I dont' think it's as simple as doubling my jet
sizes and filling the tank with methanol instead
of gas. What needs to be done, and why do I want
to do that?
--- dferguso@ebmail.gdeb.com wrote:
> well, maybe some of the veteran land speed
> racing gurus can help out here,
> but i think methanol has an equivalent octane
> of near 140 , and while a
> gasoline internal combustion engine utilizes an
> air / fuel ratio ( by
> weight ) of 14+ to 1, methanol is at around 6
> or 7 to 1, and nitro is near
> 1 to 1, so jetting, still critical, becomes
> less sensitive with the latter
> fuels. but likewise fuel flow demands increase
> dramatically, especially
> when nitro is introduced. another quality of
> methanol is that for a given
> expansive force on the piston during
> combustion, the net thermal component,
> or heat output , of the methanol is a little
> less, so the engine tends to
> run cooler yet still makes alot of power. other
> factors are involved-
> unfortunately there is no direct correlation
> between gasoline and methanol
> since they are very different compounds, but
> the fact that top alky drag
> racers can run static compression ratios of 12
> or 14 to 1 with big 14-71 hi
> helix blowers and such with viscious overdrives
> and go through the lights
> at very high rpm sheds light on why methanol
> stands as an important fuel to
> racing. dont forget that methanol is somewhat
> corrosive, so this is a
> disadvantage which must be weighed against some
> of the superior qualities
> if your not into draining and flushing your
> fuel system on a regular basis
> . - doug @ black radon
>
>
>
=====
Dick J - - ECTA #72
G/FCC - FX/GMR
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