Letters to the Editor

Letters posted here are associated with the following article:
The Hydro 4000: Save 60 percent on gas?
Does injecting hydrogen into your engine increase efficiency, or is this a myth that's already been busted?
Farhad Manjoo [2008-05-09]
The letters thread is now closed.

  • It is physically possible

    I would be surprised if this worked, but I can say with confidence that it doesn't obviously violate any laws of physics.

    If you were to argue that the goal was to separate hydrogen from oxygen and use it as a fuel, that would be bogus: you're using the engine's power in the first place so that would be like trying to cool your house by opening the refrigerator.

    However, if you can actually affect the efficacy of the engine's use of fuel - and can do so without offsetting it by wasting power converting energy into hydrogen and then back again - it's conceivable that it could help.

    That being said I don't see how using the "5 to 15 percent of your fuel not getting used" could increase your mileage by "up to 15%." I also tend to buy the "if it worked, it would come installed on your car" argument in these cases, same as with a bunch of other aftermarket car stuff.

    -- Jeff K
    [Read Jeff K's other letters]
    Sunday, May 11, 2008 08:44 AM

  • typos

    OK, obviously I just got out of bed. "efficacy = efficiency" and that should be "up to 60%"

    -- Jeff K
    [Read Jeff K's other letters]
    Sunday, May 11, 2008 08:53 AM

  • this would work well with a hybrid system, especially a plug in or one with solar cells on the roof

    because the electricity could be had from another source than the engine.

    -- dick dworkin
    [Read dick dworkin's other letters]
    Sunday, May 11, 2008 12:51 PM

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