| Author | Message | ||
     Vonsliek |
possible w/ efi?? | ||
| Foxcollision |
Yes, it can run with EFI. But you must be aware that methanol has no lubricant. You will have to drain the fuel system preferably after a weekend of racing and flush with gasoline. Aluminum parts will corrode from alcohol / methanol. If you have any questions give me a pm and I can get you lots of specifics. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Fox, Can you expand on that. I didn't think you could run methanol with " buell's EFI". Not making a statement,I don't know, but would like to.I'm all ears, so to speak.....Charlie | ||
| Foxcollision |
Any system can be run with methanol, EFI or carbs. Been done for years, with EFI you will have to reprogram the ECM to take advantage of methanol. Also, larger Throttle bodies are usually used. I am including an excellent link to a racing site that gives general info on EFI and procedures for maintenance. Also, I would recommend that a person talk to the owner at Extreme EFI as he is knowledgeable on what needs to be done. Here is the link: http://www.600scene.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=32 Just copy and paste in your browser. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Wade, Thanks for the link,I'll study it real good. But basicly our FI could only handle a small %percentage of methanol without some major changes, is this correct? And if so, what would you say would be a safe percentage(fuel ratio gas/methnol)that an XB EFI w/race ecm could adj. to? Thanks Charlie PS Have alittle left over Go kart fuel and was curious. | ||
| Ulendo |
brings up another interesting point. maybe folks on here remember the early Mitsubishi engined Dodge products, and their fuel system failures when running alcohol enhanced fuels? (as mentioned, alcohol is a dry fuel, with very low lubrication properties:it dried out diaphragms and seals in the Mitsubishi motors) how well do buells handle long term exposure to low % alcohol in their fuel? I always run the highest octane I can find - not sure in the USA, but up here in the great wet north, alcohol enhanced stuff is very common. Chevron, and Mohawk come to mind right away, and most winter blends use 'some' form of alcohol as a fuel dryer - spring / fall, good bet there's some in there. | ||
| Foxcollision |
As I also mentioned methanol is corrosive on aluminum. I have my aluminum parts that will be exposed to methanol hard anodized, still have to be careful not to scratch through the anodizing. One scratch and it will eat the aluminum in that spot. Our particular systems are strictly racing and and we flush all alcohol out after each weekend of racing. As to what percentage the Buell can handle that is an unknown to myself. I would think it would depend on whether you will be using the engine for strictly racing or street as well. I would ask the guys at Extreme EFI. He seems to know his stuff when it comes to EFI. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Thanks Wade, I thought maybe you might have dabbled alittle with the street Buell. I throw in a cup or two in the summer when my cyclone acts like it wants to ping alittle. Hate to throw good fuel away ya know....Charlie | ||
| Foxcollision |
LOL, I haven't ridden any bike since I owned a HD 50cc back in Middle school. I won't say how long ago that was but it was just after we stopped using papyrus for writing in classes. It was a fun little bike. Had it just after I totalled out my Cushman Mustang. I strictly use the bike engines for racing in Micro-Sprints (see my other Thread). Have been using them for about 30 years with the first being a TZ250 Yamaha. | ||
| Rhun |
When asked at Buell about E85 compliance with future Buells, no comment. But they did say they sell a lot of Buells in Brazil. You can only buy alcohol fuel in Brazil. I believe earlier problems that they had with cars and ethenol was some materials they used didn't react nicely to it. I think since the mid 80s this has been rectified. | ||
| Foxcollision |
The pieces that had a large problem with Methanol were the rubber items. Those things they have fixed but not the aluminum pieces. If the fuel in question is gas with methanol mixed in it shouldn't be an issue as the gasoline has a lubricating property. Straight Alky is great for about 5-6 HP so we love it. | ||
| Cacciola |
Rhun, not really, Im from brazil, we can buy pure alcohol and gasoline with different octanes around here, but our "gasoline" is loaded with alcohol, we have a huge percentage of alcohol in our fuell, I really dont know why, because petrol and alcohol are produced locally. We have a lot of liter engine cars called "flex fuel" they run Either gasoline or alcohol, or any mixture in between that... The cars are tested in magazines and running with alcohol they develop a little more HPs. I think they sell a module that can be adapted to any motor that makes it work like that.I dont know if it would work with ethanol as a road(gas)/Race(ethanol) fuel system... Ride safe. | ||
| Fullpower |
VONSLIEK>>>> DO NOT PUT METHANOL IN ANY STOCK BUELL FUEL SYSTEM. just don't do it. if you need further explanation or amplification, please call a tech that you trust. the bike is designed for and runs well on gasoline. If you wish to experiment with "FUEL" get an old sportster for real cheep, put an S&S carb on it, get a drill index, and have a bunch of fun. start with around 12 to one compression, and a main jet size around .113 " and go from there. note that you will make more horsepower than the belt drive or the stock sportster reaar tire can put to the ground, at least in the lower 3 gears. | ||
| Jlnance |
When asked at Buell about E85 compliance with future Buells, no comment. The owners manual stats that you can use fuel with up to 10% ethonal. E85 is only 15% ethonal. I suspect all thats missing is the testing to ensure that things work. | ||
| Biker_bob |
NO NO NO E 85 is 85% Ethanol get it E 85, and 15% gas. It is not meant to be run with anything other than flex fuel vehicles meant for this. The rubber and plastic in your system will be eaten up by the ethanol, plus it is very high octane, but very low BTU's, your ECM would not know how to properly handle it. The flex fuel vehicles do. See www.e85fuel.com | ||
| Phantom5oh |
What about acetone... I've read some pretty interesting stuff about mixing acetone with gasoline to reduce the surface tension. Reducing the surface tension makes it vaporize as it come out of the injectors better, creating more potential for combustion. Here is one of the articles. http://pesn.com/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/ 3 guys I work with are using about 2 oz for every 10 gallons of gas, and they claim a 3-5 mpg difference and noticeable increase in performance. I know I'm opening myself up for the skeptics to rip into me... | ||
| Diablobrian |
The acetone thing has been pretty well debunked. Remember also that while you can show higher hp running ethanol it takes almost twice as much ethanol to get that hp. what kind of range do you think you'll be looking at on an XB? And people complain about the range on gasoline! | ||
| Cycleaddict |
alcohol produces LESS btu's per lb. than gasoline. the ONLY addvantage to alcohol is the capability of burning a leaner mixture ! (alcohol has an evaporative cooling effect) leaner mixture equals more power. | ||
| Vonsliek |
well dang .. how abt methanol w/ a nitro methane chaser?! now that wld HAVE to make POWERRRRRRR!!! > ![: ]](http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/clipart/proud.gif) | ||
| Fullpower |
please understand: compression ratio of 10:1 puts a limit of how much power can be extracted from alcohol or alcohol based blended fuels. 91 octane gasoline is widely available and relatively inexpensive, and has proven to be compatible with the DDFI on the (stock) Buell. |
