Steam can also allow steam reformation or hydrocracking of some of the gasoline components before they burn also.
Someone made a point above that it's the thermal inefficiency of the engine we're fighting... yes and part of that is the thermal inefficiency of how gasoline burns, it makes a lot of heat and expands relatively poorly. Any way we can alter the input to generate pressure rather than heat is good. Still there are failings in the mechanics of the IC engine that will limit ultimate efficiency, but there's a good margin for improvement.
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I remember The RoadWarrior..To understand who he was, you have to go back to another time..the world was powered by the black fuel & the desert sprouted great cities..Gone now, swept away..two mighty warrior tribes went to war & touched off a blaze which engulfed them all. Without fuel, they were nothing..thundering machines sputtered & stopped..Only those mobile enough to scavenge, brutal enough to pillage would survive. The gangs took over the highways, ready to wage war for a tank of juice
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