VP fuel

[donclark]

I recently purchased two cans of VP C-14+ racing gas after our drum went dry. After opening the first one, instantly noticed it smelled different, no discernable toluene odor and my experience with this fuel is it contains a LOT of toulene, about 20% according to an old data sheet from about three years ago. I called VP and finally got to talk to a disinterested human. He assured me the formula had not changed and suggested that perhaps the can was mis-labeled. Really, is this a thing? Has anyone else experienced issues with their fuel? I have been using this fuel for years with good results. Also, would like to know if anyone can suggest how to get this fuel analyzed? The engine wants way more jet than we have ever run and the fuel smells similar to Q-16, lots of light-ends.

[maxracesoftware]

I recently purchased two cans of VP C-14+ racing gas after our drum went dry. After opening the first one, instantly noticed it smelled different, no discernable toluene odor and my experience with this fuel is it contains a LOT of toulene, about 20% according to an old data sheet from about three years ago. I called VP and finally got to talk to a disinterested human. He assured me the formula had not changed and suggested that perhaps the can was mis-labeled. Really, is this a thing? Has anyone else experienced issues with their fuel? I have been using this fuel for years with good results. Also, would like to know if anyone can suggest how to get this fuel analyzed? The engine wants way more jet than we have ever run and the fuel smells similar to Q-16, lots of light-ends.

many years ago i had some Customers with problems with bad batches of VP's C14
one Dyno test day for my Customer's D/ED V6 , the Dragster slowed down for seemingly no reason,
so he wanted to re-Dyno test it again, he brought in 2 white semi-clear plastic Fuel Jugs,
left them in sitting in the Shop's side open door while we hookedup his V6 on the Dyno,
and after finishing hooking everything up i went to grab his Race Gas to pour in my Dyno Harwood's gas tank
the minute i looked at his 2 Jugs with the sunlight shinning thru,
you could see half the top of the Jug was clear , bottom half was brown
....that was his HP loss problem ... even left some white powder residue in his Carb Bowls + Metering plates
which we had to clean out ... eventually got all the HP back , later on he set the NHRA MPH Record only
in a time where one Racer could set the MPH Record , and another Racer could hold the ET Record .
Ray Griffin's D/ED from New Orleans

Likewise , some other Customers had very same experiences/problems/results with C14

it seems like C14 gas was the most problem prone Fuel VP made

i had a bunch of C16 Blue Race Fuel for years sitting in a Shed
that made TQ and HP as brand new batches of C16
i conside VP's C16 the longest lasting most stable Fuel they made !
However, thats years ago , so things / formuals maybe be slightly different now Days ??

Some C16 Gas was at least 5 years old sitting thru very hot Summers in a Shed
and still was like brand new

i steer all my Customers away from VP C14 gas
and to either C12, C16, or Q16, C45, etc , whatever the application

[donclark]

Yeah, as I was looking for a lot number I found the date and this stuff was over a year old when I bought it last month, kind of disappointing. I noticed a huge difference in the Reid vapor pressure between C14+ and C16, wondered if that could make a difference in stability?

[David Redszus]

I recently purchased two cans of VP C-14+ racing gas after our drum went dry. After opening the first one, instantly noticed it smelled different, no discernable toluene odor and my experience with this fuel is it contains a LOT of toulene, about 20% according to an old data sheet from about three years ago. I called VP and finally got to talk to a disinterested human. He assured me the formula had not changed and suggested that perhaps the can was mis-labeled. Really, is this a thing? Has anyone else experienced issues with their fuel? I have been using this fuel for years with good results. Also, would like to know if anyone can suggest how to get this fuel analyzed? The engine wants way more jet than we have ever run and the fuel smells similar to Q-16, lots of light-ends.

C14+ and C16 are very similar fuels. Their primary components are Isooctane and toluene, in slightly different amounts, plus lead of course. Neither fuel has light ends.

C14+ also contains isopentane which raises the vapor pressure and lowers the front end evaporation point.
Lacking isopentane, C16 would be more stable but less throttle responsive. Neither fuel should ever be stored in
a translucent plastic container exposed to sunlight. The TEL (or TML) will breakdown into an insoluable powder, and
the octane value will be lost.

Variations in fuel blends, from every single manufacturer, are fairly common. Mistakes, such as incorrect fill or
improper labeling also occur. Each time the fuel changes containers, from large storage tanks, tank trucks, local tanks, drums and pails, there is a possibility of contamination and deterioration. Fresh fuel, tightly sealed in small containers until use, protected from heat, light and air is an absolute requirement to obtain the performance designed into the fuel.

No one blend or brand is more prone to problems. However, the distribution channels are not all the same and are very
frequently responsible for product deterioration.

Laboratory analysis is not cheap, if performed properly. One quick indicator of fuel quality is the dielectric test, if the
correct dielectric value is known.

[donclark]

We never use plastic jugs, always metal cans. When we used the drum we pushed the fuel out through a dip tube with compressed air that was filtered and run through dessicant, stored in a temp controlled environment. I prefer the drum for consistency but this late in the season we went with cans thinking it would be fresh, not a year old. Makes one wonder how old some of this fuel gets before it is sold?