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Author Topic:   O.T. but interesting
69_sportsroof
Gearhead

Posts: 176
From: Camino Calif (yeah, it does snow here)
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 03-09-2003 11:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 69_sportsroof   Click Here to Email 69_sportsroof     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One TF dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower than the first 8 rows at the Daytona 500.

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 volume.

A stock hemi will not produce enough power to drive the dragster's supercharger.

Even 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 the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

At stoichiometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture(for nitro), the flame front of nitromethane measures 7050 degrees F.

Nitromethane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After ��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 the 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 split the block in half.

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 ��track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.

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 completed reading this sentence.

Top Fuel Engines turn ONLY 540 revolutions from light to light!

The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm

The current TF dragster elapsed time record is 4.477 seconds for the quarter mile (06/02/01 Kenny Bernstein)

Putting all of this in perspective:

You are driving an average Lingenfelter powered "twin-turbo" Corvette. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged and ready to launch down a quarter mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start, but you still run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. At this moment, the dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot hard down, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within seconds the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter mile away from where you passed him.

That, folks, is acceleration.

Think about it, from a standing start, this phenomenal machine has spotted you 200mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 feet.

Now....., tell me about the time you spun the wheels and laid rubber on dry concrete.

------------------
ALL THROTTLE NO BOTTLE !
69 sportsroof(351 C)
65 Ranchero(200)now 351W
72 Ln 700 (361)

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steve'66
Gearhead

Posts: 6522
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 03-09-2003 11:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for steve'66   Click Here to Email steve'66     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
They are AWESOME machines aren't they.
When they are running at Infineon, we can hear them in Sonoma, 12 miles away.

SteveW

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V8 Thumper
Gearhead

Posts: 3467
From: Orange, Ca. United States of America
Registered: Dec 2001

posted 03-09-2003 11:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for V8 Thumper   Click Here to Email V8 Thumper     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 69_sportsroof:
Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.


Wow, that paints a picture!

quote:
At stoichiometric (exact) 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture(for nitro), the flame front of nitromethane measures 7050 degrees F.
OMG

quote:
Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After ��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 the fuel flow.

That can't a comfortable feeling!


quote:
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 ��track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.

quote:
The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm

Zoiks!

Wow, there's some phenomenal stats

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1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9"

All Blue Oval, no blue bottle
http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/V8Thumper.html

[This message has been edited by V8 Thumper (edited 03-09-2003).]

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bfxcomet
Gearhead

Posts: 574
From: Port Alberni, B.C. , Canada
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 03-10-2003 12:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bfxcomet   Click Here to Email bfxcomet     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Incredible stats.
Roger

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65 comet project
84 T-bird 302/C4 14sec street/strip
Made in CANADA built for speed
#1145

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