Gadget news - All cars can use ethanol now

[MrBishop]

Adapter Lets Any Car Use Ethanol
Topic: Alt Fuel
Brazilian company ABC Esso will soon sell an adapter in the U.S. that lets any gasoline vehicle burn up to 100 percent ethanol.

The AutoFFV works with the vehicle's existing sensors to detect the ethanol/gasoline ratio and instructs the engine to operate accordingly. The company has developed adapters for Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Volvo and Toyota vehicles.

The company claims there are no cold start problems when using E85. ABC Esso says some fuel pumps that are not so ethanol-tolerant may have to be replaced, and recommends that owners replace their fuel filters after the product is installed because the ethanol will scrub out impurities that will be caught in the filter.

According to Vidar Lura, managing director of Abcesso, the product will sell for between $500 and $900, and the company is currently setting up distribution agreements in the U.S. He told me the product is used in Brazil, which primarily uses ethanol as a fuel.

If this works as advertised (no endorsement implied) it could be a big hit here with hybrid owners and others who are concerned about the environment and prefer domestically produced fuel.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2006/10/adapter_lets_an.html

 

[unclehobart]

Ack! Just say no to corn gas. I don't want to slowly die inhaling corn fumes all day.

 

[Professur]

Adapter Lets Any Car Use Ethanol

2 of my cars .... don't have computers.

Topic: Alt Fuel
Brazilian company ABC Esso will soon sell an adapter in the U.S. that lets any gasoline vehicle burn up to 100 percent ethanol.

Um, no ... it won't. See above

The AutoFFV works with the vehicle's existing sensors to detect the ethanol/gasoline ratio and instructs the engine to operate accordingly. The company has developed adapters for Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Volvo and Toyota vehicles.

I wonder what GM, Ford, Honda ... etc will think of that come warranty time.

The company claims there are no cold start problems when using E85. ABC Esso says some fuel pumps that are not so ethanol-tolerant may have to be replaced, and recommends that owners replace their fuel filters after the product is installed because the ethanol will scrub out impurities that will be caught in the filter.

Yup ... if I'm worried about cold starts ... the fucking equator is where I'm gonna look for a solution

According to Vidar Lura, managing director of Abcesso, the product will sell for between $500 and $900, and the company is currently setting up distribution agreements in the U.S. He told me the product is used in Brazil, which primarily uses ethanol as a fuel.

Not used in Equador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela? I wonder why?

If this works as advertised (no endorsement implied) it could be a big hit here with hybrid owners and others who are concerned about the environment and prefer domestically produced fuel.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2006/10/adapter_lets_an.html

I note it totally fails to mention the problem of increased heat production from burning more than a 15% solution.

 

[Mirlyn]

Don't the lines have to be a certain type? Thought I read something about gaskets and lines being special in flex-fuel cars.

 

[A.B.Normal]

Brazilian company ABC Esso will soon sell an adapter in the U.S. that lets any gasoline vehicle burn up to 100 percent ethanol.

The AutoFFV works with the vehicle's existing sensors to detect the ethanol/gasoline ratio and instructs the engine to operate accordingly.

So whats that a 0-100 ratio?how hard can that be to calculate ,even Profs non-computer car should be able to handle that.

 

[highwayman]

Don't the lines have to be a certain type? Thought I read something about gaskets and lines being special in flex-fuel cars.

Yea, the alchohol can eat up certain types of rubber...

 

[unclehobart]

This is my favorite gadget:

 

[highwayman]

Cool, does it do anything with floppy discs?

 

[unclehobart]

Melt 'em, I think.