Toyota Corolla Charcoal Vehicle Gasifier Project

My question is why would you go to all that effort for a 59 Ford? Other than Thunderbirds, which always had style it wasn’t until 63 that Ford build anything I would want to drive. I did own a 66 mustang hipo and a 1968 mustang 390 that was supposed to run 13’s but could barely break the tires loose. That was a dog with no legs. I had a 62 econline van but I put a 396 chevy in that so it doesn’t really count.

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Tom,
Glad you liked the car show video, and thanks for the compliments. “Sanitary?” That’s a different way of describing the “clean” look. I like it.

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Thanks for the video Steve . Enjoyed it much :blush:

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I decided it was time to do a more professional looking poster to display with the Corolla at car shows. Several DOW folks are represented in it. Thanks to Don Mannes for the original idea, a couple of illustrations, and his history of wood gas from which I used excerpts. You’ll see illustrations of Wayne’s book, Gary Gilmore and his Gravely tractor, David Bailie’s charcoal tractor, and Martin Payne’s Charcoal Honda dirt bike. This, of course, is directed to the US audience.

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Wow Steve, you are getting a first place from me. Very professional looking and informative on the pass and present things going on in the world of gasification.
Bob

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That’s the best part of DOW Forum, we have all walks and ways of life cooperating on here. Steve has a background in printing.

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Bob and Cody, thanks for your comments.

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I haven’t yet posted a video my charcoal-powered lawn mower, so I made one today. This genuine cold startup was not as smooth as I would have liked:

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Steve , "not as smooth as i would have liked " what you talking about any smoother and you would have slipped over !
Great demo now move the camera and mow some grass .

keep up the Great work
Dave

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You know its almost Christmas when you hear the mill grinding corn for grits and corn meal Christmas presents.

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Beautiful mill! Even double screened just like charcoal :slightly_smiling_face:

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Steve, that’s probably the first video ever on grinding corn on charcoal. Very nice setup.
I had no idea what grits was until Kristijan and I were offered at Wayne’s place :smile:

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Thanks, Kent and JO.

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I need some advice from those more experienced than myself. The Corolla has developed some problems which I have been unable to solve.

It has become more difficult to start on charcoal gas. It fires right up, but won’t keep running. After a number of false starts, it will eventually catch up and keep running. It used to start up and keep running most of the time as long as I opened the throttle a while before dropping back to a reasonable idle speed.

The second problem which I’ve experience the last few trips is that when the engine gets under a heavy load, it seems I am hearing pops in the engine intake along with a loss of power. It also occurs when I’ve been running in third and it down shifts to second. This has happened as isolated incidents in the past, but now it has become a regular thing. What could it be? What should I check?

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Not sure how your intake manifold is built. But this is what my 1992 Dodge Dakota was doing, it turned out i had a intake air leak sucking in extra air.

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Three reasons could be

  1. Air leaks.
  2. Air leaks.
  3. Air leaks.
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Or maybe an air leak?
Starting troubles described is often air leak

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To add my 2c to the wisdom writen by Don and Goran. Its highly possible that the sistem is failing to be airtight.

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It could be excess nitrogen, oxygen and argon Steve. I’m not a scientist but I play one on television. :disguised_face: :nerd_face: :crazy_face:

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Good morning Steve

I was going to advise of any air leaks but I think that has been covered :grinning:

Have you noticed any pressure or temperature changes that would correlate with the performance decline .

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