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Conversion of 1984 Buick Turbo Regal to Use Methanol (M-85) as a Motor Fuel
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Abstract
Four 1984 Buick Turbo Regals equipped with turbocharged V-6 engine and sequential port fuel injection were converted to demonstrate that near neat methanol (M-85) is a viable high performance and high octane motor fuel. Changes were made to the vehicle's fuel supply system, engine, transmission, and the on-board computer software to optimize the vehicle's performance with methanol fuel and to increase its operating range. Acceleration performance was greatly improved along with excellent energy equivalent fuel economy and tow FTP emissions as compared to the gasoline control vehicles. The experimental methanol engine lubricating oil protected the engine from wear as good as SF oils in the gasoline vehicles. With over a year and 24,100 km (15,000 mi) of service each, these vehicles are continuing to perform well.
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Yee, G., Woodward, B., and Yuille, R., "Conversion of 1984 Buick Turbo Regal to Use Methanol (M-85) as a Motor Fuel," SAE Technical Paper 861592, 1986, https://doi.org/10.4271/861592.Also In
References
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