> Have you thought about a mix of ethanol and butanol?  Butanol is
   very
    > close
    > to gasoline but it has a higher gel temperature--the ethanol
   should fix
    > that.  I don't know why nobody talks about using this longer
   chain alcohol
    > for fuel.
    > Steve Brazil

   Actually, bio-butanol is BP's big push for alternative fuel. And, it
   should
   be more company's idea. Probably the best of the renewable resource fuel
   alternatives and may be what we come out with, once Cheney and W
   figure out
   how to get a monopoly on it. <g>

   jofarr, soddy tn
   "Everything is possible, it is always just a question of money."

FWIW, I have a factory converted F150 pickup that runs on compressed
natural gas- cng has an octane rating of 130 and provides almost the
same power and mileage as gasoline (much better than ethanol)- it would
be perfect for a turbocharged application or any engine that has a high
compression ratio.  The best part, I pay $0.73 / per gallon equivalent
at gas station pumps, or I can fill my tanks _at home _with an easy to
install commercial compressor- called "Phill".  Natural gas is the
cleanest burning fuel around, only CO2 and water vapor
emissions.  Engines last a lot longer than gasoline powered ones do.

NG it is plentiful and produced locally in the US/Canada.  Methane
is renewable (natural decomposition product from garbage), but it makes
no sense to go to that more expensive source while so much natural gas
is just released to the air by the oil industry.  The current technology
uses composite tanks that are a lot lighter than the old steel tank designs.
Mike Parker


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