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Methanol VS Petrol

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:12 pm
by Gary57
Maybe some one here can shed some light on this.

I am going to start injecting water/meth rather than just water. Now I have found meth is cheaper than petrol, by nearly R1.50 a liter. Why cant/dont we run our cars on meth like the racing cars?? I am not asking this to increase my power but just am curious because thats nearly a R100 saving per tank.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:29 pm
by Daniel
I havent got a clue, but i think its coz you have to change alot to get it to work. Doesnt meth eat plastic/rubber? so you have to change your fuel lines and wat wat. But ja not really sure

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 1:33 pm
by Gary57
Ja meth does eat plastic and corrodes aluminum. So just change fuel lines and fue other goodies and it should work.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:06 pm
by Vlade
Yeah the guys who race on pure meth need to drain there cars after each event... you don't want to do that to you road car... I also heard to replace injectors quite often... can get expensive.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:24 pm
by Gary57
Why would you need to drain the car?? Why would you need to replace the injectors??

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:31 pm
by Dunn
Gary57 wrote:Why would you need to drain the car?? Why would you need to replace the injectors??
I think you explained that yourself

"Ja meth does eat plastic and corrodes aluminum. So just change fuel lines and fue other goodies and it should work."

So assume it prob cars that have aluminium blocks

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:34 pm
by Gary57
The petrol doesnt sit inside the block though. Beside I think it takes a LONG time to corrode the aluminum.

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:37 pm
by Dunn
T-cam wrote:
Gary57 wrote:Why would you need to drain the car?? Why would you need to replace the injectors??
I think you explained that yourself

"Ja meth does eat plastic and corrodes aluminum. So just change fuel lines and fue other goodies and it should work."

So assume it prob cars that have aluminium blocks
I know i just heard from a buddie that it's needs to be drained on aluminium blocks but i don't know all the other aspects involved but you do make a valid point tho

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:41 pm
by Gary57
I know a guy who runs his Toyota on Meth, as far as I know he doesnt drain it or anything. But the petrol tank is in the boot, race specs.

If I can buy 205Lt at R3.45/Lt imagine what a garage could buy it at??

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:56 pm
by Sokar
Just my 2c, If it was a viable AND cheaper option, and it only required little modifications, why wouldnt motor manufaturers have switched over yet.... There is definately some facet/angle we're not seeing

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:58 pm
by The Calibrator
Methanol
Pros: high octane rating
Cons
1: Converts to formaldehyde in the body and accumulates
2 Burns with a colourless flame
3:Is very hygroscopic( absorbs water from the atmosphere)
4: High latent heat of evaporation
Basically you need 2.2 times the amount methanol by volume as you do petrol to make the same power.
Can you say BAAAAAD fuel consumption?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:53 am
by Gary57
That is more or less the same thing my mate said, he used to race motorbikes on meths.

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:41 am
by Vlade
Then in a fact you answered all your own questions 8)

2.2 * R3.45 = R7.59 not really cheaper than petrol hey? Then you also got all those added disadvantages