casper wrote:forty-two wrote:SchumacherM wrote:Fuel burns off with a bang, not a plume of blue smoke. That was residue oil.
It did look like oil burning, but I couldn't be absolutely sure that it wasn't related to something in a special engine map used for Q3.
But what about my suggestion about Vettel's spark plug issue being related to the alleged "special engine map"?
Remember, we are talking about the exhaust, not the combustion chamber. The exhaust gases would be lacking oxygen since these have been burnt off in the combustion chamber. So the plume may be unburnt fuel. Unburnt oil would be in aerosol form, like a mist, and would be noticeable in the backend of the RB or on the helmet visors of the drivers following Webber.
A very good point about the lack of oxygen in the exhaust.
Supposing Webber had used the "special engine map" during his last run of Q3, this (if the theory is correct) would be putting unburnt fuel/air mixture into the exhaust system. This would then cool considerably overnight while the FIA exhaust seals were in place. When Webber's car went out on the parade lap, his engine would have been warm, but not quite up to race temperature until such time as he booted it at the start of the race. This could then provide enough heat to burn the fuel left in the exhaust providing of course the pipe had some oxygen in it! If it didn't then it would not be able to combust until it met some oxygen, by which time it might have cooled down sufficiently to prevent combustion, so your comment about aerosol might be applicable to unburnt fuel also, but being lighter than oil, might be less noticable on the visor of drivers following?
Well, I don't know the truth, but finding out about this RB6 sure is interesting!
The answer to the ultimate question, of life, the Universe and ... Everything?