What did you do on your Front Engine Dragster TODAY?

[GlennLever]

Went testing yesterday, here is a summery

Goals, smooth out the idle, get closer to the 8.500 index
We played around with the idle, but did not make much improvement on the idle
First run
Air Density 1973
Top Pulley 58  (went bigger here)
Pill 70
Fuel Pressure 81.98
Top end Boost 9.67
60 foot 1.263
¼ mile   8.548  154.42
Comments, for and 8.5 index this is close, it was a dude on the top end, EGT’s right side very low and uneven, feel so sloppy thought I would not be able to run it this slow for the season so made the decision to see if we could get to 8.00 instead of running 8.500 and if the motor couldn’t take it so be it.

Second Run
Air Density 2052
Top pulley 54 (more air, make it leaner)
Pill 70
Fuel Pressure 82.08
Top end Boost 11.30
60 foot 1.222
¼ mile 8.319 156.79
Comment, sounded strong, EGT’s were much more even right side lower than the left, felt like it was working, made the decision to run 8.500 for the rest of the season to save the motor.

Third Run
Air Density 2077
Top pulley 57
Pill 70
Fuel Pressure 79.43
Top end Boost 9.67
60 foot 1.260
¼ mile 8.459 154.85
Comment, sounded ok, want to go faster, but will resist. EGT’s right side over 100 degrees cooler than the left side.


Fourth Run
Air Density 2045
Top pulley 58 (less air)
Pill 75 (less fuel)
Fuel Pressure 76.24
Top end Boost 9.34
60 foot 1.237
¼ mile 8.455 154.47
Comment, sounded ok. EGT’s right side over 200 degrees cooler than the left side. Upper RPM curve is smooth on the graph.

Left head needs to come off and be sealed that same way we did the right after the first start up. It is leaking. New item on turnaround list, check valve cover bolts for tightness, ask me why.

All testing today was done without a shift light as it quit working, all shifts were within 100 RPM of 6300, most were less than 50 off.

Graph below is off the fourth run

[wideopen231]

I'll just take a guess at the VC bolts. It like to make hard turn or you have dirty shield and suit or both and suit is dirty in other places.

[gregm784]

Word of advice...pull valve covers every pass.  Takes just a minute.  Let's you catch bad stuff early.  You will catch roller lifters failing, bent pushrods, etc.  I run the valves every time we run the car. 

And yes, loose valve cover bolts require lots of simple green

[GlennLever]

I'll just take a guess at the VC bolts. It like to make hard turn or you have dirty shield and suit or both and suit is dirty in other places.

VC = valve cover, I got it, yes visor got dirty.

[GlennLever]

Word of advice...pull valve covers every pass.  Takes just a minute.  Let's you catch bad stuff early.  You will catch roller lifters failing, bent pushrods, etc.  I run the valves every time we run the car. 

And yes, loose valve cover bolts require lots of simple green

It is on the list now. will do, I'm defiantly still learning.

[gregm784]

Some of my post run procedures are:
Put car up on stands
PUll valve covers, run valves.  With shaft rockers they NEVER move, but you will find a loose or tight valve is something is going amiss.
fuel the car.
Pack chutes
Check over everything (trans, motor, oil system) for leaks
reset seat belts
Torque rear tires every couple passes
Check front tire pressures every day
Put extra 1/2 pound in rear tires for adjustment in the lanes for track conditions.
Drain puke tank each night of racing.

Probably some other stuff that i can't think of.

[wideopen231]

Best part of running valves every run at a bracket deal is it screws people up to see someone work on a car. 90% of the bracket racers think they are driving street car ansd should never have to work on them.

   I pulled head off brothers car one night because we had a little leakage in one valve.I was just touching it up. You would have thought we had a exploded nitro engine sitting there. Cpl guys almost wrecked golf cart sliding to stop to look because we pulled a cylinder head. Coming for top running TA/FC and TA/D background I thought it was just a very easy evening at the track.

   You would be amazed at the number of guys that go full season w/o pulling VC's and are proud they are that lazy. Then they are amazed that something broke.

