Failing Fuel Check?

[Alan Roehrich]

We've had C12 from a new jug right off the VP trailer fail. More than once. We picked up some ET and consistency going from C11 to C12, and stuff stays cleaner. But it fails fuel check regularly, or comes really close. We're deciding what to switch to. And we buy ours direct from a VP distributor, by the drum. It is sealed, the fuel system in the car gets sealed, the jugs are carefully maintained and sealed, and stored in the dark. We've done everything they've asked, and still it either fails, or we get warned we're close.

We can usually pass fuel check after a problem by simply pumping it all out and flushing it. I don't remember having to do anything major. We tossed the foam years ago. It holds dirt, and it comes apart. We keep the cell topped off instead, it keeps the weight more consistent.

[mannymen]

Fortunately I don't have foam installed and keep the fuel in the blue VP cans and not in jugs, so I hope that helps but who knows. The C11 in the tank has been sitting all winter, so I doubt it will pass. Jeff you mentioned cleaning the tank, so do you just wipe it out and re-fuel it.

I was assuming I would just drain it and fill it with a new can and flush the system for 3-5 seconds.

[Jack Matyas]

[QUOTE=Alan Roehrich;179606]We've had C12 from a new jug right off the VP trailer fail. More than once. We picked up some ET and consistency going from C11 to C12, and stuff stays cleaner. But it fails fuel check regularly, or comes really close. We're deciding what to switch to. And we buy ours direct from a VP distributor, by the drum. It is sealed, the fuel system in the car gets sealed, the jugs are carefully maintained and sealed, and stored in the dark. We've done everything they've asked, and still it either fails, or we get warned we're close.

I'll be glad to sell drums to any racer who wants it -- just call .And at a reasonable price .........

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Jack Matyas

I'll be glad to sell drums to any racer who wants it -- just call .And at a reasonable price .........

Jack, we get a good deal on fuel, a very good friend is a VP distributor. It's just that almost everyone constantly has problems with C12 passing fuel check at NHRA races.

If we were stupid or careless with our fuel, I wouldn't complain. But we do everything VP says we should, and we still have problems. I like the fuel itself, other than it makes the plugs look funky. But when it constantly fails a fuel check or it is borderline, there's a problem, and VP just will not address it. We've been lucky, we've never been DQ'd. But then, NHRA has been somewhat accommodating, too. We're simply not going to keep taking chances until we waste a weekend and $1500 on a DQ.

[Kenny Wigington]

Manny, I have no real answer why, but twice, I have checked C 11, that was bought late the previous season, and it passed both times. I keep mine in the dark blue jugs almost always. I have an O ring in the top of the cap on one. I did buy some 12, 4 yrs ago, and it failed right out of the can ! Carried it right back, swapped it for 11 and no more since then.
I did buy some 11 last yr that caused all kinds of problems though.... It killed a pump, and regulator, and gunked up the carb,and ate the inside of the lines, so after swapping out the whole deal, it has been fine since.

[art leong]

I've run C12 since I started running the Neon. It has passed every time they never told me I was close.
The winter before last I had about 3 gallons the the 5 gallon cell and about 3 gallons in a blue metal can I bought the fuel in October. It sat in my garage for 4 months when I took the car to Bradenton I figured it would never pass so I brought a fresh 5 gallons with me.
Only got one run in the test and tune. So on Friday I drove up to fuel check to see if it might still be good (I had 5 gallons of the stuff total) It passed with flying colors. When I took the can up it also passed right in the middle.
The only time I had a potential problem was with the fuel they sold me this year at Gainesville points meet, I went to Atlanta the following week and was told it wouldn't pass, so I pumped it out. put it 5 gallons of fresh fuel. Didn't wash anything or clean the filters.
And it passed without problems. And they checked it 3 times because of the record.

[mannymen]

My last few questions. Do they check fuel every qualifying pass and every round or racing? I can figure out what happens if you fail the fuel check after winning a round, but do you get DQ'd from the entire event if you fail any of your qualifying runs? What if you fail every time trial run, do you still get to run the 1st round? I would assume not.

[Alan Roehrich]

Normally, they fuel check and scale after the first pass. If you improve your ET or MPH, you scale again, and often fuel check. They can pick you to scale and fuel check at any time. You must scale after winning a round, under normal circumstances, they normally only fuel check if it was a heads up. Procedure does vary, depending upon who is in charge, and what the circumstances are.

[Dinsdale]

Quote. We tossed the foam years ago. It holds dirt, and it comes apart. We keep the cell topped off instead, it keeps the weight more consistent.[/QUOTE]

Just wondering, but doesn't removing the foam negate the safety aspect of a fuel cell?

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Dinsdale

Just wondering, but doesn't removing the foam negate the safety aspect of a fuel cell?

All the foam does is keep it from sloshing around. It does nothing to prevent leaking or a rupture, nor does it contain fuel in the event of a rupture.

What most of us run really isn't a fuel cell, it's a plastic fuel tank. A real fuel cell is a can with a bladder in it.