Alcohol fuel system maintenance between races

[arush]

I plan on starting my (first) Hilborn 4 port alcohol injected, blown BBC within a couple of weeks.
What is the proper procedure at the end of a race day to clean out the fuel system besides draining fuel tank and lines.
Is it OK to install a set of old plugs and let it run on gas for a few seconds ?
Since I will only be attending limited events, the digger could set for a few weeks before getting it out again.
As always, I appreciate all responses.   

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

While I don't have a blown BBC on alky, a fellow racer at my track runs an alcohol RED and he has a separate gasoline system on the car to make it easy to start, put heat in the engine, and drive it up to the staging lanes. You may want to consider something similar?

[dusterdave173]

Here is what has worked well for me

Next day after home from the race I  warm up and drain oil and change filter--then I take lines loose--force air through return line then a shot of WD40 and blow some more--then same through vent line which clears main line--then WD40 down the tubes and in main feed line --open barrel valve and force air and WD40 through--open/close fuel cut off while adding WD40 or a little oil--with all lines blown out I reconnect them
Pull spark plugs--WD into each cylinder and turn engine a little--plugs back in.
Adjust valves as needed     
The WD40 is not ideal   when you service your stainless filter elements there will be small "dumplings" of WD40 I guess
It has never hurt anything and I have had Zero issues over about two years now doing it this way
The WD down the tubes and a spin after last run of day is important to keep cylinder walls from rusting
I think a Toplube helps keep the system in better shape than without but use less not MORE than they say

[dreracecar]

WD drys out the o-rings --good to keep spares in the tool box for the BV and fuel shutoff

[AF150]

Here is another routine that we have been using for many years...
Drain the tank and all supply / return lines. Mix up a batch of ~ 70% gasoline and
30% motor oil. Remove all spark plugs. Take the line from the shut-off valve to the
barrel valve loose at the shut-off valve. With air compressor on and a helper standing
by (was usually my wife) fill the line to the barrel valve with gas/oil. Also apply mix
to the pump thru open shut-off valve. Have the helper spin the engine and open the
throttle as you force the mix thru the whole system with compressed air.( Don't stand
in front of the spark plug holes.) This cleans and lubricates the the whole fuel system
and the top-end of the engine. Might put more mix in the pump and turn engine backwards just to make sure all alcohol is removed and pump is well lubed. Dry the
tank and other lines with compressed air cause you don't want to leave alcohol sitting in anything, especially anything aluminum. Replace spark plugs and lines.

Next time you warm-up the engine, all the mix will disappear and you will pass fuel
check if that is a class requirement. Running upper-lube in your alcohol may not.

MB

[arush]

Great suggestions.
Appreciate the feedback.

[JrFuel Hayden]

this is what we have been doing for the last 18 years after every race event, and never had a problem with nozzles, etc; drain the fuel tank, and fuel line from tank to fuel pump, blow it out and let air dry until getting ready for next event, blow out fuel pump, clean with brake clean blow-out again and put Marvel Mystery oil turn over by hand and put it a plastic bag, blow out fuel shut off , brake clean, plastic bag, take out the fuel nozzles, blow out, clean with brake clean wrap in plastic bags, blow out clean with brake clean barrel valve and wrap the nozzle hose ends in plastic. This what has been recomended when we 1'st started racing the JF car by Bob McKray, race engine builder, engine builder and tuner for Don Enriquez Jrfueler, Don still works for Hilborn, and also recomends this cleaning process and Gene Adams, who now flows and sets-up fuel systems after working for Hilborn.
 Mike this might be more or less work or time than your 70-30% gas/oil, but we have never had a pluged nozzle, because of the corrosion that can happen with alky. I have helped crew on a comp racer for years and they would not use clean their fuel system, mostly because they raced often at Division and national events, so they would have little down time, BUT, would have crystals in the Kinsler nozzles from time to time.
We can't use WD-40, because it will cause the fuel to fail the  fuel checks, as will top oiler, and alky with top oiler, like VP M-3, and of course VP M-5 that has nitro in it.
We also drain the engine oil and filter after each event, of course looking for metal, and also because alky attracts water, and you have alky in the oil from the rings, so we dont want a rusty iron block after sitting for awhile.  BTW, don't leave alky jugs open,or fuel tanks, it attracts water.
I hope this helps guys
Jon

[dreracecar]

Hilborn nozzles have micro screens inside and tend to get gunked up more than Enderle's which are just a straight drilled hole sprayed against a flat surface to atomize

[Curly1]

I have ran alcohol since 1998 and do not do much special. I do use top lube get motor good and warm to evaporate moisture out of oil before I put it in trailer. When I set up system I made sure everything was compatible with alcohol.

[JrFuel Hayden]

Curly, so you don't clean the alky out of your system between races ? And never had a pluged nozzle, never seen anything that looks like salt , alky corrosion ?
BTW sprint car engine guys suggest top oiler because their race cars are on the throttle a whole lot longer than dragsters, and need more valve and valve guide lube.
The Jrfuel racer that had a rusty block had left his oil in the motor after racing for his winter, maybe 3 months.
Also, when we 1'st get to the track we plug in an oil pan heater, and spin the motor with-out plugs to get oil pressure up and watch for fuel coming out of the plug holes, then we know the oil is up and the fuel system is purged.

Jon 

[Curly1]

No Sir, I have never had any problems. I say that as I am having a problem now but I think it is a fuel supply problem and I had also made a bunch of changes in fuel system in off season so right now can not say for sure. Car is flat running out of fuel and laying over. Data logger has verified it but I am not sure I have resolved the issue yet.
I did drain the fuel and change the oil for the Winter but during season nothing special except get motor good and warm before I load it into trailer.  And first two test and tune days was decent but not quite where I need it to be, third TnT it was terrible.

[nostalgic371]

Out of the different oils to consider for Alky injection maintenance; WD-40, can dry out O rings, ATF, can make O rings swell up, Marvel Mystery, good stuff, but can gum up a bit if it sits for a long time, another oil to consider might be a good quality air tool oil, it's anti corrosion and moisture, contains a solvent to act against gum, and lubes tools meant to maintain tight clearances, which seams similar to an injection pump.

Just my 02

There is also a marvel mystery air tool oil as well.

[glofria]

We use Justice Brothers JB-80 to lubricate all the lines and cylinders when the car is not running.