Gas economy

can be improved

Says Richmond man

ALBANY, N.Y. (UPI) -
Canadian inventor David T.
Szloboda claims his in-
vention for dual fuel use in
autos can boost gas economy
substantially — and his son is
now on a 15,000-mile test
drive to prove it.

The newly patented
device — known as the self-
balancing. self-regulating,
apportioning valve — _ is
much simpler than its name,
said Sam Szloboda during a
recent stop in Albany.

The valve allows = an
automobile to run on any
gaseous fuel, such as
propane, or be switched
back to gasoline instantly, he
said.

Szloboda admits that
dueal fuel technology is not
new, but said his father’s
system differs in two major
areas; installation cost and
efficiency.

The device can be in-
stalled in one hour and will
cost around $500, including

the propane tank, Szloboda
said. Dual fuel systems now
in use cost around $1,500, he
said.

With propane about 30
cents per gallon cheaper
than gasoline, he said the
break-even point for the
consumer on the cost of the
valve will be about 8,000
miles.

The test car, a 1975 Dodge
Dart, is one of a line of 18
autos that have been tested
since the invention was
made in the basement of
David Szloboda's home in
Richmond, about !8 months
ago.

So far, after about 7,000
miles-of travel, the car has
achieved a 60 percent
greater fuel efficiency on
propane. averaging 24 to 28
miles per gallon as compared
to about 16 mpg on gasoline,
Szloboda said.

Szloboda said a 1600cc
Dodge Colt achieved 58 mpg
when fitted with the new

system, as opposed to 25
mpg on gasoline.

The valve allows an auto
running on a gaseous fuel.
propane in the case of the
test car, to do so while
bypassing the carburetor. -

In current dual systems,
both fuels are funneled
through the carburetor,
requiring costly additional
adjustments, which
Szloboda said causes a loss
of efficiency and _ per-
formance with either fuel.

The system works on a
vacuum principle, with the

propane being sucked outa -

trunk-mounted tank,
drawing the exact amount of
gas through the valve
depending on how hard the

engine is working, Szloboda
said.

The carburetor is used
only when the engine is
switched, by means of an
electronic toggle. to normal
gasoline operation.

b

B7.- Sunday News, October 25, 1981

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