Running Alcohol in a fl350

[Stumped]

Originally Posted by Bugpac

You might wanna read this then, anyone i know purges the fuel system with gasoline....

Alcohol Race Engines - Fuel System Maintenance - Circle Track Magazine

Thats a good read I didnt think that it would corrode aluminum as bad as the steel.
That sux because I cant tig plastic very well. I would flush by puting a valve before the fuel pump to run race gas through untill it starts to sputter so you know that its loading up from all the fuel.

[Stumped]

Originally Posted by nutz4sand

We used to know some friends who ran alcohol drag racing at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. (In banshees and CR500 powered three wheelers) At the end of the day they had a little fitting in the fuel line that they would shut of the alcohol and then they run the motor and when the alcohol was nearly gone or gone from the carb they had a tiny hand held tank that plugged into the fitting and they would run the motor on the gasoline/oil mix for a couple minutes. They told me that if they did not do this the steel of the cylinder and the crankshaft pin bearings would get surface rust overnight and cause obvious problems. They were more worried about the steel machined surfaces of the alcohol motors while sitting than anything. The next moring to fire them up they would finish the gas/oil mix then switch the fitting back to the tank containing there alcohol/oil mixture there. (plastic tanks of course)

I am a lil surprised that no one has mentioned getting a bigger motor for your machine yet. It sounds like its built pretty good now and can go farther but then it will need lots of regular maint. But that may not be to your liking to do such a swap. But a bigger sled motor would move it faster with less maint work once the swap was done.

Also to consider if you build the motor and go with alcohol it may do better at the dragstrip BUT if you try going trail riding you will have NO range due to poor fuel economy. Have to stay close to the fuel drum! Bill

I do sometimes wonder if I am getting a little carryed away. I dont want to do a sled transplant because of all the money I have in this motor already. I also want to prove to a friend that it is possible to build a small engine built to the grills and beat a big one. He has a 2006 polaris scrambler 500. P.S I usally dont stray to far from the "base".

[Bugpac]

you could buy an aftermarket poly fuel tank....

[nutz4sand]

A smaller motor can be made to run like all heck but you need to work on it a lot more to keep it alive. I understand having a lot of money in something but sit down and figure how much more to build it higher then frequent piston changes and cranks and bearings etc.

I myself (as have most) have spent a lot of money trying to prove a point somewhere along the way. A 500 Polaris is no slouch but its not like its major fast either.

Each way has its highs and lows. Get a piece of paper and figure out the realistic cost and then figure out which would be the most fun for you as as long as you are having fun you will be happy with it. Some like wrenching and some only like riding and some like both. Bill

[LiveWire]

Here is one possible setup:

Add a poly tank and leave the stock tank. Stock tank is filled with regular gas mixed with an oil compatible with the alcohol. The poly tank is filled with the alchohol and also mized with oil, possible different ratios.
Install a Dial-A-Jets into a 39 PWK. The Dial-A-Jets is fed off the alcohol. Drop the main jet size in the carb and the needle down. At idle, the Dial-A-Jet will not add anything. When You get on it hard where it would detonate and where it makes more heat, it will add the alcohol. When you go back to idle, the alcohol will automatically be flushed out of the engine.

I have a motor nearly done that is 68cc over standard. I can go up to 101cc over with basically the same setup. I started on the small side to work through any issues. I then have plans for a 115cc big bore setup that needs more elaborate case work. All this is on that back burner though with the purchase of the tooling for the Formula Cross and Extreme.

[bdkw1]

Originally Posted by LiveWire

Install a Dial-A-Jets into a 39 PWK. The Dial-A-Jets is fed off the alcohol. Drop the main jet size in the carb and the needle down. At idle, the Dial-A-Jet will not add anything. When You get on it hard where it would detonate and where it makes more heat, it will add the alcohol. When you go back to idle, the alcohol will automatically be flushed out of the engine.

I like it buuutttt, what do you use for a float blow for the Dial-a-jet? You can't hook the tank directly to it.

[Stumped]

Originally Posted by LiveWire

Here is one possible setup:

Add a poly tank and leave the stock tank. Stock tank is filled with regular gas mixed with an oil compatible with the alcohol. The poly tank is filled with the alchohol and also mized with oil, possible different ratios.
Install a Dial-A-Jets into a 39 PWK. The Dial-A-Jets is fed off the alcohol. Drop the main jet size in the carb and the needle down. At idle, the Dial-A-Jet will not add anything. When You get on it hard where it would detonate and where it makes more heat, it will add the alcohol. When you go back to idle, the alcohol will automatically be flushed out of the engine.

I have a motor nearly done that is 68cc over standard. I can go up to 101cc over with basically the same setup. I started on the small side to work through any issues. I then have plans for a 115cc big bore setup that needs more elaborate case work. All this is on that back burner though with the purchase of the tooling for the Formula Cross and Extreme.

I think I know what you mean but you would have to explain in greater detail on how you would run the dial-a-jets with the alcohol.(not that farmilar with the dial a jets.) It sounds like you could do the same thing with power jets? I think what you are saying is to run a seprate fuel pump on the poly tank and run it straight to the dial a jet? That could work if you had a fuel pump that could support the fuel usage at WOT because you would not have a bowl to hold the alcohol.

68cc over standard - Is that with the original 80mm piston (making 410cc) or with the recalled 78.5mm. (making 397cc)

[LiveWire]

If the poly tank is higher than the carb, then you need a float bowl for the Dial-A-Jet. You use one off a carb mounted to a flat plate with the inlet in the plate. The outlet is also in the plate, but has to have a tube going down to the bottom.

If the tank is below the carb, you need a fuel pump anyway. The fuel is pumped into a canister with an overflow at the level you want the fuel. The pump fills the canister and the excess drains back keeping the level steady.

I just looked up the website for pictures of the Dial-A-Jet and I guess you can buy the remote float bowl: Thunder Products - Performance carburetor and clutching for snowmobiles, motorcycles and ATVs.

[LiveWire]

Originally Posted by Stumped

68cc over standard - Is that with the original 80mm piston (making 410cc) or with the recalled 78.5mm. (making 397cc)

Over the 78.5mm bore.

[sunblock]

A water cooled head and rad costs less than some of the mods you have listed. I have seen used heads go on ebay for around 150 and used rads for 10 bucks. With the overheating issues that a stock fl350 has, I would consider water cooling to be a must before other mods are done. Running Alcohol sounds fun, but I would start with the basics, just my 2 cents.