Thread: For Don Shilady

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Hello Rodger and '36 sedan. First I note "I used 3.667 gallons of 89 octane over the 63 mile trip" as stated above. Due to moisture in my garage I may have to use HEET several times in the winter. I avoided the 87 octane on the latest "test" worrying over the amount of ethanol in the 87 octane thinking there might be more hydrocarbon in the 89 octane. From several thermodynamic discussions I have read the mileage may be increased due to the heat content of the fuel and it is well known that ethanol fuel runs "cooler" so there may be added mpg in a fuel which contains less ethanol. On the other hand the octane rating depends on the slowing of the combustion process which may depend on more ethanol in 89 octane fuel. It is not clear to me whether 89 octane has more or less ethanol. Then some folks say that the highest octane is less frequently sold and stays in the ground tank longer and may have more water in it. Anyway Rodger, this latest test used 89 octane and I changed several variables at once but the result is slightly higher mpg. For '36 sedan, I am all too familiar with the better mileage on a tow truck already! Further you ('36 sedan) are totally correct that my mpg tests are the most fun I get these days so I try to think of new tests. However this time the test was motivated by the desire to find out if the trans fluid leak was fixed and evidently the added hose clamp did the trick. So the bottom line is that my wife commented that the car never seems to be finished but that is fine with me because the major changes are done and only "fun" tinkering is left. Each "test" is mainly motivated by "what test can justify a 63 mile jaunt up to Bowling Green and back and the satisfaction that I am driving a machine that I constructed mostly by myself" with help from others here and there over a ten year period. Jerry Clayton's idea of a later model small block will have to wait until the necessity arises.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder