alcohol

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:07 pm

NO dont get heated tezza not that sort,

anyone on this board using or got a mate using methanol/alcohol ????

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:29 pm

I only know of Paul Marston in the taining cars, because of price and the fact that the engines run very cool and therefore prevent over-heating on multiple runs.

Could be the way to go....

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:38 pm

You use twice as much though, Pete

Post by **TyreFryer** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:42 pm

I use it in my motorbike Duncan.

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:44 pm

yes its very cheap but you do use twice as much, have also heard that the mtr can be difficult to start ??? also makes a bit more power than race gas ???, does it wreck the oil very quickley ???

Post by **TyreFryer** » Wed Jun 04, 08 12:55 pm

What I now from my experience (unfortunately bike only) was:

It allows higher compression as it runs a lot cooler.
Didn't have any problems starting once everything was setup.
You use a lot, 15 miles to the gallon in a 500 single and I opened the main jet up with a 1/8" twist drill.
I used to change the Castrol R once a season, didn't have any problems with oil.
It's hydroscopic, what you haven't used by the end of the season you need to chuck away.
It's carsogenic so try not to get it on your skin.
It will lift most paints but not acrylic.
It's very hard to buy but if you're lucky you can buy it as a cleaning solution from some chemical suppliers.

Sorry, don't have any experience of using it in a car... yet.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Wed Jun 04, 08 1:24 pm

you will have to make sure the full fuel system from tank to inlet manifold has no magnesium alloy parts and certain types of rubber and plastic.

methanol turns magnesium alloys into white powder
and the rubber/plastic parts start shedding litttle worms and bits which blocks stuff up...all is not lost if it happens on the way to the shops...don't think it would do much good going very very lean mid blast.

tank, tank sender, pipes fittings regulators solenoids filters carb or injectors should all be methanol style products.

(ethanol is in normal petrol to increase RON. not a problem.....pure ethanol or gashol mix.....i doubt you are planning on campaigning a mexican or brazillian built Injected VW bug so we won't go there.

)

methanol has higher RON so can put up with a higher CR or more boost i.e it is made of just 1 chemical so is well-predictable in its explosive nature. petrol is made for 100s of different chemicals blended together. some go off like a bomb others burn slow hence different blends have different RON and will support higher or lower CR dependen't on mix. Low RON nasty explosive characteristics more likely to suffer preignition High RON 4 star up to race fuel less of a hotch potch blend more pure, fewer different chemicals therfore predicatble explosive characteristiscs therfore safe to push CR and timing to near ideal

you use more so, all jets etc in carbs go up a fair few sizes.
regulator pump and pipes need to cope with content and flow

the maths is a pain cause you need to take into account density flow and cross sectional area of jet in the caluclations. however
info on the net and carb places that sell methanol kit must surly know

this all comes from what i read not what i did. hope it helps, i belive it to be true

Dave

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Jun 04, 08 1:31 pm

Calorific value is less than petrol, however Methanol contains an oxygen molecule and therefore allows a richer mixture since that molecule is released during the burn.

6:1 fuel air ratio is desireable as opposed to the 13:1 used with petrol.

15:1 Cr and above is doable.

Beware running lean, it makes more power, but burns alot hotter. Drag racers do this in order to make more power but it does risk nuking the motor.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Jun 04, 08 1:59 pm

I once asked a guy in the pits if his engine was running on alky. It was a blown Hemi in an Altered of some description.

He said "You can tell it is on Alky when you look here" and he showed me all the leaks everywhere.
He also changed the oil every run. With the blower and "loose" race engine the alky just thins the oil like crazy.

So I think it really depends on the engine. I know normal cars can run quite well on it with only slightly more servicing. Even with iys tendancies to act as a solvent on everything.
But Big Bad Blown Race Hemis seem to be a different matter.

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Wed Jun 04, 08 4:07 pm

thanks for the answers boys keep em comin,
its not a blown mtr, but it is injected

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Jun 04, 08 4:21 pm

Birdie?

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Jun 04, 08 5:28 pm

Dunc, we've done alot of reasearch into switching and we definately will be doing in the near future, speak to Jeff Bull, very knoledgeable

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Wed Jun 04, 08 6:06 pm

yes mark, mr bull likes buildin alcohol mtrs but i think he uses a carb this is injected, i know that should not matter but have heard that you have to start the mtr up on a shot off say c12/14 through the scoop then they run ok after ??????????????

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Jun 04, 08 9:42 pm

Not sure about an injection engine Dunc but if you run a carb you can buy a kit which lets you run up on petrol, then when the motors warm you switch it over to alky, it works with a seperate fuel cell but the same mech pump, which stops the need to bleed the pump all the time, the petrol is put in thru a plate under the carb (looks like a nitrous plate)
Maybe you could use a similar thing