Ameer Randolph
The evolution of fuel technology has come a long way since the early days of the automobile, with cars being tied to gasoline for most of their history. In the past, cars used liquid hydrocarbons, which were easily accessible and had desirable traits, despite the downsides of emissions and unstable sources. Early experiments with coal dust and moss spores by Nicéphore Niépce in 1806 and Rudolf Diesel in 1892 eventually gave way to gasoline, which was recognised as a valuable fuel source with the invention of the automobile in the same year. By 1920, 9 million vehicles powered by gasoline were on the road, and the fuel has continued to evolve, with lead being added to improve engine performance in the 1950s and unleaded gasoline being introduced in the 1970s. Today, classic car owners must consider the recommended octane level and the potential issues caused by ethanol in fuel, as well as the use of fuel stabilizers and lead additives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel type | Gasoline, liquid hydrocarbons, coal dust, moss spores |
| Additives | Tetraethyl lead, heptane, octane |
| Octane | 87, 91 |
| Engine knock | Detonation |
| Fuel type for older engines | 10W-30 or 10W-40 oil |
| Fuel type for newer engines | Shell Rotella T5 oil |
| Fuel stabilizer | Used in vintage cars |
| Ethanol-free gas | Better for vintage cars with metal fuel tanks |
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What You'll Learn
Gasoline was recognised as a valuable fuel for cars in 1892
The history of automobile fuel is a fascinating one, with gasoline being recognised as a valuable fuel for cars in 1892. This was the same year that Rudolf Diesel experimented with coal dust in a series of engine tests before settling on his famous compression ignition design. However, gasoline was already the preferred energy source by 1886 when Karl Benz introduced his Motorwagen, despite some people still favouring batteries.
The discovery of easily accessible crude petroleum in the late 1800s marked the beginning of the end for batteries as an automotive fuel source for the next century. Liquid hydrocarbons, with their energy-dense, inexpensive, and easy-to-handle nature, were simply better suited to the task of fuelling cars. Gasoline, a blend of organic compounds including heptane and octane, became the dominant transport fuel, though it has evolved over time.
For over 50 years, tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline to improve its resistance to self-ignition. Octane has this property naturally, but it is more expensive as it comes later in the crude oil distillation process. By adding lead, more heptane could be used while still maintaining knock resistance. However, in the 1970s, unleaded gasoline was introduced due to health concerns, and by 1996, leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles was completely phased out in the United States.
Today, gasoline remains the fuel of choice for nearly all light-duty vehicles in the United States, a testament to its recognition as a valuable automotive fuel over a century ago.
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Lead was added to gasoline in the 1950s to improve engine performance
In the 1950s, cars were becoming bigger and faster, and this required a higher-octane rating of gasoline. Lead was added to gasoline in this period to improve engine performance and meet these new demands. This mixture was known as 'leaded gasoline'.
Leaded gasoline was first introduced in the 1920s when American chemical engineer Thomas Midgley Jr., working for General Motors, discovered that adding tetraethyl lead (TEL) to gasoline increased its octane rating. This allowed engine compression to be raised substantially, increasing vehicle performance and fuel economy. Midgley and his boss, Charles Kettering, ignored the known health risks of lead, which affects the nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems and can cause behavioural issues and learning difficulties in children.
Despite these health risks, TEL was widely used as a fuel additive for much of the 20th century. Concerns about lead exposure were raised in reputable journals as early as 1924, and in the 1940s and 1950s, Clair Cameron Patterson discovered the environmental pollution caused by TEL. However, it was not until the 1970s that unleaded gasoline was introduced, and even then, it was not due to health concerns. Instead, the use of catalytic converters in cars, mandated in the US for 1975 and later models to meet tighter emissions regulations, started the phase-out of leaded gasoline. Leaded gasoline was damaging to these converters, and safer methods for making higher-octane blending stocks were discovered.
In the US, leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles was completely phased out by 1996, and most other countries have also stopped using it. However, it is still sold for use in off-road vehicles, farm equipment, and more. Older cars designed for leaded fuel may require modifications to run on unleaded gasoline, including the installation of hardened exhaust valves and seats and adjustments to compensate for the lower octane of early unleaded fuels.
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Ethanol-free gas is preferable for vintage cars
Vintage cars are often used infrequently and stored for long periods of time, which can cause issues with the fuel. Ethanol-blended fuels can cause problems for vintage cars for several reasons. Firstly, ethanol is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. While this can be beneficial to prevent water from accumulating at the bottom of the tank, there is a limit to how much water ethanol can absorb before separation occurs. In humid environments, a corrosive mixture of water and ethanol can form at the bottom of the tank, causing running issues and rust. This problem is exacerbated in vintage cars with metal fuel tanks that are poorly sealed due to degraded or missing emissions systems.
