My s1r9a9m9 replication!

[hydrocontrol]

Sprocket, I believe with the plasma system you should be able to tune your fuel system to extremly lean values and still keep the engine running smooth.  This is the same as the firestorm plugs where they could get ridiculously high air fuel ratios and thus save a ton of gas.  So with a little tuning (efie?) you should be bale to lean out your engine and get great results.  I have not tested this, someday I will.  But for now this is untreaded territory.  It may be worth it, though.  Good idea.

The key here is to "tune your fuel system to extremely lean values" which will be hard to do with newer cars. Basically reprogramming the cars computer for a different 'fuel mixture'. Not going to be easy as the car companies have made it difficult to tinker with the computer. If you got an old car it might be easier. Either way it would be worth a shot since it would use the standard gas fuel and not introduce water that would could change the dynamics.

[mikemongo]

The key here is to "tune your fuel system to extremely lean values" which will be hard to do with newer cars. Basically reprogramming the cars computer for a different 'fuel mixture'. Not going to be easy as the car companies have made it difficult to tinker with the computer. If you got an old car it might be easier. Either way it would be worth a shot since it would use the standard gas fuel and not introduce water that would could change the dynamics.

Yes hydrocontrol you are very correct.

Trying to go very lean is going to be a difficult job on any vehicle, especially fuel injected engines. 

A narrow band o2 sensor only has its correct output in a narrow range from the supposed "ideal" 14.7:1 ratio.

I believe you can only add a small amount of voltage to the sensors output with an EFIE before you start going so lean that the sensor is out of its range and you have no idea what the real A/F ratio is except that its either running like crap or the exhaust manifold(s) are starting to glow

A wideband sensor can go to about 22:1, but I also read this: "Liquid water kills wideband o2 sensors - instantly." from this website http://www.factorypro.com/dyno/4gasEGAvso2sensor.html.  Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I don't want to spend several hundred dollars on a wideband sensor to find out.

I think the safe way(and possible the only way) to do it is to install an exhaust gas temperature gauge and take some baseline measurements with no modifications and the motor in good running condition then start making the changes.  Ideally you will notice power improvement and lower EGT because the heat has done its work in the cylinder instead of coming out of the exhaust.  The vehicles computer aint gonna like it though because it will think its running too lean from the feedback of the o2 sensor. 

[hydrocontrol]

Yes hydrocontrol you are very correct.

Trying to go very lean is going to be a difficult job on any vehicle, especially fuel injected engines. 

A narrow band o2 sensor only has its correct output in a narrow range from the supposed "ideal" 14.7:1 ratio.

I believe you can only add a small amount of voltage to the sensors output with an EFIE before you start going so lean that the sensor is out of its range and you have no idea what the real A/F ratio is except that its either running like crap or the exhaust manifold(s) are starting to glow

A wideband sensor can go to about 22:1, but I also read this: "Liquid water kills wideband o2 sensors - instantly." from this website http://www.factorypro.com/dyno/4gasEGAvso2sensor.html.  Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but I don't want to spend several hundred dollars on a wideband sensor to find out.

I think the safe way(and possible the only way) to do it is to install an exhaust gas temperature gauge and take some baseline measurements with no modifications and the motor in good running condition then start making the changes.  Ideally you will notice power improvement and lower EGT because the heat has done its work in the cylinder instead of coming out of the exhaust.  The vehicles computer aint gonna like it though because it will think its running too lean from the feedback of the o2 sensor. 

I feel it would be easier to get a gas powered generator going first and that will be the direction I will go first. Based upon the rising fuel prices the cost of transportation is not the only thing to start spiraling out of control so I figure if I got to sit at home in the future because I can not afford to drive to work then I might as well have some power at home so I am not sitting in the dark.      I am starting to get the feel that "Mad Max" may not be to far off.

"Expect to pay more for power"
http://www.kpic.com/news/local/22768929.html

"$250 a barrel if this happens"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080702/ap_on_re_mi_ea/oil_congress

[Sprocket]

@SG - exactly my thoughts regarding the Firestorm plugs - this would put them to shame!  I would also think getting your engine to run lean reliably is a trivial affair, at least in comparasion to getting it to run exclusively on water!  The cars computer is indifferent to what's tied onto the 02 connector, so 'fooling' it is not a big deal - there is just a voltage offset required, and there are a number of circuits already out there to do this...

[Sprocket]

Speaking of the Firestorm sparkplugs, (and not sure where else to post this...) I bought a few Bosch Super 4's, which having 4 earth electrodes, seemed the easiest way to attempt a replication.  Unfortunately, at 6 euro a piece and after butchering one in an attempt to remove the fuse, (not possible - it's embedded in the ceramic) I decided to work with conventional plugs instead - put the three others in the car, but have not noticed any improvement whatever...  Anyway, below is an ordinary sparkplug with a washer beaten into a dome-shape, attached to a HV source.  The fuse cannot be removed from these either so it is powered from the top, the lead stuck to a small neo which in turn is stuck to the electrode.  Not as impressive as it may seem 'cos the voltage is about 200K, mainly because the washer is too small, so the sparkgap is too large.  Still fun to experiment with...