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Thread ID: 100099 2009-05-26 07:37:00 The Great Ethanol Scam zqwerty (97) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
776974 2009-05-27 00:42:00 Why if the stuff dosent have the power value of petrol do they use it in racing fuel? prefect (6291)
776975 2009-05-27 01:22:00 Why if the stuff dosent have the power value of petrol do they use it in racing fuel?

When the air/fuel ratio is set correctly, 15:1 for petrol, 9:1 for ethanol, the power output is about the same.
A much higher compression ratio can be used without 'knocking', then there is the extra evaporative cooling of alcohol in the carburettor/manifold that gives a greater density of fuel mix, like when your engine runs better on a cold morning.

This seems a good informative site:
journeytoforever.org

Phil Irvings book "Tuning For Speed" from memory gives useful info on alcohol fuels as related to motorbikes.
Terry Porritt (14)
776976 2009-05-27 02:47:00 Thanks Terry, I was an Engine reconditioner by trade many moons ago but now I dont really now what day it is let alone engine operation. prefect (6291)
776977 2009-05-27 06:23:00 Why if the stuff dosent have the power value of petrol do they use it in racing fuel?

because all that extra fuel keeps the motor cool. especialy with race cars that have mud clog up radiators etc alochol tends not to overheat as much as petrol ones. downside is they can be harder to tune to get max power in different conditions.

i should ad they often run minimal cooling systems to keep the all important weight down. thats also why they tend to run the motors very rich which blows big flames out the exhaust.
tweak'e (69)
776978 2009-05-27 08:08:00 The aussie v8 supercars are using 85% ethanol this year. Fuel consumption is a lot higher. wotz (335)
776979 2009-05-27 22:11:00 I am fairly sure that it is uneconomic to make methanol,I am pretty sure it is politics that keeps it alive. Cicero (40)
776980 2009-05-27 23:22:00 I am fairly sure that it is uneconomic to make methanol,I am pretty sure it is politics that keeps it alive.

No, it is the dollar that keeps methanol in production. The Maui gas field must have had its life shortened by the conversion of natural gas to methanol, all the while feeding the profits to the Canadians :)

www.finda.co.nz
Terry Porritt (14)
776981 2009-05-28 00:37:00 while feeding the profits to the Canadians :)

www.finda.co.nz

If that is not politics,then what is?
Cicero (40)
776982 2009-05-28 00:54:00 If that is not politics,then what is?

It was called "Think Big"..........a National Party idea.......:)

www.techhistory.co.nz

Those were the days, it gave us a lot of work at DSIR, and helped us to justify our existence :punk

Peter Waring and his boys carried out a tremendous amount of development work into methanol fuelled cars, whilst in metrology we had a lot of work measuring engine wear.
Terry Porritt (14)
776983 2009-05-28 00:59:00 It was called "Think Big"..........a National Party idea.......:)

www.techhistory.co.nz

Those were the days, it gave us a lot of work at DSIR, and helped us to justify our existence :punk

Peter Waring and his boys carried out a tremendous amount of development work into methanol fuelled cars, whilst in metrology we had a lot of work measuring engine wear.
Muldoon was as left as Longy.

I note your work,the labouring class's dug holes in sand,then after the tide went out they dug them again.

Thats called the way of the socialist.
Cicero (40)
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