Alternative Fuel

[stebo0728]

Hey guys just wanted to start a questionaire regarding alternative fuel. Does anyone out there use an alternative fueling system on their Z? Propane, CNG, or perhaps Hydrogen? If so hows it working out? I know theres not alot of room in our Z32 engine bay, and alternative fuels require extra components, such as fuel/air mixers, pressure regulators, and different carburetion components. Just curious as to any success stories. Not currently considering doing this with mine, but I just wondered if anyone had breeched the topic yet. Thanks!!

[evildky]

I believe someone was looking into E85 some time back but the cost of e85 vs the decreased fuel economy plus the shorter oil life makes e85 kind of a waste

[stebo0728]

Well E85 is a joke, it takes more energy to refine it from corn than the energy you get out of it in use, so its senseless that they even make the stuff here from corn, now its killer efficient when made with sugar cane tho, thats why brazil has the marker cornered lol

[Oh Em Zee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANFbAqvnLbg

[Oh Em Zee]

Used as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle because the coefficient of drag is only a small portion off from a prius, however it is 100 times sexier. and who wants their logo on a prius. seriously.

[stebo0728]

Nice vid makes me wish i spoke japanese lol, looked like it was hydrogen fueled, not a fuel cell, fuel cell = electric power, not combustion, still glad to see the vid, thanks!

[Oh Em Zee]

if you lurk around you might be able to find the version with english translations

[labcoatmonkey]

i thought hydrogen fuel cell is a more efficient way of transferring chemical energy into physical power, who knows maybe if the fairlady shed a bit more weight and got awd electric drivetrain... now thats a sexy insight into a z32's future. Someone posted a picture of an electric conversion of a Z half done, but I didnt see much of it after, Im curious of the specs.

[stebo0728]

There are 2 sides of the coin here with fuel cell technology, which revolves around hydrolysis. A fuel cell uses hydrolysis by passing hydrogen through a catalyst, combining it with air, and the oxygen in the air combines with the hydrogen, forming water byproduct, but the chemical recombination also outputs an electrical current, this current is harvested to power one or more electrical motors to get the car moving. There is another side to this coin, however, which is still proving inefficient, but shows promise. This method uses hydrolysis in reverse. A resevoir of water has 2 electrodes in it, each of different type metal, one is platinum and i believe copper is used for the other, but when current is passed through the water, between electrodes, it begins to break the water down, and 1 electrode collects hydrogen, and 1 electrode collects oxygen, the oxygen is vented, the hydrogen is collected, and used for combustion. If this method could be perfected to increase efficiency at or near the point of gasoline, then it would allow a car to essentially be driven on water alone.

[labcoatmonkey]

Oxygen is highly combustible too, its just more unstable. I dont see why both of these elements cant be used to power a motor? Maybe it would be two different technologies working together...

[stebo0728]

Actually oxygen is not combustable, it is one of the required agents for combustion to occur, any fire requires oxygen, fire is a rapid form of oxidation, and a fuel is required, that fuel is the hydrogen, and the oxygen required for combustion comes from ordinary air through a carburetor, same is with gasoline, but oxygen alone will not combust, only when in the presence of both a fuel source, and heat.