Cool NHRA Facts

[LakesOnly]

COOL NHRA FACTS
--One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower than the first 8 rows at Daytona.
--Top Fuel Engines ONLY turn 540 revolutions from light to light!
--Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1 1/2 gallons of nitro per second, the same rate of fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747 but with 4 times the energy release per volume.
--The supercharger takes more power to drive then a stock hemi makes.
With nearly 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock.
--Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is equivalent to the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
--At stoichiometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture (for nitro), the flame front of nitro methane measures 7050 degrees F. Nitro methane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.
--Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression-plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting off it's fuel flow.
--If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in those cylinders and then explodes with a force that can blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or blow the block in half.
--Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far (20 degrees in the big end of the track) that sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from front to rear to re-phase the valve timing somewhere closer to synchronization with the pistons.
--To exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. But in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.
--Drivers shut off before the finish line, or even dual parachutes will not stop the car.
--If all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs $1000.00 per second.
--Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have read this sentence.
[ May 08, 2003, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: LakesOnly ]

[HalletDave]

Very interesting. Thanks, Lakes Only.
HD

[Cs19]

--Top Fuel Engines ONLY turn 540 revolutions from light to light!
thats interesting to think about.

[HavasuDreamin']

Very interesting. I found this quote most interesting:
"the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock."
:cool:

[Essex502]

Hmmmm....how many cars are in each row at Daytona?

[Blown 472]

HavasuDreamin':
Very interesting. I found this quote most interesting:
"the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock."
:cool: That is due to the liquid tune up, nitro is 49.5% oxygen, wonder why they have nozzles on the hat, manifold, and into the cylinder?? they are filling the cylinder, that is why they need two plugs and all that power to light it. Notice when they put a hole out how much raw fuel comes out??

[LakesOnly]

Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far (20 degrees in the big end of the track) that sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from front to rear to re-phase the valve timing somewhere closer to synchronization with the pistons.
That one's my fave....
LO

[Blown 472]

They also grind the cams diff front to rear due to the uneven dist from the blower, force moved his blower back on the engine and made a bunch more power via better fuel distribution.

[cjordan]

Nitro motors timing various from ~ 0 to -14 degrees. The exhaust valves must open against ~12,500 PSI. The valves actually buckle. Spring seat pressure is close to 600#. Exhaust lifters have 2 wheels stacked to help share the load.
[ May 10, 2003, 08:24 AM: Message edited by: cjordan ]

[beached 1]

Those are some wild facts. Cool

[HammerDown]

With all that info...its a wonder they last for the few seconds down the 1/4 mile.

[HOSS]

That is bad ass. What are the top teams estimating horsepower at now? I know they made more power after they cut down on nitro. They were able to bump up compression.

[cjordan]

7000+ HP, it takes close to 800HP just to turn the blower. Cars 1/8 mile speeds are around 280 mph.
[ May 10, 2003, 01:40 PM: Message edited by: cjordan ]

[77charger]

cs19:
--Top Fuel Engines ONLY turn 540 revolutions from light to light!
thats interesting to think about. When i was in high school our auto shop teacher went over this with us makes sense after it is explained to you and to think the car only runs for 4-5 seconds.

[eliminator777]

Back in 1995 when I raced my fueler the tires when hooked up only turn a 118.25 turns.At the hit of the throttle 0 to 37lbs.boost in .001 seconds Then we ran 98 percent.Checking old computer records I found that we pulled 5.75 g's first 100 ft. the real fun for the driver was shut down 9plus reverse G's The Waterman pump I used pumped 65.5 GPM the car would use 17.2 gallons of nitro Start-Burnout-Back up-stage and go. :D :D :D :p :p

[HighRoller]

Not to mention they go from 0-100 BEFORE they hit the 60ft timers.I used to work for Rodeck and you wouldn't believe the damaged blocks we would get back from the fuel teams.We literally had one block that was in three equal sized pieces after a bad explosion.That was my favorite,and of course at least 10 blocks a week came back with holes in the crank skirting big enough to stick your fist through.We fixed those ones,but even though the guy asked we couldn't fix the three piecer!!!!

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

if you watch closely they use throttle stops during burnout. the throttle plates only open about 1/8 of the way. I think they also only burn alcohol during burnout and then remove the throttle stop switch on nitro. one last shot of carb cleaner to clean throttle plates and clean rubber of tires and bam. We have seen alot of record breaking runs here in Houston. Named the fastest track in the world. We are at sealevel so air is denser and it gets hot as hell here so tires stick well. We always see them click off a 325+ run here quite often. What really gets me is the crazy bastards on the bikes. some of them are women. really hot women. how do you thrill a woman that has been 200mph in the quarter mile on a bike? we just had the races here in mid april. awesome........

[Blown 472]

OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET:
if you watch closely they use throttle stops during burnout. the throttle plates only open about 1/8 of the way. I think they also only burn alcohol during burnout and then remove the throttle stop switch on nitro. one last shot of carb cleaner to clean throttle plates and clean rubber of tires and bam. We have seen alot of record breaking runs here in Houston. Named the fastest track in the world. We are at sealevel so air is denser and it gets hot as hell here so tires stick well. We always see them click off a 325+ run here quite often. What really gets me is the crazy bastards on the bikes. some of them are women. really hot women. how do you thrill a woman that has been 200mph in the quarter mile on a bike? we just had the races here in mid april. awesome........ They fire the motor on alky once the body goes down it is all on nitro.

