NASCAR fuel scandal 1

[aamatureracer]

The Toyota/Michael Waltrip Nascar Team has been penalized for using a fuel additive. NASCAR would not reveal what they found and there is lots of speculation and a few red herrings floating arround with the AP reporting that a person with knowledge of the investigation saying it was a property contained in jet fuel. There were also rumors that it was Sterno, or jellied alcohol that was rubbed inside the intake. The substance has also been reported as an oxygenate by NASCAR.
One of the more sophisticated theories is that methanol was added to the gasoline and reacted with the aluminium intake manifold and made the gel that was found.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I understand that rice has been ruled out as a suspect.

 

[patprimmer]

Ummm

Some people have been using alcohol for quite a while, that is where rules allow.

Regards

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[sprintcar]

We run methanol in the sprint cars.
The problem for NASCAR is multi-faceted:
1> They run a special Holley carb that is made specifically for NASCAR - it was supposed to be obsolete many years ago, but there are 1000's around now. Methanol eats aluminum so the carb, manifold and dump cans would all have to be specially coated.
2> Sunoco is a major series sponsor to promote sales at the gas stations. What benefit would there be for a non-consumer fuel?
3> Safety - methanol can blind you if it gets in your eyes, and splash is a danger during pitstops. It also burns clear so spotting a fire is almost impossible - just look at the problems Indy/Cart guys have with it and they have dedicated fueling rigs, not dump cans.

Perhaps with all the fuel cell research, some day there will be a racing series for hydrogen fueled cars.... I think I'll watch the Hindenburg 500 at home on TV.

Timing has an awful lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[patprimmer]

The clear burning nature could easily be changed with an additive to make a bit of a glow, like a little bit of oil in it, or some nano sized magnesium powder well dispersed.

Regards

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Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[ebola]

of course, petrol engines are common in racing not because of technical problems - it is historical/industrial matter first of all.Industry often exceeds limit wich makes it self-reasoned. Even if tomorrow we'd have alcohol fuel with production cost twice as low as petrol - politics would rise purposely it right away because you can not cut billion dollar petrol machinery projects right like that in one day.Even in ten years it would be too painfull for global economy probably.
Pumping oil is monster that rules the world - no doubt.But sport should be innovative not only in improving old technologies by getting one and another horse more from same restrictor plate,but also in other things.
Piston engine is primitive thing itself - way to much wasted heat and polution.I think if it has future - only in regard of biofuel.
I dont see any criminal in that situation with nascar being used alcohol.
Sport is always full of cheating, and this one wasnt the worse we remember.
Sorry for bad english.
Regards
Andrius

 

[evelrod]

Just FYI...Drove the Model A down and spent Saturday watching a friend race his Volvo 544 at Cal Speedway (VARA race after the big NASCAR race last week). I got a peek at some of the new unleaded 'blue fuel'. It was. I am told it is 119 octane (by what method averages that is determined I do not know). No price either as it is not sold at the track except to qualified NASCAR teams. Oh well, if ya gotta ask the price, etc.!!!

Rod