Running Methanol

[bishopg]

On a fuel injection system what would need to be changed to run alcohol. Would one just adjust fuel pressure and change the fuel curve?

[Jay Smith]

I was the first years back, that I knew of , ( 1993 ish ) to design ( with the help of Brad @ Kinsler ) and build a successfull Drag Race 2.5 Pro Fuel Mercury outboard running 100% alky with Mercury STOCK ECU and 1 set of injectors that ran consistantly and won High Points Championship in santioned racing the first season out.

The Mercury/Bosch injector cannot flow enough alky ( alky specific gravity is @ 800 ish and has to be introduced at over twice the volumn verses Super Unleaded Motor gasoline @ 770 SG ) ( Thanks Sam ) to feed the motor with the short duration time and small officed Mercury injector just can't pass the needed volumn at that specific gravity. I used Rochester injectors from a Big Block Chevy and had to custom build a fuel rail and cut for "O" ringed both end injectors ( Lot of machine work on the front half ). You also have to use a Viton "O" ringed fuel pump and a adjustable fuel regulator that will go up to 60 PSI. Increase the suction and discharge sizes of the special alky friendly hoses to 1/2" ID. Alky on a normally asperated engine ( contrary to popular belief ) will only increase the HP of an engine only 6% as I was taught by Brad @ Kinsler ( Now add NITRO to the mix at about 20% and thats a different animal , but you better have a bucket of money , blocks, and parts ). The same or more power than the straight alky motor can be achieved by doping racing gasoline with some of the new power enhancments additives . Also without all the hassel of purging the system out with a rich mixture of gasoline and two stroke oil to save the bearings from rusting EVERY TIME THE MOTOR IS RAN....Also MUST run a castor bean based oil product as the amout of fuel used in so much quanity will wash a "normal" oil off and gauld. Also the Aly motor verses a gasoline motor will burn OVER double the fuel per pass. My 2.5 Modified Production motor in 1994 would consume 1 quart and a pint a 1/4 mile pass the same motor ( Richard Hammontree ) on alky will consume 1 GAL. and 1 Pint a 1/4 mile pass.Also you need to run 1 oz a gal of a product from klotz call ed alky lube to keep the veins in the fuel pump from gaulding because the alky is SOOO dry...

IMO.. Pain in the keester for a 6% gain....

Good luck,

[bishopg]

Thanks for taking the time.

[Jim Morris]

Jay
what do you find to be the best doping additives for racing fuel

[ken medendorp]

tttttttttttttttttttt

[Jay Smith]

Jim,
There are many "cocktails" that folks have came up over the years most oxygenate the fuel and enhance the burn. Coxoc ( Klotz KL-615 ) was popular in the mid 90's at 25 % added to race fuel worked well but was quiute expensive by the shear ratio it had to be added to make a difference. Propolene oxide is popular although with a vented fuel tank the punch quickly goes away out the vent to the air.I prefer a blended fuel that has another oxygen molecule added in the blending process such as some of the 44 grades of racing fuels , most of the racing fuel companys have it. ( Cam 2 , Elf, Howell, Phillips Racing , ETC ) I have witnessed on a super flow dyno when added to a 4 stroke race engine a true 10 % gain .... It is pricy and must be jetted for the motor as it is quite light ( specific gravity near 630-640 ish )

Ive seen some run some of the paint key tones ( acetone ) with fuels to enhance the burn propertys and has worked for them.Some try Benzene ( very dangerious stuff ) for long term effects such as leukemia and some of the other blood born pathigents....


Caution MUST be used in dealing with some of these mixes . Some of the nitro-propane, nitro methane can become shock sencitive when josseled ... Read MSDS sheets before handeling or breathing , nitro propane can be saftley mixed with racing gasoline but nitro methance can be a big problem with being shock sencitive mixed wrong , sometimes you may not get a second chance if a mistake is made;) ..Also many are carsinogenics ( Cancer causing agents ) and can be quickly absorbed into the skin and through the lungs.To get the optimal you should buy a fuel hydrometer , temp gun , hand held weatherststion ( Kestrel 4000 is what I use and a must if one is traveling to different regions , tuning and jetting is optimaly important for being successfull in santion racing ) and get a conversion chart as ALL specific gravity is measured with the fuel being at a specific degree and the fuel tested MUST be either cooled of heated ( in the sun ) to that exact degree or the test is WAY off and your getting a bogas reading.. Also bear in mind that the metering orfices in a stock Mercury injector are metered to flow approx 750 Specific gravity fuel and oil mix at sea level at 56 lbs any addition of a "cocktail" must be weighed for proper jetting. You can create a mix that has to be jetted down if you lighten the fuel with additives because the lighter weight fuel will pass throught the metering system FASTER and become rich, and vis versa if the additive "heavys" the fuel's SG.

Its been 12 years or so since I've built one of these systems ( I built 3 of them for different racers that were successfull and very happy with them ) and I'm getting old and forgetfull on specifics and I'm by far a fuel expert but these are some of the thing I KNOW ( Knew LOL...) to be a fact many many moons ago...

Good luck, Cocktail Anyone ????

Happy Holidays