Video: Gas saving solutions (gizmo purports to double car mileage when traveling > 35mph)

ABC News ^ | 3/24/2008

[eraser2005]

A few other notes besides the fact that many companies have been doing this for years already:

1) It really doesn’t save much gas. Some? Yep... but nowhere near 50%. 5-10%, tops....

2) They have been reliability nightmares in the past.

3) Even on new versions, owners tend to despise these systems after having to live with them for awhile. You can put on fancy noise cancelling systems to smooth the switching and kill the noise, but you can’t defeat one simple principle: The engine is no longer well-balanced when running on a limited number of cylinders. If you take a V6 that has been properly balanced and change it to a V4 or V3, it is no longer balanced. You’ll get extra vibration and torque on its mounts. What was a wonderfully smooth Accord V6 is now a rough Accord V3. The companies have all done fantastic jobs minimizing the impact of this imbalance, but it simply isn’t as nice of a feel.

[Neidermeyer]

None of the six half-waves are “discarded.”
**********************************************
You’re referring to the output to the bus/battery... the regulator IS discarding the other half of those “half waves” you speak of ,, if not they would be full (AC) waves,, and yes you’re paying in gas/diesel to generate the half of the wave that is discarded. If you don’t believe me wait until you have an alternator with a blown diode and then measure the output, it is AC not DC.

[Neidermeyer]

Eric has it right ,, Jaguar bought most of it’s electronics in the 80’s&90’s from Delco ,, in many cases you can peel off the Lucas stickers and find a Delco sticker underneath.. once you figure out the interchange you can keep a Jag running nice on the cheap... The biggest problem was/is poor wiring , especially grounds causing electronic components to burn up... The V12 used 2 seperate distributorless 6cyl GM ignitions as it was a cheaper and more reliable system...

[Old Professer]

The chinese noodle guy has a radar detector on his windshield...

[Old Professer]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect

[Old Professer]

“The system used a solenoid to disable a rocker arm, preventing fuel and air from being sucked into the engine by closing the intake valve, IIRC.”

I think that would lead to bent pushrods?

[Old Professer]

Nothing beats the imaginary egg under the right foot...

[ovrtaxt]

GM and Chrysler do this already. They call it ‘variable displacement’.

I almost bought an Impala SS last year, with a V8 that gets 28 mpg due to this idea. But the fact that I didn’t want automatic transmission and front wheel drive on a car hat calls itself an SS sunk the deal. I got a Mustang GT instead.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The truly incredible thing about all this is, it was discovered by Tommy Daniels of Universal Motors of Des Moines, IA (and perhaps simultaneously by others.)
Tommy had a little shop near the Fairgrounds and would do Jags, Ferarris and anything else no one wanted to deal with. His typical "Jaguar starting kit," consisted of a Pontiac voltage regulator, a Cadillac Delcotron alternator and the Mallory distributor.
For heat, he built his own radiator blinds which were little roll-up assemblies in front of the radiator with a cable running through the firewall. I could actually drive my '66 E Type in January without Sorel boots.
Tommy died about three years ago and there was a small notice in the Register but no good story about him. He was a marvel but never in a hurry.
He had a low mileage 2+2 E and a 1951 XK 120 coupe when he passed.

[PLMerite]

My old 68 Jag was “positive earth.”

[chrisser]

I think that would lead to bent pushrods?

This is from a Cadillac forum on the web. Can't vouch for its accuracy.

"Each solenoid has a short rod that, when activated, moves a disc that allows a valve actuator to move through a "window". This effectively allows the rockers to move up and down the rocker studs so that no valve movement occurs (the pushrod and pushrod end of the rockers move up and down together; the valve end of the rockers pivot on the valve tip). This causes pistons in the affected cylinders to move up and down with both valves remaining closed"

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Someone told me the V-8 Impala was a clumsy piece of work. FWD with more power than can be put to its wheels is rather pointless.

[ovrtaxt]

That’s exactly why I didn’t buy it.

[Uri’el-2012]

Sir Isaac Newton know more about gas milage than GM or the EPA.

I something to do with moving mass through time and distance.

Its all about curb weight and streamlining.

[Gorzaloon]

Eric has it right ,, Jaguar bought most of it’s electronics in the 80’s&90’s from Delco ,, in many cases you can peel off the Lucas stickers and find a Delco sticker underneath..

I guess they do all that. I once restored a 1973 Saab Sonett, and needed a distributor....The advance bearings at the breaker plate had rusted.

On a hunch, I visted a junkyard and went through the distributor barrell. I found something off a Pinto with a Bosch nameplate. Went home with it and changed the advance springs and weights from the Sonett's just to be sure the curves were right. Everything fit and worked perfectly.

I am shocked that it would be Delco, though I am sure no one ever built anything as bad as the Lucas crankshaft timing sensor for the XJ40. That just HAD to be Genuine Lucas. Who else could choose an Alnico magnet that lost its field over time...hahaha.

[Neidermeyer]

What year did Jaguar stop using shellac’d cotton as their wire coating... I know Triumph used it until 1980 as I saw a TR-6 burn up from that although I think the TR-7&8 had proper plastic insulated wire.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Not sure what you’re referring to. All the cars ran on gasoline.

[mad_as_he$$]

Cadillac Northstar engines use it. it works very well. A full sized Caddy going down the road at 80 will get 25mpg.

[steve8714]

Why don’t they put the old Mitsubishi silent shaft on it?