Lancia Motor Club

General => Press/Media: Lancias mentioned, seen or wanted! => Topic started by: DavidLaver on 25 January, 2018, 06:19:29 PM



Title: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: DavidLaver on 25 January, 2018, 06:19:29 PM
Starting the car is also a rather special experience. First he has to go to the airport for some special aviation fuel… but even that is not enough. He has to add some special combustive ingredient too, which isn’t really legal these days. But it’s what the car was designed for so he can’t just put normal fuel in from the station. Then, with the fuel pump disabled, the engine needs to be cranked until the oil pressure is up to 3 bar. With the first set of spark plugs, ones specifically for cold running the engine, the car can be started now. And when it is at operating temperature the hot-running plugs need to be put in.

https://petrolicious.com/articles/meet-armin-schwarz-and-the-most-original-lancia-s4-in-the-world


Title: Re: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: sparehead3 on 26 January, 2018, 01:03:56 PM
that adds to the "things I never knew" ... nice article !


Title: Re: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: DavidLaver on 26 January, 2018, 03:23:07 PM

Its "Silver Arrows" type stuff.


Title: Re: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: 038tipo on 29 January, 2018, 10:08:28 AM
You can use 98octane or above if available..


Title: Re: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: Thurbs on 30 January, 2018, 11:54:43 AM
Some nice writing there with a good story.... however...

You don't need to go to the airport to get race fuel and I am not sure A1 Jet fuel would be any good in a internal combustion engine either given it is designed not to vaporise nor combust when it is vapor. What is more likely is there is a drum of this in the corner of the garage + a hand or 12v pump: https://aaoil.co.uk/product-category/racing-fuel.

Secondly, I am not sure I believe the two spark plug theory either and if it did need it, you would just use a pre-warmer: http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/engine-pre-heaters/automotive-plumbing-solutions-thermostatic-engine-pre-heater-3kw-kit
 
Finally, nothing about these cars is "original". They will all be thrown together race cars in a darkened service area when some vital component has failed and a replacement is hastily cobbled together. It is a shame this "originality" is stopping the owner using it as it was meant to be. A new gearbox is also not needed if something brakes. Just take it out, get a machinist to make you a new one and stick it back in. What the owner is talking about is preserving a time capsule of a car after it finished its last event.

My view is competition cars should be used and abused in front of the biggest crowd possible. That after all is why they were created and was/is their only function in life. 


Title: Re: petrolicious - a highly original S4 - the fuel...
Post by: DavidLaver on 30 January, 2018, 10:35:55 PM
I heard that this car is "the replica" and the genuine one is kept safe.  Lots of the 250Fs that race have Jim Stokes engines.  I thought it sensible when the FIA went for specification not provenance.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ferrari-250-gto-crash-at-2017-goodwood-revival-looks-like-an-expensive-mistake-120307.html

On the fuel question someone using "dope" fuel in a racing car told me one motivation is that it is cheaper...as there's no tax to pay...

I've also heard of avgas "perhaps" being used in highly tuned prewar cars.  This thread list some of the advantages:

http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755027

Something I've never quite got my head round is the "rich" rating of 130.

https://generalaviationnews.com/2007/10/19/the-difference-between-100130-and-100ll/
https://www.shell.com/business-customers/aviation/aeroshell/knowledge-centre/technical-talk/techart12-30071515.html