making a car more efficient?

[mr_bojangles]

carbon monoxide is a by product of burning gasoline

carbon monoxide burns with a blue flame

why don't cars have a separate ignition system fed by the exhaust pipe?

while the CO is contaminated, it still ignites

this could be implemented as a secondary energy source directly onto the driveshaft, or coupled more into a stirling type heat engine as an electrical source of energy (alternator)


i found one thing on wikipedia that mulls over it without giving any specifics

good idea? bad idea? how has this not been used yet

[mscoffman]

There is some carbon monoxide present in ICE exhaust but the amount is
small and variable depending on the mechanical condition of the engine.
There is a already a second ignition system in cars called the catalytic
converter. The catalytic converter burns up residual combustable gases
in the exhaust. The catalytic converter needs a certain amount of
fuel/oxygen so it can heat up to right operating temperature. Currently
there is no use made of the heat energy that is produced but a balance
needs to be struck so that the catalytic converter temperature doesn't
drop too low.

:S:MarkSCoffman