UK Karting

Notice Board (Combined Forum)




Re: What's in fuel?
Posted by 'SimonS' on 21 Sep 2008 @ 10:56


| View Message Thread | Reply to this message |
SimonS
Joined: December 2004
Total Posts: 4
[ View User Profile ]
It depends on the engine and the fuel.

For example we know that methanol fueled engines can give more power 'at the wheels' than pump petrol. They also use far more fuel than a standard petrol engine.

So in a standard power, standard flow, standard revs test as the research indicated, the methanol fuel would perform worse than a petrol fuel.

If you altered the fuel system, you could get more power from running methanol.

But in karting you often have control of the fuel system. If you had an engine that could use the power of methanol you could wind open the main jet to double your usual fuel flow. So it is rumoured that various people have experimented with adding methanol but increasing the fuel flow. eg, have a container of methanol, wind the jet out, do a couple of really hot laps, then switch back to normal fuel and wind the jet in. The problem isn't in making the system work, it lies in no-one noticing you have all that extra plumbing.



Another method that works is to cool the air on its way into the engine. Hence the blue book specifically forbids you to pack the noise box with dry ice or to fit a cyclone device; the temperature in the middle of a cyclone drops.

Another thing to note is that octane boosters do work, but all they do is to delay pre-detonation (pinking). To have an effect on your kart you have to be in the pre-detonation zone which is only acheivable by altering the ignition and/or the compression. (Methanol has an octane rating of 114 for example, but burns cooler than petrol)

There are other additives that alter the power that can be extracted from the fuel, often described as oxygen enhancers.(nitrous oxide is one) They work because a karter can modify the fuel and ignition systems, even if the modification is turning the mixture screw.

Message Thread:

What's in fuel?  by 'RoadRat'   (19 Sep 2008 @ 11:36)
Re: What's in fuel?  by 'John'   (19 Sep 2008 @ 11:56)
Re: What's in fuel?  by 'RoadRat'   (19 Sep 2008 @ 21:16)
Re: What's in fuel?  by 'SimonS'  << You are here!
Re: What's in fuel?  by 'RoadRat'   (21 Sep 2008 @ 21:32)

Post a Reply:
You may post a direct reply to this message which will appear in this thread.
To post a new or unrelated message use This Form.
Reply To "Re: What's in fuel?"
Email Address :   Not Registered? Click Here to register...
Password :   Passwords are Case Sensitive!   [ Password Lookup ]
Message Title / Subject :
Message :
Options : Subscribe to this thread?   [ More Information ]

Top of Page
Notice Board Index

[ UK Karting Main Index ]


News Karts and Karting Notice Board Market Place Companies Directory Tracks Directory Events Calendar Race Results Photo Gallery Links
News Karts &
Karting
Notice
Board
Market
Place
Companies
Directory
Tracks
Directory
Events
Calendar
Race
Results
Photo
Gallery
Links

UK Karting

Copyright © 1996-2018 UK Karting
Comments, Suggestions etc. mail@karting.co.uk