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The Nitro Fuel thread

Nutball

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Lets discuss nitro methane/methanol fuel for chainsaws.

What works, what doesn't?

I'm thinking race saws mostly, but I'll start off noting that I have used nitro for work saws at a concentration in gas of about 1.5-3% with noticeable gains. I will only guess power gains of about 5-15%. It's been a few years since I've done it, and I never made timed cuts. I did try straight 15% nitro model airplane fuel, in a stock saw and got a 3 times faster cut speed mainly relying on torque.
 
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Nutball

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On what? Maybe I should test my Echo 352 on 3% nitro in gas and see if I get a 5% faster cut.
 

Nutball

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mdavlee

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I’m betting ole Nutball is someone that’s been around the block a time or 3. I can see a gain from nitro propane like Klotz sells. I never had any luck with the nitro methanol through a stock carb.
 

ManiacalMark

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You might see some gains, but nothing substantial like you would if the carb was went through to run methanol, nitro, or a mix. Every orifice of the carb has to be drill for more flow area. Some nitromethane, yeah you'll see something. Methanol, nope, not in a stock carb. Turbo blue would be more beneficial.
 

Nutball

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You might see some gains, but nothing substantial like you would if the carb was went through to run methanol, nitro, or a mix. Every orifice of the carb has to be drill for more flow area. Some nitromethane, yeah you'll see something. Methanol, nope, not in a stock carb. Turbo blue would be more beneficial.

I think you may be surprised at how big the gains are on a stock carb without a port job or muffler mod, but yea, not as much as a modified carb.

Alky requires 2-1/2 times as much fuel as regular gas. How do you figure a stock carb can supply that much?
Try turning the needle out 2.5 more times than gas takes... ok, turn it out till its about to fall out.

I tried it. I figure straight methanol should need more air than with nitro, but I ran 15% nitro, and with the needle around 3 turns out it was enough. 15% was probably the max for that carb without cheating by using the choke. I have run a riding mower on nitro too. It hardly bogged in tall grass, but did need the choke pulled most of the way. I did it once when I ran out of gas and again when the air filter plugged to the point it was backfiring with a red hot muffler, so I used nitro to lean it until I got a new filter.
 
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Billy Currie

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I've ran methanol with nitro methane and E-85 with nitro methane. They work pretty good. I've had a lot of people that didn't want to buy in to the E-85 on nitro, but it works. I used modified carburetors though.
 

Nutball

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I haven't tried high concentrations of nitro in gas, but I've experimented a bit with isopropyl alcohol with and without nitro. For some reason I got the feeling isopropyl kicked harder when starting glow engines. Maybe it requires a special plug and compression to delay timing. It requires more air, and has more energy than ethyl and methyl, and possibly more knock resistance.

I've been wanting a ms 250 to experiment with. Farmertec complete engines and parts are really cheap.
 

Nutball

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You need to put gasoline in a glass jar and add a little nitro. If it is real nitro it will not mix well, if at all with the gas. Your saw will get a full dose of nitro when it pulls it in the carburetor.

Adventure carefully.
I was wondering about that. I guess it would be best to use alcohol to help keep it in solution?
 

Nutball

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I was just pointing out that a stock carb will run nitro ok, maybe not modern echo carbs though. I do agree that you can't dump lots of nitro into an engine with a stock carb.
 

Deets066

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Man, a lot of hotsaw builders are gonna be bummed to find out all that work theyve done to learn how to get carbs to feed methanol/nitro into saws is a waste of time. Just turn the screws out!!!!
Every orfice needs opened. Regardless of how far you turn the screw out, the jet only flows so much.

I realize this is not news to you
 
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