# cars that run on woodchips



## sgt.survivalist (Oct 31, 2014)

I read a book that made me do some research, and I saw a car that said it ran on woodchips. I was just wondering if you knew of anyways to convert an older model pickup so that it ran off of gas?


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

No, I do have a car that ran over a woodchuck once, but that's not really the same thing at all...


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Yeah I drive a hybrid, my truck burns rubber and gasoline!


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## tks (Oct 22, 2014)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> No, I do have a car that ran over a woodchuck once, but that's not really the same thing at all...


How much wood did that woodchuck chuck before he got trucked?


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

tks said:


> How much wood did that woodchuck chuck before he got trucked?


How would I know, I'm not some woodchuck peeping perve, I don't watch the hairy little fellas....


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## Sockpuppet (Sep 6, 2014)

Google is your friend. https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...al&channel=sb&q=automobile+wood+chips&spell=1

Though you could talk to these guys too.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Saying a combustion engine "runs on wood chips" is a bit misleading.
You *can* manufacture your own bio-diesel from burning wood, but that takes a bit of engineering and a lengthy process.
Not impossible, but not as easy as just pouring sawdust into your gas tank.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

There are plans available to build a "wood-gas generator". It burns wood and creates a usable non-liquid gas to use in engines, etc. Google wood gas generator. 
Another thing I saw years ago was a steam power conversion, but it was using kerosene for fuel. But you might be able to use wood chips.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

There was an episode of "Mountain Men" on a cable channel this past year about that. The dude in NC converted his old pos P/U truck to a wood chip burner. It did work but, not a lot of power. It took a bit of effort to pull a decent load and an up-hill climb almost didn't happen. 
I've read that this was done by hill folks during the depression and WWll when gas was scarce or expensive.

Here, found it;
Mountain Men Episode Guide - Season 3 - HISTORY.com
"Where There's Smoke, There's Fire" Premiere Date:June 22, 2014

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire Full Episode - Mountain Men - HISTORY.com

I think it actually was stretched through two or three episodes.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

In West Virginia your not aloud to cross county lines with fire wood.
(to keeps bugs from spreading) I bet they would look the other way for this


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

sgt.survivalist said:


> I read a book that made me do some research, and I saw a car that said it ran on woodchips. I was just wondering if you knew of anyways to convert an older model pickup so that it ran off of gas?


Do you mean you want to convert a pickup to run off propane or cng?


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## casual (Oct 16, 2014)

budgetprepp-n said:


> In West Virginia your not aloud to cross county lines with fire wood.
> (to keeps bugs from spreading) I bet they would look the other way for this


Same with NH, I have heard there are pretty hefty fines too.


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## Doc Holliday (Dec 22, 2012)

I have had all the materials to build a gasifier for over a year now but have hurt too much to finish the project... Hopefully I will be able to finish it in the coming year


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Gasifiers are easy to build and simple to setup - but you burn twice the fuel you get from the wood gas. It would be more economical to build a steam engine and fire it with the wood.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I have seen very old tractors that look like steam engines. Because thats what they were and that's the era they came from.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Yep!
Before diesel and gasoline was popular the steam engine ruled all high torque operations. The Stanley Steamer auto set a 127.6 mph speed record in 1906? The Ford '999' only went 112? mph and it was designed to set records. The '999' had a gasoline powered 1150? cubic inch four cylinder engine. The "steamer" could use wood, coal, oil, diesel, gasoline or alcohol to heat its boiler. 

The gasoline engine mass produced by Ford could be run on alcohol, kerosine, or gasoline but most ran on alcohol until the government started subsidizing the oil industry. The price of fuel is still subsidized even though we pay taxes on it. Without the subsidies alcohol would still be cheaper to make than gasoline.


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