Price Gouging after the Flood

[sauerkraut]

I'll tell ya something else that is a big rip-off, it's that ethenoal blend they are trying to force on us. It does not have the bang per gallon of gasoline, It builds up more carbon in your engine, your miles per gallon drops and it increases corn and food prices. It's totally nuts to use a product that is also used for food as a engine fuel. The using of that E-85 is also nuts and it's not much cheaper than gasoline and your mileage drops way down. Why don't they start a push to use natural gas instead of that E-85 junk? No one is even talking about natural gas as a fuel, we have plenty of it and it's currently cheap- (but I know it won't stay cheap if everyone started to use it).

[AMP]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by AMP

The sales rep for Slick 50 carried around with him a 5 hp Briggs & Stratton Engine that had a plexiglass cover exposing the view of the con rod and crank.  He ran that same engine for years during his demonstration talks, with zero oil in it.  

Did you ride around with your hand ready to grab the clutch for the potential lock-up at any second?

I've been through a few hair-raising lock-ups.

Actually I was not believing his story line during his presentation and that is what got the demonstration started.  He offered to pay for any internal bearing or mechanical damages to the engine should it sustain any during the torture test. I could not pass this deal up.  An offer to intentionally damage an engine, plus get paid to perform the repairs, too sweet.  

Yes I absolutly rode the first few miles using the "two finger two stroke twitch" on the clutch lever.  But the more I thought about how the transmission and engine share the same oil in most of those japanese engineered engines, it would not of done much had the output shaft bearing siezed while doing 70mph down the highway.  Gary Thomas, who now owns Bulldog Security at the Cains Ballroom was the passenger who rode from Owasso to Tulsa on the thing a couple of times we me.  Jay Osborn, who now works in ground vehicle and facility maintenance at American Airlines was the mechanic that treated the engine and removed the oil filter.  Jim Sharp and Pat Davidson were the mechanics at the dealership.   None of us could believe the thing held together. Everyone would look at it and just shake their heads.  

I did wear my race leathers the first few times out on the highway during the test just to be safe.  Once I discoverd the thing was not going to sieze, under normal use, we hammered the thing a few times doing some burnouts and running it up to the red line through the gears.  Never had a problem.  

Glad there was no bet made on that deal, I would of lost it.  

[AMP]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I'll tell ya something else that is a big rip-off, it's that ethenoal blend they are trying to force on us. It does not have the bang per gallon of gasoline, It builds up more carbon in your engine, your miles per gallon drops and it increases corn and food prices. It's totally nuts to use a product that is also used for food as a engine fuel. The using of that E-85 is also nuts and it's not much cheaper than gasoline and your mileage drops way down. Why don't they start a push to use natural gas instead of that E-85 junk? No one is even talking about natural gas as a fuel, we have plenty of it and it's currently cheap- (but I know it won't stay cheap if everyone started to use it).

Actually Tom Sewell with Tulsa Gas Technologies has the best answer to today's high cost of energy, just as mentioned before.  Compressed Natural Gas, it is a wise and cost effective choice.  As with anything mechanical or analog, the downside is the initial cost of conversion and locating a retail refilling station. Or investing in a home or office refilling compressor pump system.    

Upside is reduced contamination of motor oil, reduced wear on piston rings and mechanical parts (your engine lasts longer) and of course the obvious instant savings on what it costs to propel your vehicle per mile.  

For information on CNG check out Tulsa Gas Tech
http://www.tulsagastech.com/

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Old Drag Racing saying was Gasoline is for getting to the track, Alcohol is for drinking the victory toast, and Nitro Methane is for Racing.  

There are charts showing the BTU energy from burning specific forms of liquid fuels.  Actually Methanol is one of the lower ones and requires more fuel to produce the same amount of BTU compared to gasoline or diesel which is
one of the higher ones.



Advantage to running Methanol in racing engines is the reduction of detonation under heavy loads of torque.  It also cools the intake manifold and internal top end parts allowing the engine design to have higher compression ratios or use intake manifold pressure by way of a turbo charger or mechanical supercharger.  

These same systems are of course used on large trucks and tractors and other devices burning much higher Btu producing diesel fuel, however they suffer from a weight handicap being forced to run large cumbersome inner coolers and giant radiators and the like. Not for high speed racing, however they do work on the giant Tractor Pull Machines you may of watched on TV or seen at the State Fairs.

There is always a trade off with most anything mechanical.  What is gained on one side is lost in a percentage of that gain on the other.  

[sauerkraut]

Yeah, I think that nat. gas would be the best way to go- why not a nat. gas hy-bird car and push to have gas stations sell nat. gas, (plus you can fill up at home to if you have nat. gas in your house). I agree it's very stupid to use a food source as  a fuel for motor vehicles. Corn/corn products are used in just about everything we eat. To  use something we eat as a fuel source is very bad. I can't believe they are pushing to use more corn products as fuel.[xx(]

[AMP]

I always proposed the use of Nuclear power to run Trains, Trucks and Heavy Equipment.  But because of the introduction of Radiation in the form of a weapon, seems we mere humans will continue to burn our food source to move matter around on friction wheels and through water.  

I still wish we knew the real method used to move the giant stones of the Pyramids?

[patric]

I meant to wait until after dark to buy gas,
really.
Too many consecutive Ozone Alert days (and my crummy memory) put me in a position where I had to gas up today while it's still daylight (a sin, I know).  
...but on my way home tonight I see the QT raised the price a dime within the past few hours.

Ohmygawd, there's a remnant of a hurricane heading our way.  
Might affect production from somewhere where we dont get our gas from.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

those of us filling up for $1 a gal with natural gas are laughing right now.

this is all the more reason why refineries should be nationalized until there are enough to have a true market economy.

You dont get out of town much do you....