Additionally, ethanol can ruin rubber fuel lines, gaskets, and plastic and rubber fuel system parts. It is also highly corrosive to some metals. Over time, ethanol can eat away at the most vulnerable components of older vehicles. Furthermore, the alcohol in ethanol can dislodge carbon deposits from inside the engine, which can then move into areas where they choke the engine's fuel supply.
When an ethanol-gasoline mixture sits stagnant in a gas tank for an extended period, it can undergo phase separation, where water mixes with the ethanol, causing it to separate from the gasoline. This leaves a layer of alcohol and water at the bottom of the tank, blocking the gasoline from entering the engine and preventing the car from running.
For these reasons, it is generally recommended that vintage car owners use ethanol-free gas if possible. While it may be more expensive, it can help prevent the issues associated with ethanol-blended fuels in older vehicles. However, if the car is regularly driven and fuel is consumed at a faster rate, ethanol-blended fuel may not pose a problem as it is less likely to separate over time.
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Octane is blended with gasoline to improve cold-start capability
Older cars were designed for leaded fuel, but lead has since been phased out in the United States due to health and environmental concerns. Octane is now primarily derived from other petroleum products, rather than renewable sources.
Octane is blended with gasoline to improve its stability and resistance to "knocking" or "pinging" during combustion. Knocking occurs when the air/fuel mixture detonates prematurely in the engine, causing the engine to knock or ping. The higher the octane number, the more stable the fuel and the more resistant it is to knocking.
In the United States, unleaded gasoline typically has octane ratings of 87 (regular), 88-90 (midgrade), and 91-94 (premium). Most gasoline vehicles are designed to run on 87 octane, but some require higher octane fuel. Higher octane fuels are often necessary for engines that use a higher compression ratio or supercharging/turbocharging to force more air into the engine.
To improve cold-start capability, octane is often blended with gasoline. Ethanol, a renewable fuel source, is commonly used to boost the octane rating of gasoline. Ethanol has a much higher octane rating (about 109) than gasoline, and most gasoline in the United States contains up to 10% ethanol. This blend, known as E10, helps improve the cold-start capability of the fuel by increasing its octane rating.
Additionally, ethanol is a cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum-based octane boosters and has lower toxicity. While it has a higher volatility than gasoline, meaning it vaporizes more quickly, it can still be beneficial for cold-start situations.
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Rudolf Diesel experimented with coal dust in the 1890s
Rudolf Diesel, born Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel, was a German inventor and mechanical engineer. He is known for inventing the diesel engine, which can burn diesel fuel. However, in the 1890s, Rudolf Diesel experimented with coal dust as a potential fuel source for his engine.
At the time, anthracite coal was the national fuel of choice as it was readily available. Diesel was interested in using alternative fuels, such as coal dust or vegetable oil, for his engine. He even claimed that his engine could burn "any kind of fuel, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous". In his US patent application from the 1890s, Diesel discussed the fuel supply and injection system for pulverulent solid fuel. He wanted to showcase the versatility of his engine in terms of fuel rather than specify a single fuel type.
Diesel's research into high-cylinder compression pressures and fuel efficiency led him to experiment with coal dust. He studied steam engines, which were powered by coal, and found them to be inefficient compared to the Carnot cycle. He then moved on to internal combustion engines, which were powered by gasoline, but these also fell short of the Carnot cycle's efficiency.
Diesel's pursuit of the highest possible fuel efficiency led him in a unique direction. He understood that strong castings were required to achieve the combustion pressures for his engine, a lesson he learned after suffering injuries from several explosions during his experiments. One of these explosions left him hospitalized with health and eyesight problems, but it was during this time that he began conceptualizing the idea of a diesel engine.
While Diesel's engine can burn a variety of fuels, from coal dust to vegetable oils, the eponymous diesel fuel derived from the refinement of crude oil has become the primary fuel used in diesel engines. Diesel fuel is safer to store than gasoline as it has a higher flash point, and it will not explode.
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Frequently asked questions
Old cars used gasoline, which is a blend of organic compounds including heptane and octane, plus additives to improve cold-start capability and knock resistance.
Knock resistance is the ability of a fuel to withstand self-ignition. Knocking, or pinging, is terrible for your engine and can blow holes in the pistons.
Tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline for more than 50 years to improve its resistance to self-ignition. Unleaded gasoline was introduced in the 1970s when health problems from lead became apparent.
As early as 1806, coal dust and moss spores were used to run a single-cylinder riverboat engine. Coal dust is energy-dense, plentiful, and cheap, but it's messy to handle and has some explosive tendencies.
If your car knocks, move up to premium. If it doesn't, go with ethanol-free gas. If your classic car is only going to be used occasionally, you don't need to add a lead additive to the fuel.
