STRESSING the vital necessity of keeping commercial fleets operating continuously and efficiently for the duration of the war, Mr. Faulkner recommends that as much of the tetraethyl lead as will be available for essential civilian use should be set aside for a special-purpose fuel of approximately 75 octane number and made available for commercial operators who certify that 75 octane fuel is imperative to run their equipment.
Mr. Faulkner further suggests an all-purpose gasoline of not less than 65 octane, ASTM method, to be made available for civilian use in passenger cars and 1½ ton trucks which classification comprises approximately 90% of the total vehicles in use.
“When consideration is given to the fact that the majority of motor vehicles are operated at part throttle and light loads, we must recognize that a part at least of this octane hysteria has been brought about unnecessarily and has contributed to wasteful practices under a domestic economy,” Mr. Faulkner avers. “The public at large will soon learn that it is unnecessary to make a race at every red light and that, if they accelerate at much lower rates, they can operate satisfactorily and smoothly with a much lower octane rated fuel than that which they have been accustomed to using, all without necessitating any material mechanical changes.”