schlags62

I thought I remember seeing at one time on here that you should run 30% in a big block, is that true?
I am waiting for my LRP Z 28 to get here and am in need of fuel so i wanted to ask you all b4 I buy a new gallon?

Thanks for your time[sm=idea.gif]

Deftones123

I run 20% in mine, I tryed 10% before but its not as fast with 10%, 20% is fine in a big block

Elite_Tux487

Theres no definite answer..run what ever you want basically as long as it is specifically made for car use...

Beasley1

30% will run better. It realy doesnt cut down that much on engine life.

binaryterror

20% to 30% is fine. 30% will offer more power and will run the engine cooler.

What brand of fuel you use might be more important than nitro content in the end.

hilifemt

Yeah i agree with that. The quality of the oil in the fuel is the most important thing I think. I run 0% nitro in my fuel I mix myself. It's not as powerful as 20-30%, but here is my stock MGT modded engine hanging with a LRP spec 3 Savage running 20% nitro. The MGT is making plenty of power with ZERO nitro.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTR1-3da4EM

schlags62

How do you have ZERO nitro? What else is in there that would burn?

binaryterror

Nitro fuel is made of the following:
Methanol
Nitro Methanol
Oil (Castor or Synthetic or a blend of the 2)
Dye

domg

So, clearly, whatever dye he is using in his homebrew fuel is responsible for all that horsepower! I'm betting it's probably pink...

Nitromethane is an oxidizer, which quite simply means that when burned it introduces more oxygen into the fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber. Think of nitro as a chemical supercharger. Without a supercharger, an engine will still run, albeit while making less power. People who run with low or no nitro content in their fuels typically also run higher compression ratios to make up for the loss of power potential. I would say that binaryterror is doing quite well with his engine all things considered.

binaryterror

I do not make my own fuels, never would waste the time or put up with the hazards.

I run Sidewinder Race 30% and love it.

hilifemt

It takes me about 2 minutes to make a liter and isnt any more hazardess than putting fuel into your fuel tank....genius

If you burned as much fuel as me in the last 12 months, you'd understand why I do it. LOL $13/gallon or $33/gallon. AND, Im keeping up with a well tuned LRP my friend.

davido666

I want to know what you need to buy and where to puchase the ingredients to make your own fuel. What is the formala for parts to mix.

hilifemt

I buy 5 gallons buckets of methanol at a local distributor. And Klotz SuperTechniplate(80% synthetic-20% castor mix) from a dirt bike shop. In an accurate one liter cylinder (like high school science, LOL) I mix 880ml of methanol, and 120ml oil, for a total of 12% oil. That's it. Done! Pretty hazardess eh?

Make sure you buy top notch oil. I recomend Klotz for the quality and science thay have put into this oil. It smells great too.

davido666

So how do the companys rate their fuel as 20% and 30% nitro. What is your formula equal too in percentage. My son and I burn lots of fuel so I would like to start mixing my own.
thanks for the help

davido666

I think I figured it out from another web site. You are only mixing methanol and oil. You are not using nitro methenol which is a mixture with the oil. Is this correct?

binaryterror

Methanol is a very simple alcohol. Sometimes used as a fuel, though not often without additives to help its burn characteristics.

Nitro Methanol is not the same. It provides more power by being an oxidizer and adding more oxygen allowing the combustion cycle to be cleaner burning, which helps with temperatures as well.

Storing Methanol should only be done in an approved ventilated and grounded contained shelf unit. This would be the same with Nitro Methanol. Both are easy to ignite, hence the typical regulations on storage. You as a home owner can store it illegally, but watch out for your Home Owners insurance if you run into an fire/arson investigation.

To Make 20% Nitro fuel with 8% oil you would follow the following idea:
1 Liter Total Production
200mL Of Nitro Methanol -> 20% of 1 liter would be the amount of Nitro Methanol you need
80mL Of Oil -> 8% of 1 liter would be the amount of Oil you need
720mL of Methanol -> Remainder of fuel combination is Methanol

I don't have the time or the ability to properly store the ingredients, thats why I don't do it. I also race only, bashing to me is boring and nothing that brings me excitement at all. I buy for its performance, and running a fuel without NitroMethanol is not wise for these engines without modding the detonation/timing or compression of the engines. Sure you might keep up to a LRP in a Savage, but on a track, tank to tank running full tilt is a much different and more critical.

hilifemt

First of all no one asked if you liked to bash binary. No need to try and dog on me because you don't like me. 2nd, get your facts straight. I speak from experience and not assumption or reading the net, then acting like a know it all.

running with zero nitroMETHANE is not dangerous to our engines at all, nor does it require any type of engine modding. My last engine lasted 14 gallons with ZERO mods, Running a pure methanol mix. Does nitro add a more powerful burn, yes. Does running without it make it dangerous on a engine (modded or unmodded) NO!

8% oil content for mixing is very dangerous as far as engine protection. You better be on top of your tuning game running 8%. And expect shorter engine life due to running 8% oil in the fuel. Even the engine manufacturers recommend 15-18% oil content. 12% is about the perfect number for adequate protection and allowing slack for an inexperienced tune.

btw, Im not trying to push my method, Im just clearing up FACTS that a engine will run fine without nitroMETHANE and that mixing fuel is not a WASTE. Actually it's a savings......about 20 bucks a gallon worth of saving. Let's see, I burned 16 gallons over the last 12 months at a $20 dollar savings per gallon. $320 bucks I saved on fuel this past year. enough to buy nearly 2 LRP spec 3's. what a waste!


