What's the point?

[adsm08]

Isn't group 4 oil truly synthetic, or am I remembering wrong?

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Group 4 is polyalphaolefins, which is supposedly some sort of fully synthetic, don't find it in nature molecule. I don't know how it is made, but I have been told that as an engine oil it does not stand up well, and was the original impetus for the synthetic blends.

Since we're now on alternative fuels, I think Brazil makes gasoline from sugar cane.

Ethanol fuels are not all equal. Corn alcohol, what we use here in the US, is actually one of the worse choices. Sugar cane stalks are a far better choice, but the US can't grow enough to make the volume we would need, so we use corn instead because Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ethanol fuels are not all equal. Corn alcohol, what we use here in the US, is actually one of the worse choices. Sugar cane stalks are a far better choice, but the US can't grow enough to make the volume we would need, so we use corn instead because Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

I don’t think a lot of the country has the right climate or soil. We can’t even grow enough of them for our sugar needs let alone fuel.

An alternative to $3 corn and $8 beans would be very welcome though.

 

[Ranger850]

Ethanol fuels are not all equal. Corn alcohol, what we use here in the US, is actually one of the worse choices. Sugar cane stalks are a far better choice, but the US can't grow enough to make the volume we would need, so we use corn instead because Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

But we import a lot of petroleum for fuel, and corn fuel takes more energy to make than it produces, Corn fuel was invented ONLY to give those people in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas a reason to even grow ALL that corn. it is the wrong remedy to too much corn and not enough gas.
Export some corn to import sugar gas problem solved. hahaha

 

[Craig0320]

Sugar gas sounds like a mixed drink you would get in the french quarter in New Orleans.

 

[Ranger850]

Sugar gas sounds like a mixed drink you would get in the french quarter in New Orleans.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

But we import a lot of petroleum for fuel, and corn fuel takes more energy to make than it produces, Corn fuel was invented ONLY to give those people in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas a reason to even grow ALL that corn. it is the wrong remedy to too much corn and not enough gas.
Export some corn to import sugar gas problem solved. hahaha

The problem is globally we produce too much corn.

IMO a better solution would be to hybridize sugar beets so they could grow in more varied conditions.

Corn didn't use to be 10' tall and put out 200+ bu/acre.

Fun fact, our 1978 combine that was built to run a 6 row head in the late 70's with authority struggles to keep up with today's yields with a 4 row head. It can't get grain to the grain tank fast enough, starts overflowing inside and running corn out the back. So we have to downshift and crawl thru the good spots.

If we could apply that kind of tech to a crop that we could really use it would be great. Then we would just have to fight all the lobbyists that don't want corn to go away and build an infrastructure to do something with the new crop once it is harvested.

And to bring this all full circle I know some farmers that won't touch an Ecoboost because they can't run E85... so it is Coyote vs GM for them.

 

[planeflyer21]

It was pointed out to me by an instructor (while taking Machine Tool Technologies) that the opposite of refinement (gasoline) is distilling (grease/oils).

He stated "As long as we have a society based on production of consumer goods, we will need grease and oil to lube production machines. Gasoline isn't going anywhere."

 

[Ranger850]

FYI Corn is what caused a lot of mutants to die in the LOGAN movie. You'll notice a lot of "corn based" items like cereal and whiskey. That was on purpose to show that we DO overproduce corn and nothing good comes from ALL that corn. Not saying it is useless, just we don't need so much.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

FYI Corn is what caused a lot of mutants to die in the LOGAN movie. You'll notice a lot of "corn based" items like cereal and whiskey. That was on purpose to show that we DO overproduce corn and nothing good comes from ALL that corn. Not saying it is useless, just we don't need so much.

If we didn't overproduce it so much things like cereal and hamburger would cost a lot more too...

 

[don4331]

How come they can make synthetic oil....but not synthetic gasoline?

I wouldn't bitch one bit if my pop came from a glass bottle instead of a plastic one.

Rusty:

Technically, 99% of your gasoline is synthetic aka man-made - feed stocks being much less than 87% pure octane. So, not much point in promoting "natural" gasoline.

While I too hate all the plastic, glass bottles were worse. Glass never degrades and glass pieces in hay, from broken bottles thrown from Rangers, caused a number of injuries to the cattle back home. Expression: "Dumb as an ox" has legit background.

And I can't help but think the 5.0 Coyote in my F-150 isn't that different from 2 - 2.3s Ecoboost separated by 90* - if necessary one could install the flat plane crank from the Shelby. And 600+hp/700+ft lb torque sounds like OK numbers - I'm sure someone would be willing to buy it.

Ranger850:

You can get away from weight in V-8. So, while MDS helps, the i-4 turbo is 80lbs lighter than the 4.3 v-6 (which is lighter than the 5.3 V-8).

Which of course allows an 80lb battery pack/motor-generator combo to get you a mild hybrid (and collect EPA's CAFE credits as you wanted some gov't conspiracy in this. )

adms08:

Isn't GM using different cam lobes to de-activate cylinders? Cam lobe changes driven in a manner (oil pressure) similar to Ford's cam synchronizers. Given the forces on a valve, variable length stems seems like extravagant solution to the problem