Besides gasoline and ethanol, the Ford Model T engine could run on kerosene. Its low-compression, mechanically simple four-cylinder design tolerated several combustible fuels, even though gasoline was the normal choice.
The Model T used a 177-cubic-inch inline-four with a gravity-fed carburetor and a distinctive flywheel magneto ignition system. That ignition arrangement, combined with the engine’s modest compression ratio, made it relatively forgiving of fuel quality and type. Ford described gasoline as the intended fuel, but period accounts and later references also document operation on kerosene and ethanol.
Kerosene was less convenient than gasoline because it was heavier and more difficult to vaporize, especially during cold starting. Owners might need to warm the engine or use gasoline for starting before switching fuels. Ethanol was also technically usable, but falling gasoline prices and Prohibition-era restrictions made it impractical for most American motorists.
A common mistake is to call the Model T a modern flex-fuel vehicle. It was not specifically engineered as one; its robust, low-compression engine simply had a broad tolerance for available fuels.