Vapour Pressure
wilyflier:
I have the greatest of respect for the quality of the postings in this thread, let's see if this one is vaguely up to scratch.
It's the Vapour Pressure of the mixture that's changing with sinoadditives and it's that that drives any change in Boiling Point, a pedantic point but one that's crucial in this "vapour lock = outa gas" hypothesis.
Stick out neck time.
Fuel stratification and subsequent cavitation did get my vote - it fits the evidence beautifully , but ....... we ain't heard a thing from AAIB.
The hypothesis is eminently testable and (i) I would be amazed if they hadn't had a go at it already and (ii) if the numbers stacked up in a repeatable way and the model "worked" (iii) we'd have heard by now.
I know, call me naive. Fire away.
CW