Vaporized Fuel Systems Proven
A creative young man by the name of Tom Ogle wanted to prove a point, and make lots of money, when he invented a vaporized fuel system for standard sized automobiles in 1977. The claim that 100 mpg was a distinct possibility on a 5000 pound automobile just by reorganizing a few dynamics of the fuel flow in addition to little to no fuel fumes.
The theory behind Ogle's discovery was really very simple. Using a stainless steel gas tank and re-capturing heat from the engine and radiator would expand into the gas tank, generating vapor for fuel. The end result was almost no fumes because of the absence of liquid gas being forced out of the tailpipe. On more than one occasion, Tom commented that engineers were focusing on the wrong area in order to cut back on fuel consumption, the carburetor.
Automobile models tested were a 1970 Ford Galaxie and also a 1977 Ford LTD, the latter fitted with a catalytic converter. Both cars were analyzed at the Casa Ford dealership in El Paso, Texas with test results finding that there were zero hydrocarbon emissions, and only .10% carbon monoxide. The dealership claimed to have state of the art analyzing equipment that had been approved by the government and used for regularly testing on all of their service vehicles.
Tom's Oglemobile, the 1970 Ford Galaxie, was further tested by himself and three passengers when, on April 30, 1977, drove from El Paso to Deming, New Mexico, a distance of approximately 200 miles, on less than two gallons of gas. Mechanics, professional engineers and an official from the Federal Energy Research and Development Administration were quick to try and find fault with Ogle's claims but had to admit that this was not a hoax.
The 26-year-old Ogle was in the process of perfecting and patenting his idea for use in mass production when he died of a drug and alcohol overdose. His patent died along with him. But the idea should not have disappeared quite so quickly. The proof alone that a new system was being uncovered and tested should have been enough for someone to pick up the ball and run with it. To think that gallons and gallons of gasoline have been burning, effecting air quality, playing havoc on our economy when there were other avenues to explore forty years ago, should have continued in the engineer shops of every major car producer. In fact, where is this idea today?
