Posted by
Dr. Fuelinstein on Wednesday, January 09, 2008 9:30:38 PM
I am a fuel and combustion researcher here in California.
I like many Americans am very concerned about our dependence
on foreign oil and our energy use. I like many Americans have a son doing a tour
in Iraq. I pray for him and all of our military around the world protecting our
freedoms everyday.
The main area of my research is finding small ways to improve
efficiency. I wanted to relate a story and a discovery that happened to me last
week.
I have some computer technology that I
hook up to a vehicle's computer that gives me all the engine data and other
parameters including instant average fuel economy.That
means what the car is averaging at that moment. I use a 50 mile predetermined
track during the middle of the day to get my data.
Last week I was doing a test on a 1997
Ford Thunderbird with a 4.6 V-8 engine and 97,000 miles on the clock. This
vehicle's original sticker said it averaged on the highway 26 miles per gallon.
The test protocols I was using that day were for the highway. I was taking data
at 65 miles per hour in cruise control , the car was getting 26.9 miles per gallon according to that data. Quite good for an older car.
After establishing a baseline I was to
test a new technology under those same conditions to see if there was any
improvement. To my surprise there was. The time was around 1:30 PM. But while I
was in cruise control at 65 miles an hour getting even better fuel economy I
noticed that I had become a road hazard while cruising in
the middle lane of the interstate in the Land of Fruits and Nuts. So I moved into the slow lane. (I needed to
maintain 65 miles an hour in cruise for the test)The speed limit of the
interstate is 65 miles per hour. Even in the slow lane I was a
hazard.
It suddenly occurred to me as other drivers were
passing me (giving me the international signal and they had Teach Peace bumper stickers) and while I was getting better fuel
economy. We don't have a fuel economy problem. We Have a driver problem. Here I am obeying the law
at the maximum speed limit and most of the other drivers are going by me much
faster while showing their disgust with me, and wasting energy.
So while the liberals in congress beat up on Detroit and their constituants waste energy.... Somebody should recognize that the automotive industry has done such a good job at
building our cars and trucks we think we can drive them faster than the posted
speed limit. We don't have a CAFE problem we have a DRIVER problem. Did you know
that for every 1/4 mile per gallon we improve fuel economy in the fleet we reduce our
dependence on foreign by 100 million barrels of oil annually.
Just think? If we all just slowed down and obeyed the law. We
might have lower insurance rates, safer streets and highways and very probably
put a significant dent in our need for foreign oil........by possibly hundreds
of millions of barrels of oil. It is the American thing to do.
Make it great in 2008
Kindest regards
Mike Colburn
Antioch, Ca