Fuel Contamination

[BK]

Spud,
 At what point would you think water in Methonal would affect performance.
 My car slowed a tenth in the 1/8th and was stuttering just before the finish line.
 It seemed fuel starved but everything looks good, Unless pump went bad in one run or line from tank is collapsing inside.
 I used fuel from a different source just before this started.

[gregm784]

Have you floated it to see if it is contaminated?

[BK]

Not when I asked the question but I have it now.
I got a reading of .800 at 57 deg.
If my math is correct it comes out to 96.49% pure.
Or 3.51 percent of probably water. Is that enough water to make a noticeable difference?

[Spud Miller]

 Yuck...anything with more than a percent or two and I wouldn't use it.

 When it gets moisture in it, it turns acidic and sets up a chemical reaction that can etch your fittings and ruin stuff quickly.

 Spud

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

So, what is 96% alcohol good for? Besides starting trash fires.

[Spud Miller]

 Killing weeds.

[BK]

Thanks Spud.
Looks like I have 10 gallons of weed killer.

[JrFuel Hayden]

Since NHRA Heritage JrFuel rules are ONLY Pure Alky is allowed, we are very good about alway clsing our fuel jugs after we fill our tank, because alky draws water.
I've heard cases of a jug left open can fill up the jug with water, depending on Humidity / grains of water in the air.
In the early 70's I helped an injected alky funny car and we used a tall plastic tube with what looked like moth balls to filter the alky before use to take the water out.
I have not seen those filers in years. But yes a engine can detonate with water in the fuel.
BTW Heritage JF is sponsored by ERC, race fuels and even Scott Parks has said ERC is the cleannest alky he has ever used, based on no crap in the fuel tanks after use. They double filter the fuel and then put it super cleaned barrels.
Of course we filter our fuel going into the fuel tank. And take apart & clean our fuel system after each race event. It's the first thing we do after getting back to the shop. Never had any pluged lines, nozzels, jets.
Cheers

[opa1]

What all do you do when you clean the system? I'm having to park my car for a while due to a accident(me not the car). I took the inlet hose to the metering valve off and blew air through the valve and nozzles to get the fuel out. Should I pull the supply hose from the tank to the pump and clean this out too? Returns too?

Mark

[Roger]

Check out this previous post on cleaning the system between races. Good information there, alcohol and aluminum do NOT get along worth a darn.

http://www.frontenginedragsters.org/forum/index.php/topic,2560.msg18402.html#msg18402

[opa1]

Thanks Roger, Looks like my son has some work to do.

[BK]

I knew better but bought 5 gallons out of a large tank at the track.
It looks like the bigger problem was the check valve in my primer nozzle.
Its plumbed into the distribution block and found it was leaking just blowing through it.
I couldn't see any trash in it. Cleaned it and it still wouldn't hold.
Ended up putting a Nitrous solenoid in line to stop the bleed back.