So i visited a buddies shop today to check out his nitro racecar
09-06-2014, 11:26 PM
#13
Yeah sorry about the gramar. I dont have my glasses on and i have big thumbs.
He runs Methanol with the nitro. He was telling me they make the shake down runs on 60%. Then they start upping the nitro percent to make more power. They dont really make any other changes.
09-07-2014, 09:11 AM
#17
Man I bet that thing sounds nasty at idle. To put it in perspective on how much nitro must be run through a SINGLE CYLINDER in a top fuel dragster down the 1/4, watch the vid below. Pretty insane. It starts out at idle then at the end of the vid is WOT.
Are there any vids of this salt flat car running or making a pass. I'd like to see it with the body on and race ready.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGTbQuhhluY
Are there any vids of this salt flat car running or making a pass. I'd like to see it with the body on and race ready.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGTbQuhhluY
09-07-2014, 06:59 PM
#19
You virtually can't start an engine on nitro-methane. That is why they all start on pump gas or alcohol.
I was amazed too to find out that top fuel cars use engine blocks that were highly damaged and they weld them back together. I am surprised they use the welded blocks for salt flat racing since it is so long distance, because one of the reasons the mechanic told me they reuse them were because of the short time they are run on going down the strip.
I was amazed too to find out that top fuel cars use engine blocks that were highly damaged and they weld them back together. I am surprised they use the welded blocks for salt flat racing since it is so long distance, because one of the reasons the mechanic told me they reuse them were because of the short time they are run on going down the strip.
09-07-2014, 09:09 PM
#20
I asked the same question. He does not gap them because honestly it does not matter. That strap sometimes is completely burned off. He said some guys say it is running good when the strap is completely gone. Magnitos use ALOT more energy than our stock coils.
A salt flat racer is 10x harder on the motor than anything. Your friend is an idiot. Just think about it. 3000hp WOT for a solid 3-4 miles. What in the world could be harder? BTW as long as you dont pedal the motor it will last along time. When you pedal a nitro motor it leans it out. It is either at idle or 100% WOT, nothing inbetween. His last one lasted 3 seasons before he kicked a rod at 300mph.
Yes you can start a motor on nitro, you just have to spin the motor fast enough. His starter was not up to the task, so the cheaper alternative was to start it on gas. He had this issue with the 4 banger. The mags were altered to run a 4 cyl. Since he was only running 4 cylinders even when they fired it was not enough to compress and ignite the nitro.
Top teams dont run welded blocks. They just buy new. People who dont have millions run used blocks. These blocks are not cheap and they hard hard to find. I think he has about 60-70k in the long block. Everything is custom made since no companies carries nitro parts. He had the crank made from scratch to reach his CI. The rockers were custom. The list goes on and on. Tons of people weld them and just remachine them straight. Well as straight as possible. He was telling me an issue he had with this block. The cam would not go in all the way, one of the cam bearings wAs slightly off due to welding. The builder had to make a one off cam bearing that was slightly offset. Freaking crazy but once again not unheard of for these motors.
I personally think my buddy is nuts for spending this much on the car but he likes nitro. The crappy part is he cant test it until he gets out there. He can start it and let it idle and that is about it.
No engine dyno will touch a nitro motor around here. No track is long enough or smooth enough to test run it. Texas mile is out due to the gaps in concrete.
So basically he loads up his entire shop and carries it out to bonneville.
You virtually can't start an engine on nitro-methane. That is why they all start on pump gas or alcohol.
I was amazed too to find out that top fuel cars use engine blocks that were highly damaged and they weld them back together. I am surprised they use the welded blocks for salt flat racing since it is so long distance, because one of the reasons the mechanic told me they reuse them were because of the short time they are run on going down the strip.
I was amazed too to find out that top fuel cars use engine blocks that were highly damaged and they weld them back together. I am surprised they use the welded blocks for salt flat racing since it is so long distance, because one of the reasons the mechanic told me they reuse them were because of the short time they are run on going down the strip.
Yes you can start a motor on nitro, you just have to spin the motor fast enough. His starter was not up to the task, so the cheaper alternative was to start it on gas. He had this issue with the 4 banger. The mags were altered to run a 4 cyl. Since he was only running 4 cylinders even when they fired it was not enough to compress and ignite the nitro.
Top teams dont run welded blocks. They just buy new. People who dont have millions run used blocks. These blocks are not cheap and they hard hard to find. I think he has about 60-70k in the long block. Everything is custom made since no companies carries nitro parts. He had the crank made from scratch to reach his CI. The rockers were custom. The list goes on and on. Tons of people weld them and just remachine them straight. Well as straight as possible. He was telling me an issue he had with this block. The cam would not go in all the way, one of the cam bearings wAs slightly off due to welding. The builder had to make a one off cam bearing that was slightly offset. Freaking crazy but once again not unheard of for these motors.
I personally think my buddy is nuts for spending this much on the car but he likes nitro. The crappy part is he cant test it until he gets out there. He can start it and let it idle and that is about it.
No engine dyno will touch a nitro motor around here. No track is long enough or smooth enough to test run it. Texas mile is out due to the gaps in concrete.
So basically he loads up his entire shop and carries it out to bonneville.