Top Fuel Dragster "factoids"

CaptainInsane-O · 12-10-2003, 01:41 PM

Interesting email that I wanted to share:

* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500.

* Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes ~10 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced.

* A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster supercharger.

* With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle.

* At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F.

* Nitro methane 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.

* Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

* 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 the fuel flow.

* If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half.

* In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. In order to reach 200 mph well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8G's.

* Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have completed reading this sentence.

* Top Fuel Engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light!

* Including the burnout the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load.

* The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm.

* The Bottom Line; Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated US $1,000.00 per second.

The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile (10/05/03, Tony Schumacher).

The top speed record is 333.00 mph (533 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (09/28/03 Doug Kalitta).

Putting all of this into perspective:

You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter "twin-turbo" powered Corvette Z06. 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. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment.

The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it, from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race course.

That, folks, is acceleration. headbang

TTA89 · 12-10-2003, 01:48 PM

REPEAT!!!! wink

Zap · 12-10-2003, 02:02 PM

yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup

TTA89 · 12-10-2003, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Zap:
yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup

BIte Me! headbang

headbang

Nasty Wendy · 12-10-2003, 03:18 PM

Quote:

CaptainInsane-O:
Interesting email that I wanted to share:

* One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes Less horsepower than a Ford Lightning! headbang

Wow! headbang

motorhead · 12-10-2003, 03:22 PM

Someone seems to post these "facts" about once a month. Can we just make it a "sticky" and leave it at the top of every forum? :p

pat83t · 12-10-2003, 04:11 PM

Quote:

TTA89:

Quote:

Zap:
yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup

BIte Me! headbang

headbang

Oh look.....another ford being towed.
powersix

MonteC · 12-10-2003, 05:39 PM

how dare u steal my dragster facts post. angrymou
i am the orginal. headbang

TTA89 · 12-10-2003, 05:48 PM

Quote:

pat83t:

Quote:

TTA89:

Quote:

Zap:
yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup

BIte Me! headbang

headbang

Oh look.....another ford being towed.
powersix

Better?
moon moon

Steve Wood · 12-10-2003, 05:49 PM

http://www.TurboBuicks.com/cgi-bin/u...c;f=9;t=003967
:p

pat83t · 12-10-2003, 05:53 PM

Quote:

TTA89:

Quote:

pat83t:

Quote:

TTA89:

Quote:

Zap:
yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup

BIte Me! headbang

headbang

Oh look.....another ford being towed.
powersix

Better?

moon moon

You ran outside and did that just now didn't you? :p

<small>[ December 10, 2003, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: pat83t ]</small>

MonteC · 12-10-2003, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Steve Wood:
http://www.TurboBuicks.com/cgi-bin/u...c;f=9;t=003967
:p

oh thats right I didnt post it here, I STOLE it from here and posted it onto the other forums that I frequent. duh silly

Steve Wood · 12-10-2003, 06:01 PM

LOL

It is interesting no matter how often it pops up. Still boggles my mind what it takes to run one of these things. I guess dual point distributors ain't gonna cut it!

CaptainInsane-O · 12-10-2003, 06:02 PM

Welll EXCUUUSSSSE me for not knowing this had been posted before.... whiny sissy babies!!!

Doug C.

Steve Wood · 12-10-2003, 06:04 PM

Oh, don't ruffle your feathers! It's still very entertaining! Now that Dan is changing his name, you can take Grumpy!

