Messages

46

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cooling system upgrade...

« on: June 13, 2018, 07:02:06 PM »

Congrats! Looks like you made a good investment with the new cooling system. Get the license for sure because it will be hard to slow it down now that you've tasted a 9:)

47

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Driving suit

« on: June 12, 2018, 01:42:16 PM »

My old suit didn't have built-in arm restraints but my new suit does; built-in restraints are the only way to go. If a suit doesn't have them, you then have to buy a pair of restraints and buckle them on your arms...a pain in the butt. And 2 piece suits are great, the jacket comes off quickly after a run:)

48

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Ed Mabry 71 Jr. Fuel

« on: June 11, 2018, 09:06:20 PM »

For what it's worth, I agree. 50# is plenty.

49

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Driving suit

« on: June 11, 2018, 07:36:28 PM »

Headed to the track outside Manhattan, Kansas this Saturday. Forecast says it will be 97* for a high and a heat index of 101*. That's about 40% humidity. And the wind will be blowing that hot air from the south at 15mph. And this is only the middle of June. It usually starts to get real hot here about the middle of July. Oh boy... By the way, this is the 52nd year of continuous operation of the drag-strip at Manhattan, now called Midwest Raceway, and the heat hasn't stopped us. This is where I saw my first race at 15 and have been hooked ever since. Got my baptism by nitro there when I stood at the fence about 40 feet from The Large Father making a match-race pass with John Weibe. Even managed the track for a summer, including halting time trials for 20 minutes while the cattle crossed the shutdown area then halted eliminations for another 20 minutes in the afternoon while the cattle cross back to the other side. Ya, I sent someone down to make sure the cows had cleared the track and to make sure the didn't leave any deposits:)

50

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Driving suit

« on: June 11, 2018, 07:56:49 AM »

Most sanctioning bodies require a -15 suit if you run unblown and an open cockpit. Or if there is no firewall to separate you from the transmission. If plans are in the works to later put a puffer on the car, then the idea of buying a -20 suit, required by the sanctioning bodies and good sense, is a great idea. Something you might want to consider is just how hot your body can get in a fire suit, especially in your part of the country. After listening to Dave tell everyone here that Biondo had good prices and great products with their Sparco suits, I bought a Sparco AIR-15 two piece suit and couldn't be happier with it. While a little more expensive then some, it fits well and while my previous -15 suit felt like I was wrapped in 2 wool blankets then stuffed inside a wool sleeping bag, this new suit only feels like the wool sleeping bag without the blankets and that's a HUGE improvement:)

51

Rear Engine Dragsters / Re: At the Dragstrip at last

« on: June 10, 2018, 08:23:05 AM »

Congrats on making some runs. This is the start, just keep learning from the past runs & and make adjustments as necessary. And if you are planning to run gas, and there's not a thing wrong with that, then a quality and efficient cooling system is wise and necessary investment. While I so far only run the 1/8 mile, my coolant temperatures don't go past 190*. The exception is that our local track allows for 2 runs in the first time trial session so I make a pass, drive it back to the staging lanes, sits for maybe 5 minutes while cooling, then make the second pass and the car just reaches 205*.

52

Matt Shaff's Engine Shop / Re: Dragster Radiator

« on: June 10, 2018, 07:25:54 AM »

I have a Spike radiator in my car. They are in Brownsburg, IN. $550 to my door.
Built to my specs with two rows of 1" tubes in a cross-flow design with fan.
Works great. Excellent quality.

53

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Ed Mabry 71 Jr. Fuel

« on: June 06, 2018, 07:25:47 PM »

Congrats! Hope you can take it out to the track soon. At least high oil pressure is better than low/no pressure.

54

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Cooling system upgrade...

