Need to get me some Rocket Fluid!!! [Archive]

rwhite692

01-20-2011, 01:50 PM

Great stuff. I wonder how much hey charged for the "Turbo Rocket Fluid" at the parts counter, LOL

In 1962 and 1963 Oldsmobile built a turbocharged (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocharger) version of the 215. The small-diameter Garrett T5 turbocharger was manufactured by Garrett AiResearch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_AiResearch) and produced a maximum of 5 psi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pounds_per_square_inch) (34 kPa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KPa)) boost at 2200 rpm. The engine had 10.25:1 compression and a single-barrel carburetor. It was rated at 215 hp (160 kW) @ 4600 rpm and 300 lb·ft (410 N·m) @ 3200 rpm. The high compression ratio created a serious problem with spark knock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_knock) on hard throttle applications, which led Olds to use a novel water-injection system that sprayed small amounts of distilled water and methyl alcohol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_alcohol) (dubbed "Turbo-Rocket Fluid") into the combustion chambers to cool the intake charge. If the fluid reservoir was empty, a complex double-float and valve assembly in the Turbo-Rocket Fluid path would set a second butterfly (positioned between the throttle butterfly and the turbocharger) into the closed position, limiting the amount of boost pressure. Unfortunately, many customers did not keep the reservoir filled, or had mechanical problems with the turbocharger plumbing.

The turbocharger was offered only in a special Jetfire model, which was the first (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automotive_superlatives) turbocharged passenger car offered for public sale. Only 9,607 were sold in two model years, and many were converted by dealers to conventional four-barrel carbureted form.