Alcohol Question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

chevytruck1970 · 07-06-2010, 01:27 AM

Are any of you running alcohol on your trucks? Thinking of changing to alcohol and was wanting pro's, con's, advice, etc. Thank you.

**regan wilson** · 07-07-2010, 05:11 PM

I dont run alky but on your deal it would make more tq for sure . You just have to remember it requires alot more maintenece .

chevytruck1970 · 07-07-2010, 09:48 PM

the torque is what I'm after but it may be more trouble than its worth. I'm wanting to run a electric pump and leave the existing fuel cell in the back. What kind of fuel system are you running Regan?

RatPwrd72 · 07-08-2010, 09:14 AM

I just took a Ron's Toilet setup off of my '67. It's an iron headed 468, mild roller and was on alcohol. I switched to a good working 850 mechanical secondary Holley and a Blue pump. Only lost 1 MPH and 3 hundreths on the 60'. Alot less to maintain and cheaper to operate. Methanol around here is $5 a gallon. I was burning not quite 3 gallons per pass ($15). Race gas is $7 a gallon and I made 11 passes in 2 days using about 5 gallons ($35). Methanol milks the oil if you're the least bit rich and harder to start. I was changing oil every weekend and my consistancy could've been better, but got tired of chasing the tune. The throttle response is killer, though. Good luck.

71chevytruckguy · 07-08-2010, 11:05 AM

Interesting advice. I was also thinking bout switching to alky. From what I'd heard at the track, alky is more consistent. Any truth to that? Chris.

RatPwrd72 · 07-08-2010, 08:09 PM

I would say once you get your tuneup right, it's as close as anything else. I had consistancy issues with the methanol, but when I changed to a good gas carb, it ran 10.86, 10.87 and 10.86 right off the trailer with no tweaking.

My personal opinion is that gas is just as close and easier on parts. If you're not on top of methanol maintanance, you'll have issues with anything rubber. Also, if you're rich cylinder washdown is easy to do. This is where the oil changes come into play. You definately have to use a top end lube with methanol to promote ring life and stop cylinder scoring as methanol is not a good lubricant.

It came to the point with me that I was willing to sacrifice a little performance so I could get some racing done. We were constantly changing pills, barrel valve leakdown and idle speed. Just my .02 cents.

chevytruck1970 · 07-08-2010, 11:49 PM

I always seem to have a problem running faster after the sun goes down and breaking out. I've noticed the guys running alcohol are not having that problem.

RatPwrd72 · 07-09-2010, 10:26 AM

I've had that happen with both gas and methanol. If you get your jetting spot on, you're probably not going to vary as much.

Marv D · 07-09-2010, 03:28 PM

Thing is with alcohol you going to make good torque at 7.0 to 7.2:1, where gas is 12.8:1. If your consuming only about 1/2 as much air per pound of fuel,, the quality of the air is going to have less effect.

I ran my little Nova on alcohol some yearsback when it was a 383. Had been running 10.3 to 10.5 in the varying temps of the summer races with C-12. I switched to alcohol and had a lot of issues (including a small fire) getting it up and running before I even put it back in the trailer. First pass it went 10.901. TOTALLY bewildered I ran it all day and it ran 10.890 to 10.905 going from 105° mid day heat to 85° night time eliminations. Insainly consistant, but nearly a 1/2 a second slower. I threw up my hands after seeing the oil after the first race and switched back to C-12. Instant I fired it up on gas I realized something was WRONG!!!. Discovered it had ran 10.9 on 7 cylinders having #8 intake rocker stud broken, and the #8 exhaust pushrod broken. #8 was just along for the ride and it only lost 1/2 a second from gas.

I can tellyou this much from my 'limited' experience with alcohol and what I have learned from others. Don't dick with a alky carb or the toilet,, alcohol injection is the only way to do alcohol. At least let me say this,, 'IF' I werre to ever try it again, it would be injection.

cableguy0 · 07-09-2010, 09:41 PM

If you want time to actually race your car stick with gas. The maintenance is ridiculous with alcohol. You burn twice as much alcohol or more than you will gas with everything else being equal. Everything in the fuel system has to be alcohol safe. Its just a lot of extra money involved all the way around. A properly tuned car will be dead nuts consistent on gas just as it will on alcohol.

djracer · 07-10-2010, 10:24 AM

I ran alcohol with a toilet on my old 67 camaro and I loved it. The only thing I ever adjusted was the barrel valve. You do have more maintenance but it was deadly consistent. I have a video my uncle made one day at the track and I ran 5 5.96 second passes. I would have it on the truck if it was normally aspirated. The throttle response was awesome. There are some tricks to alcohol and if you try it be patient and work with it a while before you decide you don't like it. Here I can buy it for less than 3 dollars a gallon also.

chevytruck1970 · 07-11-2010, 04:34 PM

you can get it for around 2.50 here if you buy it by the drum. A lot of guys are running alcohol on the motor and gas on the nitrous with a seperate fuel cell and being very sucessful.

