Comments on: How to Run an Autocross Using Fuel You Made in Your Apartment for Less Than $100

By: Student.Driver

Student.Driver — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:35:53 +0000

1. Unless you’re heading to a pivot (or AZ clump as some contend here) that isn’t “mild body lean” at all.

2. If you’re running Stock or Street Touring class, well from page 28 in the 2008 Solo Rules (3.6.A):

Stock and Street Touring Class vehicles will use service station pump fuel only. Pump fuel is defined as that which is “Federally approved for use on public highways.” This includes the pump fuel known as “E85, but does not allow racing-type fuels which are available at service station pumps.

So, is it street modified? :-)

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:02:14 +0000

Be careful with the homemade ethanol. there likely is a limit below which you can make your own without 50 permits from 25 different government agencies including the BATF (don’t want to mess with those guys). Second, it is physically/chemically impossible distill a water/ethanol mixture to any more than 97% or 98% ethanol, the remainder being water. You will need to add a third chemical to the mix for it to even be possible to produce 100% ethanol. Typically, a small amount of benzene is used, but it’s been so long since I had my class in mass transfer operations that I can’t remember the specifics.

By: chuckgoolsbee

chuckgoolsbee — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:01:02 +0000

eggsalad: Making BioDiesel in small quantities is expensive. Especially if you use SVO as your feedstock. Start churning out 20+ gallons a week from WVO and bulk materials and you are paying 1998 prices for your fuel.

–chuck

By: Robstar

Robstar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:23:08 +0000

I am a big diesel fan myself, however there are basically no diesel choices here except vw, and trucks. I’d love to have a non-vw diesel at 50+mpg.

In the meanwhile, I stick $6/week in the motorcycle that I already had before prices went up. My last fillup with 40% city, 60% highway was ~ 41.5

$6 barely buys a takeout sandwich here.

By: shaker

shaker — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:53:45 +0000

The high cost of Wesson oil reflects its rather negative impact on the environment as a motor fuel, which is good.
Besides, the aroma of “french fries” hanging over every urban area can only add to the obesity problem, and we’ll require even larger vehicles to haul our asses around.

I think I missed the point, here… :-)

By: eggsalad

eggsalad — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:30:35 +0000

I drive a Diesel car. I live in an apartment.

$33/gal for fuel to run my car does not strike me as a bargain.

for about $8/gal I can run to Costco and run straight Wesson, though.

By: chuckgoolsbee

chuckgoolsbee — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:29:39 +0000

Be careful… Transestrification is legal, distillation tends to attract the attention of the authorities however.

Thanks for pointing out how amazingly simple this process is. I haven’t pumped any petroleum into my car in well over a year, instead I just make my own. Whenever I talk to other Diesel drivers in the rural area I live in it seems like over half of them are homebrewers.

Wow.. two Diesel-positive articles on TTAC in under two weeks. Somebody finally wise up over there? ;)

–chuck