Fuel check question

[Gregg Luneack]

I was DQed 3 times with C-12 so I switched to C-11 and that passed, but I did
not like the price, so I switched to Sunoco purple. Every national event since I
was told that it checks borderline at the bottom and to mix with fresh fuel. this
is fresh fuel. The exact same fuel after setting all week in the fuel cell checks
fine at the points race? I believe that since VP is the exclusive supplier to NHRA
national events that tech is instructed to discourage the use of competitive
brands of fuel.

[Mike Pearson]

The problem I have had in the past here in Div 2. When I go to check fuel and its anything besides VP the fuel check guys give me a hard time. They say the color is wrong or something like that. I either run sunoco blue or C-12. I think they just want you to run the VP fuel.

[69Cobra]

Ok... two part question here. First is there a tool that the average racer can buy to check his own fuel so that you don't get a surprise from tech? Second, what is the best/most common what to retrieve your fuel for fuel check? Are you guys just opening up the fuel cell and scooping a cup out?

[FLEMING]

I have always wanted a stocker, and still do.. but reading this about the fuel, who knows if your gonna pass teardown stuff scares me to death.. I think I will just keep bracket racing... I couldnt spend the cash to go to some of these races not knowing if my fuel that I purchased there is going to pass or not... Not knowing if I am gonna get the tech guy who interprets the rules the wrong way...

Why do you guys punish yourselves this way?? LOL Are they wanting less racers at the track or ????

[Travis Miller]

Originally Posted by Jody Lang

I have a question.

A bunch of us were having issues with fuel at a Division race in Sonoma. A few I believe were DQd a few on the edge. We were told to add some fresh, replace with fresh all that good stuff.

I bought some fresh fuel right out of a sealed barrel. Took it up and had it tested. I was told it was perfect. I asked what perfect was, and was told that it was right in the middle of the scale for the temperature.

If when a fuel goes stale or loses it's light ends from sitting in the car too long my question is this.

Why does fresh brand new fuel start out at the middle of the scale and not toward or at the top???

If going bad from sitting or you got the last 5 from the bottom of the barrel usually equates to flirting with the bottom of the scale, shouldn't fresh fuel start life at the top of the scale?

NHRA gives a plus or minus on its fuel measurements. Starting in the middle of the scale on fuel gives the competitor a cushion due to a deviation in production tolerance from the base reading of each fuel supplied by the fuel manufacturers.

Fuels that lose their light end chemicals can read the same as fuels that have had extra oxygenators "added to enhance the fuel". Since the meter reading goes in the same direction for lost light end chemicals as well as for added oxygenators, when the reading gets outside the allowable parameters, the fuel fails.

That being said, what can cause fuel to go bad. The first thing is that some racing fuel is more stable than others. The less stable fuel will lose its light end chemicals quicker than others. We have proven this by simply leaving a cup of fuel open to the air. Some fuels only take a few minutes to go bad, while others have a much longer "open" time.

For those having trouble with fuel, a few things can be checked. The jug that the fuel is stored in can be bad. A simple test is to tighten the lid and turn the jug upside down. If fuel leaks out of the lid, that is where the light end chemicals are escaping.

Check the cap on your fuel cell. One competitor who was consistantly having fuel fail on his first qualifying run discovered a crack in the cap that was allowing the light end chemicals to slowly escape over the period of time the car was stored between events.

Be sure to put a cap on the tank vent when the car is stored between events. Just don't forget to uncap the vent before you race.

The fuel check man testing the fuel will ask for another sample if the fuel tests bad on the first draw. That is usually caused by stale fuel in the length of line where the valve is mounted for fuel checking. That fuel does not get recirculated, can go stale and needs to be flushed.

If you do experience a failure at fuel check, bring your fuel jug down to have the fuel checked. Good fuel that went into the car and then fails can mean there is something wrong with the fuel system in the car. It could be contaminated foam in the fuel cell or a contaminated fuel filter.


Travis Miller

(Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by me on this forum are exactly that, my opinions.)

P.S. for 69Cobra....Fuel cannot be scooped out of the tank. Fuel must be drawn from a fuel line that is part of the fuel system. The best way is to use a fuel valve designed for drawing fuel.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by FLEMING

I have always wanted a stocker, and still do.. but reading this about the fuel, who knows if your gonna pass teardown stuff scares me to death.. I think I will just keep bracket racing... I couldnt spend the cash to go to some of these races not knowing if my fuel that I purchased there is going to pass or not... Not knowing if I am gonna get the tech guy who interprets the rules the wrong way...

Why do you guys punish yourselves this way?? LOL Are they wanting less racers at the track or ????

I've had C12 check fine after being in a vented, pvc half full fuel cell for 6 months. As far as tear down goes it's up to you to leave a little extra. If you make all your specs meet their specs there is zero room for error.
I remember when we had the hemi car. We would have to hit the top of the piston with a hammer to knock the oil out of the bearing. And we would ice the head to get it to check CC's. Was all of this needed? I doubt it now, but at the time we thought it was the only way to go fast.

[FLEMING]

If I were to ever get a stocker it would be legal.. Might not be stupid fast.. but it would be legal.. lol

[FED 387]

Racing gas testers are "fairly" expensive---around $450-550 for the Digitron which I believe is what NHRA uses---weather/humidity/temperature/additives ,evaporation, exposure to light,type of storage container etc are all things that will affect the outcome of the test---cleaning the sensor tip in unleaded gas after every sample/reading is mandatory after each use------Travis is right listen to him!!!!After you purchase your new batch of gas it is wise to have it tested for "legality" BEFORE you put any in your vehicle---saves having to hafta clean out the entire system a sometimes costly and time consuming project--FED 387

[69Cobra]

Thanks for the reply Travis.

Originally Posted by Travis Miller

Some fuels only take a few minutes to go bad, while others have a much longer "open" time.

Would you mind telling us what some of the more stable fuels are?

P.S. for 69Cobra....Fuel cannot be scooped out of the tank. Fuel must be drawn from a fuel line that is part of the fuel system. The best way is to use a fuel valve designed for drawing fuel.

Where would I find one of these fuel valves?

[Jody Lang]

Travis, since paying attention to where my fuel tests I've never seen it in the upper half of the spectrum. For the most part it will usually be slightly below the halfway point.

I am at a loss to why one half of the "window" is totally eliminated. With fuel going lower on the scale with exposure to air the lower part of the scale could be a bit wider. Maybe right on or perfect could be 3/4 of the way up the window instead of halfway?