1Bad62Pro/Street · 07-12-2010, 11:04 AM

A little info:
http://www.smokemup.com/tech/fuels.php

YouTube- 66 chevelle blown alcohol

YouTube- Blown Alcohol Injected Chevelle

chris mc bride · 07-14-2010, 11:35 PM

I ran alky injection back in 1985,like the country song before it was cool.I never had any problems.I made 8 runs one night and 6 where the same to the thousands.The other two where off less then 1 100ths.I does require a little more maintance,but its not really anything hard.I always leaned my system with shutoff when shutting down.I had a small pressure guage the triggered a lite at 3 lbs of pressure.I would spint the motor a few times to build pressure and then either prime the motor myself or have someone do it.spin it cpl times and hit the mag it fired right off.
As for the milky oil thats only problem till you get sytem set right,most of the time the barrle valves to rich.As for mainting system just make sure to run ir dry,using primer system to run motor and after wards sray eveything with wd-40 and pull fees line spray some towards pump and the inlet to barrle valve,reattach line and your good to go.
IMO alky is onyl problem for those who want to race witout the work(lazy).I never understood these folks.IMO the whole reason for racing is the love of working on performance engine and making it haul a$$.Then again I went from bracket to funnycars and blown dragsters.Now when I go to track with little brother most bracket guys are amazed when I pull vc's everyother run and the pan at end of day.Man pull the heads off and they act like you just parted the water.

djracer · 07-15-2010, 06:34 AM

Chris I did allot of those same things I was just too lazy to type out that book. I did love it on my camaro.

chris mc bride · 07-15-2010, 12:34 PM

yea I can get carried away when its dragrace related. Thinking about check into the Wally parks clinic,the John Browning(guns) and James Watt clinics (formula for horse power) clinics also.

weaverterrence · 07-21-2010, 05:37 AM

Is running on alcohol safer for your engine? Would it not influence the maintenance cost? What alcohol is most advisable considering the durability of the engine?

chris mc bride · 07-24-2010, 07:06 PM

As for duarablity its not going to add to it and may even shorten it some due to deluting the oil some if not tuned right. As for best alky its better to buy the racing stuff and not from a chemical company.There stuff is usaully not pure and can have effect on performance big time.
Besides we all know the saying. Gas is for cleaning parts
Alcohol is for drinking
Nitro is for racing( and going bankrupt)

07-06-2010, 01:27 AM	#1
chevytruck1970 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stilwell, OK Posts: 83	Alcohol Question Are any of you running alcohol on your trucks? Thinking of changing to alcohol and was wanting pro's, con's, advice, etc. Thank you. __________________ Justin weight 3480 with driver 1.35 60ft 6.13@111mph 1/8 mile 9.80@131mph 1/4 mile 434 small block all motor

07-07-2010, 05:11 PM	#2
regan wilson Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: tyler texas Posts: 1,536	Re: Alcohol Question I dont run alky but on your deal it would make more tq for sure . You just have to remember it requires alot more maintenece . __________________ NHRA Super Street 469C It only runs 10.90 at 156 mph

07-07-2010, 09:48 PM	#3
chevytruck1970 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stilwell, OK Posts: 83	Re: Alcohol Question the torque is what I'm after but it may be more trouble than its worth. I'm wanting to run a electric pump and leave the existing fuel cell in the back. What kind of fuel system are you running Regan? __________________ Justin weight 3480 with driver 1.35 60ft 6.13@111mph 1/8 mile 9.80@131mph 1/4 mile 434 small block all motor

07-08-2010, 09:14 AM	#4
RatPwrd72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maysville, OK Posts: 227	Re: Alcohol Question I just took a Ron's Toilet setup off of my '67. It's an iron headed 468, mild roller and was on alcohol. I switched to a good working 850 mechanical secondary Holley and a Blue pump. Only lost 1 MPH and 3 hundreths on the 60'. Alot less to maintain and cheaper to operate. Methanol around here is $5 a gallon. I was burning not quite 3 gallons per pass ($15). Race gas is $7 a gallon and I made 11 passes in 2 days using about 5 gallons ($35). Methanol milks the oil if you're the least bit rich and harder to start. I was changing oil every weekend and my consistancy could've been better, but got tired of chasing the tune. The throttle response is killer, though. Good luck. __________________ 1972 Chevy Cheyenne Super- Pump gas 496,TH-400, TCI Stall, 3.73's,Ochre & White two-tone w/Olive Interior 1967 Chevy Short Step Drag Truck-Iron Headed 468 Making Memories My momma took me off the bottle years ago.....

