Why do race cars use alcohol for fuel?

Answer 1

This is why:

http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/sports/autoracing/indy500.html

Answer 2

Octane ratings are not indicators of the energy content of fuels. It is only a measure of the fuel's tendency to burn in a controlled manner, rather than exploding in an uncontrolled manner. Where the octane number is raised by blending in ethanol, energy content per volume is reduced. Ethanol BTUs can be compared with gasoline BTUs in heat of combustion tables.
Thus: alcohol has less energy than gasoline volumes being the same but alcohol with it's higher octane rating allows the car racer to run a huge amount of alcohol in a high compression engine with out engine knock because it burns more evenly.

Answer 3

For every drop of gasoline, the engine only uses about 80% of it and 20% is wasted.
Alcohol burns completly so you use 100% of the energy. Plus, once it hits the intake the alcohol gets so cold the outside of the intake frosts over so you get more power from the cold alcohol charge so both combined make a big boost in horsepower.
Big race engines run hot and are hard to keep cool and using Alcohol solves that because of the cold thing.

It can be hard to actually warm an engine up on alcohol when 1st started.
A guy at the dragstrip here uses alcohol in a '66 460 Mustang, but he warms the engine up on racing gasoline and runs on gas around the pits and staging lanes etc. He has a 2nd fuel system under the hood with a tiny 1 or 2 gallon fuel cell for the gas, then flips a switch over to the alcohol cell in the trunk right before he does his burnout. Makes it much more livable.

The bad part is:
--the flameless fire thing! All you see is heat waves basiclly.
--Alcohol eat's rubber etc. so you must use a fuel system and carb. made for alcohol which is costly.
--You have to shut the fuel off and let the carbs. run out of gas. That's how you shut an alcohol motor off or it can flood easily and won't restart. The 2nd gas fuel system helps that.
--Someone has to 'give you a squirt' of alcohol in the carb. when you start it everytime. Typically from a dish soap type squeeze bottle.
--Unless something changed lately, you can only buy Alcohol fuel from a fuel depot in 55 gallon drum's. Which means you have to keep 55 gallons of flameless invisible fuel sitting around! Racing Gas is available at some gas stations and the track.
--You can't drink it!

Answer 4

Everything above is wrong. Only a couple of racing cars series uses some king of alcohol (Indy Cars, some drasters) but the vast majority uses regular fuel (In Formula 1 is even a rule that it has to be the same gasoline you use daily) also in every regional race this is a rule and in prototypes is the same and worst of all the Le Mans 24 hs. winners (Audi) are diesel engines like their new contender Peugeot.

Answer 5

It creates a lot more torque. It burns a whole lot cooler so your engine wont get as hot. Its a lot cleaner than gas, so it burns more evenly, in drag racing it makes your car more consistant.

Some of the downfalls are, you have to use a lot more of it so you go through it quicker than gas. When it burns, it burns clear. So its quite possible to be on fire with out any visible flames, You have to look for the heat. You have to add lube since it is not petroleum based so it can be harder on your valve train.

Answer 6

Alcohol Race Cars

Answer 7

Because, at a typical nascar race, they could actually use the fans' urine as fuel.

Answer 8

ive never heard of racecars using alchohol for fuel. I just thought they used higher octane fuels

Answer 9

Because alcohol isn't as explosive as gasoline, and doesn't spread as far from its container in case of an accident.

Answer 10

it gives a higher rpm.. and therefore give you more horsepower...but its much harder on your engine than gas