Hi, I am new to woodgas, I have a 2011 Ford ranger, and I am wondering as to whether you can start an engine with only woodgas using the Wayne Keith method. The book mentions starting it with gasoline, but I would like to be fully self sufficient, and not use gasoline. Hence my question. Thank you if you are able to answer, it would be very helpful.
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Here is a video of Chris Seanz starting up a WK truck without gas. Typical woodgas startup, no gasoline - YouTube
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Welcome Billy! Yes you can start up on straight woodgas I believe a few folks here have removed the gas system completely. Place your blowers right and you can feed the woodgas right to the engine and crank up on wood, lots of videos of people during up in woodgas after short shut downs or stops. I think it was Gary L that had a few videos of this while he was cooking dinner on his wk build. Wayne himself has several startup videos with no gas
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It is easier to start on gasoline then switch over but it you have time no gasoline is needed
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I would add that a good wood gas mixture needs no choke. So if it’s super cold, and your “gasoline” won’t vaporize, your engine will start better on wood gas then with gas product.
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Alcohol never goes bad and can be made from basic equipment if needed. You don’t need much to start an engine, so a little on hand would go a long way.
Obviously 80 proof spirits from the corner store isn’t doing it. For engine starting you want alcohol purified as far as distilling can get: 90-95% IE azeotropic. 99% pure is pretty doable on a DIY basis from there if need be.
The law wants their alcohol taxes and regulates production on any scale, so there is that legal factor to consider. A small still, disassembled, would hide well in plain sight. If you are prepping, you are prepping for a time when that’s not an issue any way.
https://forum.driveonwood.com/t/2003-ford-ranger/254
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Bruce French back in April 2012 woodgasing his 2003 long chain driven dual overhead cam Ranger.
WITH a plastic intake.
And he had previous woodgasing experiences on much easier, more tars forgiving engines.
After this one he went back to easy engines.
If you want to hardest way-do: without any gasoline assistance, then stack the odds in your favor and pick some nice pre-1996 vehicle with thick stem 2 valves per cylinder; cam-in-block push rod engine. Like the earlier Ranger 3.0L V-6.
Or, figure on a lot of engine tear downs for bent valves and soots clogged intake on your woodgas operator beginner learning curve.
S.U.
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Must be a first generation wk? No hopper cooling tubes or gassifier mounted heat exchanger? I had not come across this video yet
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Yes Marcus , that is an old one.
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