alcohol engine build
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alcohol engine build
i am interested in building an engine to run on alcohol but have no clue on what needs to be done to allow this. if anyone has any reading on the subject or has built up a alcohol engine i would really appreciate the help.
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: suburban atlanta
Thinking out loud, are you talking of a drag engine, they run on methanol? Or for road use? The former may have info on how to do the latter. Most problems are related to the fuel corroding the components and mixture. You have to re-figure the fuel mix ratio and fiddle with a carb or fuel injector, but your octane is a lot higher. The injectors are different for alcohol fueled engines. Carbs would need different sized jets and/or metering rods
You could take an E85 engine control system from a Ranger or Taurus Flex-Fuel dealy, and refit that. GM has some also, but I am ignorant. Where are you gonna get your fuel? Road tax (heh) must be paid. Uncle Sam wants his.
tom
You could take an E85 engine control system from a Ranger or Taurus Flex-Fuel dealy, and refit that. GM has some also, but I am ignorant. Where are you gonna get your fuel? Road tax (heh) must be paid. Uncle Sam wants his.
tom
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From: Iowa
Yeah, I guess we need some info about what alcohol you're talking about. Here's some choices:
1. Methanol. Low BTU's, low stoichiometric ratio of about 5:1 to 6:1. Expensive. Very high octane. I think it's up around 120.
2. Ethanol. Higher BTU's than methanol, but lower than gasoline. Stoichiometric ratio is about 9:1. Less expensive than methanol. Octane, IIRC, is up around 110.
3. E85. 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. Readily available at gas stations in the midwest and some other areas. Priced less than regular gasoline. Octane rating is 105. This is the one I'd pick...
You can build a very high compression ratio engine without having to resort to a huge cam with ethanol. The key term here is dynamic compression, or the amount of compression the engine actually builds, when you figure in cam timing. You can build and engine with a lot higher dynamic compression for alcohol due to it's high octane rating. Here's a chart:
http://popularhotrodding.com/tech/03...press_07_z.jpg
And here's a calculator that will figure up your dynamic compression ratio:
http://www.kb-silvolite.com/calc.php?action=comp
1. Methanol. Low BTU's, low stoichiometric ratio of about 5:1 to 6:1. Expensive. Very high octane. I think it's up around 120.
2. Ethanol. Higher BTU's than methanol, but lower than gasoline. Stoichiometric ratio is about 9:1. Less expensive than methanol. Octane, IIRC, is up around 110.
3. E85. 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. Readily available at gas stations in the midwest and some other areas. Priced less than regular gasoline. Octane rating is 105. This is the one I'd pick...
You can build a very high compression ratio engine without having to resort to a huge cam with ethanol. The key term here is dynamic compression, or the amount of compression the engine actually builds, when you figure in cam timing. You can build and engine with a lot higher dynamic compression for alcohol due to it's high octane rating. Here's a chart:
http://popularhotrodding.com/tech/03...press_07_z.jpg
And here's a calculator that will figure up your dynamic compression ratio:
http://www.kb-silvolite.com/calc.php?action=comp
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i was actually going to make my own fuel. evidently there is a book on it and i figured it would be pretty fun. this is going to be a dragster with twin t76's and 355ci. i am trying to gauge the cost of the conversion and you brought up something that i had not thought about, ohol specific injectors. i will be running a mega squirt so tunning won't be too much of a problem. thanks for the help.
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i have been thinking about running race e85, 85% ethanol and 15% race gas but don't know if anyone makes that, so i would most likely have to make my own.
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From: north west new jersey
can't help you with eth, as most of us running alcie classes use meth, base build up is the same as top fuel just the motor last a lot longer. cold start we always give it straight gas into the blower intake to start it.
one thing for sure before you waste money get a rule book and be sure you can do as you want to. and good place to get up to date info is at a round and round short dirt track as those guys are running alcie all the time
one thing for sure before you waste money get a rule book and be sure you can do as you want to. and good place to get up to date info is at a round and round short dirt track as those guys are running alcie all the time
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i'm not building it for a class, more or less as an expirement so that i can learn to make ethanol and tune usnig a stand alone system. haven't really been able to think about it much since finals were this week. thanks for the responses and ideas.
Posting Legend
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Check here:
http://www.answers.com/topic/e85
There are additional considerations if you make your own Ethanol.
http://www.answers.com/topic/e85
There are additional considerations if you make your own Ethanol.
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