So I am trying to decide money wise if it will be worth switching over my Modified motor to Alcohol from race gas..????
SBC 388 stroker 13.4 comp
Race Gas,.drum...$550.00
Race Methanol,.....$170.00

What all will I have to change,.or get...????

Carb,.. can I just swap out the jets..???
Mechanicle fuel pump,..does it have to be specific for alky...???
Fuel pressure regulator w/ return line.??????

Any help appreciated....

Thank you in advance

Vic

New Carb needed the gas one will not work, you use anywhere from 1.5 to 2 times more ally than gas, fuel pump capable of 8 to 9 lbs of fuel press at wide open throttle yes you need some type of regulater. Look at spending at least $1500 switching over Carb pump reg bigger fuel lines? Bigger fuel cell? Gain some HP  ...........

How about starting the alky engine for the first time of the day,..Do you need to prime it with Gas...??? or a primer set up..??


Thank you for your inputs

Vic

holy smokes , you go through all that after every race? If it's gonna sit for more than 3 weeks drain the bowls.... at the end of the season empty everything of fuel... never had to use gas to start mine... ut yeah need alky carb, I use tandem power steering full pump but I'm sure you'll need a better fuel pump and regulator and supply and return fuel line..

Personally, if yer Not fighting a Cooling Issue in the Summer Months, I'd stick with GAS instead of going to Alky.

I use between 15- 20 gals of alcohol in a normal night , wheel packing, heat race and main.

my maintenance program is like JP80's   drain the carb if it sits for more then a couple of weeks,  I send my carb back to willy's carb shop every couple of years for a clean out/tuneup that cost about $100.00
Alcohol is hard on your rubber lines dries them out and makes them un flexable , so you might buy the Teflon lined fuel lines, they won't get hard and brittle.

I run the block mounted Pro cam pump, bypass with a return

I had problems getting my car to start on alcohol when I had a no name alky carb and a Mallory distributor. but switching to a MSD and Willy's the car starts cold without priming even at the Duel in the desert (about as cold as it get for racing in Vegas)

We never did the line drain or any of that running from week to week either. We did run an oil upper lube in the fuel, kept the scaling to a minimum.   I think the Akly must be a better grade then way back because we always got the same advice about the draining and what not but never did it.


PS  starting it on gas just runs really rich and smokey for a few seconds, no big deal..I had a squirt bottle of gas on the cooler nights cause I hate grinding on the starter.  Gas just starts quicker. Only used that on the initial start of the evening, after that no issues.  Also remember, akly lean will burn you down in a heart beat, and the motor doesn't seem to care if its a little rich.

The money you will save will be a wash. You will just spend it on beer anyway.