Failing Fuel Check?

Kenny Wigington · 04-03-2010, 02:51 PM

Manny, I have no real answer why, but twice, I have checked C 11, that was bought late the previous season, and it passed both times. I keep mine in the dark blue jugs almost always. I have an O ring in the top of the cap on one. I did buy some 12, 4 yrs ago, and it failed right out of the can ! Carried it right back, swapped it for 11 and no more since then.
I did buy some 11 last yr that caused all kinds of problems though.... It killed a pump, and regulator, and gunked up the carb,and ate the inside of the lines, so after swapping out the whole deal, it has been fine since.

art leong · 04-03-2010, 03:14 PM

I've run C12 since I started running the Neon. It has passed every time they never told me I was close.
The winter before last I had about 3 gallons the the 5 gallon cell and about 3 gallons in a blue metal can I bought the fuel in October. It sat in my garage for 4 months when I took the car to Bradenton I figured it would never pass so I brought a fresh 5 gallons with me.
Only got one run in the test and tune. So on Friday I drove up to fuel check to see if it might still be good (I had 5 gallons of the stuff total) It passed with flying colors. When I took the can up it also passed right in the middle.
The only time I had a potential problem was with the fuel they sold me this year at Gainesville points meet, I went to Atlanta the following week and was told it wouldn't pass, so I pumped it out. put it 5 gallons of fresh fuel. Didn't wash anything or clean the filters.
And it passed without problems. And they checked it 3 times because of the record.

mannymen · 04-03-2010, 03:21 PM

My last few questions. Do they check fuel every qualifying pass and every round or racing? I can figure out what happens if you fail the fuel check after winning a round, but do you get DQ'd from the entire event if you fail any of your qualifying runs? What if you fail every time trial run, do you still get to run the 1st round? I would assume not.

Alan Roehrich · 04-03-2010, 03:37 PM

Normally, they fuel check and scale after the first pass. If you improve your ET or MPH, you scale again, and often fuel check. They can pick you to scale and fuel check at any time. You must scale after winning a round, under normal circumstances, they normally only fuel check if it was a heads up. Procedure does vary, depending upon who is in charge, and what the circumstances are.

Rich Biebel · 04-03-2010, 04:00 PM

When I had my Firebird Stocker a couple season ago.......The first race I went to I brought fresh Sunoco purple.....I had it checked before I made a run.....it was ok in the jug. After the second run....my fuel failed! Same fuel and the cell was empty when I got to that race. I pumped out all the fuel. bought a new jug and frsh C-11. That fuel was fine.

At 2 races I can recall C-12 failed and one was at Cecil County. I bought the fuel from the tracks supply that day and he had all fresh drums.....A lot of people were failing with C-12 , I believe so they let everyone slide. The next day they checked fuel again and I shook my head and said it was the same fuel....they let everyone by again from what I could see....A lot of head shaking and mumbling. I even pulled the CC receipt out to show that I just purchased the fuel....and I always showed up with a stone empty cell and cleaned it out before I added fresh fuel......I still have the little hand pump syphon I used to draw the fuel out of my cell......

After that I always used C-11 because it always passed. I did not like that fuel for a few reasons but it always passed.

Ed Fernandez · 04-03-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

When I had my Firebird Stocker a couple season ago.......The first race I went to I brought fresh Sunoco purple.....I had it checked before I made a run.....it was ok in the jug. After the second run....my fuel failed! Same fuel and the cell was empty when I got to that race. I pumped out all the fuel. bought a new jug and frsh C-11. That fuel was fine.

At 2 races I can recall C-12 failed and one was at Cecil County. I bought the fuel from the tracks supply that day and he had all fresh drums.....A lot of people were failing with C-12 , I believe so they let everyone slide. The next day they checked fuel again and I shook my head and said it was the same fuel....they let everyone by again from what I could see....A lot of head shaking and mumbling. I even pulled the CC receipt out to show that I just purchased the fuel....and I always showed up with a stone empty cell and cleaned it out before I added fresh fuel......I still have the little hand pump syphon I used to draw the fuel out of my cell......

After that I always used C-11 because it always passed. I did not like that fuel for a few reasons but it always passed.

Rich I failed fuel twice.1st time at the Dutch when they first started checking by the new method.I think a string of about 20 of us failed.The second time was Cecil.Also bought from them.I was told by someone(can't confirm the accuracy of their claim)but he said they clean their barrels with alcohol and sometimes there was enough left after cleaning to contaminate the new fuel.I haven't bought fuel from them since.And I pass every time,sometimes borderline but I do pass.And I've noticed somewhat more consistency and no wild ET swings since using C-12 instead of Sunoco purple.But boy the cost hits the pocket harder.

Charlie Ford · 04-03-2010, 06:08 PM

We were running C-12 once in both Shelby's at a Nat. event. On the 1st pass, one of the cars failed fuel check. I argued that the cars were the same (pump, cell, lines etc.) and that the fuel came from the same jug. They had me go get the jug and it tested fine. They told me to drain the bad cell and flush it. I went to the trailer, sat down and drank a beer. Austin wanted to know what we doing, and told him "nothing". About 30 mins. later I sent him back to fuel check and it passed.

