FUEL WASTE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17862, 7 September 1923, Page 5

FUEL WASTE.

HOW PETROL IS LOST. Few motorists realise the fact insft despite the efficiency of tho present day motor-car engine, a considerable portion of the fuel that goes through the carburetter is wasted, and has no bearing on tho propulsion of tho vehicle. The losses which occur aro of two kinds, iviz., heat, losses, and losses due to friction and driving of auxiliaries t A considerable amount of tho heat energy generated on the firing stroke is dissipated in radiation, heating the cooling water and losses in the exhaust, bo that only about a third of tile energy is available to drive the pistons downwards. Only a certain pioportion of the horse-power is actually delivered to the clutch, the remainder being expended in various.directions in the engine itself. Tako an engine of 20 indicated horsepower. Of this power about 16 h.p. would be available at the clutch--(known as brake horse-power). Out of a gallon of petrel it is estimated that about 70 per cent, is dissipated in heat losses, 5 Tier cent, in fricton waste, and that only 25 ner cent, is actually available for transmission of power to tho driving wheels.