07-08-2010, 11:05 AM	#5
71chevytruckguy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 599	Re: Alcohol Question Interesting advice. I was also thinking bout switching to alky. From what I'd heard at the track, alky is more consistent. Any truth to that? Chris. __________________ its a work in progess. 71 c-10 lwb, in the middle of frame off restoration. 69 c-10 swb, drag truck, 406 sbc, balanced, comp 292 cam, ported, polished, gasket matched, and bowl blended pro comp 210cc heads, 2.02/1.60 ferrea valves,1.6 roller rockers, re curved hei with msd 6al box, 2-step rev limter, accel 300+ wires, ported victor jr intake, holley 750 double pumper carb, dynomax 1 5/8 headers, 4 spd munci m-20 with super case and iron midplate, mr. gasket vertigate shifter, 5.38 pro gears with full spool, 33 spline moser axles and c-clip elimators, line-loc, 5 gal fuel cell, holley blue pump. 7.807 @ 88.37mph 1.60 60FT 80 g-20 van, tow rig, cammed 305, th350, 10 bolt 88 jeep wrangler, dd, 258, ax-15 swap, 4.5" lift, 33x12.50's, lockers, 3.55's

07-08-2010, 08:09 PM	#6
RatPwrd72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maysville, OK Posts: 227	Re: Alcohol Question I would say once you get your tuneup right, it's as close as anything else. I had consistancy issues with the methanol, but when I changed to a good gas carb, it ran 10.86, 10.87 and 10.86 right off the trailer with no tweaking. My personal opinion is that gas is just as close and easier on parts. If you're not on top of methanol maintanance, you'll have issues with anything rubber. Also, if you're rich cylinder washdown is easy to do. This is where the oil changes come into play. You definately have to use a top end lube with methanol to promote ring life and stop cylinder scoring as methanol is not a good lubricant. It came to the point with me that I was willing to sacrifice a little performance so I could get some racing done. We were constantly changing pills, barrel valve leakdown and idle speed. Just my .02 cents. __________________ 1972 Chevy Cheyenne Super- Pump gas 496,TH-400, TCI Stall, 3.73's,Ochre & White two-tone w/Olive Interior 1967 Chevy Short Step Drag Truck-Iron Headed 468 Making Memories My momma took me off the bottle years ago.....

07-08-2010, 11:49 PM	#7
chevytruck1970 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stilwell, OK Posts: 83	Re: Alcohol Question I always seem to have a problem running faster after the sun goes down and breaking out. I've noticed the guys running alcohol are not having that problem. __________________ Justin weight 3480 with driver 1.35 60ft 6.13@111mph 1/8 mile 9.80@131mph 1/4 mile 434 small block all motor

07-09-2010, 10:26 AM	#8
RatPwrd72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maysville, OK Posts: 227	Re: Alcohol Question I've had that happen with both gas and methanol. If you get your jetting spot on, you're probably not going to vary as much. __________________ 1972 Chevy Cheyenne Super- Pump gas 496,TH-400, TCI Stall, 3.73's,Ochre & White two-tone w/Olive Interior 1967 Chevy Short Step Drag Truck-Iron Headed 468 Making Memories My momma took me off the bottle years ago.....

07-09-2010, 03:28 PM	#9
Marv D Registered Truck Offender Join Date: May 2008 Location: hells training ground (aka Ariz) Posts: 3,118	Re: Alcohol Question Thing is with alcohol you going to make good torque at 7.0 to 7.2:1, where gas is 12.8:1. If your consuming only about 1/2 as much air per pound of fuel,, the quality of the air is going to have less effect. I ran my little Nova on alcohol some yearsback when it was a 383. Had been running 10.3 to 10.5 in the varying temps of the summer races with C-12. I switched to alcohol and had a lot of issues (including a small fire) getting it up and running before I even put it back in the trailer. First pass it went 10.901. TOTALLY bewildered I ran it all day and it ran 10.890 to 10.905 going from 105° mid day heat to 85° night time eliminations. Insainly consistant, but nearly a 1/2 a second slower. I threw up my hands after seeing the oil after the first race and switched back to C-12. Instant I fired it up on gas I realized something was WRONG!!!. Discovered it had ran 10.9 on 7 cylinders having #8 intake rocker stud broken, and the #8 exhaust pushrod broken. #8 was just along for the ride and it only lost 1/2 a second from gas. I can tellyou this much from my 'limited' experience with alcohol and what I have learned from others. Don't dick with a alky carb or the toilet,, alcohol injection is the only way to do alcohol. At least let me say this,, 'IF' I werre to ever try it again, it would be injection. __________________ Still playin with trucks, even at my age! When you're dead, it's only a problem for the people around you, because you don't know you're dead. .....It's kinda the same when your STUPID. I just did my taxes and reviewed my SS statement. Thanks to the current administration it looks like I will only have to work till noon on the day of my funeral.

