Methanol Carb Question

For those using a methanol carb (especially BBC) what is your desired engine water temperature on the starting line?

Are you able to achieve and maintain this starting line temperature easily, or is a lean out valve required?

What water temperature is the engine at when returning to your pit parking area after the run?

If you know the capacity of your cooling system in quarts, please list it.

When I was running an alcohol carb my car was faster and more consistent at 180* than 160*. I like to stage at 180* would actually run faster hotter but I like to have a safety margin.
I always use a lean out valve to get water temperature up and especially at end of the day I like to get water temp up over 210* to evaporate moisture out. Water boils at 212* and alcohol about 160* and less than that with vacuum. After final round I open lean out valve and get it good and hot.
My radiator was a small Honda one that did not hold much water at all but cooled good. 700 Hp SBC.

I know for me, running a thermostat was one of the best ways to maintain temp. I drill a couple of 1/8 holes so water is always able to circulate some. I have a 170 Stat and try to roll out of the lanes between 165-170. I run a big radiator as I want the cooling capacity. I will typically use the lean out valve to build the initial heat in the engine. I like to get it up over 200 and let it heat soak. Very rarely do I need to use the lean out to maintain heat. It either lengthy times between runs or I forget to turn the water pump off.

Another recommendation, add water and oil heaters. It's nice to have heat in the engine on the initial start, and I will use to maintain heat if it's really cold or lengthy times between runs. It takes a good bit of effort to get heat in the oil with methanol. Heat in the oil is key to keeping the moisture out. Oil heater will get you a good bit of the way there without burning a bunch of methanol. I have never once milked the oil, and I typically put 100 passes on it between changes. Oil analysis always comes back good.

Good luck

I pretty much mirror Bill oil heater and all except I use a 160 deg thermostat. Mine already has 3 holes from the manufacturer.

I stage at 170 and usually around 185 when back to the trailer, pump only unless I'm doubled and need to get right back to the lanes then I'll run the fan as needed. I also try to get up to 200 at the end of the day.

I have ran a 170* thermostat for many years and I drill a few small holes around edge to allow some water to flow and help get air out quicker.

Not carb but injection for the past 20+ years. I found that staging at 155-160 seems to be more consistent than staging at the 130-140 that some alcohol guys brag about and it also keeps the oil much cleaner. It builds about 5-10 degrees during the run and seldom goes over 170 but that's easily controlled with the fan.

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
I have ran a 170* thermostat for many years and I drill a few small holes around edge to allow some water to flow and help get air out quicker.

You don't have to modify these.

https://www.stewartcomponents....gree-300-thermostat/

Hardest thing I had to do when I tried methanol was to not worry about cooling, just concentrate on getting it hot and keeping it hot.

Is anyone here using a methanol carb also using EGT sensor?? If yes, what is the EGT temp at idle on starting line and EGT temp at finish line of a 1/8 mile run?? What is the water temperature at finish line?

When I was on alcohol I like to stage at 165ish.

The primer plus system is worth its weight in gold when it comes to running alcohol in my opinion. No way I would run alcohol without one these days.

I run egts with my stuff. Typically at idle it's in 700 degree range, at the top of the 1/8, they are between 1200-1300. Water temp usually picks up 4-5 degrees.

I was once told that, "what ever your temps are hot lapping into the final, is what they need to be on the first time run."

I stage at 180* and shoot for a 10 degree increase going down track with the water pump and fan off. My Holley O2's read in the 5.2-5.4 range. EGT was in the 1300 range. I DO NOT tune with the O2s or EGT numbers. They are merely there for data logging and viewed in case there is a problem. I can overlay the runs and compare.

This is a small block with a QuickFuel 850.

I don't know where everyone is getting their 170* thermostats, my alky BBC still has a large 4 row radiator from my gasoline days. Total coolant capacity is 16 quarts. 180* thermostat, with 3 VERY small ( 0.060) holes drilled around the flange, evenly spaced. I found that even a pair of 1/8" holes is too much, could never get up to opening temp. Because it is a bit of a struggle to get it up to 170* consistently, (especially if I'm in the first few pairs of cars, or if there is any kind of delay or oil-down), I just stage at 160*. Coolant temp is 170* at the turnout, and back down to 160* when I get back to my pit. If I leave below 160 it slows down a couple hun.

I sit in the burnout box(dragster) @ 170*. When it is my time for the burn out I put my fan on(helps keep shroud and the area cleaner) and forget about the water temp until the run is over. Typically gain 8-10* depending on the air temp that day. No thermostat just use a small restriction plate in the housing. It has worked well for me. As others stated I get my stuff over 200* on initial start up and let it heat soak. A lean out valve and block heater are essential in my opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
Methanol Carb Question

For those using a methanol carb (especially BBC) what is your desired engine water temperature on the starting line?
175 is where I want to be.

Are you able to achieve and maintain this starting line temperature easily, or is a lean out valve required?
I think a lean out valve is worth it to get temp up in staging or first warmup.

What water temperature is the engine at when returning to your pit parking area after the run?
I can get it up over 200 after a run depending on if I turn the fan on or not driving back to the pit spot, you just have to watch the temperature gauge.

If you know the capacity of your cooling system in quarts, please list it.

Stock cooling system on my 3rd gen Camaro, of course no heater core and an electric water pump.

Oil temperature gauge is nice, oil holds the heat well especially with a diaper and not cooling at all between rounds. Nice to only have to put fuel in between rounds.

Was hoping to hear from more, but many (most BBC) probably use gas.

For those using carb with methanol, do you leave the carb sit with methanol in bowls for any period of time? Any after race procedure besides getting water temp up prior to stopping at end of day.

I do not drain my carb. I rebuild it over the winter each year.

I fill the fuel cell to the top if I let it sit for any extended periods during the season. If I am racing every week, it gets filled the next track day.

I also get my fuel without lube. Never had a problem since I switched to alcohol in the 90's.

Pretty-much what TomR said. I get the temp up before putting it in the trailer, and if the car will sit more than a day or so, I do turn off the fuel pump and run it at around 2-2,500 RPM until it dies to burn some of the fuel out of the bowls, (began doing this about 5 years ago, and it seems to keep the nitrophyl floats alive a good while longer). I never drain the cell or the lines, and only go thru the carb once each off-season. It always looks perfect inside, maybe a few white specks is all I ever find. I used top lube for 9 years, then over the past year have not been using it. No noticeable difference.

I will shut the fuel pump off let it run out of fuel and spray Foggit as it runs out of fuel if its going to sit for a week or more, that's all I do. I run Interstate fuel and I order it with lube. I also go through the carb each off season and I have been using a BBC with an alcohol carb since 2002.