The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

The Chieftain tank had a multifuel engine that caused a lot of problems IIRC. 

 

Jamie

In my time we only ever ran them on diesel.

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, AndyID said:

ISTR some military vehicles are designed to run on a variety of different fuels. I'm sure HH will know.

 

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

The Chieftain tank had a multifuel engine that caused a lot of problems IIRC. 

 

Jamie

A diesel engine can run on almost any combustible liquid. Rudolph Diesel ran his prototype engines on peanut oil. The problems arise from the effect of the fuel on seals etc. within the engine.

[br2975]

12 hours ago, polybear said:

 

The advice I've read is that if you realise what you've done whilst filling the car then don't even start the engine, as this'll whack the repair cost up quite a bit; it'll mean pushing the car out of the way and then waiting for someone to come and either drain the tank (there are companies that specialise in that, or via the AA etc.). 

 

.

Many years ago, a colleague and I drove from Cardiff - Peterborough, to arrive by 11:00hrs

.

We then worked on the street ( football duty - Peterborough Utd v Cardiff City ) until 19:00hrs.

.

It was then drive back to Cardiff.

.

Around 22:00hrs we were at the M5 Strensham Services (still about 70 miles from home), where my colleague put diesel in our petrol engined Peugeot 'firms car' using the agency card to pay.

.

Luckily he realised before starting the engine.

.

A call to our force control room, and we were told there was a 24hr garage at the Strensham Services - which we found, and then pushed our car to their workshop.

.

They drained the tank (and no doubt kept the contents) and we pushed the car back to the pumps and refilled it with the correct fuel, and paid for a second tank full

.

The garage company charged for their work, and added a call out fee !!!!!!!.

.

On Monday, an irate Chief Inspector proceeded to take us to task, because the costs had eaten into his budget.

.

At this point I told the Chief Inspector ;

"You refuse to pay for overnight accomodation, so we worked an 18 hour day. We were both knackered, and that is why he put the wrong fuel in. If we'd crashed, your penny-pinching could have contributed to a corporate manslaughter charge"

.

The matter ended there.

Edited June 15, 2023 by br2975

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[monkeysarefun]

47 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

 

A diesel engine can run on almost any combustible liquid. Rudolph Diesel ran his prototype engines on peanut oil. The problems arise from the effect of the fuel on seals etc. within the engine.

A RAAFie bloke here at work had an old Peugot(?) that he'd modded to run on the old cooking oil  from the officers mess. Sure made you suddenly hungry whenever  he puttputted past and you got a whiff of the exhaust.

[AndyID]

45 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

 

A diesel engine can run on almost any combustible liquid. Rudolph Diesel ran his prototype engines on peanut oil. The problems arise from the effect of the fuel on seals etc. within the engine.

 

Good point! As long as the compressed air gets hot enough to ignite the fuel as it is injected I don't think a diesel engine should care too much.

[AndyID]

8 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

A RAAFie bloke here at work had an old Peugot(?) that he'd modded to run on the old cooking oil  from the officers mess. Sure made you suddenly hungry whenever  he puttputted past and you got a whiff of the exhaust.

 

I've been assured there is no truth to the rumor that a certain ex-pres had plans in place to convert the presidential limos to run on used oil from McDonald's.

[SM42]

Somewhere in the deep recesses of what's left of my memory I recall  being told that  Mr Diesel ran his prototype on peanut oil because that was how it was  designed to run,  as he  believed that the world's petrol supply would run out in a few years unlike the world's supply of peanuts. 

 

He was solving a problem before it occurred and in the process, accidentally revolutionised transport, especially of heavy stuff. 

 

 

 

Andy

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, br2975 said:

.

Many years ago, a colleague and I drove from Cardiff - Peterborough, to arrive by 11:00hrs

.

We then worked on the street ( football duty - Peterborough Utd v Cardiff City ) until 19:00hrs.

.

It was then drive back to Cardiff.

.

Around 22:00hrs we were at the M5 Strensham Services (still about 70 miles from home), where my colleague put diesel in our petrol engined Peugeot 'firms car' using the agency card to pay.

.

Luckily he realised before starting the engine.

.

A call to our force control room, and we were told there was a 24hr garage at the Strensham Services - which we found, and then pushed our car to their workshop.

.

They drained the tank (and no doubt kept the contents) and we pushed the car back to the pumps and refilled it with the correct fuel, and paid for a second tank full

.

