what do you have to do to a sbc to make it run on alcohol? how much more hp do you get out of running alchohol than pump?

 

For an engine to run on alcohol it is going to have to be a very well built motor and have a high compression ratio.
Just curious, are you building a funny car?

 

Is this going to be in an all out drag car? If it is and you have to ask then you are above your head. Running alternative fuels doesn't mean you will make more power. They aren't always used for that reason. They are used for efficiency and cooling reasons. Your engine depends on the lubricity of gasoline to maintain some life span of its ignition and fuel delivery systems. Alcohol fuels won't have the same desirable traits. You will also need to run incredible high compression ratios to make use of the higher octane level. The energy/volume price for alcohol vs gasoline is not in your favor for anything other than track use. If this car were to be driven on the street you would need far more fuel delivery/capacity to have the same range as gasoline. When used right methanol/ethanol can create desirable results in an IC engine. You can drastically increase the VE due to better intake cooling as well as run afore mentioned high CR's. These are two key things to making big power.

It basically boils down to why you want to run it and how well you understand it. A motor has to be developed and operated in a manor where running an alternative fuel becomes advantageous over gasoline.

 

"what do you have to do to a sbc to make it run on alcohol?"

if its carbureted all you need to do is rejet it about 40% larger. then it will run on alcohol. but it is corrosive to rubber and some plastics and metals and will eventually cause problems with the fuel delivery.in cold climates you have starting problems unless some means of preheating the fuel is used . if your heads are pre-smog they need hardened valve seats.
alcohol has a higher octane rating allowing higher compression ratios and more timing advance. neither are required. also lower mileage.

 

Methanol degrades normal gasoline rubber pieces. Ethanol doesn't.

You definately need to jet up, as alcohol needs more volume to get to the proper fuel/air ratio, which is why fuel mileage goes down.

They've been running primarily ethanol vehicles in Brazil for years. They put a small percentage of gasoline in it to keep the "fuel" from being consumed as a "beverage". Their cars also have a small gasoline tank for use in cold starting, switching over to the alcohol when it starts.

Alcohol will absorb a lot of water, which degrades it's effectiveness, so measures have to be taken to protect the tank from moisture.

 

They sure do. About half the vehicles there run an ethanol based fuel known as "alcool" which is produced from sugar cane. Cool stuff.

 

My old man is running E85 in his 383. At the dyno he picked up about 5 hp. Lost about 3mpg. Smells like he's drunk all the time.

 

They have E85 in Boise? Does he run EFI?

 

Yep, they have it at the corner of 23rd and Main St.. He's running a carb.