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          Isuzu Trooper Bighorn 1994 3.1 TDI  

                               138478 Kms. Pantone fuel processor installation.14th February 2007                     

The bubbler tank holds water which is sucked into the engine via a endothermic reactor fitted in the exhaust system. After a few thousand Kms the engine should start using more water therefore reducing the diesel consumption and making emissions cleaner. More information on the process is available HERE . This is a google translation from French to English but you can read the pages very well.

Stats for fuel and water consumption  Stats will restart in January 2008.Updated 17/03/08

The latest additional pipe work to be added has finally, at last, been done.

New photos at the bottom of the page.

The system now needs retuning in order to recommence new trials but appears to be working.

This involved drilling a small hole in the exhaust pipe work and routing the output to the air intake of the bubbler tank as the cars own air intake was not strong enough to suck the vapour into the engine by itself. This is now making the bubbler work correctly but it's output needs regulating.

   Engine running normally just after installation. Then I took the Isuzu for test run of 10Kms.Engine seemed quieter, smoother and acceleration was slightly better. After 5Kms some grey smoke came out of tailpipe and the engine stuttered but recovered in about 5 seconds, after that it ran fine. Back home I undid the air intake after the air filter and put my hand over the pipe to make the pipe line to the bubbler tank develope an even greater vacuum. Increasing the rpm to about 2000 you could hear the bubbler tank "bubbling" and steam came out of the exhaust. Upon reassemble there was still a reasonable vacuum on the bubbler tank air inlet. I will start accurate measurements of water consumption after a couple of days.

Many thanks goes to Dave for the reactor, John for the use of his workshop and construction of the tank and HJ for giving me most of the ideas and inspiration. Time will tell if improvements are needed.

First experiment will be mixing the water with some diesel to see what happens. I think with vegetable oil / old engine oil the tank will have to have some form of coolant heating which is the next step. The small heat exchanger should make the water temp rise somewhat so that vapour is given off.

 Well after a lot of fiddling around with pipes, valves, hoses etc I filled the engine with antifreeze. There were two small leaks, easily fixed, so I started it. After 20 minutes running on tick over the tank temperature reached 65oC,I expect higher when I take it out for a run tomorrow. To measure the temperature I stuck a 30cm long thermometer into the tank through the filler neck. Ambient temperature was about 9oC so steam was seen coming out--it works !! Then I opened the outlet valve and the steam vanished immediately proving a vacuum was being pulled by the air intake even on tick over speed. I have also reduced the height of the bubbler air intake pipe by one cm so the water level is not as high leaving more room for vapour to accumulate.

Experiment. 50/50 mix diesel/water. Engine tickover speed remained the same but acceleration was better.

20th February 2007 Accurate data accumulation began. ONLY water is put into the tank.

I only drive locally. Gearbox is automatic. Sometimes engine is left idling for several minutes.

1st March 2007 outlet valve tank from bubbler tank set to half open. Oil level on dipstick has risen 3mm,suspect water ingress past piston rings. Pipe to reactor is now foam insulated, water vapour may be condensing enroute, am considering a hose in hose connection similar to heating vegetable oil that is used in engines.

Statistics for fuel and water consumption are continued on a separate page

8th March 2007.Experiment suspended due to condensation and water lying in a dip on feed pipe to reactor. New hose in hose system in construction at present.

10th March 2007.New hose in hose system fitted. Outlet from bubbler tank has an upward slope to prevent unwanted water being fed into coolant heated 22mm pipe with vapour travelling in the inner 15mm pipe. This will hopefully cut condensation down along with foam pipe insulation.

  13th March 2007 Experiment restarted. Video is of engine with new hose in hose connections in place.

December 2007  New exhaust pipe and bubbler tank connections now in place.

Hole drilled in exhaust pipe,saddle with outlet connection placed over pipe and clamped shut.

Flexible copper pipe to standard heater hose connection.Hose routed along chassis to bubbler tank.

Pipe down the chassis to the bubbler tank inlet.

Stats for fuel and water consumption