2010 Green Grand Prix: Saturday May 8, Watkins Glen, NY -pics/results posted

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

I think that filling up to the flap would be better, but is still prone to trapped air bubbles.

Yes, I thought about that -- that's why I think it would be more accurate not to fill up into the neck - much less chance for air traps, don't you agree? Also, as Robert suggests, for sure the car should be level, or at least parked in the same position for both fills.

[NeilBlanchard]

What about a device that can be used to manually top up the tank to the same level each time? Fill it most of the way with the pump, and then insert this device, which is roughly a funnel with a small tube that extends the same distance down the filler neck each time, with a float, or electronic sensor, or even a tiny video camera? -- so that the fuel can be slowly added until it comes up to that level. This is done before and after the contest.

[MetroMPG]

Some kind of dipstick, float or sensor in the filler neck makes the most sense to me. It also avoids the problem of fuel entering the evap system (of vehicles that have it) with the "fill until you see the fuel" method.

A dipstick would seem to be the easiest way to go (low tech) that can be used on all vehicles.

[NeilBlanchard]

The trick with a dipstick is it only tests the level *after* the fuel is there, and if it is too high, then what? It would be better to "see" the level as the fuel is topped off, I think.

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

The trick with a dipstick is it only tests the level *after* the fuel is there, and if it is too high, then what? It would be better to "see" the level as the fuel is topped off, I think.

Yeah that was my thought as well. The funnel I use now reaches all the way into the tank, and I use it like a dipstick. But once you overfill it, there's nothing you can do. With a float gauge you could slowly inch it up to the mark. Some kind of a float switch could work, but I'd be a little leery of using anything with an electric circuit inside a gas tank

[tasdrouille]

I think we have an universal solution with the float dipstick here. All you need is a small float attached to a thin light rod running inside a small glass tube.

Darin, I got 69 with the P&G in 4th on our way there. Although I didn't P&G much on the 2nd half of the trip and drove faster because of traffic.

[MetroMPG]

Bob Gillespie sent me an update and a few pics:

The overall highest MPG accepted at this year's event came from Matt & his Zombie Insight at 87.6 mpg! Congrats, Robert Smalls!




And here's a good shot of Will heading out onto the route:

[blownb310]

Nice job Matt!

[Christ]

Originally Posted by moTthediesel

Yeah that was my thought as well. The funnel I use now reaches all the way into the tank, and I use it like a dipstick. But once you overfill it, there's nothing you can do. With a float gauge you could slowly inch it up to the mark. Some kind of a float switch could work, but I'd be a little leery of using anything with an electric circuit inside a gas tank

Um... like a fuel pump?

Sparks in liquid fuel do nothing but electrify the liquid fuel (which is conductive, by the way.), while sparks in vaporous fuel can cause serious problems, unless there isn't enough air to ignite the fuel vapor... like in a fuel tank.

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by Christ

Um... like a fuel pump?

Sparks in liquid fuel do nothing but electrify the liquid fuel (which is conductive, by the way.), while sparks in vaporous fuel can cause serious problems, unless there isn't enough air to ignite the fuel vapor... like in a fuel tank.

Yeah, you're probably right --

The fuel pump operates strictly in liquid fuel, and even in the fuel/vapor zone, where our proposed "full indicator" would be working, the fuel vapor/air mix would likely not be potentially explosive. Still, it just doesn't give me a warm feeling!

For me - I'd still like to go with "cork on a stick" technology