07-09-2010, 09:41 PM	#10
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,950	Re: Alcohol Question If you want time to actually race your car stick with gas. The maintenance is ridiculous with alcohol. You burn twice as much alcohol or more than you will gas with everything else being equal. Everything in the fuel system has to be alcohol safe. Its just a lot of extra money involved all the way around. A properly tuned car will be dead nuts consistent on gas just as it will on alcohol. __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

07-10-2010, 10:24 AM	#11
djracer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Wetumpka, Al, U.S. Posts: 8,891	Re: Alcohol Question I ran alcohol with a toilet on my old 67 camaro and I loved it. The only thing I ever adjusted was the barrel valve. You do have more maintenance but it was deadly consistent. I have a video my uncle made one day at the track and I ran 5 5.96 second passes. I would have it on the truck if it was normally aspirated. The throttle response was awesome. There are some tricks to alcohol and if you try it be patient and work with it a while before you decide you don't like it. Here I can buy it for less than 3 dollars a gallon also. __________________ Kevin Special Thanks to All who have helped on the TRUCK! My Pass Time Show http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p...Chapter1-0.mp4 So Far my best Times are: Motor only: 6.44 1/8 @ 104.13 10.39 1/4 @ 125.83 Nitrous Times: 5.785 1/8 @ 118.65 with a 1.336 60ft 9.168 1/4 @ 142.58 with a 250 shot dead out of the hole!

07-11-2010, 04:34 PM	#12
chevytruck1970 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stilwell, OK Posts: 83	Re: Alcohol Question you can get it for around 2.50 here if you buy it by the drum. A lot of guys are running alcohol on the motor and gas on the nitrous with a seperate fuel cell and being very sucessful. __________________ Justin weight 3480 with driver 1.35 60ft 6.13@111mph 1/8 mile 9.80@131mph 1/4 mile 434 small block all motor

07-14-2010, 11:35 PM	#14
chris mc bride Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greensboro nc Posts: 673	Re: Alcohol Question I ran alky injection back in 1985,like the country song before it was cool.I never had any problems.I made 8 runs one night and 6 where the same to the thousands.The other two where off less then 1 100ths.I does require a little more maintance,but its not really anything hard.I always leaned my system with shutoff when shutting down.I had a small pressure guage the triggered a lite at 3 lbs of pressure.I would spint the motor a few times to build pressure and then either prime the motor myself or have someone do it.spin it cpl times and hit the mag it fired right off. As for the milky oil thats only problem till you get sytem set right,most of the time the barrle valves to rich.As for mainting system just make sure to run ir dry,using primer system to run motor and after wards sray eveything with wd-40 and pull fees line spray some towards pump and the inlet to barrle valve,reattach line and your good to go. IMO alky is onyl problem for those who want to race witout the work(lazy).I never understood these folks.IMO the whole reason for racing is the love of working on performance engine and making it haul a$$.Then again I went from bracket to funnycars and blown dragsters.Now when I go to track with little brother most bracket guys are amazed when I pull vc's everyother run and the pan at end of day.Man pull the heads off and they act like you just parted the water. Last edited by chris mc bride; 07-14-2010 at 11:37 PM.

07-15-2010, 06:34 AM	#15
djracer Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Wetumpka, Al, U.S. Posts: 8,891	Re: Alcohol Question Chris I did allot of those same things I was just too lazy to type out that book. I did love it on my camaro. __________________ Kevin Special Thanks to All who have helped on the TRUCK! My Pass Time Show http://s129.photobucket.com/albums/p...Chapter1-0.mp4 So Far my best Times are: Motor only: 6.44 1/8 @ 104.13 10.39 1/4 @ 125.83 Nitrous Times: 5.785 1/8 @ 118.65 with a 1.336 60ft 9.168 1/4 @ 142.58 with a 250 shot dead out of the hole!

07-15-2010, 12:34 PM	#16
chris mc bride Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greensboro nc Posts: 673	Re: Alcohol Question yea I can get carried away when its dragrace related. Thinking about check into the Wally parks clinic,the John Browning(guns) and James Watt clinics (formula for horse power) clinics also.



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07-21-2010, 05:37 AM	#17
weaverterrence Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Austin,Texas Posts: 12	Re: Alcohol Question Is running on alcohol safer for your engine? Would it not influence the maintenance cost? What alcohol is most advisable considering the durability of the engine?

07-24-2010, 07:06 PM	#18
chris mc bride Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: greensboro nc Posts: 673	Re: Alcohol Question As for duarablity its not going to add to it and may even shorten it some due to deluting the oil some if not tuned right. As for best alky its better to buy the racing stuff and not from a chemical company.There stuff is usaully not pure and can have effect on performance big time. Besides we all know the saying. Gas is for cleaning parts Alcohol is for drinking Nitro is for racing( and going bankrupt)

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.