5.3 on alcohol
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Joined: Aug 2021
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Right now iv got a 5.3. Holley intake, Holley 750 double pumper. Stock rotating assembly. 11:1 compression with head work. And a decent cam, 275/282, Lift .525/.525. Iv got it on 110 but I wanna explore methanol. Would like more hp, a I heard it’ll burn a lot cooler. Used in a derby car. So keeping heat down is always main goal. Just wanna know more about running methanol and what I would need in order to switch.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 310
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I run methanol on a 408 for drag racing. Tips.
Make sure you have methanol fuel pump and it flows twice what you think you need.
You will need all methanol friendly fuel lines.
dont use anything aluminum unanodized.
Make sure your regulator can return enough fuel.
make sure your fuel filters can flow enough fuel.
if your using an 02 sensor make sure it can read low enough.
I flow about 800 lbs per hour efi if that helps you picking a fuel pump.
compression 15.1
it cools down going down track so it for sure keeps things cool. Didn't make anymore hp on the dyno but was worth 2 tenths at the track.
Make sure you have methanol fuel pump and it flows twice what you think you need.
You will need all methanol friendly fuel lines.
dont use anything aluminum unanodized.
Make sure your regulator can return enough fuel.
make sure your fuel filters can flow enough fuel.
if your using an 02 sensor make sure it can read low enough.
I flow about 800 lbs per hour efi if that helps you picking a fuel pump.
compression 15.1
it cools down going down track so it for sure keeps things cool. Didn't make anymore hp on the dyno but was worth 2 tenths at the track.
When I raced dirt cars on methanol I had a portable fuel cell that I could easily hook up after the night was over to purge the fuel system with gasoline. Start the engine and let it run and listen for the engine to go rich and shut it down. It cut down on maintenance needed on the fuel system by a lot.
Since you're running a derby car I would make sure the safety crew knows you're running methanol, It burns nearly invisible and putting it out is handled differently than gasoline.
Since you're running a derby car I would make sure the safety crew knows you're running methanol, It burns nearly invisible and putting it out is handled differently than gasoline.
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I run methanol on a 408 for drag racing. Tips.
Make sure you have methanol fuel pump and it flows twice what you think you need.
You will need all methanol friendly fuel lines.
dont use anything aluminum unanodized.
Make sure your regulator can return enough fuel.
make sure your fuel filters can flow enough fuel.
if your using an 02 sensor make sure it can read low enough.
I flow about 800 lbs per hour efi if that helps you picking a fuel pump.
compression 15.1
it cools down going down track so it for sure keeps things cool. Didn't make anymore hp on the dyno but was worth 2 tenths at the track.
Make sure you have methanol fuel pump and it flows twice what you think you need.
You will need all methanol friendly fuel lines.
dont use anything aluminum unanodized.
Make sure your regulator can return enough fuel.
make sure your fuel filters can flow enough fuel.
if your using an 02 sensor make sure it can read low enough.
I flow about 800 lbs per hour efi if that helps you picking a fuel pump.
compression 15.1
it cools down going down track so it for sure keeps things cool. Didn't make anymore hp on the dyno but was worth 2 tenths at the track.
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 310
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It would depend on the fuel he switched from and track conditions he typically runs on. I'm sure you'd see less gain in good cool air at sea level than you would in the heat at a higher elevation. Then you have to consider with EFI you don't get the intake charge cooling effect like you do with a carburetor and that is one of the reasons most people see decent gains. Two tenths is a decent gain even if it didn't show on the dyno.
also dyno was a year between sessions.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 507
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Compressed Fuel/Air Temperature As stated above, the temperature of the compressed fuel and air in the cylinder will be lower when "meth" is the fuel.
The CR should be high, 14:1 + or higher.
Compressing the "mixture" adds energy as heat.
A way to add heat in the cylinder is to increase the Spark Energy measured in Joules and the Arc Duration.
Use a STRONG coil such the IGN-1A coil with a .045" SPG.
Also, a close Head Quench/Piston distance will help.
The CR should be high, 14:1 + or higher.
Compressing the "mixture" adds energy as heat.
A way to add heat in the cylinder is to increase the Spark Energy measured in Joules and the Arc Duration.
Use a STRONG coil such the IGN-1A coil with a .045" SPG.
Also, a close Head Quench/Piston distance will help.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
I am about to do the same swap from E85 to Methanol. Bracket racing ls3 with plenty of fuel pump and injector. What afr's are you guys shooting for and what heat range plug. currently on E85 with a ngk 7 at 30 degrees and 12.4 afr on the gas scale.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 390
From: Alaska
.
You'll want a LOT more compression., 13:1 is a good start for a Methanol engine. That was not a misprint. Methanol STARTS to make sense around 13 to 0ne.
You WILL get more horesepower.
You will need to DOUBLE fuel flow, plus a few percent, compared to gasoline.
Stoich is about 6 to 1 ..
. Methanol is happy from 6 to one Air/Fuel and can run rich down to 5.6 or so. .
Methanol is almost HALF Oxygen by Molecular weight, so you can pour HUGE amounts of it down your intake... As long as the engine is WARM.
Methanol has a much higher latent heat of vaporization.... means it runs like liquid *** in a cold engine.
Have fun, buy by the Drum.
Last edited by Full Power; Mar 18, 2024 at 12:30 PM. Reason: ...