I have been kicking around getting a set of carbs set up for alcohol for when I go to the dunes. Even though I dont go that often, I wonder if its worth the extra effort. What are the good points of running alcohol? I know that you have to purge the motor when your done riding and its hell on all motor parts. How often will a motor on alcohol have to be torn down/rebuilt?? Right now I am running a 370 long rod, T5's, CT porting, coolhead w/ 17 or 18cc domes and stock carbs(and more).... Would I be better off going with a set of 28pwk's, 30's? 34's?
Do I need to run higher compression and more timing advance then what I have now?

any help is greatly appreciated

walter
88 banshee 370
95 Dodge Ram 4x4
99 Quadbuddy

 

Alcohol is no more hell on parts than gas. I just tore mine down after a year of drag racing. The only thing that caused me to need new pistons was I just put a different set of carbs on it and while tuning it I leaned one side out and melted the spark plug which fell inot the jug and scared my piston and walls. It wasnt even that bad. All my crank bearings, seals, everything were perfect. I drag race my bike exclusively, nothing else and it has held up remarkably. I would sugest getting a new set of carbs that have been converted to alcohol. Allen at CT makes one of the best sets. I think your engine can handle the alcohol being its ported and you have good compression. It will add about 10-15 hp. The dunes is realy the only place I would recommned it. It burns twice as fast, so be aware of that, but it also cost about 1/2 as much as race fuel. Just be sure to start out fat and work your way down.

 

Brandon, but what can you suggest to someone who is not willing to run alcohol exculsively? I know you had a Polaris 400 before your Banshee, how did using alcohol effect it's performance.

Like Walt, I have tossed the idea around quite a bit too, but am afraid that there is too much maintenance involved in swaping out carbs everytime I want to run the alky. I'd probably only run the alky 3-5X's a year max. The rest of the year I want to be able to ride as worry free as I do now.

My '99 Sport is making 185lbs compression with a HPD full race mod motor (14.5:1 billet head, Wiseco, 39PWK). It's a screamer now, but I'd like the alky for special occasions I know FTZ has a carb for the 400, but it's like $325 or so.

My main question, and I htink Walt's too, is how difficult is it to switch out the carbs, flush the system and be back on 110 oct.?

 

I takes about 2 minutes to flush the engine. All you have to do is get a purge bottle and connect eh hose to the carb, and run the engine for a few minutes. Its that simple. As for changing the carb out, it only takes a couple minutes, especially if you get the same kind o carb as your gas carb. Then all you would have to do is change the carb and use the same slide. Even if you have different carbs, it only takes a couple minutes. I ran the polaris on alcohol and it flew. I beat lots of banshee's and other 400's that were on NO2. It made a big difference. I never had any trouble as far as reliability. It sounds as though your engine is capable of handling alcohol. I ran the ftz carb on my polaris and I had a set on my banshee. They are OK, but there are better carbs available. I just attained one for a polaris. Its a 40mm keihin(bored out 39pwk) with power jets. I dont really need it, but I might be interested in selling it. Alcohol is not an everyday fuel, but it runs great when used in the right arena. I hope i answered all your questions, if not then just let me know.

 

I bought Brandon's FTZ carb for my Scrambler 400 and melted the top of my piston because it was jetted too lean for my application. I have a RCR race ported motor with 180 psi compression. I should have started really rich and worked down, because I couldn't tell that it was running lean until it was too late. The motor and pipe were still cooler than with gas, but it washed the top of the piston off right by the exhaust port. Then the ring heated up and caught in the exhaust port and messed up the bore. I should have the cylinder back from Rick soon and I will try it again. Brandon, have you sent the other jets out yet? I would like to have them ASAP.

 

Brandon: It sounds as if you have been playing with alchohol while.... I can get another set of stock carbs for a banshee easily.... Do you think its worth having them converted to alchohol?? Or should I go with a diff set of carbs? I dont run an airbox anymore (toomey 2-1) and its very easy to swap out carbs. What exactly consists of purging? just running straight fuel through the motor? Wouldnt those carbs be way to rich for straight fuel? I thought about running Propelyne Oxyde also... but from what I have read it will be easier to pop my motor with that if I am not jetted perfectly. Brandon.. What are you running for intakes, reeds/cages?
Jerry; it looks like everyone is trying to get "ready" for this years silverlake ride

thanx again for all of your help on this brandon

walt
88 banshee 370
95 Dodge Ram 4x4
99 Quadbuddy

 

Should make for some interesting riding this year. Even if I did go with the alky I don't think I would run it up at SL this year. At least not that weekend. I want the carb to use when drag racing down here, for money!

I'm hoping to have a new pipe by July. And, providing I can keep the bike healthy untill then I'll see you in 'da sand!

 

Mike the jets have been sent. I think the problem you faced had more to do wioth the bowls running out of fuel than actually being lean. The polaris has a notoroiusley bad reputation of having a bad gravity flow. That is why I am now recommneding to people to get the fuel pump or either extended float bowls. I ran my polaris on that carb for about 6 hard months and my cylinders and pistons were perfect. I'm not saying it was your fault, but sometimes things like that happen, especially when you start making more hp. I dont think the stock carbs would be very good on alcohol. You need carbs that are capable of flowing large amounts of fuel. You ned to get atleast 30mm carbs forthis application. You are going to pay around 600$ for a set of new alky carbs. I just sold a set of used ones for 400$, so that should be your price range. Purging is just simply running gas throught the carb, premix of coarse. Yes, it is very fat and will make a ton of smoke, but you need to ust blip the throttle and kepp the rpm's up a bit. I have been using alcohol for a while, I have really had no bad experiences. I just rebuilt my banshee after one year on the same pistons. I only drag race it and run it on alcohol. One side was perfect, and the other needed to be replaced. I just put the pwk's on it and I leaned one side out and melted the spark plug whick fell inot the engine and messed some stuff up. As you can see, the most criticla time is when you first put the carbs on. Be sure they are too fat at first. Actually though, my intake tore and caused it to lena out. I run stock reeds and cages. They allow for more top end flow. The new v- force reeds flow three times as much, I was thinkning of trying them, but I dont know if they will hold up to alcohol. Certain reeds will and some will not. Actually though, I havent seen any fail, just heard.

 

Brandon: I have talked to a few guys from Michigan that strictly drag race and I was told that the stockers can flow enuf if modded correctly. I dont want to break the bank for something that I will use either once or twice a year. If I am happy with the performance that the alchohol produces I may get a set of bigger carbs and run the alchohol.
What do you run for paddles? and gearing? Is it sand that you drag race on or pavement? So far I havent heard anyone that was unhappy with the new V-force reeds.. I do know that Allen at CT wants to test them, and he is a firm believer of stock cages on a banshee.
thanx again for all the help

walter
88 Banshee 370
95 Dodge Ram 4x4
99 Quadbuddy

 

I have some CT carbs and they are awesome. CT has some good products and service. It all amounts to personal preference. VITO is good to now. I have the stock reeds in mine, but vito tolod me the other day that he has flowed thema t three times more flow than stocks. He is also a stock cage beleiver.