Ethanol FE 352
FE "Freakin Expensive"
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,461
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From: Smith Mountain Lake, VA
LMAO!! I'am sure if I built a still in my neck of the woods..... The feds or ATF would have it tore down in no time...They would'nt believe I ran my vehicles off it!! Not at $25 a gallon street value for personal consumption!!! LOL..
Russ
Russ
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: tujunga, calif
Hey Rusty..the last hi compression FE I built was in 1974, it was a destroked 390 (352 crank/rods) bored .060 which came out to about 375 cu in..got custom 12.5 pistons from Jahns...but haven't seen anything like them since
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Joined: Feb 2005
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The plans for the still are about $30, the still itself is less than $100, but the mechanical teperature control valve that my plans call for is about $300. Acording to the plans this valve controls the temp of the coolant in the still within +-1 degrees. You supposedly need this much control to produce high proof alchohol. (200 proof) 120 proof is about the max for safe consumption, and makes a poor motor fuel.
I have kind of given up on my plans for a still, because of the price of the Temp control valve, and the PIA that babysitting all of that fermenting mash. On the bright side though, our town now has about 4 ethanol stations that have poped up. One is just down the street from my house, and most are at minimum .50 cheaper than gasoline.
Anyways, I am aiming my engine rebuild for running E-85. I was looking at Steve Christ's book on page 41, it shows a picture of the 352HP and 390HP combustion chamber. It looks very small and sort of kidney bean shaped.
What my real question is, is has anyone, or is it possible to fill in the combustion chamber on a regular head to get the same effect as the HP heads shown in SC's book?
I have c6ae heads, and I was just going to run what I brung, but would there be better heads for this type of project?
I have kind of given up on my plans for a still, because of the price of the Temp control valve, and the PIA that babysitting all of that fermenting mash. On the bright side though, our town now has about 4 ethanol stations that have poped up. One is just down the street from my house, and most are at minimum .50 cheaper than gasoline.
Anyways, I am aiming my engine rebuild for running E-85. I was looking at Steve Christ's book on page 41, it shows a picture of the 352HP and 390HP combustion chamber. It looks very small and sort of kidney bean shaped.
What my real question is, is has anyone, or is it possible to fill in the combustion chamber on a regular head to get the same effect as the HP heads shown in SC's book?
I have c6ae heads, and I was just going to run what I brung, but would there be better heads for this type of project?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Iowa
Originally Posted by RapidRuss
LMAO!! I'am sure if I built a still in my neck of the woods..... The feds or ATF would have it tore down in no time...They would'nt believe I ran my vehicles off it!! Not at $25 a gallon street value for personal consumption!!! LOL..
Russ
Russ
Jahns pistons, 'eh? I'll give them a call...
Huntersbo: The whole reason for the high compression, is to get the mileage back! When you run higher compression, you extract more BTU's per gallon of fuel from whatever fuel you're using. Since alcohol has an extremely high octane rating, I can build a high compression motor to fully utilize it. Thus, I get back my mileage, and have a fuel that costs much less than gasoline. Plus, after Hurricane Rita hits and takes out the refineries, alcohol will be looking real good.
Cap'n T-Bag:
That's where something called a molecular seive comes in. It allows you to take lower proof alcohol and get like 198-199 proof. Costs much less than one of those control valves.
Last edited by rusty70f100; Sep 21, 2005 at 12:08 PM.
FE "Freakin Expensive"
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,461
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From: Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Well I dont think I want To be the one trying to make 200 proof alky....Thats why the Moonshiners back here stop at 190 proof..making 200 proof is to Volital.... and Plus I wouldnt want to be the one in the middle of an Alky fire..Cause ya cant see it or the source!! Best of luck Kurt!!
Russ
Russ
Last edited by RapidRuss; Sep 21, 2005 at 12:48 PM.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 987
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From: East Bend, Carolina, U.S
I had researched the idea of converting a registered vehicle to burn a different fuel than it was intended and the bottom line is you are restricted to Federal guidlines. If you do convert a vehicle to burn an alternative fuel it must be done with a kit that has been certified to be within EPA standards.
If you are running a vehicle on the public roads with a home made non certified kit converted vehicle then your are in fact breaking Federal law. No way around it. Sorry to lay the bad news on you.
On the brighter side, just do it anyway and you'll probably never get caught. It is a bit like the "For Off Road Use Only" parts just about all of us have in our engines.
If you are running a vehicle on the public roads with a home made non certified kit converted vehicle then your are in fact breaking Federal law. No way around it. Sorry to lay the bad news on you.
On the brighter side, just do it anyway and you'll probably never get caught. It is a bit like the "For Off Road Use Only" parts just about all of us have in our engines.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 44
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From: Saybrook,Ill
I read somewhere that you can produce 200 gallons a year for personal use-gas additive,drink whatever.After that you buy a tax stamp from the treasury department if more is needed.Since the big price gouge 2 of my friends have started running E-85 and have so far shown no ill effects
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Iowa
Well, there are guys in California of all places that are running Ethanol, they say it actually lets 'em pass emissions easier. Besides, in Iowa, there is no emissions testing, nothing. Walk in, get your license and registration, hit the road. Even if a cop / trooper / whatever did stop me here, he'd probably just think it was cool and let me go.
Besides, I'm not putting a "kit" on it. Just some slight modifications...
Besides, I'm not putting a "kit" on it. Just some slight modifications...
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Joined: Feb 2005
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That's where something called a molecular seive comes in. It allows you to take lower proof alcohol and get like 198-199 proof. Costs much less than one of those control valves.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 44
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From: Saybrook,Ill
I talked to a man the other day that does all the mech work on a large company's fleet of cars.I believe he said they were Taurus's.The type classified as fuel friendly which will run on gasahol 10% alky and also run on E85.He told me they get 30 mpg on gasahol-15% and 20 mpg on E85.The point he was trying to make is that he seems to think that no money would be saved by switching to 85% alky.Around here we have run on 10-15% alky for years and my truck gets 22 mpg on it but I can't run the 85%.It might be a better idea to distill it and sell it to drink!!!Also each time you run the product thru the still it becomes more pure and higer proof.
Last edited by russrobbins; Sep 22, 2005 at 03:14 PM. Reason: adding content
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Iowa
Like I said, you need to be set up for it to run it correctly. In the case of those Taurus's, they still have to run on gasoline too. This means the compression ratio is still low. In this case, of course the mileage would go down, since there's not as many BTU's there. They (the Taurus's) dont take advantage of the dramatic increase in octane. It would be like building a 5:1 compression motor, and running premium in it. Sure it would run, but gee, why did the mileage go down? 
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: iowa
fuel friendly is ffv, flexible fuel vehicle. **** a taurus gets it best gas mileage at 70-75 mph cruise control. Just because backroad speed limits are 55mph doesn't mean thats ideal mpg for all vehicles.
Kurt continue on, gasoline is not the future!
Kurt continue on, gasoline is not the future!