Author Topic: Changing over to alcohol.  (Read 8037 times)

Offline novacain

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Changing over to alcohol.
« on: October 10, 2015, 08:22:05 PM »
Changing my FED over to alcohol and could use some tuning tips with regard to timing and carb set up. Car weighs 1655 w/ driver, 13 x 31's , 4:30 gear, 350th trans. Small Chevy 383, 11:1 , ported 461's ( 2.02/ 1.60) solid roller .257/.264 dur/ .585/ .600 lift. HEI w/MSD module. Holley 750HP alcohol carb ( 80535-3)
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advanced.

Offline GlennLever

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2015, 08:30:52 PM »
You might consider moving this to Spud's Cave?
Glenn R. Lever
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Offline dusterdave173

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2015, 09:24:17 AM »
ALKY 101
Buy your alky from known trusted source hopefully in a sealed container or if in bulk at least get it from a seller that does volume and keeps clean fuel--there is a lot of crap fuel available.
Alky soaks moisture out of the air and goes bad--Keep it closed tight/sealed up all the time--we even plug our tank vent --when car not running
Filters filters filters--Stainless Never paper elements--available everywhere but Speedway Motors has good selection reasonable $
Never use paint filter or any kind of paper filter
BIG ONE--when buying new plastic fuel jugs remember they are FULL of plastic dust and shavings from being made--they MUST be washed with soap/water and rinsed perfectly before use
We drain EVERYTHING after race--blow through all lines with WD40--pull plugs, shoot down intake , inside tank etc then Blow it all out--You get a routine so it is not too bad --and...it will keep you from having issues that are hard to fix--do it.
There is always debate about top lube--many good opinions here is mine
It puts a film of lube on everything--it keeps corrosion at bay--that is the reason to use it--all that talk about lubing upper cylinder etc is bull in my opinion for the way we run--hey..I am eating dirt , rocks , bugs, etc down my injection--rocks off the slicks is a worry--lubing a cylinder in a non water block is last thing I am concerned about--those rings just have to tough it out to freshen up time :)
Timing is about the same in my experience--we run 38 total in a SBC with 13.8 to one
Lots to learn about getting engine warmed up right--ask fellow racers
I love alky--it makes Power!!
I have always had a fascination with fast cars at the expense of more normal character development

dreracecar

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2015, 01:06:56 PM »
If you run weekly then WD40 is OK, if its longer then Marvel Mystery. 
WD40 drys out the O-rings if it sets too long and will start leaking at the fuel shutoff and barrel valve.
Now that is for injection, and since yours is carbed I would just get a jug of the cheapest racegas or premium (no alc blend) and run that thru the entire system as the car is idling that way the gas is pickleing everthing. It will be a little rich thru the idle circut---So What!

Offline Frontenginedragsters

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2015, 05:46:55 PM »
 Novicain:
  Alcohol is a much better way to race in my opinion. Some things to keep in mind:
Fuel volume is the key to keeping the float bowl full. Consider looking into a vacuum reference fuel pressure regulator.
Its a regulator that will lower the PSI at idle with a vacuum signal and increase PSI when vacuum drops at WOT.
We have dynoed plenty of alcohol engines and see between 25-30 HP increase by switching from gas to alcohol with an engine like yours.
One thing that comes into play right away is engine temperature. Yes the engine runs cooler but that is not my point.
Gas engines will dyno pretty close numbers between a warmed up engine and a hot engine.
When we dyno alcohol fueled engines a temperature swing of 30* make a large change in HP.
That means for bracket racing consistent engine temp is needed for consistent time slips.

Matt
Driving a Front Engine Dragster builds character and keeps you awake for a 1/4 mile at a time.
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Offline ricardo1967

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2015, 06:37:10 PM »
Once you switch to alcohol you will never look back. This is also a good opportunity to switch to fuel injection...

Offline Frontenginedragsters

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2015, 07:24:03 PM »
I agree with Ricardo1967 100% 8) 8)
Driving a Front Engine Dragster builds character and keeps you awake for a 1/4 mile at a time.
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Offline Mr Froggy

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2015, 07:42:00 AM »
I have a 68 Dodge Coronet with a 383 and I dropped almost 4 tenths off my ET when I switched to E85.  It was hard to believe but it happened.  I was impressed!

Offline ricardo1967

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2015, 09:55:40 AM »
I have a 68 Dodge Coronet with a 383 and I dropped almost 4 tenths off my ET when I switched to E85.  It was hard to believe but it happened.  I was impressed!

E85 works! What is the compression ratio?

Offline tinbanger

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2015, 04:10:09 PM »
Call Gorge Rupert. I have been running his carb for more than twenty years. Bolt his setup on and don!t look back. If you let your car set for more than a couple of weeks I would fog down with wd or marvel. I have never see alky go bad in the trailer , just make sure all jugs are closed tight. Floats will absorb alky after time . New floats weigh around 9 grams . Motor will start to starve at about 15 to 19 grams but every setup is different.

Offline jeff/21

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2015, 04:45:16 PM »
we switch from gas to alcohol 5 years ago we ended up removing the rad and pump as it wasn't needed .After the day empty the tank add gas and let it run until black smoke shoots out of the headers and idles rough.
ran jet extensions in the rear bowl now we just changed to injection. like everyone says you'll never look back

Offline novacain

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2015, 06:15:07 PM »
Guys thanks for all the great info. I have the car back together and think I've solved the overheating issue. The problem I have now is a dead spot in the transition between the front an back barrels.  The carb set up is as follows. carb # 80535-3, jets frt- 144/ rr 144, power valves frt 6.5/ rr 8.5,  nozzles frt #50/ rr #52. With this set up it is much better than it was out of the box but I still have a flatspot. Any ideas? Thanks again .

Offline Mr Froggy

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Re: Changing over to alcohol.
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2015, 08:26:10 PM »
I have a 68 Dodge Coronet with a 383 and I dropped almost 4 tenths off my ET when I switched to E85.  It was hard to believe but it happened.  I was impressed!

E85 works! What is the compression ratio?

10 to 1 is the compression.  Believe it or not I'm still running the original long block from 1968.  I did give it a set of fresh bearing,rings and hand lapped the stock valves but other than that its genuine Chrysler steel.   I have about a grand total into the engine and half of that is the E85 carb.  It runs 12.50s all day long in a 3600 lb car.

Besides the carb everything else is the same as when I ran gas.  I have a good low restriction filter coming out of the tank and a Carter electric pump on the rear frame rail feeding a Carter Mechanical pump on the engine with 3/8" line all the way.  At the end of the season I remove the carb and run Marvel through it and flush the rest of the system out with gas and have never had a problem.    Its great fuel!!
« Last Edit: October 12, 2015, 08:28:20 PM by Mr Froggy »