Gas mileage and headers

[John_Calabrese at ENGELHARD.COM]

<<<I'm not talking mpg, I'm talking WOT.  Power output per CID.  Alcohol
does
allow higher compression, but not much higher than racing fuel.  I believe
the big gain in alky is the presence of oxygen,  and oxygen is the limiting
factor of any IC engine.  Even if BTU's per pound are less than non oxygen
enriched fuel, the density of liquid fuel does not begin to compare with
the
density of air.  (even if alcohol is half the density of gas it more than
makes up for the BTU difference because it brings in O2).

Just trying to make sure I have the concept down close to right.
Max>>>

Well, then you have to talk stoichiometry and not density,  alchohol's AF
ratio is lower than gas because it has so much oxygen on a mass basis, but
you still have to combine to get the same amount of oxygens to oxidize the
carbons.  Thats combustion, and torque.  Fuels just carry carbons and air
oxygen.  The right carbon to oxygen ratio is the most important thing in IC
engines, A/F ratios are an easier way to look at it, but it still comes
down to carbon balancing and stoichiometry.  Which brings us back to things
like heat of combustion, cylinder pressures, and torque.

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