Seems like way too much effort for a 40 percent increase in fuel economy. What we need is an alternative fuel source entirely, as well as more efficient gasoline and diesel engines until we get that source. We need to defund the Mullahs, not lengthen the time that they will be able to suck money from the west—money that they have not earned through industry or intelligence.
Swap out a cam and timing gears and add a water tank and injector for 40% better fuel economy? I know a lot of trucking companies that would make that trade right now.
Trucking companies, farmers, anyone who uses diesel fuel in large quantities in a business would buy this technology tomorrow for a 40% increase in fuel efficiency. Guarantee it.
Here’s an example: on each one of by 125-acre pivots, I reckon (more or less) that I’m going to burn 1,000 gallons of #2 per year. Right now, that’s costing me about $2.50/gal, or $2500/pivot.
Assuming that I could buy an engine (or retrofit his ideas) into a tractor engine right now, that would mean that I burn only 600 gallons of #2 per pivot per year. 600 * $2.50 is $1,500, or a savings of $1,000 per pivot per year.
Times four pivots is $4,000 saved per year.
The depreciation lifetime (as dictated by the IRS) for a tractor (or baler, balewagon or other major piece of equipment) or a major improvement that increases the lifespan of same is 7 years. That would be $28,000 saved across all the diesel engines I use.
With that kind of savings, I’d retrofit the tractors immediately if I could. The smaller engines on this place would be second, but the big consumers of diesel are tractors for tillage. $28,000 is more than I’ve paid for any of the three tractors I own now.
It pencils out very well.
The world automobile industry has expended far, far, more effort for the last 40 percent improvement that has already been achieved.