Most race car drivers prefer fuel that is methanol- or ethanol-based, and the reason is simple, really. Overall, alcohol-based fuel has a high octane rating which increases fuel efficiency. … Race car engines are different than those in a regular car. They are built to get more power out of fuels with less energy.
What kind of alcohol do race cars use?
Alcohols like methyl alcohol (methanol) and ethyl alcohol (ethanol) are often used in race fuels. Sometimes they are a small part of the fuel and sometimes they are a primary component of the fuel. Methanol is commonly used “straight” – that’s why it’s called racing alcohol by many.
Do race cars use methanol?
Methanol fuel is currently used by racing cars in many countries but has not seen widespread use otherwise.
Why do sprint cars use methanol?
Methanol has less energy content than regular gasoline, so vehicles get about half the mpg out of the fuel. But it has a higher octane. As the smart people at Hot Rod magazine explain, race-car engines are built to squeeze more power out of that less-energy-dense methanol, by adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio.
Does Nascar use ethanol?
The ethanol NASCAR uses is called E15, and it is a blend of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol. The fuel found at most corner gas stations is a blend of 10 percent ethanol. … Likewise, NASCAR cars are energy-intensive machines. They’re designed to travel upwards of 200 miles per hour for hundreds of miles at a time.
Can you run a engine on alcohol?
Almost any gasoline-powered engine can be made to run well on alcohol. Only minor and inexpensive modifications to the engine are required. Anyone with reasonable, mechanical skill and common handtools can make the modifications once they’ve learned the procedure.
What Alcohol is the strongest?
With a whopping 95% abv, Spirytus Vodka is the strongest commercially-available spirit in the world.
Is methanol bad for your car?
But methanol is even more so. Both are safe to use in small amounts, but uncontrolled and unregulated mixing can result in concentrations high enough to cause additional wear and damage over time to sensitive gaskets and hoses in the fuel system. … So no, methanol by itself is not a problem.
What cars can run on methanol?
Methanol can be blended with gasoline in low-quantities and used in existing road vehicles, or it can be used in high-proportion blends such as M85 in flex-fuel vehicles or M100 in dedicated methanol-fueled vehicles. Technology is also being commercialized to use methanol as a diesel substitute.
Why don’t we use methanol in cars?
Methanol makes a poor fuel away from the drag strip. Fuel use is 5 times higher than petrol, due to the lower energy density and high air to fuel ratio. Methanol fuel is also very toxic which combined with high amounts of unburnt fuel expelled through the exhaust causes a severe health risk.
Do sprint cars use methanol?
Methanol, also know as alcohol, is the fuel of choice in sprint car racing. Methanol is used in sprint cars for a number of reasons, one being safety. Methanol is less volatile than gasoline, greatly reducing the risk of explosion or flash fire.
Which is better ethanol or methanol?
On the other hand, ethanol is less chemically toxic than methanol, and it carries more energy per gallon. Ethanol contains about 75 percent of the energy of gasoline per gallon, compared to 67 percent for methanol. … Methanol is more corrosive than ethanol.
Is methanol hard on engines?
Methanol Burns Cool
And since heat is the enemy in engines—leading to all sorts of problems like an overtaxed cooling system, detonation, and even melted pistons—the more heat energy a fuel can suck out of the combustion process, the better.
What octane fuel is used in Nascar?
The specialized NASCAR fuel is Sunoco Green E15, a 98 octane, unleaded fuel blend specifically engineered for high-performance engines and race cars. It’s called Green E15 because the racing fuel is actually green in color.
Who owns American ethanol?
Don Onken, owner of the American Ethanol Catamaran has become an icon in the boat racing community and was inducted into the Bob Morgan Memorial Shootout Hall of Fame earlier this week.
How much fuel does a Nascar use?
Based on that average, a car in the Saturday race would consume between 65 and 75 gallons of gas, and a car in the Sunday race would consume between 90 and 100 gallons of gas.