Methanol Stuff

[double trouble]

Being such a wet year, too much time spent thinking about stuff,and not enough racing. I got to thinking bout our fuel and what the weather is doing to it so I came up with this. Not many Methanol teams check the quality of their fuel so I invested in a decent alcohol hydrometer to confuse myself.
At 10oC the specific gravity of my fuel was 0.7950 which equates to about 99.3%, great me thinks that's nice, what does that mean? Then I checked some water contaminated methanol (bout 2.5% water) and that shot up to 0.8350 at same temp. Wow, now I can check all me fuel all the time,all for about 40 quid. This infomation may not be 100% accurate but what I learnt is that if you choose to leave the fuel in your racecar for more than 48 hours, the water content WILL go above 2.5% if it's chucking it down with rain. We have tested with 97% and 99% methanol and there IS a differance.
Moral of the story IF YOU KEEP YOUR FUEL IN YOUR RACECAR WHEN ITS RAINING, IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERANCE.

[KP1]

That´s why we always put in fresh fuel before every run and don´t store the fuel in a plastic container between the races.

[BB-Q]

So what do you do with the fuel then? Do you drain it and put it in a sealed container or dispose of it? If so, how do you dispose of it?

Guess my plans of running my street car on industrial methanol are scrapped then.

[liner33]

BB-Q said:

So what do you do with the fuel then? Do you drain it and put it in a sealed container or dispose of it? If so, how do you dispose of it?

Drink it????;)

[Silent1]

A trick we use in RC racing is to freeze it, then the water freezes and you pour the methanol off.

[double trouble]

if the weathers been kind and we are just doing routine maintaince (draining everything) then the unused fuel goes back into fuel jugs, theres not normally a lot left in the car after a pass anyway, if like this year we end up with a tank full at the end of play then it will go into a marked jug or container and used for running up or for testing where it,s not to important

[veryoldfart]

cant condensation form in an empty metal/plastic fuel tank/cell either then?

we get steamy windows al the time....

[double trouble]

not if you fill it right to the top

[veryoldfart]

or if its empty and you hang a silica gel bag in it?

Edited by veryoldfart on Sunday 21st September 18:15

[double trouble]

nah can,t be arsed just leave the top off if its empty, it will soon dry right out

[veryoldfart]

double trouble said:

nah can,t be arsed just leave the top off if its empty, it will soon dry right out

not if its upright and it rains...