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

Yeah but I think they fatten it up there just before the hard run. You can hear the tone of the engine change just before takeoff. Sure would seem like a big waste to use nitro to burn the tires.......I know that stuff is expensive. I could be wrong just been watching it for years and pick up on the little stuff.

[Blown 472]

OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET:
Yeah but I think they fatten it up there just before the hard run. You can hear the tone of the engine change just before takeoff. Sure would seem like a big waste to use nitro to burn the tires.......I know that stuff is expensive. I could be wrong just been watching it for years and pick up on the little stuff. They dont have two tanks on the cars, the reason it changes is probably cuz the fuel presure goes really high.

[Blown 472]

http://www.armageddontopfuel.com/images/godsblue.jpg

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

maybe you're right. I don't get that involved. I just like being the spectator. Those toys are way out of my reach........I do know this though. they don't have a "gas tank" they have a fuel cell.

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

oh yeah and they don't just run nitro either. if you run 100% nitro you would have a bomb. it is alcohol enriched with nitro methane otherwise known as nitrated propane!!!!

[Blown 472]

OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET:
oh yeah and they don't just run nitro either. if you run 100% nitro you would have a bomb. it is alcohol enriched with nitro methane otherwise known as nitrated propane!!!! max percent of nitro to methane is 90 percent, rules set by nhra due to oil downs, now they fine the crew chief if he oils the track.

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

and what do you reckon the other 10% of the fuel mixture is ummmmmmm methanol maybe....actually nitromethane is not a fuel source. It won't burn by itself. instead the nitrate characteristic of it releases large amounts of oxygen a key ingredient in an internal combustion engine. You still need fuel to burn. did you know that it has to be heated to 96 degrees Fahrenheit before it even begins to release enough vapors to be ignited. that is the reason they can't start the engine with nitro. it would never crank. the methanol provides the ignition and the nitro acts like the trigger on a cutting torch. throws the oxygen to it creating a very intense burn.

[Craig]

A lot of guys used to actually run 100% nitro with quite a bit of success. but a lot of others weren't so lucky and you ended up with massive explosions. So the 90% rule was put in place. If I recall, each team is given four oildown "credits" after that, they start paying something like $1000 (big deal to them :rolleyes: ) but what hurts is they charge them 10 points each oildown. Given each round win is 20 points, that can hurt a team in the hunt for the championship. I believe the cars run just nitro, even on the burnout. The change in tone is caused from switching from the low pressure side to the high pressure side of the fuel system once the prestaged lights are lit. The alcohol guys spray a deicer of sorts on the throttle blades because the alcohol can actually start freezing up on the throttle blades.
Craig

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

even what was considered 100% nitro was actually only 98%. You have to have a fuel source that will get hot enough to ignite the nitro. I think in theory pure 100% nitro is not possible for a fuel source. I could be wrong though.

[Freak]

Somewhere I read they have to have liquid fuel on the spark plugs to cool them or they would melt. Cool stuff.

[LakesOnly]

Hey Everybody,
Check out this old Vinyl LP that Sanger Mike had sitting around from when he was a kid:
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/506/350Drags_LP-med.jpg
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/506/350How_Drags_LP_Recorded.jpg
He showed it to me, and I have a recording studio in my house with mastering tools, so I'm gonna make awesome CD's for us! Of course, this recording of the Nationals has all the heavy hitters on it. It was recorded in stereo and sounds pretty bad-ass through a nice system (played the vinyl cause I couldm't wait to hear it!).
LO

[Craig]

That's a cool album! I'd love to have a copy of that!!!!

[LakesOnly]

Anybody that wants a digitally remastered CD just leave me a PM.
LO

[BowTie Rick]

OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET:
Yeah but I think they fatten it up there just before the hard run. You can hear the tone of the engine change just before takeoff. Sure would seem like a big waste to use nitro to burn the tires.......I know that stuff is expensive. I could be wrong just been watching it for years and pick up on the little stuff. The sound change is from from the crew chief turning on the second fuel pump and second magneto. I asked the same question to our driver Frank Pedregon just last week wink

[Boater Bill]

BowTie Rick - When are Big Jim and Frankie gonna get their act together?

[Liberator TJ1984]

HavasuDreamin':
Very interesting. I found this quote most interesting:
"the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock."
:cool: NHRA Today has a clip where they have a "cutaway" of a cylinder at idle and one simulating a full throttle pass , it is truely amazing at the amount of fuel being pumped..looks like sticking a gas pump nozzle in a gatorade jar and squeezing the trigger for 5 seconds.. :D

[Infomaniac]

Craig:
The alcohol guys spray a deicer of sorts on the throttle blades because the alcohol can actually start freezing up on the throttle blades.
Craig That is interesting stuff. But alcohol does not freeze. The moisture in the air is what freezes. Worse on very humid days.