Ford joins govt gasohol drive

BANGKOK: -- One of the world's leading automobile manufacturers today confirmed with the Ministry of Industry that it was ready to produce dual-system vehicles in Thailand, which will be capable of running off gasohol, as well as conventional gasoline.

Speaking after meeting representatives of Ford Motors this morning, Industry Minister Watana Muangsook said that the new vehicles would be able to run off 'E-20', a fuel made from a formula of 80 percent gasoline mixed with 20 percent ethanol.

Ford, which has already produced similar dual-system vehicles in Brazil, will enjoy a 10 percent reduction in excise tax as an incentive to produce the new cars.

The government is currently heavily promoting the use of gasohol as an alternative fuel in a bid to slash expensive oil imports.

By the end of next year, it aims to cease importing premium gasoline altogether.

--TNA 2005-06-10

Aren't all gasoline engines (or nearly all) capable of running on a 90% gasoline/10% ethanol mixture? That might be the most practical alternative in the short term.

I have never heard of Ford doing anything like this in it's homeland market. I wonder why?

Any mechanics out there?

A friend of mine likes alcohol engines and also likes gasoline engines. He does not like combining the two, as he says the alcohol eats up the hoses in a normal gasoline engine, and also decrease its fuel efficiency. Changing all of the hoses is a headache and a half for no better fuel efficiency.

Can I run another kind of oil in my old 2-stroke bike, like palm, coconut, vegetable, corn oil, etc? I ride it only when my 4 stroke is in the shop.

Any mechanics out there?

A friend of mine likes alcohol engines and also likes gasoline engines.  He does not like combining the two, as he says the alcohol eats up the hoses in a normal gasoline engine, and also decrease its fuel efficiency.  Changing all of the hoses is a headache and a half for no better fuel efficiency.

Can I run another kind of oil in my old 2-stroke bike, like palm, coconut, vegetable, corn oil, etc? I ride it only when my 4 stroke is in the shop.

If the old bike is a 'mix fuel and oil in the tank' type just about any oil that will disolve in gasoline will work Castor oil is particularly good (old racing engines used to use it) and makes a nice smell in the exhaust. You need to do some experiments as to the fuel/oil ratio to use though.

If you have a separate oil tank you have a problem, firstly, vegetable and mineral oils don't mix well and will clog up the oil pump (dead engine) also you don't have any control over the amount of oil being delivered and so risk under-lubrication (dead engine). Simple answer, don't use alternative lubricants in this type of engine.

Meanwhile, I don't understand why the govt. are pushing gasahol. Most heavy fuel users have diesel engines, bio-diesel is easy to produce, engines can use it without modification and it does not need to be mixed with conventional oil based diesel in order to work. It too, makes a nice exhaust smell particularly if made using used chip oil

Edited June 11, 200521 yr by Crossy

Wouldn't it be better to go electric?

Thanks for your input.

Thanks for your input.

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I am unknowlegdable when speaking of motorized technology. I was just asking a question, not providing input. Please excuse me for trying to learn something.

Ford Australia produces engines that can run LPG or Petrol.