The garage company charged for their work, and added a call out fee !!!!!!!.

.

On Monday, an irate Chief Inspector proceeded to take us to task, because the costs had eaten into his budget.

.

At this point I told the Chief Inspector ;

"You refuse to pay for overnight accomodation, so we worked an 18 hour day. We were both knackered, and that is why he put the wrong fuel in. If we'd crashed, your penny-pinching could have contributed to a corporate manslaughter charge"

.

The matter ended there.

I like your reply, sadly not untypical.  We once had to cover a big rugby league semi final at Headingley between the two Hull teams.  Our team of 4 were dropped at our post and told to stay there for 10 hours for the duration.  We talked to a passing mounted officer who told us that he had to do two four hour stints with a proper break during the match. Apparently this was due to animal welfare regulations as to how long they were allowed to sit on the horse. 

 

We managed though as my uncle. Iived nearby so we all went and watched the match at his house  supplied with quantities of white wine.. 

 

Jamie

Edited June 16, 2023 by jamie92208

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, SM42 said:

Somewhere in the deep recesses of what's left of my memory I recall  being told that  Mr Diesel ran his prototype on peanut oil because that was how it was  designed to run,  as he  believed that the world's petrol supply would run out in a few years unlike the world's supply of peanuts. 

 

He was solving a problem before it occurred and in the process, accidentally revolutionised transport, especially of heavy stuff. 

 

 

 

Andy

Somewhere in my memory there is something about the original Diesel plan was to run the engines on coal dust?

[polybear]

10 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

.....filled the Ford with E10 fuel – a blend of 90 per cent regular unleaded and 10 per cent ethanol - as opposed to the high octane juice recommended by Ford.

 

The same stuff they're thrusting on us now - with some reporting damage despite their cars supposedly being compatible; others are reporting less mpg so are having to burn more of the stuff to get the same distance. 

[NHY 581]

22 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

The same stuff they're thrusting on us now - with some reporting damage despite their cars supposedly being compatible; others are reporting less mpg so are having to burn more of the stuff to get the same distance. 

 

My 2001 Triumph Bonneville, despite being "E10 compatible" runs like a sack of what not on it and I had to rebuild the carbs after trying a couple of full tanks of E10. 

 

Needless to say, I now avoid E10 and stick to E5. 

 

Bring back 4☆ I say.........

 

Rob

[polybear]

9 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

My 2001 Triumph Bonneville, despite being "E10 compatible" runs like a sack of what not on it and I had to rebuild the carbs after trying a couple of full tanks of E10. 

 

Needless to say, I now avoid E10 and stick to E5. 

 

Bring back 4☆ I say.........

 

Rob

 

Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99 currently contains 0% Ethanol (despite being labelled E5) but a quick check shows that from Sept 2023 it'll transition to "up to" 5% Ethanol - which will upset certain Classic Vehicle owners (are you there, @PupCam?)

[Happy Hippo]

We went to the NEC from Telford yesterday with an indicated 1/2 tank of fuel.  It was less than that as the 'magic instrumentation' stated that the car had a remaining range of 130 miles.  Since it's 46 miles each way, I was anticipating getting fuel after our return.

 

However with the ACU running the entire journey, after travelling 80 miles the low fuel alert sounded, so a decision was made to refuel on the way in, rather than waiting for the next outward journey.

 

I was surprised, or had forgotten, how much extra fuel is gobbled up using the ACU.

 

Next time I'll open the windows and enjoy the fumes, although this de streamlines the car which allegedly creates the same increase in fuel consumption as running the ACU does!

4 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Esso Synergy Supreme+ 99 currently contains 0% Ethanol (despite being labelled E5) but a quick check shows that from Sept 2023 it'll transition to "up to" 5% Ethanol - which will upset certain Classic Vehicle owners (are you there, @PupCam?)

with the monkeying round with fuels, if I were in the market for a small aeroplane, I'd seriously be looking at a gas turbine rather than a piston engine.

 

This is a Garrett 1000hp turbine powered Legend.

 

It's a rather big and expensive kit

 

 

Performance is higher than the typical WWII warbird.

 

Initial rate of climb is in excess of 8000' fpm.

 

Operating costs are...

 

Who cares!

