Fuel Weights?

[John Ferrell]

I don't believe that a really high level of precision is required for this. Consistency is pretty important, changing to a new jug of the same brand should not require any adjusting. I have been using Red Max for several years with no fuel problems. I buy by the drum and go after it. That allows direct communications with the folks that put it together. It is a "nothing by chance" operation. They promise that you will get at least a gallon in every jug, and the best mix they can provide. They will not disclose the details of their oil because that is what sets one vendor apart from another. 

One very interesting detail I have learned from them is that competition fuel has LESS oil but more precise measurement that Sport fuel. The reasoning is that Sport flyers need a broader needle setting while the Competition flyer should be more receptive to a tighter needle setting for the sake of performance. 

As I understand it, the quality issues are with the oil and the moisture content. There is little value in reducing the moisture content below what you can maintain in the fueling process. The oil is the real mystery. The last time I priced Klotz KL200 by the case it was over $6 per quart. Nitro works out somewhere between $20 & $30 per gallon. You can buy Red Max 20% Nitro fuel for roughly $9 per gallon in 54 gallon drums. BTW, the drums are always full 55 gallon drums. That way they are sure to give you the 54 gallons they promised. The race car guys are amazed that I pay twice as much for 2 drums of model fuel as they do for 6 drums of Methanol.

It is a common strategy in the race car business to set an engine up so loose for qualifying that it would never be able to complete a race. 

When a car seems to run away from the rest of the pack it is usually because he lost the oil. Less friction, more go, easy win but it costs an engine!

I cannot back up any of this, but I do believe it!
John Ferrell
6241 Phillippi Rd
Julian NC 27283
Phone: (336)685-9606
johnferrell at earthlink.net
Dixie Competition Products
NSRCA 479 AMA 4190  W8CCW
"My Competition is Not My Enemy"
 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gray E Fowler 
  To: discussion at nsrca.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 6:16 AM
  Subject: Re: Fuel Weights?



  Brain has this dead right.  The fuel guys, if the have half a brain will always mix by weight OR choose to temperature control their stock-and that is not so easy. Ever try to cool or warm 1000 gallon tank of methanol? So they (should) mix by weight and then for those of you who NEED volume do the math and there it is. Any fuel guy blending by volume without temp control will have a product that varies, and then complaints from users like us who actually check performance on a regular basis.


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