Comments on: There’s Still Room For The Fireman

By: Bill Corbett

Bill Corbett — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:51:44 +0000

I can remember seeing these cars running around in England during WW2. It was said that some of the not-so-honorable drivers would purchase a coal burning furnace and mount it on the back of the car. Then they would buy petrol on the black market and drive around using petrol while pretending to use coal. It was considered a very serious crime.

By: Jari

Jari — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:21:39 +0000

I think coaldust would tar the oil and do havoc to the piston rings.

By: Torgo

Torgo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:31:08 +0000

Jayessell, there was a car that ran on fine ground coal. An experiment from the early 70s – I think it was built into a Lincoln by Ford, or into a Cadillac by GM. They got it to work, but it wasn’t very practical. A small gasoline engine would start the engine, then powdered coal would be injected into the cylinders.

By: K!P

K!P — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:52:06 +0000

@jayessel:

rudolf diesel build one of the first diesel engines to run on coaldust, so it should be possible

(older diesels arent picky, they run fine on veggi oil, or even LARD, you just have to keep it thin enough to be pumped by the feul pump.

By: jayessell

jayessell — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:52:06 +0000

Thanks Eamonn.
I knew of woodgas.
An earlier Modern Mechanics article described DIY gas making and included several filtering processes.
My paperback ‘Handbook of Homemade Power’ mentioned it also.
I’ve seen photos of British busses in WWII with bladders on top to hold the gaseous fuel.

I’ve always wondered if coal ground to the consistency of talcum powder could be used in an internal combustion engine.
There’s a project for the MythBusters!

By: Eamonn

Eamonn — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:47:04 +0000

Jayessell, I found some information about WWII coal-powered cars.

“The gas generator was an airtight vessel into which was introduced a charge of wood, charcoal, or anthracite coal. Heat was applied to the fuel either internally or externally to initiate a self-sustaining gassification of the fuel in an oxygen deprived environment. The resulting “woodgas” was piped to the reservoir, or in the case of small engines, directly to the engine carburetor. Wood-gas modified vehicles were therefore technically a “dual fuel” vehicle in that a self-sustaining gassification of the wood charcoal, or coal required another fuel to start the process.”

It also said there was heavy filters so it didn’t trash the engine.

By: jayessell

jayessell — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:49:11 +0000

How would this work?
On the fly coal gassification?
I would think contaminants would destroy the engine.

By: Jari

Jari — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:06:16 +0000

“Snnniiifff” Aaahh! the smell of incomplete burning to create carbon monoxide for engine to run… Here in Finland, wood was used instead of anthracite.

By: Thundercat

Thundercat — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:03:22 +0000

I’m thinking this MIGHT fail current emissions standards.

By: Harry

Harry — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:49:03 +0000

Is that a U.S. bag or an imperial bag?