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CNF2002 wrote:I'm sure I read somewhere (credible) that a pool of gasoline only burns as the surface vaporizes to a gas, and that the actual liquid does not ignite (pour gas onto a match and it will extinguish, etc).

It was a long time ago and is one of those things I never questioned or had reason/need to test or reresearch

It's like lighting bourbon on fire, it licks across the top of the puddle. That's why it's hard to make flaming oreos if you're not careful.

As a previous poster said, it is 14.7 parts air to 1 part fuel. The "part is actually lbs/mass. So 14.7 Lbs/air to 1 lb/fuel. This is the "ideal" mixture. Most vehicls run a little more fuel than this because not all the fuel is burnt (it all doesn't vaporize) so alittle extra is needed. When it is cold, even less vaporizes, so your choke or "cold Start" circuit even adds more fuel so enough vaporizes to light up.

No think about the volume of 1 lb of gasoline. A gallon weighs nearly 8 lbs. 1/8 of a gallon is a pint. For each pint of fuel, you need 14.7 lbs of air. Think of how much air you need to weigh 14.7 lbs. More than a room full. That is why your 1000CC motor doesn't go through that much gasoline, but it does go through quite a bit of air.

Do the lbs/ air go up if your burning alcohol?

Lep wrote:Do the lbs/ air go up if your burning alcohol?

For pure ethanol, the stoichiometric ratio is 9 to1.