442OLDS · 04-03-2010, 06:12 PM

This is just sharing some personal experience only.Seems everybody has their own story.

Since changing to Sunoco Purple a few years ago,I have NEVER failed fuel check.

(I know ...next race it won't pass for sure!)

The car seems to be a few hundredths slower,but is MORE consistant and the fuel is cheaper.

On a side note,what is the temperature of the fuel that is not passing?

I wonder if that has something to do with it?

04-03-2010, 02:51 PM	#1
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? Manny, I have no real answer why, but twice, I have checked C 11, that was bought late the previous season, and it passed both times. I keep mine in the dark blue jugs almost always. I have an O ring in the top of the cap on one. I did buy some 12, 4 yrs ago, and it failed right out of the can ! Carried it right back, swapped it for 11 and no more since then. I did buy some 11 last yr that caused all kinds of problems though.... It killed a pump, and regulator, and gunked up the carb,and ate the inside of the lines, so after swapping out the whole deal, it has been fine since. __________________ 2894 STK

04-03-2010, 03:14 PM	#2
art leong VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Richmond Hill, Georgia Posts: 2,003 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Failing Fuel Check? I've run C12 since I started running the Neon. It has passed every time they never told me I was close. The winter before last I had about 3 gallons the the 5 gallon cell and about 3 gallons in a blue metal can I bought the fuel in October. It sat in my garage for 4 months when I took the car to Bradenton I figured it would never pass so I brought a fresh 5 gallons with me. Only got one run in the test and tune. So on Friday I drove up to fuel check to see if it might still be good (I had 5 gallons of the stuff total) It passed with flying colors. When I took the can up it also passed right in the middle. The only time I had a potential problem was with the fuel they sold me this year at Gainesville points meet, I went to Atlanta the following week and was told it wouldn't pass, so I pumped it out. put it 5 gallons of fresh fuel. Didn't wash anything or clean the filters. And it passed without problems. And they checked it 3 times because of the record. __________________ Art Leong 2095 SS

04-03-2010, 03:21 PM	#3
mannymen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 729 Likes: 5 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? My last few questions. Do they check fuel every qualifying pass and every round or racing? I can figure out what happens if you fail the fuel check after winning a round, but do you get DQ'd from the entire event if you fail any of your qualifying runs? What if you fail every time trial run, do you still get to run the 1st round? I would assume not. __________________ N/A

04-03-2010, 03:37 PM	#4
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,143 Likes: 1,623 Liked 1,943 Times in 438 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? Normally, they fuel check and scale after the first pass. If you improve your ET or MPH, you scale again, and often fuel check. They can pick you to scale and fuel check at any time. You must scale after winning a round, under normal circumstances, they normally only fuel check if it was a heads up. Procedure does vary, depending upon who is in charge, and what the circumstances are. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

04-03-2010, 04:00 PM	#5
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,320 Likes: 25 Liked 557 Times in 217 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? When I had my Firebird Stocker a couple season ago.......The first race I went to I brought fresh Sunoco purple.....I had it checked before I made a run.....it was ok in the jug. After the second run....my fuel failed! Same fuel and the cell was empty when I got to that race. I pumped out all the fuel. bought a new jug and frsh C-11. That fuel was fine. At 2 races I can recall C-12 failed and one was at Cecil County. I bought the fuel from the tracks supply that day and he had all fresh drums.....A lot of people were failing with C-12 , I believe so they let everyone slide. The next day they checked fuel again and I shook my head and said it was the same fuel....they let everyone by again from what I could see....A lot of head shaking and mumbling. I even pulled the CC receipt out to show that I just purchased the fuel....and I always showed up with a stone empty cell and cleaned it out before I added fresh fuel......I still have the little hand pump syphon I used to draw the fuel out of my cell...... After that I always used C-11 because it always passed. I did not like that fuel for a few reasons but it always passed. __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

04-03-2010, 06:08 PM	#7
Charlie Ford Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 169 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? We were running C-12 once in both Shelby's at a Nat. event. On the 1st pass, one of the cars failed fuel check. I argued that the cars were the same (pump, cell, lines etc.) and that the fuel came from the same jug. They had me go get the jug and it tested fine. They told me to drain the bad cell and flush it. I went to the trailer, sat down and drank a beer. Austin wanted to know what we doing, and told him "nothing". About 30 mins. later I sent him back to fuel check and it passed. __________________ Charlie Ford 4729 STK

04-03-2010, 06:12 PM	#8
442OLDS VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Elgin,IL Posts: 1,340 Likes: 5 Liked 282 Times in 103 Posts	Re: Failing Fuel Check? This is just sharing some personal experience only.Seems everybody has their own story. Since changing to Sunoco Purple a few years ago,I have NEVER failed fuel check. (I know ...next race it won't pass for sure!) The car seems to be a few hundredths slower,but is MORE consistant and the fuel is cheaper. On a side note,what is the temperature of the fuel that is not passing? I wonder if that has something to do with it?