to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

ALL THE PIECES ARE BACK IN PLACE AND I?M READY TO GO RACING AGAIN.

My question concerns the use of alcohol and vacuum pumps. As of this writing I was not planning on using a vacuum pump since I didn?t have one on they?re before. A little background. My 383 was originally build't to run on gas. But, after running it for 2 years I got tired of trying to figure out my ?dial in? if the weather changed dramatically. So, I decided to switch to alcohol. Which took care of the problem.

But,

The motor did not live long. I heard and got a lot of advice. You need to get a vacuum pump or if not you?ll need to change your oil after ever use .

So my question is, for those that use alcohol or have experienced the wows that I?m going through what do you recommend?

Carlos Mendes
S/street 1739

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

Put one on it, that throwup looking stuff (water and oil mixed) under your valve covers will be gone. I also get the motor hot 200 or so before I shut it down in the trailer and remove the oil filler caps so it can boil and any extra moisture out of it. I would not want any more than 10-12" of vacuum at the finishline or you will have lower end problems. (wrist pins and bearings) Put a gauge on it and make sure you are not going over, allot of engine builders have had comebacks since vacuum pumps because of people trying to run to much vacuum or running the car without a gauge. Hope this helps, Mike

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

mike thanks alot for your responce. i was hoping to get more input to confirm your position since frankly i don't know........ before the motor let go i tried to "heat it up" by making the motor run as lean as i could before she shut down. but, i could never get the motor that hot. in any case i did the best i could and then i fogged the motor with wd-40.

as for the pump. thanks for the info. i plan on putting one on. i already have a gauge which i never used from the old gas days. where did you pump the gauge into?

thanks once again.

carlos mendes
s/st 1739

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

I have always put the fitting for the gauge in the oppisite valve cover the pump inlet is. If you shut the water pump and fan off you should be able to get it to 200 or so.

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

unless you are using a ring combination with very low pressure you will be wasting your money. get away from the alchohol it creates alot of wear in the top of the cylinders. Your motors will last much longer on gasoline. Run the car on the lean side and you will not get as much ET variation. If your car has a hood scoop block it off and pull the air from around the engine this will lessen the change in et due to temp change. in the .90 classes you are not looking for every last HP as we are in Super Stock

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

I ran alcohal carb for 2yrs and injection for 6 yrs and never had a vacum pump,if your milking the oil ,your fat,oil changes every 25 passes,taking the breathers out at the end of night will help with condensation,like the other dude said unless you have low tension rings your pissing in the wind with a vacum pump.

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

Check out the "specials" at: www.Kayeracingproducts.com

They sell an electric vaccume pump kit that pulls 5-7 inches of vaccume.
We ran it on our small-block last year, and we run it on the Big-block this year.
Keeps the milk & moisture to a minimum.

Just what your looking for!

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

I put my pump on 5 years ago and the car picked up 1.5 MPH with the rings I had been running without the pump on gas. I gas ported and used a low tension ring and put the moter on alcohol and it picked up 23 HP more than without the pump and the old ring package on gas. So I don't see where I have waisted my money at all. It also has no water in the valve covers when you pull them off where as before the water in the valvecovers was bad even on gas. (I live in a high humidity area so this does not help) So what I am saying is, I would not run a car on either fuel without one but that is just me.

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

I switched from gas to alcohol injection (Terminator) this year and I love it. One thing nobody's mentioned here is using a primer system. I start mine on gas, warm it to about 160 then switch to alky. No more starting troubles at all. I also switch back and forth to make regulating the engine and oil temperatures easier. If I need a few degrees of heat for whatever the reason, I just shut off the alky and turn on the primer then vice-versa when it gets to where I want it. At the end of the day, turn the primer on again, run it up to about 200 degrees then shut it down and let it cook. The oil looks just fine. (I'll try to remember pulling the breathers next time though...) The other big thing is, $5.50 / gal. for C-14 vs. about $150.00 / drum for alky & $2.50 / gal. for pump gas? Do the math.
-Don

Re: to vacuum pump, or not to vacuum pump, that is the question?
 

a question about that electric vacuume pump. if it pulls 5-7 in of vacuume. why doesn't everybody use it?

the cost seems to be alot less at 500 vice the belt drivien ones which take you around 700-800 soup to nuts. why isn't everybody saleing there belt drivien pump, to get the electric piece. also, where has this tech been all these years. what do the pro stock guys use? in other words whats the bonus with going with the electric.

carlos mendes
s/st 1739