Messages

76

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Did anyone notice! 1,000 members.... I said if we got there I would do shirts.

« on: October 11, 2018, 11:22:22 AM »

Glenn, also call Mallory Prints, at 817-641-3651, 800-433-2220, design@malloryprint.com, in Joshua, TX  they print our team shirts and JrFuelDragsterAssociation shirts.
Al Mallory is a FED JF racer, and a Great guy.

77

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: trans cooler heat

« on: October 09, 2018, 01:27:28 PM »

I agree with Bill, why do you think you need a trans cooler at all ?
I see very few FED dragsters with coolers, SuperComp with over 50 cars when they run round robin, yes, but nostaliga dragsters don't run round robin.
No JrFuel teams run coolers, or NE-1-2-3, OR 7.0 Pro.
It's just extra weight and makes it simple , and they allow us enough time between rounds to allow the trans to cool.
Only once in 15 years did we even put a fan on the trans, it was in Vegas GoodGuys race where it was 120+° air temp.

Good Luck with your combo.
Jon

78

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Roll out time

« on: October 07, 2018, 12:03:49 AM »

We race a full tree when we race Sonoma Div 7 race, because we get 3-4 qualifying runs, so that's 5 things I can try outside of our NHRA Heritage JrFuel points races.
But the transition between the .40 Pro to .50 full tree is not easy.
 We use a Boido 3" long trans-brake switch, but we also change the transbrake valve and spring [ weaker] in our PowerGlide. because it's better to change the car than to expect the driver to slow-up a tenth.
The other thing for you to check is to maker sure you are not lifting your front wheels UP before it moves forawrd. I have had customers call to order a light shield only to find out they are hitting the slicks so hard and quick that it pulls the wheels up out of the lights.  Also try running a looser converter, it will not hit the tires as hard.

Jon

79

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Roll out time

« on: October 06, 2018, 12:21:56 AM »

BK that's an interesting question , So why are you asking, what do you really want to know ?
Because the time it takes to drive out of the beams, depends on the car, track slicks , etc, a 1.25 sixty ' time will be different with a 1.00 sixty, right ?
I assume your question is a theory , 1.25 with 25" tall tire. Your photo is a FED, and more than likely you have a 21.5" to 22.25" tall wheel/tire, if you ran a 25" tire that would be about a 3.00x18 tire  [ big and kinda heavy] A 2.50x18 tire is 23 3/4", and a 2.75x18 tire is 24 1/4" , so yes a taller tire will have more roll out.
If that is your question, I have something for you; about 4 years ago I built a 21" wheel with a 27 1/2" tall tire, for more roll out for a FED to race on a Full tree in Comp Elim, not a .40 pro tree like we run in JrFuel. I measured the roll out difference on two cars one with a 21 1/2 tire and the other 27 1/2" tire, the 27 tire had  5" more roll out. before the start line beam would make contact.
Keep in mind a full tree means you can leave before the last yellow light, not so on a pro tree. BTW the 27" front wheel racer has sub 1.0 sixty's like .956, one reason is he is getting a 5" head start on the lights.
Our JF car I run 18" wheel with a 2.00x18 rib tire, which is 22 1/2" tall, the same as front runner tires , but less rotating weight and less friction., on a .40 Pro tree.
I don't know how you could figure the time to roll out of the beams with your 25" tire, because each car combo is different. Like compare a Big Show NHRA Top Fuel car with 23" tires but sixty's in the .8"s
I hope this doesn't make things more confusing !
Jon   

80

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Some basic simple questions

« on: September 23, 2018, 03:19:08 PM »

Curly, you said you have a data computer, what driveshaft speed is the highest when your spinning the tires before it hooks up ?
What height do you set your WB, and is that with you in the car, and what tire pressure, because the tires will squat when you get in the car and that will lower your WB.
Is your WB stiff and what length ? if your WB is too stiff when your front starts to come up it will hit hard and unload the slicks, causing spin, at least try adding another 20 on the nose.
I'm not surprised you might be getting bounce because of the 6.8 lb of pressure, which explains your experince of running the lower pressure.
You could also have too much tire, it may have worked good on your other car, but your 14x32 could be dead hooking, and pulling your engine down below your HP range and much harder to get "up on the tire" because of less HP. Are your M/T a soft compound tire, also makes it too easy to dead hook.
My JrFuel car at 1435 lbs with driver, gets to 2300-2500 rpm drive shaft speed about .3 into run before it hooks up and my RacePak curve shows a "J" hook where it is spinning to 2300, the hooks up and is confirmed by my "G" meter graph. We run mostly 31x12x15 Goodyear that are very light weight [ less rotaing weight] at 22.6 lbs per unmounted tire. Hayden wheels special orders them.
You have found what I have found , lower tire pressure will increase tire speed, and when I'm looking for more traction [ less tire speed] I increase tire pressure on my 12" tires. i run between 5 3/4 to 6 1/2 pressure. I launch at 6200-6600 rpm to again "get up on the tire"  and keep it spinning so it does not pull the motor down. We run 1.01 to 1.05 sixty foot times, and allot of 7.0's at 185-189 mph. on injected alky with an all iron 399 ci SBC.
One thing you might want to check is lift the front-end up, while you are in the drivers seat , to see where it hits your WB. You may already be on the bar. I put chalk on the WB wheel and check what kind of tracks it leaves, most of the time on my car it leave about one to 1.5 foot track, then leaves another short one, telling me it's hitting the WB then spinning some and if it does not leave a 3'rd track, means it's "up on the tire" after that.
I hope this info helps, and you can call me anytime 805-444-4489 on my cell.
Jon

81

Dan Dishon's Transmission Den / Re: sprag or spragless?

