Buy gas in the morning

[Porsche Monkey]

Now bear with me cause I've had a six pack of tequila. As Staler said you would be better served to drive gently than believe any of the cooler in the morning horseshit. That big tank of fuel 10 feet under the ground aint changed much since last night. On another note, expanding fuel, or an overfilled tank makes a carbon canister say many bad words that can turn very expensive.

[cyrus buelton]

You may want to research that.  There is definitely a possiblility that cooler gasoline is denser and will therefore may pack a little more punch.

Now that is true.


Why do you think in professional racing they take the temperature of your fuel prior to qualifying?

You have x amount of degrees below ambient temperature

cooler fuel = more horsepower

at least that applies to methanol and ethanol.

[triangleforge]

Weren't there stories of Ducati riders showing up on the grid with frost on the tanks before the fuel temp regs went into place? IIRC, the reason wasn't to boost the energy of any given injector squirt of fuel, but to comply with the letter of the fuel VOLUME rules while actually putting more in the tank. Very clever...

But I'd think the diurnal temp change in an underground tank would be quite minimal (as opposed to sticking race fuel in the freezer)

[Triple J]

Now that is true.


Why do you think in professional racing they take the temperature of your fuel prior to qualifying?

You have x amount of degrees below ambient temperature

cooler fuel = more horsepower

at least that applies to methanol and ethanol.

Is it for power or volume? In the case of motorcycle racing...I think it is volume.

The volume difference isn't enough for a consumer to worry about...but racing is at the edge where little things matter. It would likely be a power thing for drag racing since the fuel doesn't have time to warm over the course of a race...and volume probably isn't an issue.

[Randimus Maximus]

Now that is true.


Why do you think in professional racing they take the temperature of your fuel prior to qualifying?

You have x amount of degrees below ambient temperature

cooler fuel = more horsepower

at least that applies to methanol and ethanol.

Quit agreeing with people on here...your reputation is in danger!

[ducpainter]

Is it for power or volume? In the case of motorcycle racing...I think it is volume.

The volume difference isn't enough for a consumer to worry about...but racing is at the edge where little things matter. It would likely be a power thing for drag racing since the fuel doesn't have time to warm over the course of a race...and volume probably isn't an issue.

I think you're right.

You can fit more cold fuel in a 21 litre tank than warm fuel.

Ducati chills the fuel for the motogp bikes and puts a space blanket on the tank to keep it from expanding and running out the overflow.

[cyrus buelton]

My perspective comes from Indy Car Racing.

Cooler fuel = more horsepower.

Straight out of the mouth of several engineers and team managers.


There is a rule in the rulebook about it.

my buddy got busted in KY a few years ago during qualifying for it. His moronic gas guy left the methanol in the fridge too long.............

[Triple J]

My perspective comes from Indy Car Racing.

Cooler fuel = more horsepower.

Straight out of the mouth of several engineers and team managers.

Interesting reading if you google it. Apparently the cooler fuel = more hp is related to the cold fuel cooling the intake air, not the actual temp of the fuel. Not sure if what I read was true...it's all beyond me.

I figured for a race of any length it would be related to volume, not hp as I figured the gas would quickly warm during the race nullifying any advantage. Maybe not I guess.  

[cyrus buelton]

Let me send him a text for the real explanation.

[cyrus buelton]

Interesting reading if you google it. Apparently the cooler fuel = more hp is related to the cold fuel cooling the intake air, not the actual temp of the fuel. Not sure if what I read was true...it's all beyond me.

I figured for a race of any length it would be related to volume, not hp as I figured the gas would quickly warm during the race nullifying any advantage. Maybe not I guess.  

Your google research is correct.

Response from Ed:

"Yes, cool fuel makes more power, cools the intake. Motors run better in cool air. Cool fuel the air at intake"


I guess we can put this argument to rest about volume.


The same concept would apply to a motorcycle as well.

[ducpainter]

you can if you want to.

[Randimus Maximus]

Hooray!

[Monsterlover]

Check it. . .  you can put ice in it



http://www.jegs.com/p/Moroso/Moroso-Insulated-Cool-Cans/747208/10002/-1

For Moto GP I suspect it's chilled to get every last drop in there.

Which could effect the aggressiveness of their fueling . .

which could in turn effect power output.

For F1, I think its all about power, since they can refuel during a race.  Whether it makes more power by cooling the intake air or not, it does do something.

I think cold fuel would allow more timing, or more compression (or both) as the chilled droplets would be capable of absorbing more heat which could stave off detonation just a little longer.

And if a F1 engine isn't on the ragged edge of self destructing I don't know what is.

Those things take every little edge they can find.

[ducpainter]

Check it. . .  you can put ice in it



http://www.jegs.com/p/Moroso/Moroso-Insulated-Cool-Cans/747208/10002/-1

For Moto GP I suspect it's chilled to get every last drop in there.

Which could effect the aggressiveness of their fueling . .

which could in turn effect power output.

For F1, I think its all about power, since they can refuel during a race.  Whether it makes more power by cooling the intake air or not, it does do something.

I think cold fuel would allow more timing, or more compression (or both) as the chilled droplets would be capable of absorbing more heat which could stave off detonation just a little longer.

And if a F1 engine isn't on the ragged edge of self destructing I don't know what is.

Those things take every little edge they can find.

Finally...

someone gets it.

[Porsche Monkey]

911 Turbos use a fuel cooler that is run off the air conditioning.  The fuel is used to cool the air charge going into the cylinder.