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

The same stuff they're thrusting on us now - with some reporting damage despite their cars supposedly being compatible; others are reporting less mpg so are having to burn more of the stuff to get the same distance. 

E85 (85% Bioethanol) was going to be a miracle fuel here a few years back given all the bioeaste we have from sugar cane etc.

Holden tuned their 6 litre V8sof the time  to run on it and it's the mandated fuel for the V8 Supercar series..

 

I've been tempted to give it a go but now very few servos stock it and it's usually behind lock and key to prevent people putting it in their cars cos it's way cheap and  supercars use it.

 

It's meant to up the power a bit but I drive like a bit of a nanna so probably wouldn't notice any difference.

 

[Dave Hunt]

On 14/06/2023 at 22:34, Dave Hunt said:

I think that my sciatica is due for a massive flare-up in about fifteen hours.

 

Dave

 

And lo and behold it did - for real. The moral ‘be careful what you wish for’ turned up and bit me 😖  

 

Dave

[bbishop]

There is a very disturbing report on the BBC web site.  No, not BoJo claiming that everybody bar him was economical with the truth, but that a genetically modified haricot bean can now be grown in this country.  And you know what haricot beans are used for?  Yup, baked beans.  So that's the last we will see of Flavio in this green yellow and pleasant land.  Bill

[bbishop]

The Yeti needs a fill up before our duty tonight.  Being a Yeti, it will run on whatever is in the tank but I try and remember to put in petrol.  

[Dave Hunt]

11 hours ago, Northmoor said:

It was a opposite problem in NATO aircraft operating in the Balkans in the early 2000s where jet fuel was far higher sulphur than engines were optimised for by then. 

 

When we were operating out of Gioa del Colle during the Kosovo operation we were told to expect slightly lower than normal jet pipe temperatures and hence thrust for a short time after we got there because of different fuel but I didn’t know why. Now I do.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

11 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

One of my neighbours has the most magnificent hosta , it has gigantic leaves that are blue. It must be about three feet in height and has no sign of any damage.

 

A friend of ours has the most magnificent hosts called a marmalade that has yellow and orange leaves edges green. It is about four feet across and nearly the same height. It is in a large pot on her patio and has no sign of slug damage. Jill is extremely jealous.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Somewhere in my memory there is something about the original Diesel plan was to run the engines on coal dust?

 

I’ve not heard of that but I do know that the US coal mine association (don’t think that is the correct title but I can’t recall the proper one) in the late 1940s or early 1950s had some trials conducted for using coal dust as fuel for railway diesel engines. The biggest problem was handling the stuff as it was so fine that it was very explosive as well as the slightest moisture making it clog up valves etc. I don’t know any further details except to say that it was a failure.

 

Dave

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Somewhere in my memory there is something about the original Diesel plan was to run the engines on coal dust?

 

I don't know about early Diesels, but very early experiments in Internal Combustion engines included trying to run the things on pellets of gunpowder.

 

Sometimes they became External Combustion engines...

 

[newbryford]

13 hours ago, AndyID said:

ISTR some military vehicles are designed to run on a variety of different fuels. I'm sure HH will know.

 

But can they run on cake? 

Or won't there be any leftovers if HH is involved?

 

[PhilJ W]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

A RAAFie bloke here at work had an old Peugot(?) that he'd modded to run on the old cooking oil  from the officers mess. Sure made you suddenly hungry whenever  he puttputted past and you got a whiff of the exhaust.

I once followed a Mercedes on the A13 and the exhaust had a distinct odour of fish and chips.

9 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

I've been assured there is no truth to the rumor that a certain ex-pres had plans in place to convert the presidential limos to run on used oil from McDonald's.

They (McD's) make a point in their ads that they use the waste cooking oil from their outlets to run their truck fleets.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

I’ve not heard of that but I do know that the US coal mine association (don’t think that is the correct title but I can’t recall the proper one) in the late 1940s or early 1950s had some trials conducted for using coal dust as fuel for railway diesel engines. The biggest problem was handling the stuff as it was so fine that it was very explosive as well as the slightest moisture making it clog up valves etc. I don’t know any further details except to say that it was a failure.

 

Dave

I once went round Ferrybridge C power station and the coal crushers, using 2' diameter steeballs, was positioned right by the boiler so that it was blown straight in being so explosive.  Union Pacific did run an experimental gas turbine on coal but it was not a great Success. 

 

Jamie