VP'S Q16 Debunks
Prevailing Myths About Methanol
SAN
ANTONIO, TX (September 15, 2008) For years, many racers have fueled
their dragsters with methanol based on the proposition that it offers a bigger
performance bang for the buck than gasoline. As it turns out, methanol’s
advantages are based more on mythology than reality, according to Steve Burns,
Director-R&D for VP Racing Fuels. “We were surprised ourselves once we
started digging deeper into the performance/cost analysis. We used our new
Q16 racing fuel for comparison and when all costs are considered, Q16 is
actually cheaper to use than methanol while offering superior
performance.”
The
biggest cost factor is methanol’s requirement for more fuel and more
frequent oil changes, in part due to the length of time required to heat a methanol-powered
engine in the staging lanes, which not only
consumes more fuel but degrades the lubrication:
|
|
Methanol
|
Q16
|
|
Cost per gallon
|
$3.35
|
$15.00
|
|
Gallons used per run*
|
3.75
|
1
|
|
Cost of fuel per run
|
$12.56
|
$15.00
|
|
Cost of 8 qts oil @ $4.50/qt
|
$36.00
|
$36.00
|
|
Cost of oil filter
|
$9.75
|
$9.75
|
|
Total cost of oil
|
$45.75
|
$45.75
|
|
Average oil change interval
|
12 runs
|
25 runs
|
|
Cost of oil per run
|
$3.81
|
$1.83
|
|
Cost per container of upper lube
|
$9.00
|
$0
|
|
Cost of upper lube per gallon**
|
$0.17
|
$0
|
|
Cost of upper lube per run
|
$0.64
|
$0
|
|
TOTAL COST PER RUN FOR
FUEL/OIL
|
$17.01
|
$16.83
|
*Including warm-up, drive to staging lanes, 1/8
mile pass, drive back to pit
**One
container per 54 gallon drum of methanol
“Based on
our own experience and interviews with many methanol racers, we tried to use
reasonable estimates for the average costs of these components,” Burns
continued. “One can argue with these assumptions on an individual basis,
but the point is, on average, Q16 offers substantially better performance for
essentially the same or less cost than methanol.”
The
performance gains of Q16 have been documented in a variety of
applications. U.S. Nationals Champion Andrew Thomas saw an increase of 8 Hp
with the same torque in his Super Gas car with Q16 over methanol. In his
665 ci big block Chevy Super Comp dragster with spread port heads, Bob Book saw
a 50 Hp increase with Q16. Steve Petty, of ProLine Racing Engines, made
1700 RWHP with methanol in his twin turbo Mustang, before he switched to
intercooled Q16 and gained 150 more Hp to the tires. Craig Minor, whose 565
ci conventional headed big block Chevy gained 2 mph and picked up .08 in the 1/8
mile with Q16, said, “From 330 to 660 feet, my car pulls much harder with Q16,
whereas with methanol, it just nosed over.”
“Besides
more power, Q16 offers more consistency from run to run,“ Burns added.
Thomas concurred, “On methanol, my
on-stop rpms would creep a bit with changes in conditions and it was hard to
dial in. Once I switched to Q16, I saw no flutter and no creeping. At
Indy where I won the U.S. Nationals, my on-stop rpms amazed me—the tach was just
glued to where I set it, and the changes in air pressure never phased
it.”
Steve Dillman had
a similar experience. “On eight consecutive runs, I ran between 6.482 and
6.491. For a bracket racer like me, repeatability is the key, and I was
never that consistent with methanol. Q16 is definitely not as
sensitive to changes in the air.”
Another
key issue is the damage done by methanol to engine rings and cylinder walls,
which Thomas found to be primarily caused by running a rich mixture when the
engine is cold. “After 300 passes on methanol,
there was rust in the cylinder walls and they were scarred up
horribly. After 300 passes on Q16, the engine looked perfect, with no
cylinder wall scarring at all. Methanol also ate up the vanes in the
electric fuel pump. There was white corrosion in the fuel system and
'cottage cheese' in the fuel filter. With Q16, the vanes are perfect and
the filter is perfect.”
Another cost factor is the fuel system
required for methanol, generally $2000 to $2500 higher incrementally than for
gas. “That’s because you need a methanol-specific carb, a belt drive pump made for
methanol, new lines and fitting,” Thomas pointed out.
Product
consistency is another factor racers should consider according to
Burns. “What I’ve seen in the field is that racers don’t get the quality
methanol they think they bought. Despite claims to the contrary, much of
the methanol sold in the racing industry is reclaimed from industrial
processes. It’s easy to hide impurities in methanol. On the other
hand, Q16 is subject to the same quality control tests as our NHRA spec
fuels. If you put Q16 through a gas chromatograph, it’ll look the same
every time.”
If cost
and performance aren’t compelling enough, Burns points out there’s a safety
advantage for Q16 as well. “You only have to carry half as much fuel in
your trailer.”
The bottom
line? “There is no reason to run
methanol,” said Jason Rueckert, VP’s Director-Motorsport Development.
“Based on dyno tests and in real world racing,
methanol buys you nothing. I’ve seen every application—methanol
carburated, methanol injection, turbocharged methanol, etc.—fail in
comparison to Q16. Q16 makes more power, is more consistent and
predictable, and requires less maintenance. This has been proven in all
markets, from local bracket racing to NHRA and IHRA sportsman racing,
to Heads up Limited Street and Outlaw 10.5 competition. Q16
has to be a part of a drag racer’s combination. It’s just as
important as a ported set of heads or the latest trick camshaft. Q16 is
essentially the most cost effective performance part you can
buy.”
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