Where to buy Pure Methanol?
 

Anyone know where to buy 99-100% pure methanol? I just realized I need to know where to buy the stuff before installing a methanol injection system lol.

thewird

I was getting it locally for $2/liter, that source has dried up though.

any performance shop that sells fuel will probably sell methanol as well - lots of race cars run on 100% meth.

I thought methanol was supposed to be cheaper per liter then gasoline?

thewird

you have a pm

Go to the paint section at your local can-tire. Get a jug of methyl hydrate, see what it says on the label for purity. Methyl hydrate is another name for methanol.

http://www.proracingfuels.com/Product_Alcohol.html

http://www.ashland.com/

Call up your local car dealer, and buy windshield washer fluid, it's concentrated, because they just add water, they get it in 54gal drums.

What about the costs though? I was hoping to find a source that was less then $1 /liter

I'm gonna try calling this place up tomorrow which was posted on this forum by Cheers! and supposedly is 55 gallon drum for $141plus tax and barrel fee...

http://www.ashland.com
Ashland Canada Corp.
2620 Royal Windsor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario L5J 4E7
CANADA
(905) 823-1800

thewird

Go to a TSC store (tractor supply company) they sell it in gallon jugs marked methyl-hydrate (as stated its just another name for methanol) 99.9% purity, IIRC its about 2-3 dollars.

Another..
http://vpracingfuels.com

We get those huge drums of concentrated windshield washer fluid here at work from Ashland. I'm not sure on the cost of a drum though.

Depending on how quickly you use/how you store the methanol, I might stay away from the drum.

Like brake fluid, methanol is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs water. 2 year old "99.44%" pure may not be anymore.

vpracingfuels.com got back to me and the price isn't bad if I get a 54 gallon drum.

54 Gal (204 liter) Drum of M1 - $300 (tax included) + $25 refundable drum deposit
$1.47 /liter
5 Gal (19 liter) Pail of M1 - $60 (tax inlcuded)
$3.16 /liter

And then there's the special M5 grade...
54 Gal (204 liter) Drum of M5 - $450 (tax included) + $25 refundable drum deposit
$2.21 /liter

I'm still searching but anyone interested in splitting a drum? I need to ask them if we buy the same quantities as the drum but in pails if it will make the price similar to a drum. It's kinda hard to move a 350 pound drum without a forklift.

thewird

Not really, I move drums like that here at work. It's not like your going to move it around all day, you move it once to where you want it and your done.

Glad this popped up again: I was at the Canadian Tire in St. Catharines (near Pen Centre). In their automotive section, they had a gallon jug of 99.9% Methyl Hydrate (which is methanol), for ~$7.XX.

Which, if no one else can find, I'd be happy to pick up and resell for $10/gallon.

There has to be somewhere you can get it for less then gas...

thewird

Not in my experience. Its usually more.........even the discount you get on that drum still puts it near $1.50

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to DIY:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Whisky-Still/

LOL, i have one of those in my garage. My dad uses it to make his own whiskey/vodka. Should hold about 5 gallons. The thing is methanol is made from another method. Anyone know how effect vodka would be as a method of injection? lol.

thewird

http://www.geocities.com/rad87gn/tech/alcohol.html

It's not far off in theory. 200 proof is 100% alcohol, 180 proof is 90, etc...

What type of alcohol is drinking alcohol?

thewird

I use like 16L a years (summer) driving 4-5 days a week and 3-4 tracks days, so the price is not that big of a deal man.... I mix it 50/50 with water....

Unless your going to run on methanol its not worth ur time or gas money trying to find anything cheaper

Ethanol----DO NOT DRINK METHANOL it kills quick

I was planning to run 100% methanol in the meth tank and replace 20-25% of my fuel with it after between 15 and 25-30 PSi.

Considering I use a full tank of gas plus 1-3 20L fuel tanks on a full day track day, I'm making a lot more power now (expecting close to 500 rwhp with meth), and that methanol is only half as powerful as gasoline. Then I'm expecting to need 20-40 liters per full track day. That is why I'm trying to find it cheap.

ROFLCOPTER

So its ethanol. Ethanol isn't as good at absorbing heat as Methanol is. Although its still a ton better then gasoline.

thewird

Yeah, I'm going with Canadian Tire's methyl hydrate, it's the cheapest I could find around town here, but I'm mixing 75/25 meth/water. I don't really think it matters how much moisture methanol absorbs if I'm mixing it with straight water! haha If you can find a good source, I might take 10 gallons

Right now the cheapest source getting a barrel from VP Racing Fuels...

54 Gal (204 liter) Drum of M1 - $300 (tax included) + $25 refundable drum deposit
$1.47 /liter

I still have to get in contact with Ashland... I think that is going to be the cheapest source.

thewird

Good news, I found a place for almost half the cost then VP Racing Fuels...

Comet Chemical Company Ltd...

205 liter Drum - $164 + $65 refundable drum deposit
$0.80 /liter

18 liter Pail - $35
$1.95 /liter

The purity of the Methanol is 99.85% minimum.

thewird

w3rd!!! Jesus, at that price I may have to just run 100% meth! How bad is it really to run pure meth on systems designed for 50/50??? (snow performance)

From what I have been learning from Howard, the problem comes from the meth evaporating in the hot fuel pump, causing your pressure to drop. This was solved by running a regulator with a return line into your tank. That way the meth is always flowing so it doesn't heat up.

thewird

Back from the dead!

What is the consensus on where to buy Methanol?

-Geoff

Canadian Tire. For the quantity we require, its just easier to buy from CT. Storing opened Methanol would just absorb water and ruin the purity.

thewird

CT had a super special on them last week. Worth to buy at CT any day if not, just pick up the windscreen washer fluid. I find the green fluid works nicer due to lower freezing point because it has more methyl inside. Then again, blue is good as its available everywhere.

I only know where to get good Crack..
Sorry..not into Meth...!!

(no wonder that 3 rotor is fast Marco..lol!)

*remember kids..don't do drugs.

I personally would not worry about the stuff absorbing a bit of water unless you are using it as a straight fuel. In which case you are most likely not buying gallon jugs.

I have not seen a meth pump/controller setup that recommends anything other than a 50/50 mix for various safety and equipment reliability concerns.

I never actually measure out 50/50, it's always approximate. My R32 @ 25psi is putting down 610 awhp and I have not had any issues with my less than precise mixing habits.

This is based on ~5 years with the AEM v1 and v2 setups on a 1990 R32 with a Borg Warner T4 single.

I do by my jugs at CT too, but need to find another source. They are @ $10:29 for a gallon now and I use a half jug (full meth tank @ ~50/50) with every gas tank.

Just thought I would share my experience so far.

Menace
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