Cornfed Cruiser

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The fuel preheater was another matter. Borrowing ideas from MOTHER's experiments with her Chevy pickup truck (see MOTHER NO. 61, page 86), the researcher located a short piece of copper tubing having an outside diameter compatible with the inside dimensions of the motorcycle's fuel line. He then found a copper strap (about 1/2" wide and 3" long), formed one end of it completely around the center of the tube section, and soldered the two "penny metal" components together. Cutting the alcohol fuel line in half, resplicing it to the two ends of the preheater, and bolting the metal medium to a convenient "hot spot" on the engine allowed sufficient thermal energy to be transferred through the device to warm the fuel.

During more moderate seasons, Doyle found that the preheater had little effect on performance or mileage . . . but in cold weather, its presence tended to enhance the engine's operation.

Naturally, some people may be wondering what long-term effects the alcohol has had on the bike's fuel system. According to Ned, there was no noticeable deterioration. "I did encounter a slight swelling of the O-ring seals when I tried to reassemble the carburetor after a periodic check, but they returned to original size when they dried out. So, other than a minimal amount of white, powdery residue in the carb float bowl and fuel tank, there seems to be little problem with using ethanol . . . even though some of the carburetor's components are synthetic."

The bottom line, then—at least as far as Ned Doyle's 12-month experience goes—is that his twowheeled transportation adapted readily to "homegrown energy" . . . so well, in fact, that it may never see another drop of gasoline!

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