think it shuts off when the key is on the run position but the engine doesent run to save batery. A fuel pump is actualy a big power sink.
JO
I realy cant remember anything related. I may have overlooked it. The last suggestion was that of TomC to disconnect injectors, witch proved to be impossible.
Winter shows its teeth. Yesterday we had -19c and problems showed up.
The throtleplate was frozen after a few miles of driveing. When l opened the throtle body l saw a iceblock behind the throtleplate, so my guess is when cold, moist woodgas passed the throtle body a sudden change in pressure lowered the temperature to a point the condense started to freeze. No ice anywhere else while the system heated.
A day before an iceplug must of happend somewhere in the gas suply line. Good power came when it melted.
And last, but certainly not least, l have problems with sparkplugs at startups. This is more or less a “warm climate” engine and moist woodgas isnt helping.
So, in situations with wery cold temperatures, the engine doesent start on petrol. No way.
I use a trick learned from my motorbike tuning days, screw out 2 sparkplugs, heat with a torch, quickly screw back in and the engine starts like a champ. At first just on two cyl, after a few seconds the other two kick in.
Kristijan, I like your tricks. Shorting cold batteries and heating plugs were both new to me.
Sorry about your winter temp problems.
A few days ago my throttle froze in fully open position after a mile of driving in -17C. Throtteled with my manual valves for while until it melted.
Thank you. If anything, improvisation is something l am good at (althugh l shuldnt realy brag with such things )
Ha! You lucky manual gas mixer driver. Myne has stuck in 1/4 open position, with no ability of throtleing (automixer). If it wuld get stuck on full throttle things might get tricky.
Santa(brother in law) broght me a full set of basic tools for the car so l can fix any smaller fault on the car imediatly.
Just came home from work, spark plzlugs neaded heating again… oh well, the winter cant last for ever…
Hey JO, did you had the yearly car inspection on the rabbit already?
Myne is in 5 days, lll have to strip of the system
Well, at least this will fire me to do some important changes (l am planing to make a more fulproof gas suply line)
Procrastination is my middle name. February 1st is when I get less legal. I hope I can get a day or two off lined up with thaw before that so I can strip down the whole system and go for inspection.
Winters really slow you down. I’m getting so fat I don’t know if I can get under the car
Hi JO,
There was a bad ball joint needed replacement, l got my wallet about half a month payment lighter and thats about it. All other things (emissions particulary) were wery good.
We had realy bad weather for outside work with freezing temps and lots of snow so l was unable to put the sistem back up.
Allso, a important thing is l live on a hill. So with a snowy icey steep road and front wheel drive the weight on the towbar isnthelping. I can hardly drive home eaven without it (did had to put chains on the other morning-hate that).
So unfortionaly dino power untill snow melts
But l did start to prepare new features like thick hard plastic 5/4 water pipe for the new gas suply and the new mixer.
Good to hear your inspection went well. I hope you will soon be up and running on wood again. I´ve seen you had about our weather and temps lately. No fun.
Yes, I DOW just about every day and have had no problems except for that frozen throttle ones. It was -15 C tonight when I went to work and the rabbit ran just fine. Above freezing forcasted coming weekend. Hopefully I will be able to pull all the gear and go for inspection.