Also, I believe nitroMETHANE by itself will not ingite or burn on it's own. It needs to be mixed with methanol(alcohol). Im not completely 100% sure on this, but I believe I have heard that a few times. Anyone confirm this!?!?!

burningpoo

I wonder how the insurance company would feel if you had a shed at the back of your yard, with a 6 foot steak in the ground that has a wire running to a shelf, to store your fuel making supplies. Personaly I think that as long as your not near a house you should be fine. But what do I know, they use fine print 20 pages deep.

I also thought that anything with the word "methane" in it would burn, but I'm not sure about that.

hilifemt

Okay, it does appear nitromethane is flammable, but by itself, not as flammable as methanol. The oxygen in nitromethane increases the burning power of the methanol making it more powerful, which was never an issue at doubt.

Here's a link to the characteristics of the fuels/liquids separately
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/framed...acefuel15.html

Storing these things isnt any more dangerous than storing fuel in the jug(20-30% nitro) from the hobby shop. Some people will buy a whole case at a time(4 gallons) I dont see a difference in what I do as opposed to having four gallons pre mixed. But if people have to dig deep to dog my method of saving money, while at the same time losing the slightest of performance, then so be it! It's all good. MY no nitro MGT still kicks ass! and you know it!

binaryterror

NitroMethane? Thats wrong bud, get your facts correct. It is NitroMethanol that is added. Methane and NitroMethane are gasses, Methanol and NitroMethanol are liquids.

Simple engine dynamics is all you need to understand burn effiency and combustion. It's all about Octane ratings. Higher octane ratings allow for vastly changed timing of an engine. Also Octane changes the combustion you run to reach full effiency. For instance my Motorcycle needs 92 octane to run, anything less because of timing and compression the bike runs terrible because of pre-detonation. This is a fact, just because you got it to work with no Nitromethanol, doesn't mean all engines work, you've also modded your engine, did that effect timing at all?

Again there is a difference in 14 gallons of bashing and 14 gallons of racing, thats simple. Do you run 30-60 minutes straight without a single shut off, just keep refueling? My engines experience racing conditions, which is different from Joe Basher and different from you Mr. Hilife. I tune based on performance, not solely on temps like most.

I also buy quality engines, so tuning isn't a chore, its actually very simple and long lasting.

hilifemt

octane in gasoline has nothing to do with methanol and nitroMETHANE, which is a liquid!
Okay, you aren't as smart as I once thought, because you are absolutely wrong. DO YOUR RESEARCH!

While I do agree that racing might be a little harder on engines, higher end engines don't make tuning any easier. AND I don't even own a temp gun buddy so don't act like I don't tune to performance. Nice try though!

edit: Actually I don't think your racing is harder on engines than my bashing. I hold my engine WOT to max RPM's, hit a jump remaining full throttle while my truck flips through the air at maximum revs, then finally land off the throttle. That's pretty damn hard on an engine if you ask me.

Elite_Tux487

Us bashers don't tune solely based on temps either...at least I and the people that I know personally don't. It is a no-no. Most people not just racers tune for performance making sure that we don't get dangerously high engine temps, thats all. On most engines I would say tunning issues have to do with user based knowledge and skill.

drivefastgto

Just to keep the facts straight...An engine running nitromethane requires a lower compession ratio than the same motor running methanol. Thus, I find it HIGHLY doubtful that 0% nitro fuel would ever cause detonation in and of itself.

Again, just keeping the facts straight...

binaryterror

Buy an OS and say that...OS are known worldwide to be extremely easy to tune, even their OS Speed and V-Spec lines that are extremely high end and high power.

Anytime you are ready for a race day to see how it changes performance of an engine you are more than welcome to come race. We'll be racing in Gobles M-40 Track with the FTMS series on July 19th. http://www.factorytracks.com/M40_details_nitro.html

hilifemt

Anytime you wanna bash I'm bashing nearly 3 days a week. Im moving to Montana April 30 so sorry I can't take you up on that offer. You never did admit you are wrong about nitromethane btw! it's all good. Im just trying to spread info and maybe help someone else save money or whatever. I'm not trying to say my method is the best. I used to mix Nitro that I bought directly from TORCO fuel in Dowagiac. I have since gone to my current no nitro fuel. Not a big deal, just clarifying a few misrepresentations is all.

If you wanna let me borrow some racing tires/wheels for a weekend and throw me some gas money so you can spank my unexperienced track driving, I'll take you up on that and make a trip the FTR, Just so you get your glory! LOL, I'll need a pit guy too. I never said I was a fast racer. But I do run my engine hard while bashing.


btw, TTR .28 engines are also known to be some of the easiest engines to tune. I bought mine for 50 bucks and then modded it. Tuning is not an issue. I was stating that tuning with 8% oil content leaves very little room for error. Run lean for a while and you put some serious wear and tear on that engine compare to running 12% oil. Clear as mud?