On 10 Jul 2004 16:48:02 GMT, something compelled
(Shen44), to say:

BTW, I seem to remember an old CAT tractor whose engine started as a gasoline
engine, and when warmed up, converted to diesel....could be wrong.

There are some old tractors that use a gasoline engine as a
starter motor. You'd start the gasoline engine and then couple
its output through a clutch to turn the diesel engine, getting it
to start. I guess that was because they didn't carry enough
electrical power to use an electric motor to turn the diesel, or
maybe they did it that way because it's Just Cool.

Subject: The Andrea Gail had a gasoline engine
From: "Steve Daniels, Seek of Spam"


BTW, I seem to remember an old CAT tractor whose engine started as a
gasoline
engine, and when warmed up, converted to diesel....could be wrong.

There are some old tractors that use a gasoline engine as a
starter motor. You'd start the gasoline engine and then couple
its output through a clutch to turn the diesel engine, getting it
to start. I guess that was because they didn't carry enough
electrical power to use an electric motor to turn the diesel, or
maybe they did it that way because it's Just Cool.


I've seen what you are mentioning above, but for some reason, I remember this
as the main engine was started on and as a gasoline engine, then switched.
It was an old Cat dozer, and as stated previously, I could be wrong.

Shen

On 10 Jul 2004 18:27:18 GMT, something compelled
(Shen44), to say:

Subject: The Andrea Gail had a gasoline engine
From: "Steve Daniels, Seek of Spam"


BTW, I seem to remember an old CAT tractor whose engine started as a
gasoline
engine, and when warmed up, converted to diesel....could be wrong.

There are some old tractors that use a gasoline engine as a
starter motor. You'd start the gasoline engine and then couple
its output through a clutch to turn the diesel engine, getting it
to start. I guess that was because they didn't carry enough
electrical power to use an electric motor to turn the diesel, or
maybe they did it that way because it's Just Cool.


I've seen what you are mentioning above, but for some reason, I remember this
as the main engine was started on and as a gasoline engine, then switched.
It was an old Cat dozer, and as stated previously, I could be wrong.

A diesel engine has a much higher compression ratio than does a
gasoline engine. Not only does this make the diesel more
efficient, but it's what drives the ignition stroke. The
compression stroke on a diesel compresses air, and the diesel oil
is injected at the top of the stroke. The compressed air is so
hot it ignites the oil, providing power.

If you injected gasoline into that environment, you'd get
detonation so serious it would probably destroy the engine.

he
compression stroke on a diesel compresses air,

it does on a gas engine, too.

The compressed air is so
hot it ignites the oil, providing power.

it is doens't ignite, no power of course.

If you injected gasoline into that environment,

multi-fuel engine don't work that way.

you'd get
detonation so serious it would probably destroy the engine.

the problem on a multi-fuel engine is the low compression ration.

(JAXAshby) wrote in message
the problem on a multi-fuel engine is the low compression ration.

Huh? how DO they ration the compression?

variable piston size? (big grin)

the problem on a multi-fuel engine is the low compression ration.

Huh? how DO they ration the compression?

there were also farm tractor engines that started on gasoline and then ran on
kerosene. Honda Racing kinda did something similar a while back, because the
race rules limited the total gallonage of fuel available to a car. Kerosene
has more btu's per gallon, so (as I understand it) gasoline/air fuel were
sprayed in near the plug (because it would ignite well) and keresene/air fuel
was sprayed elsewhere in the cylinder. I understand Honda dropped the idea
eventually, but don't know why.

BTW, I seem to remember an old CAT tractor whose engine started as a
gasoline
engine, and when warmed up, converted to diesel....could be wrong.

There are some old tractors that use a gasoline engine as a
starter motor. You'd start the gasoline engine and then couple
its output through a clutch to turn the diesel engine, getting it
to start. I guess that was because they didn't carry enough
electrical power to use an electric motor to turn the diesel, or
maybe they did it that way because it's Just Cool.