Priming Question

What is everyone using to prime their engines? Gas, alcohol?

I have an onboard primer with one nozzle in the hat and have been using gas, it works well, but I've seen plenty of guys use alcohol in the squirt bottle. Just wondering out loud....................

 

Alcohol in a (LUCAS) bottle. If the weather is cool i add a little bit of gasoline to it.

 

Thanks, guys

Interesting, I do use a start retard. I guess with alcohol that's not a good idea.

I always thought the alcohol and gas didn't mix?

 

It doesn't . Just give it a swirlie before use. ;D

 

we've started mine on gas for years. generator gas, nothing special. fires quicker than alcohol, but you can't use much.
Lucas bottle with the billet cap (if you see the cap, you've seen someone that has ran out of shit to buy for their racecar lol)

 

we used a 50/50 mix of alcohol and pump gas for years and it seemed to start in all conditions

 

best 28 dollars you can spend! works as a throttle stop, just ask mike !

 

Was tired of front of engine being flooded and back cylinders being dry caused by the helix of blower running fuel to the front. Plumbed in 1/4" line to middle of blower manifold and a quick connect to a 1 pound propane bottle controlled by a blowgun nozzle. Engine starts instantly with no wash down, and can't hydro lock.

 

I guess you should have the ignition spark on and the engine turning when you put in the propane?

 

As soon as I flip the mag switch on , he pulls the trigger on the propane and the engine is running , He just listens for the exhaust noise to change when the methonal makes it to the motor . Not a bad idea to have a few different orfice sizes tho Atleast until you get the mix right

 

I have an on board primer on my dragster, on board 24 volt starter with 2 small batteries. Pretty much self contained after being pushed to the starting line albeit a little heavy than it could be. Since I am not competing with anyone the weight is not as much of a concern. I use racing gas in the primer but I have to be careful not to prime it too much. I hear that the gas messes with the plug readings so I may go straight alcohol as primer fuel for this coming season. Works for me. I guess that I could rig a propane primer with a button operated valve. The propane idea just makes my old school self a little nervous.

 

we are running a a very similar setup as you, and you are right that gas can and will effect the plug readings. the problem we had with gas or alcohol starting is we flooded the front holes while the back were dry, and since we have to self start we were burning up starters cranking it for too long. i will admit when my father started talking about propane starting i was a little tentative, but you cant hydro lock, you're not loading the supercharger or engine with fuel, it will fire INSTANTANEOUSLY regardless of any temperature acceptable for drag racing. leaves no markings on the plugs. and is really simple to setup.

 

Actually the more I think about the propane idea, the better I like it AS LONG AS the right set-up with proper valves are used. Since I self start, that also means that a lot of times, I do not have a person standing next to the engine to do anything. That means I would have to have an on-board mounted propane cylinder. I wonder if the propane bottle can be carried on board, and still be NHRA or DOT legal. I bet NOT.