[wideopen231]

Glen,

 Have you checked cranking compression on both sides..Asking because we had a 45* cam in a raised cam block once and should have been 48* cam.It caused the right side cranking compression to be way off from left side. Probably not same but something to check if have not,cam manufactures do screwup.

 Now with the 14-71 hi helix we had more fuel on right side due to discharge air pattern of blower.This was with the delta hole. A full open bottom may have total different pattern. Just a cpl of thoughts on why temps might differ side to side.

[GlennLever]

Glen,

 Have you checked cranking compression on both sides..Asking because we had a 45* cam in a raised cam block once and should have been 48* cam.It caused the right side cranking compression to be way off from left side. Probably not same but something to check if have not,cam manufactures do screwup.

 Now with the 14-71 hi helix we had more fuel on right side due to discharge air pattern of blower.This was with the delta hole. A full open bottom may have total different pattern. Just a cpl of thoughts on why temps might differ side to side.

Compression is within 5 % on all cylinders.

I am pulling the blower right now to repair the leak on the right side and will look to see if I see any pattern in the top end lube in the intake.

My thoughts is it is a problem with the transmitter transformer for the egt's on the even side, I will be switching the two boxees left to right to see what happens.

[gregm784]

Best part of running valves every run at a bracket deal is it screws people up to see someone work on a car. 90% of the bracket racers think they are driving street car ansd should never have to work on them.

   I pulled head off brothers car one night because we had a little leakage in one valve.I was just touching it up. You would have thought we had a exploded nitro engine sitting there. Cpl guys almost wrecked golf cart sliding to stop to look because we pulled a cylinder head. Coming for top running TA/FC and TA/D background I thought it was just a very easy evening at the track.

   You would be amazed at the number of guys that go full season w/o pulling VC's and are proud they are that lazy. Then they are amazed that something broke.

yup, coming from A/Fuel, running valves is just time for me to talk to the car.

I found out how little timing is too little on my small block one day and got both head gaskets (center ports on a SBC get real hot when retarded).  We yanked heads and swapped gaskets between rounds.  We had quite the audience, so i know of what you speak.   (48 minutes if you're wondering).

[tylercrawford]

Best part of running valves every run at a bracket deal is it screws people up to see someone work on a car. 90% of the bracket racers think they are driving street car ansd should never have to work on them.

   I pulled head off brothers car one night because we had a little leakage in one valve.I was just touching it up. You would have thought we had a exploded nitro engine sitting there. Cpl guys almost wrecked golf cart sliding to stop to look because we pulled a cylinder head. Coming for top running TA/FC and TA/D background I thought it was just a very easy evening at the track.

   You would be amazed at the number of guys that go full season w/o pulling VC's and are proud they are that lazy. Then they are amazed that something broke.

Love it.  I went from doing the clutch in two nitro funnies to helping a friend out with his alcohol flopper.  I ALWAYS felt like I was forgetting something.  The first time I helped him out, I rushed and got the diaper off/oil drained and pulled the side plates on the bellhousing and got the fan on it before he had a valve cover off . . . he was like "dude, we've got plenty of time . . . "

[GlennLever]

Well it seems like I was just here, only on the other side. I hope this is the last time this season I am pulling heads for coolant leaks

[wideopen231]

Gregm,

 Watch telling folks your talking to car. I use to be in pits with one foot on foot tire starring at engine and someone would ask crewmember what I was doing. Answer. he is talking with engine to see what it wants for the next pass. The look on there faces was just too funny.  But most the time it would tell me and we would pickup cpl hundredth's.

[gregm784]

Well it seems like I was just here, only on the other side. I hope this is the last time this season I am pulling heads for coolant leaks

There is an easy fix for this Glenn....leave the water in the pits.   Copper & water are a PITA.  Mine cools off so much faster without water in it.

[GlennLever]

Well it seems like I was just here, only on the other side. I hope this is the last time this season I am pulling heads for coolant leaks

There is an easy fix for this Glenn....leave the water in the pits.   Copper & water are a PITA.  Mine cools off so much faster without water in it.

I cannot tell you how many times I have been told to do this. I'm getting closer to this solution. Now that I cannot drive back there is not much point in the water other than I refuse to give up on it.

It takes me awhile to come around.