[Fot] Cooling fuel to take up less volume

[Joe Curry]

Do they allow you to spray foam onto the outside of the tank?  If so, then
you should go to the hardware store and get a can of polyurethane foam then
spray a coating all around it.  That will keep it cool longer and hopefully
avoid expansion that might cause the tank to overflow.

A float in the tank connected to a light (ala MGTD) might be a way for him
to know that he is running low in case the cool fuel doesn't allow him to go
the full distance.

Joe C.

-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces+spitlist=cox.net at autox.team.net
[mailto:fot-bounces+spitlist=cox.net at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of David W.
Riddle
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 10:34 PM
To: fot at autox.team.net; wheeltowheel at wheeltowheel.com;
william.r.riddle at usmc.mil; ssedmonds at cox.net; scott at microworks.net;
members at dctra.org
Subject: [Fot] Cooling fuel to take up less volume

With the controversy from the F1 race today and the possible cooling 
of fuel by BMW and Williams and the idea of cooling the fuel to get 
it to take up less volume got me thinking.

Next month on the 25th my Son will have a 45 minute Endurance race on 
his 125 shifter at Firebird Main.  Normally there is no way that a 
fuel hungry "built" 125 shifter motor can go that distance on the 
single 9 liter tank that we are allowed to run.

The fuel rules as presented for this race.

---------------
* No mandatory stops.
* 9 liter maximum fuel capacity (2.37 gallons) for TAG and Shifter groups.
This is equal to the largest normally available plastic tanks.
* No unusual fuel line or filter set ups.
* No auxiliary fuel tanks.
* Recommended that no more than 1 gallon be added when refueling.
* No pressurized refueling systems.
---------------

Now, the supplemental rules do not say anything about cooling the 
fuel and the normal rules only address the use of prohibited cooling 
"systems".  I'm thinking I ought to take a chance a fill a container 
with our mixed fuel and keep it in an ice cooler until just before 
the race.  After qualifying drain the tank.  Push the kart to grid 
and then fill the tank there on the grid just before time to push off 
for the race.

Think the increased density of the chilled fuel would make a 
measurable difference in the capacity that I'm talking about?  If so 
this seems like it might be in the best tradition of Mark Donahue.

No fuel gauge on a kart and once the level drops below a certain 
volume the driver can't see how much fuel is left in the tank.  I'm 
planning on testing during practice and qualifying to see if I can 
check his fuel level with binoculars so that I can determine if I 
need to hang a sign to pit for fuel.
spitlist at cox.net
Fot mailing list
Fot at autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/fot