Which fuel do you prefer? Gas, E-85, or Methanol?
 

Working on a new build. Shooting for a low 10 second 1/4 mile bracket car. I was originally going to build a good street car and purchased a Magnafuel 300 pump and an E-85 dominator. I'm not against selling those and purchasing better stuff. I've always used race gas, but think I'd like to switch to E-85 or methanol. What's your opinion?

91 pump gas street driven 8 secs dot tire

12.5: compression. Not going to run pump gas.

I like the idea of the power and added consistency of alcohol, but not sure of the downsides.

I run 91 pump gas but if I had a 12.5:1 engine in a dedicated bracket car, I'd be running E85 without a doubt. I would be running it in my Firebird except it would require hauling fuel on Drag Week.

if you have access to quality e85 and do not already own a methanol carb, e85 FTW. I have a 4150 BG 950 cfm sullens carb availalbe if you do not need a domi.

I figured I would buy a drum. There's a local distributor for Renegade race fuels. who stocks race E-85. I think the dominator will be just fine.

E85 where I live is popular and very available for about 1.85 per gallon. A friend of mine runs 30 psi in a bbc and goes 7.00@203 on E85. Street car he can drive all over. My other friend run a 13.5 to 1 Ford motor 9 second street car E85.
It would be the most cost effective that works if you have access.

If you're buying by the barrel, I'd go straight alcohol. (methanol)
It would have more consistency and probably make more power than the E85. Cost may be cheaper also. (it was when I was buying it anyway)


:)

Then you have very frequent oil changes also, it's a catch 22. Is it just a drag car or street duty too?

I can get 110 for 5.99 a gallon here so its an easy choice. I can get 112 for 7.59 a gallon.

Drag only.

A VP rep told me to go to methanol also. More power, better cooling, and more consistent.

Who here is running methanol and what are the down sides to it? Just more oil changes? Do you go all season without worrying about the corrosive nature of it? Just clean things out before storing it for the winter????

there is no down side if you know what your doing. i change my oil twice a season [vac pump helps] just get your tune up right and get it good and hot when your done for the night. drain everything at the end of the season and put some atf in the pump and your done. oh and i run a qt. of klotz lube in a 55ga. drum of alky

Ditto............... No problems, even starting in 39 degree temps, i just clean the carbs every few races. I also so drain the oil every few races and separate the bad from the good oil and put it back in (normally maybe a quart.....also use Brad Penn) with new.


GTO George

so i coinicidentally had this conversation with a friend tuesday night. Div 1 Pro champ a few years ago. Multi track champion travels to big foot brake races. Runsc arb on alky. mid to low ten sec car that he slows way down to race 1150-1200 range instreet and pro. He says he has a little trouble keeping enoiugh heat in the motor and uses alot of fuel over a weekend. as in barrels. He double enters and usually goes rounds. He went to a big foot break race last weekend in SC and won the larger money event and runner upped in the secondary race last friday. went 4-5 rounds in each class saturday and sunday. he made 48 runs over the weekend and used 60 gallons @ $3/g of fuel.
he says he picked up a ton of torque over pump fuel. his 60s are about .1 quicker. He says he considered running e85 but was worried about finding a consistent source of quality fuel. In NE we have it but it is usually in the e75 range. When i go to Norwalk i come back with a barrel of e85 because its so much better than wht i have around here. In the 12:1 range you will be fine with E70+ lots of factors to consider.

I just drive my 8 sec street car to the local gas bar ...:D

E 85, 13 to 1 compression, at 2 dollars a gallon it can't be beat.

I appreciate all the input. To be clear I'm not concerned with cost as much as pros/cons concerning the affects of the different fuels. This is a purpose built bracket car. It will not be licensed and driven on the street. I intend on purchasing fuel by the drum. The VP rep told me that methanol has the best cooling properties, makes the most power, and the car is more consistent. E-85 is a close 2nd and race gas behind that. Downsides of methanol being more oil changes, but is that all? Again, I appreciate the input. I've only ran race gas before. I've never run alcohol.

ok again ,there are no need to be changing your oil any more than on gas [as long as your tune up is correct]
are you looking at carb or injection?

Carb
and I will be running a vacuum pump.
I was just quoting what the VP guy said...and I've heard others say to change the oil a little more often.

Usually the idling or slow driving causes too much alky in the oil.
Many use a system to drive up to the lanes and back on gasoline.
This will save alky also.
Probird uses a system like this on his car. (or did anyway)


:)

The 2nd system on gasoline could be helpful in colder weather to help warm up the engine also

That sounds very interesting. I'm curious how this 2nd system is setup and how one would switch back and forth. Even though it's a methanol carb it will drive around the pits just fine I assume??

I'm feeling kinda stupid right now, but like I said I've never ran alky before and have never even looked into what people are doing for fuel systems to run it.

I'm pretty sure the gas doesn't go thru the carb, it would never work. I tried running gas through my carbs and it ran richer then heck, has to be delivered in another way.


GTO George

Correct, most are a system where a separate little pump that pumps gas from a separate tank to spray into the top of the carb/throttle body.
The alky pump is usually off if electric pump.
The gas setup privides just enough to keep the engine running, so no jack rabbit starts etc.


:)

Got it. Makes sense.

I had bad luck w sullen carb and e85 from gas station, never ran right, sent same carb to Rupert and never looked back, runs great no issues, runs cool in Midwest heat, cheap, I change oil twice a year, only thing added was vacuum pump and lean out valve. Drag race only. I by in 55 gal drum and distributor takes drum back when empty