Fuel - What's the big deal

[Super Dave]

Well, as I see it, The exotic Race fuels, Such as VP MR 1 or Ulimate 4 make more horsepower...
The simple fact is the higher power producing fuels are an advanatage. They are legal.

Legal?  No.  Pretty much everyone is completely oblivious to the actual fuel rules.  I gave them the ideas for the 2000 fuel rules.  In 2001, they were changed.  Currently, the fuel rules are very, very restrictive.  Unleaded streed gas is illegal, unleaded racing fuels are illegal, leaded oxygenated racing fuels are illegal.  

Some leaded racing fuels are legal.  However, there is no saying that the track fuel is legal.  So, you've got to read that one over.

I will agree that they do offer an advantage.  Good acceleration is the real key;  you need to get from point A to point B faster.  HP is not the necessary element.  Acceleration is it.  Unfortunately, dynos don't measure that.  But the engine guys seem to push dyno numbers, and riders and teams continue to push for the dyno numbers.  Real world WORK is the only thing that matters.  

Yes, the exotic fuels do help.  (And I've got a new one that is less expensive this year....)  
 ;D

[brookester]

Super_Dave, what do you know about Tolulene?

[Super Dave]

It's an aromatic chemical...

[tcchin]

Not to be a stickler, but acceleration is not work until you multiply by mass and distance. This means that work is torque, but torque and power are non-independent variables in the context of engine output (1 HP = 33000 ft-lbs/min). So, HP, regardless of engine speed is always the key element, as it always reflects torque and thus work.

[tzracer]

Work = force*distance for translational motion.
Work = torque * angle (in radians) for rotational motion.

Power = work/time
if you do more work in the same or less time, there is a power increase.

Horseopower is a unit for measuring power, the metric equivalent is the watt.

Suppose you want to increase acceleration. Lets say you exit the corner at the same speed, with more acceleration you will arrive at the next corner going faster. The work done = the difference in kinetic energy (1/2 * mass * velocity squared). Your bike has to do more work (going faster) in less time (since you are going faster you should reach the next corner in less time). This will require your bike to put out more power. In order to increase acceleration (with no changes to gearing) you would need to increase power or reduce mass.

Torque and power are not independant.
power (hp) = [torque (ft-lb) * rpm]/5252

[mdr14]

Legal?  No.  Pretty much everyone is completely oblivious to the actual fuel rules.  I gave them the ideas for the 2000 fuel rules.  In 2001, they were changed.  Currently, the fuel rules are very, very restrictive.  Unleaded streed gas is illegal, unleaded racing fuels are illegal, leaded oxygenated racing fuels are illegal.  

According to a Recent conversation with a CCS official, there is no longer an oxygen limitation. This is enforced by the current 2003 CCS rule ( now available online) which does not list any limitations on oxygen content. The reason I was given for this rule change was that pump gas can come highly oxygenated, and would not have been legal for CCS competition. So inexpensive power producing fuels such as VP's Ultimate 4 are legal along with the more expensive VP MR 1.

[mdr14]

Super_Dave, what do you know about Tolulene?

I have heard it being used as an ingredient for some race fuels.
I know when I worked in a youth drug treatment facility, Huffing was very popular. According to some of the kids they would huff the Tolulene and it would produce a "high" that could last for upwards of 30 minutes or so.

It is very carcinogenic. It is also used as a preserving agent by biologists.

Although I'm sure that you are asking " Can I pour it in the tank and go?"

Most likely not.

 I do remember reading about the "early days" in the quest for speed, People would "blend" their own concoctions in the quest for greater power.

Mixed incorrectly, it could cause engine damage I'm sure.

[Super Dave]

Matt, I'll check the rules.  Really depends upon how they were written.  The High Desert Engineering scale that they were using was very, very limiting.

And acceleration...  Keep this easy guys.  Does it make something get from point A to point B quicker?  Then it accelerates better.  This is why NASCAR is cool and is a money maker for teams and drivers...  And why motorcycle racing sucks to most people...

[tzracer]

We are keeping it simple.

If you increase acceleration between point A and B (get there in less time with the same initial speed) you must have an increase in power (keeping all other variables the same - mass (weight), gearing etc.).

[G 97]

Legal?  No.  Pretty much everyone is completely oblivious to the actual fuel rules.  I gave them the ideas for the 2000 fuel rules.  In 2001, they were changed.  Currently, the fuel rules are very, very restrictive.  Unleaded streed gas is illegal, unleaded racing fuels are illegal, leaded oxygenated racing fuels are illegal.  

Dave,  what fuels are legal?  If leaded oxygenated racing fuels are illegal that basically means your VP and Nutec varieties that seem to dominate this area at the track are illegal.  I know the AMA has some limitations with regard to oxygen content but I was not aware of the CCS restrictions?  What is left then?
Please do the research for all of us. ;D

[Super Dave]

According to a Recent conversation with a CCS official, there is no longer an oxygen limitation. This is enforced by the current 2003 CCS rule ( now available online) which does not list any limitations on oxygen content. The reason I was given for this rule change was that pump gas can come highly oxygenated, and would not have been legal for CCS competition. So inexpensive power producing fuels such as VP's Ultimate 4 are legal along with the more expensive VP MR 1.

UUUUUUUNK!  Wrong answer, try agan!  Would you like to try for double jeopardy where the scores really change?  LOL!  (I always wanted to do that...)

The 2003 fuel rules as they are written in the 2003 rule book are exactly the same as the rules in the 2002 book, and they were the basis of my complaints in the 2001 rule book.  I complained about the 1999 NASB rules, and they were changed across the board in 2000 where they were open.  In 2001, they were changed to the current rules.  I did not even notice it until the end of 2001.

The dielectric reading for the HDE (High Desert Engineering) meter is +/-0.4.  

Unleaded pump gas is about +3.0 on that scale.  This was the basis of my complaints before. It is illegal.  It is not because it is highly oxygenated, it comes in at about 2%, it is because of the components that make up unleaded fuels.

All oxygenated, leaded racing fuels are illegal with this rule.  

All unleaded racing fuels are illegal under this rule.  

Some VP leaded non-oxygenated racing fuels are illegal too (below the .700 specific gravity...).

Dielectric readings do not indicate that a fuel will make power.  It's just a way of giving a signature number to the hydrocarbon make up.  

[mdr14]

The CCS rule book fuel rules list two parameters that are used to test fuels. The first is specific gravity. The second is dialectric constant.

The primary reason for the fuel rules is safety.
This is to prevent the use of alcohol and related fuels. These fuels burn virtually invisible. CCS cornerworkers do not have the training or the equipment to deal with this sort of situation.

Based on the information I have, the dielctic constant is to primarily test oxygen content. Although the information I have may be flawed, I'll assume its not. To fail the test at the parameters listed in the CCS rule book, a fuel would have to be highly oxygenated, perhaps 10% or more to fail.

VP's fuels, Especially the MR 1 and Ultimate 4 have a specific gravity that is within the rule book parameters, and based on the information I have, would pass the dielectic constant test according to the CCS rule book parameters.

I say let the fuel protests begin! :)