« on: September 21, 2018, 09:35:51 AM »

Yes, our coverter people have said don't run spragless. We run 7.0's @ 188-190 mph with injected alky 400 ci SBC, weighing 1435 lbs
Greg I did not know you are at 1910 lbs, and don't you run the 12" NTF tires, are they only 32" tall ?
Hope to see you at CHRR.

Jon

82

Events / Re: 10th Anniversary DOVER DRAG STRIP Nostalgia Drags

« on: September 18, 2018, 09:05:02 PM »

How much nitro, did you change compression, what kind of times are you running ?
I get asked often about chaging the NHRA Heritage JR Fuel rules to allow nitro, so I wonder what changes should be changed.

Jon

83

Events / Re: 10th Anniversary DOVER DRAG STRIP Nostalgia Drags

« on: September 18, 2018, 08:18:40 AM »

Bill, are the blower guys just burning alky, and are burning any nitro ?

Jon

84

Dan Dishon's Transmission Den / Re: converter fallback

« on: September 17, 2018, 08:33:16 PM »

OK, this is my experience with converters, the more power you make the higher the stall/flash, and Roger is mostly right , the higher you shift to a point the higher the flash [ what the RPM drops to right after the shift].
So the power can be affected by weather, tune-up ,and changes in your combo. After any combo changes I check my converter flash, also the looser [ higher flash] the converter the more it will show slippage, unless you step-up to a lock-up type converter, and that means it will slip less not really lock-up. With a lock-up it will pull the RPM down in the middle so the suggestion is to go to more gear.
My numbers in 2018 ; highest shift 10430 rpm, flashing at 8773 rpm, with 5.7 slippage at DA 1807', lowest shift was 9672 flash at 8624, slip at 5.6% at 1566 DA, running 7.03 @186 mph
At a hot event [ lower HP] 10137 shift flash at 8528 at DA 4000' and 102° air, and 7% slippage.
I prefer we shift more like 9700-9800 rpm, flashing at 86-8700 rpm , I just bought a looser converter because I want to try 8800-8900 flash.
I can share more real numbers if anyone wants, but I hope this helps clear-up any confusion.
Again our car is a JRFuel "B" all iron SBC on pure alky , PG on 12" wide tires weighing 1435 with driver.
Jon

85

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: calming the car down on the starting line

« on: September 17, 2018, 07:18:08 PM »

Yes I agree. check the circumference, at the tire pressure you race at. The dia is too inacurate.
Use a thin tape measure so it bends anough to go around the tire, or a cloth tape measure.

Good Luck.
Jon

86

Wanted to sell / Re: 200 in FED Race Ready NICE car

« on: September 12, 2018, 07:19:54 PM »

Yes I saw that the upright is ni the right place and somone moved the motor up so it is not sticking 4-6 " below the lower frame rail.
Cheers

87

Spud Miller's Cave / Re: Fuel Contamination

« on: September 12, 2018, 11:59:43 AM »

Since NHRA Heritage JrFuel rules are ONLY Pure Alky is allowed, we are very good about alway clsing our fuel jugs after we fill our tank, because alky draws water.
I've heard cases of a jug left open can fill up the jug with water, depending on Humidity / grains of water in the air.
In the early 70's I helped an injected alky funny car and we used a tall plastic tube with what looked like moth balls to filter the alky before use to take the water out.
I have not seen those filers in years. But yes a engine can detonate with water in the fuel.
BTW Heritage JF is sponsored by ERC, race fuels and even Scott Parks has said ERC is the cleannest alky he has ever used, based on no crap in the fuel tanks after use. They double filter the fuel and then put it super cleaned barrels.
Of course we filter our fuel going into the fuel tank. And take apart & clean our fuel system after each race event. It's the first thing we do after getting back to the shop. Never had any pluged lines, nozzels, jets.
Cheers

88

Wanted to sell / Re: 200 in FED Race Ready NICE car

« on: September 12, 2018, 11:44:43 AM »

Is that a Worm/ Slingshot kit ?  185" WB

89

Dan Dishon's Transmission Den / Re: converter fallback

« on: September 10, 2018, 11:55:13 AM »

I agree on the no more than a 2 count

90

Dan Dishon's Transmission Den / Re: converter fallback

« on: September 09, 2018, 09:40:37 PM »

Our converter guy said not to do that, at least not too long on the WOT, he says it can overheat the trans fluid and maybe more important it can bend the blades.
I was helping out a JF team running in Comp at Sonoma and he was having a problem missing , and insearch of the issue he would do a "stall check" to see if it would miss after trying some fixes.
It burned up the converter and made the fluid smell real burnt.

Jon