M1 to M5

[Chuck Westcott]

Anyone switched from M1 to M5 with any positive results?
What other changes did you make: IE- Timing/Jets.
Thanks

[Mike Lawless]

Originally Posted by Chuck Westcott

Anyone switched from M1 to M5 with any positive results?
What other changes did you make: IE- Timing/Jets.
Thanks

I switched over last year. I made the mistake of just reading the advertising, ("just pour it in and get a performance increase!"). I did that and proceeded to burn off plug electrodes. I fattened it up as much as I could with the stuff I had on hand and managed to make it through the event without burning any more, but it was not running on top as well.
After doing some research, I found that most guys were adding 10-12% more fuel and getting good numbers. I felt my deal was lean anyway, so I added 15% and it picked up .06 seconds and 2mph over it's previous best ever run. I left the timing alone for a while, tried backing it off, but went back to my original setting which was 30° total.
I'm on the fence about using it this year for a couple reasons. It does run quicker, but it is WAY more expensive. In fact it's double the cost of straight methanol. ($5 vs over $10 per gal). It's a pain in the rear to get. I have to make a 90 mile round trip to get it. I can get straight stuff at the track or right across town. It seems also quite a bit more corrosive to aluminum stuff than straight methanol too. If I leave it in the system for a day or two after the race, there is some debris at the bottom of my fuel cell. I don't get that with straight methanol.
I reckon if you need a few hundredths, then it's worth a try. For an index guy like me, Not really necessary

[John DiBartolomeo]

I switched from M1 to M3 when it first came out and after fattening the carb up roughly 10 jet numbers, we picked up almost a tenth. When VP came out with the M5, they said it was even better. Tried it - jetting up and down, timing in and out - and never saw any improvement over the M3. The people I spoke with who picked up with the M5 went from M1 to M5, so I can see the difference. The problem I had with the M5 was when you backed up after a dragster burnout, the fumes would kill you. I've gone back to the M3 but agree that it's hard to get. I use it in both of my dragsters and make sure I have a drum with me before we leave the shop. Generally, I believe the timing might not see much but it definitely requires jetting up. However, the timing issue theoretically should require changing because of the burn rate of the fuel, I just never saw anything. Call me if you'd like. -John D.