Failing Fuel Check?

[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.

[Rich Biebel]

When I had my Firebird Stocker a couple season ago.......The first race I went to I brought fresh Sunoco purple.....I had it checked before I made a run.....it was ok in the jug. After the second run....my fuel failed! Same fuel and the cell was empty when I got to that race. I pumped out all the fuel. bought a new jug and frsh C-11. That fuel was fine.

At 2 races I can recall C-12 failed and one was at Cecil County. I bought the fuel from the tracks supply that day and he had all fresh drums.....A lot of people were failing with C-12 , I believe so they let everyone slide. The next day they checked fuel again and I shook my head and said it was the same fuel....they let everyone by again from what I could see....A lot of head shaking and mumbling. I even pulled the CC receipt out to show that I just purchased the fuel....and I always showed up with a stone empty cell and cleaned it out before I added fresh fuel......I still have the little hand pump syphon I used to draw the fuel out of my cell......

After that I always used C-11 because it always passed. I did not like that fuel for a few reasons but it always passed.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

When I had my Firebird Stocker a couple season ago.......The first race I went to I brought fresh Sunoco purple.....I had it checked before I made a run.....it was ok in the jug. After the second run....my fuel failed! Same fuel and the cell was empty when I got to that race. I pumped out all the fuel. bought a new jug and frsh C-11. That fuel was fine.

At 2 races I can recall C-12 failed and one was at Cecil County. I bought the fuel from the tracks supply that day and he had all fresh drums.....A lot of people were failing with C-12 , I believe so they let everyone slide. The next day they checked fuel again and I shook my head and said it was the same fuel....they let everyone by again from what I could see....A lot of head shaking and mumbling. I even pulled the CC receipt out to show that I just purchased the fuel....and I always showed up with a stone empty cell and cleaned it out before I added fresh fuel......I still have the little hand pump syphon I used to draw the fuel out of my cell......

After that I always used C-11 because it always passed. I did not like that fuel for a few reasons but it always passed.

Rich I failed fuel twice.1st time at the Dutch when they first started checking by the new method.I think a string of about 20 of us failed.The second time was Cecil.Also bought from them.I was told by someone(can't confirm the accuracy of their claim)but he said they clean their barrels with alcohol and sometimes there was enough left after cleaning to contaminate the new fuel.I haven't bought fuel from them since.And I pass every time,sometimes borderline but I do pass.And I've noticed somewhat more consistency and no wild ET swings since using C-12 instead of Sunoco purple.But boy the cost hits the pocket harder.

[Charlie Ford]

We were running C-12 once in both Shelby's at a Nat. event. On the 1st pass, one of the cars failed fuel check. I argued that the cars were the same (pump, cell, lines etc.) and that the fuel came from the same jug. They had me go get the jug and it tested fine. They told me to drain the bad cell and flush it. I went to the trailer, sat down and drank a beer. Austin wanted to know what we doing, and told him "nothing". About 30 mins. later I sent him back to fuel check and it passed.

[442OLDS]

This is just sharing some personal experience only.Seems everybody has their own story.

Since changing to Sunoco Purple a few years ago,I have NEVER failed fuel check.

(I know ...next race it won't pass for sure!)

The car seems to be a few hundredths slower,but is MORE consistant and the fuel is cheaper.

On a side note,what is the temperature of the fuel that is not passing?

I wonder if that has something to do with it?

[Sam Murray]

My experience with C-11 is that it must be kept in a sealed metal drum. I carry a 15 gallon VP drum and I drain my fuel after every race and return it to the drum. Even if it sits all winter it passes.

Sam

[Rory McNeil]

When I first built my Mustang Stocker ,in 2003, I started out with VP 110 Red, for price, and not thinking my 8.4-1 compression 302 needed anything better. The 110 failed, I brought some more from a just opened barrel, and it failed too. Several other racers told me that lots of guys had good luck with C-12, so I bought some, and have been running it ever since, never had an issue at fuel check since. On occasion, I have tried Chevron mid grade pump gas at a bracket race, (car actually ran a tad quicker!), and when I needed to run at a divisonal race again, I would just unhook the fuel line for the carb, and pump out the factory gas tank till it wouldn`t pump anymore out, added a couple of gallons of C12, shake the car a bit, and pumped that out, then just added more C-12. The C-12 always passed after doing that. A buddy inheirited a Q/SA 65 Caprice a few years ago, which had sat for over a year, with 1/2 tank of C-12 still in the factory gas tank. Wouldn`t you know it, even THAT gas passed fuel check the first time he brought the car back out. I buy my C-12 by the 54 gallon barrel, and just take the fuel out of the barrell as needed, and even the year old stuff always passes. Now, a question, VP says that fuel in a sealed drum has an almost indefinite shelf life, any confirm that? I stiff have a bit of C-12 left in a drum from 2008, and I have a never been opened drum that I bought early last year, that I`m hoping will get me by for this season. Should I have any concerns?

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

When I first built my Mustang Stocker ,in 2003, I started out with VP 110 Red, for price, and not thinking my 8.4-1 compression 302 needed anything better. The 110 failed, I brought some more from a just opened barrel, and it failed too. Several other racers told me that lots of guys had good luck with C-12, so I bought some, and have been running it ever since, never had an issue at fuel check since. On occasion, I have tried Chevron mid grade pump gas at a bracket race, (car actually ran a tad quicker!), and when I needed to run at a divisonal race again, I would just unhook the fuel line for the carb, and pump out the factory gas tank till it wouldn`t pump anymore out, added a couple of gallons of C12, shake the car a bit, and pumped that out, then just added more C-12. The C-12 always passed after doing that. A buddy inheirited a Q/SA 65 Caprice a few years ago, which had sat for over a year, with 1/2 tank of C-12 still in the factory gas tank. Wouldn`t you know it, even THAT gas passed fuel check the first time he brought the car back out. I buy my C-12 by the 54 gallon barrel, and just take the fuel out of the barrell as needed, and even the year old stuff always passes. Now, a question, VP says that fuel in a sealed drum has an almost indefinite shelf life, any confirm that? I stiff have a bit of C-12 left in a drum from 2008, and I have a never been opened drum that I bought early last year, that I`m hoping will get me by for this season. Should I have any concerns?

Rory,is the 65 wagon Calvin Quehpana's old car?Take the gas to your first race and have it checked.If it's borderline I'd be suspect about it.

[Rory McNeil]

Ed, the 65 Caprice is a 4 dr hardtop, not a wagon. Years ago it was a Cal Method car, until recently owned by Doug Marx. As for Quehpamas wagon, I remember he had a white 66 Impala wagon a few years before he died, but normally I saw him running a 66 Chevelle wagon in P/SA. He may well have had a 65 Caprice wagon, but I can`t say that I have seen it before. Back in the 70`s & 80`s, it seemed that most guys that ran a 65 or 66 Chevy, must have had at least one of every body style & model "in stock" for changing classes with !!