Convert to methanol

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gumper

gumper

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Butte, MT
For the next race season I want to run methanol. Ethanol was what I really was pushing for, but there is zero availability for a reasonable price in my area. I'm already running 1/2" lines and a compatible pump. My carb of choice would be the pro systems engine friendly setup. The big issue is I highly doubt my stock fuel tank will hold up to the fuel. I don't want to lose the use of my fuel filler neck due to convenience. I also don't want to have to lose my back seat for a firewall that I'd need if the tank was mounted inside the trunk. Need to keep the fuel level sender as well. What can I do?
 
Taking out the back seat and making a firewall to go behind it is child's play, right? The trick will be coming up with a tank to happily hold methanol, without problems. There's some stuff motorcycle guys use to coat tanks, but I don't recommend it. Think the best option would be to make a plastic fuel cell work with the OEM filler neck, IF you are adamant about keeping the OEM gas cap.
 
I have seen stainless steel OEM style tanks for B-bodies, maybe that company has A-body tanks in development.
 
Bingo

[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-1967-MOPAR-Stainless-Steel-Gas-Fuel-tank-/350852468854?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item51b06fd076&vxp=mtr"]1966 1967 Mopar Stainless Steel Gas Fuel Tank | eBay[/ame]
 
http://hotrodcitygarage.com/index.html makes an aluminum fuel tank that is a replica of the oe tank....it aint exactly low buck though...

Do you have enough motor to use the methanol? Pretty sure methanol likes squeeze. Friend I know who runs it has a 12-1 motor. Ditto for another guy, think his might be 13-1. Keep in mind that you will go thru a crap load of meth compared to gasoline....

Do you have an electric water pump? If not might need one....friend ran his car on the dyno, without the water pump running and I think he may have seen 110* on the temperature gauge....have seen some guys that run meth without any coolant flow at all.....they did not even have freeze out plugs in the block....

Can't help but wonder if an electric pump will be able to move enough meth....the few guys I have seen running it use a belt driven pump...
 
inkjunkie said:
http://hotrodcitygarage.com/index.html makes an aluminum fuel tank that is a replica of the oe tank....it aint exactly low buck though... Do you have enough motor to use the methanol? Pretty sure methanol likes squeeze. Friend I know who runs it has a 12-1 motor. Ditto for another guy, think his might be 13-1. Keep in mind that you will go thru a crap load of meth compared to gasoline.... Do you have an electric water pump? If not might need one....friend ran his car on the dyno, without the water pump running and I think he may have seen 110* on the temperature gauge....have seen some guys that run meth without any coolant flow at all.....they did not even have freeze out plugs in the block.... Can't help but wonder if an electric pump will be able to move enough meth....the few guys I have seen running it use a belt driven pump...
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I thought meth eats aluminum?
 
Ummm. Hope you have a high compression engine if not than your in for a rough ride and a empty wallet
 
Adding the fire wall behind the back seat is easy. When I switched to a fuel cell I made my fire wall in an afternoon and was able to re-install the seat so the kiddo's can ride back there. Just make a cardboard or poster-board template, get the proper thickness of sheet metal and go to town. It does take a little bit of extra work to move the seat belt mounts for the back seat...but that's about it.

I don't know what to say about the filler neck thing...sounds like pain to keep that part functional. I just put a block off plate inside my stock gas cap so that it retained the stock look from the outside, but made it so I could not accidentally try to use the stock filler neck (which now leads to nothing) and fill the truck with gas.:D
 
GEO said:
E85 is easier to get than methanol

That's what I building my next engine to burn
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I can't get ethanol locally, and a barrel would cost $8+/gallon. I'm running 11:1 right now or close to it. I'll be rebuilding the engine this winter, so I can probably up the compression if needed. I really want to keep the filler neck for easy access. Otherwise I'd have to build hinges for my glass trunk lid, or take it off every pass which would really get annoying. The only reason I want to run methanol is consistency. I want it to be like I xeroxed my time slips all day so maybe I can win a few more races next year.
 
gumper said:
I can't get ethanol locally, and a barrel would cost $8+/gallon. I'm running 11:1 right now or close to it. I'll be rebuilding the engine this winter, so I can probably up the compression if needed. I really want to keep the filler neck for easy access. Otherwise I'd have to build hinges for my glass trunk lid, or take it off every pass which would really get annoying. The only reason I want to run methanol is consistency. I want it to be like I xeroxed my time slips all day so maybe I can win a few more races next year.
Click to expand...

That sucks , around here it is at every gas station and runs around $2.60 per gallon
 
GEO said:
That sucks , around here it is at every gas station and runs around $2.60 per gallon
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I know, it makes me angry because e85 was going to happen this season if I could get fuel. The closest station is 200 miles away, and the price is $5.xx/gal. Makes sense I live surrounded by farm land, and there are no ethanol refineries anywhere close.
 
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