for sale: '66 tank that runs on whatever fuel you have

[dlb]

my kiwi buddy was looking up stuff for sale back home when he came across this. now what i'm wondering is how did a company make an engine that could run on so many varieties of fuel, even COMBINED types of fuel, almost 50 years ago without the idea ever catching on with other engines? i think takza and i know.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 561268.htm

[takza]

But...does it come with the Army guys? That would be a deal breaker for me.

As for the multifuel engine...probably doesn't get the best mpgs...and pollutes like a whatever? But if the fuel is free....

[dlb]

As for the multifuel engine...probably doesn't get the best mpgs...and pollutes like a whatever?

yes but this technology was in use 50 years ago. i don't doubt for a second that in 50 years of mechanical engineering, this style of engine couldn't be improved upon to run cleaner and more efficiently. it seems so absurd that i've never heard of something like this that i feel that there are powers in the industry that work very hard to keep such ideas from ever being explored.

[ARCHINSTL]

The "Gen II" M35 (famed deuce-and-a-half) came with a multi-fuel engine, as have all since. I think this was in the early '60s. The engine was derived from a M-A-N design.
They are all compression-ignition engines and weigh a ton. When using gasoline (actually discouraged), a quart or so of motor oil was added per each 15 gallons of gas.
Tom M.

[Petros]

most diesel and turbine engines can be made to run on any fuels, not always efficient but it will run. Turbines are NOT efficient at all in small sizes, but they are very compact for their hp output, the reason the military prefers small turbines to power its equipment, light, compact and can run any fuel. Of course I think the weight advantage is lost when you have to bring 3 to 4 times more fuel to accomplish the same mission. Of course very large turbines are very efficient, why they are used on commercial jets.

[hberdan]

You can always find a deuce and a half or a five ton for sale:
http://www.allbibles.com/ads/6x6_trucks.html
These are great off road vehicles but are heavy and get poor mileage, but they will burn any combination of fuel you can find.

Unimogs are more fun, and less expensive:
http://www.unimogsales.com/

[dlb]

man, i can't believe you guys are all already down with this stuff. i've never heard of engines burning any kind of fuel so it totally blew my mind.

[Tercel__jon]

The US M37 deuce and half had an available multi-fuel engine. Kerosene, waste oil, diesel and even gas, basically if it burned and was a liquid....you could put it in the tank. It has insane compression ratio which allowed it to do so. You can pick one up for about 5k now.

[ARCHINSTL]

The M35 was the deuce-and-a-half with multi-fuel engines; the M37 was made by Dodge and had a conventional L-head gasoline-only engine. The latter was the "pickup truck" of the Army and other services. I recall it had a pretty soft ride - well, sorta, anyway. We always just called it the "3/4 ton," referring to its rating. It was easier to drive, compared to its predecessor, the WWII Dodge WC, which was sorta like the post-war Power Wagon.
Tom M.