« on: June 01, 2018, 09:08:37 AM »

It appears you are well on your way to controlling your engine temperature, nice set-up:) I did notice you have a very high volume pump compared to others out there. When calling the various manufactures of pumps and radiators when I was trying to learn all I could about cooling systems for my car the one point repeated by several of them was to not move the water too quickly through a smaller radiator, you need to give the water time to give up it's heat to the radiator tubes and fins. On the upside, you have a double pass radiator that requires the water to circulate about 4 feet through the radiator, giving it extra time to exchange heat. Once you get it dialed in and figure out when to turn the pump and the fan on, you should be very pleased.
When it came to a fan powered trans cooler, I went with a B&M unit. A little heavy, the motor uses 6 amps to run, it ain't cheap, but the fan puts out a boat-load of air. Since I only turn the fan on just before the return road and then off once I drive back to the pits, I wanted maximum cooling for the short time it would be on. So far so good. A stand-alone trans cooler not in the path of radiator air flow is the only way to have maximum cooling efficiency.
If you radiator has regular radiator hose fittings (I can't tell by the pictures) then you might try and find a formed hose to make that right angle turn. If not, then the systems will still work well with what you have...I think. Give it a try
Gotta say this: never liked the looks of a fed with a radiator unless it has a full body, yours does looks good, nice job!

55

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: Ed Mabry 71 Jr. Fuel

« on: May 26, 2018, 08:52:55 AM »

It's gettin' there! Will be running before you know it.

56

Your Builds / Photo Gallery / Re: K-88 / 6 Cylinder

« on: May 23, 2018, 04:15:13 PM »

Good lookin' dragster!

57

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...

« on: May 13, 2018, 06:41:19 PM »

Great idea:) It's like the valve on a Dedenbear SBC water pump used to release air pockets in the pump. About $25. Tilt the car down in the rear to get the air out of the rear of the heads and purge the air from the radiator as you fill from the manifold.

58

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...

« on: May 11, 2018, 11:52:24 AM »

421's suggestion to raise the back of the car then your idea to fill it from the plug in the front header tank sounds like it will work. It's amazing what you can come up with for ideas when you put a few minds together, that's what is nice about this forum. Just put a shutoff valve on the tank opening and a valve on the filler hose, it will be a little slow in filling but you shouldn't have any air in the system either. Just like your outboard lower gear case filling deal. See if it works for you then maybe decide to do an upgrade if necessary.
Now while I'm here I've got to ask you: does your wife have an unmarried sister by any chance that also approves of spending money out of the bank account on racecars??? If so, please reply by private message.   lol

59

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...

« on: May 10, 2018, 09:13:34 AM »

From the photos it appears you have a VW Scirocco style radiator. They original style usually came a single row of cooling tubes and they all came with 180* flow, which was more restrictive than standard flow. Both the inlet and outlet to the radiator are on the same side of the tank they are attached to and the tank is divided in to 2 separate sections internally. Water flows into one side and through half the cooling tubes then has to flow into the other open header tank on the other end and make a 180* turn to flow back to the outlet. Small tube and restricted flow results, but I think your system will still work. You have a filler/upper hose attachment on the manifold very similar to mine. I've found that if I fill the cooling system until the water just starts to run into the upper hose and no more at rest, the car cools well and it doesn't puke any water. Having some air space in the filler/hose attachment is necessary for expansion. With the engine cold and not running, you should be able to remove the radiator fill cap and watch the water being pumped into the radiator if all is working well. On last thing I might suggest, don't pull out of the stating lanes unless the car is at 140* or less. I've found that running my pump from the staging lanes until I'm back in my pit helps, I gain about 50* of temp in the run process and the radiator fan is turned on as soon as I make the turn-around. Glad everything else appears to be working on the car, looks like you're on the right track:)

60

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: First run...

« on: May 09, 2018, 06:40:01 PM »

Do you have a picture of your radiator, plumbing and water pump? I agree with Dave, check your ignition timing. Too little and it will run hot. No thermostat, let the water flow freely and control the temperature with the on-off switch. If you fill slowly with the outlet side of the radiator tilted slightly up if space allows, you can get the air out of the radiator. I run a radiator with gas and haven't had a problem with cooling, made 8 passes with it a couple of weekends ago and it never went above 205*.