Tractor Pulling Smoke?

[ThrottleJockey]

I'm watching ESPN2 and the Unlimited Modified Tractors are up next. I'm thinking, cool, here come the smokers!



The Case machine, 'Big Temptation' roars away from the line first. Only, NO SMOKE. What gives?



Then the announcer says something about 'Brent Long built motors running on methanol, or alcohol? Which? No diesel being burned in these monsters? Don't tell me they sport, mad: ) spark plugs?#@$%! :{



Can anybody educate me?



Thanks.

 

[JTEdieselram]

These tractors are still 100 percent deisel (mechanically) they run alchohol in a normal mechanical injection with fuel being injected at BTDC (depends on timing) just like a normal diesel engine. The catch is, is that with alcohol, alot i mean ALOT of fuel can be burned because it runs really REALLY cool. These engines probably have glow plugs to get them going, but at 200+ psi boost, and probably in the neighborhood of 10,000cc/1000strokes, the alcohol will light off. I know alot of those guys are making like 4000hp, Pretty neat stuff!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I saw that too and like ThrottleJockey I was

Thanks for clearing it up JTE

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Whew! Thanks JTE! Still diesel being burned! Boy that alcohol really cleans up the soot.



Hey Vaughn! "Thanks for clearing it up", Get it? Smoke? Clearing it up? Is this thing on? Hello?



I'm going to go drive my truck now to placate my smoke jones. :-laf

 

[rattlbox]

I know alot of those guys are making like 4000hp, Pretty neat stuff!

now that is some serious hp:-laf

 

[JTEdieselram]

Actually, no diesel, straight alcohol. It is injected on the combustion stroke, so technically the engine is still a diesel engine. But, it runs on alcohol, hope that makes sense?

 

[Jong]

This may be a silly question, but if the guys running alcohol are making so much power using this setup, how come nobody is doing it yet with a Cummins? I know they make LPG engines for power generation based on the B series. Nobody makes a pump flowing enough fuel to make it work?

 

[chuckwilson]

Because you could not aford to feed it. and it wont cold start. (takes twice as much fuel)

 

[EMD-Run8]

Don't the injectors need SOME lube?

 

[jyoung13]

This is news to me. We have quite a few diesel coverted to alcohol super stocks in upstate NY. The entire diesel injection system is removed. Sparkplugs are put in in place of injectors,a distributer is put in place of injector pump,and three small injector nozzels (similar to the ones used on a blown alcohol drag motor)are put in each intake runner on intake manifold. The shortblock and head were diesel parts everything eles are gas components.