Ever Think About Running Your Car on Wood?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, this Serbian guy did! He's running a 1985 Yugo on wood and coal instead of gasoline!!! I figured I would post it in my continuing series of threads on alternative fuel sources. If nothing else, it's worth looking at for the laugh factor.
http://freeweb.deltha.hu/zastava.in.hu/wood-gas.htm

Here's a FEMA written book or pamphlet on how to do it. After doing another 15 minutes on Google, apparently this was a somewhat common practice during the Great Depression and post-WWII in Europe. I even found a few videos on You Tube with cars being converted and running on wood-gas engines. Weird, but cool. Anyone have an old pickup truck or some parts they want to donate to try this? I am down for it if anyone who lives around here wants to try to build one out of an old junker.
http://www.webpal.org/webpal/b_recovery/3_alternate_energy/woodgas/

 

[KrisW]

I think the part you may have missed is that it is most likely ILLEGAL. I'm pretty sure there is a motor vehicle regulation (due to safety) prohibiting this on a public roadway.

Don't even dare to let an environmentalist know what you're doing...

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

In FL, there are no inspections... But yeah, I agree that it may cause issues of the legal sort. I have a huge list of things to try out of curiosity, and this is by no means at the top of my list. I do think it would be fun to try though. If I were actually going to regularly drive it on the road, I would research it first to be sure it is not illegal (or find a way to disguise it).

 

[KrisW]

I am certainly a disguise advocate.

I know we don't have inspections, but we have those horrible DOT nazis running around everywhere and they are allowed to pull anyone over if they think there is a motor vehicle reg being circumvented. Not just big trucks, but I have seen them busting cars that are pulling trailers and minivans, too...

 

[KrisW]

...

 

[andrewmp6]

Im just shocked a yugo still runs at all.

 

[archerm3]

How cool would that be combined with some hybrid technology for short bursts of acceleration, and to take advantage of the "leave it idling" factor?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I want to combine it with a cheap 4 wheel drive pickup. That way, if you are in the woods and run out of gas, all you have to do is chop some wood and you're good to go! 😀

 

[beeterolds]

Im going to run my car on both HHO and E85... they say HHO is a great fuel economy booster....for gas engines....but gas burning engines get worse mileage when burning E85.. soooo im going to combine the 2.

 

[megaladon6]

i'm confused, HHO=home heating oil? that's diesel, it's not gonna help your gas engine. works well in my TDI though. 😀 i just averaged 56+MPG on the highway.