12-10-2003, 01:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
CaptainInsane-O Got Homebrew!? Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Missouri City, TX Posts: 185	Top Fuel Dragster "factoids" Interesting email that I wanted to share: * One Top Fuel dragster 500 cubic inch Hemi engine makes more horsepower than the first 4 rows at the Daytona 500. * Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes ~10 gallons of nitro methane per second; a fully loaded 747 consumes jet fuel at the same rate with 25% less energy being produced. * A stock Dodge Hemi V8 engine cannot produce enough power to drive the dragster supercharger. * With 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into a near-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock at full throttle. * At the stoichiometric 1.7:1 air/fuel mixture for nitro methane the flame front temperature measures 7050 degrees F. * Nitro methane 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. * Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder. * 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 the fuel flow. * If spark momentarily fails early in the run, unburned nitro builds up in the affected cylinders and then explodes with sufficient force to blow cylinder heads off the block in pieces or split the block in half. * In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. In order to reach 200 mph well before half-track, the launch acceleration approaches 8G's. * Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have completed reading this sentence. * Top Fuel Engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light! * Including the burnout the engine must only survive 900 revolutions under load. * The redline is actually quite high at 9500rpm. * The Bottom Line; Assuming all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs an estimated US $1,000.00 per second. The current Top Fuel dragster elapsed time record is 4.441 seconds for the quarter mile (10/05/03, Tony Schumacher). The top speed record is 333.00 mph (533 km/h) as measured over the last 66' of the run (09/28/03 Doug Kalitta). Putting all of this into perspective: You are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter "twin-turbo" powered Corvette Z06. 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. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line and past the dragster at an honest 200 mph. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that moment. The dragster launches and starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums and within 3 seconds the dragster catches and passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it, from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 mph and not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race course. That, folks, is acceleration. headbang __________________ Got BOOST?! '87 Turbo-T '05 SRT-4

12-10-2003, 01:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
TTA89 I want a Z06 Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Pahk the Cah Posts: 5,993	REPEAT!!!! wink __________________ -Mike I used to own fast cars

12-10-2003, 02:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Zap Boorn Looser Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 21,190	yeah, but it's better than seeing more Ford LightENing pictures. yup __________________ With ten nurses knocked out in just the first week, Frank realized that building the Old Boxers home next to the bell factory wasn't such a great idea Join the NRA

12-10-2003, 03:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
motorhead aka: mOtOrHeAd MiKe Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Orangeville, Ontario Canada Posts: 4,574	Someone seems to post these "facts" about once a month. Can we just make it a "sticky" and leave it at the top of every forum? :p __________________ [1987 Monte Carlo Super Slow\|1991 Z28 SNOWmaro\|2002 B4C Crapmaro\|2007 TrailBlazer AWD Super SNOW] [1987 Turtle Buick] High-Mileage 3.8L (Stock), MAFT Pro, Caspers PnP Harness, Extender Pro, LC-1, PowerLogger, PowerPlate, Garrett T63e, Low-Z 83s, Modified International Semi FMIC, MPE 3" DP, 4" Single Exhaust w/Magnaflow, Dual In-tank Pumps, ProPain Injection, Built 200-4R w/3000 Stall, 8.5" w/Welded Axle Tubes & 3.08s, Tubular UCAs & Boxed LCAs F&R, 36mm 1LE & F41 Swaybars, KYBs, 800lb/in & 200lb/in Springs, Ronal R15 17x9.5s w/275/40s & 325/45 M&H Drag Radials & an HKS Turbo Timer... Just scratching the surface. HULK SMASH FOR GIIIIIIIFTS!

12-10-2003, 05:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
MonteC The Tranny Guy Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Summerville, SC Posts: 600	how dare u steal my dragster facts post. angrymou i am the orginal. headbang __________________ ....it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. -Carl Sagan

12-10-2003, 05:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
Steve Wood An American American Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: East of Eden, Texas Posts: 36,866	http://www.TurboBuicks.com/cgi-bin/u...c;f=9;t=003967 :p __________________ ------------------ 'A government that is big enough to give you everything you want, is also big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson I think one should worry more when people are lining up to get out of a country rather than into it. If they're sneaking in, we must be doing something right. The Chronicles of Zap, from the early 21st century www.vortexbuicks-etc.com

12-10-2003, 06:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
Steve Wood An American American Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: East of Eden, Texas Posts: 36,866	LOL It is interesting no matter how often it pops up. Still boggles my mind what it takes to run one of these things. I guess dual point distributors ain't gonna cut it! __________________ ------------------ 'A government that is big enough to give you everything you want, is also big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson I think one should worry more when people are lining up to get out of a country rather than into it. If they're sneaking in, we must be doing something right. The Chronicles of Zap, from the early 21st century www.vortexbuicks-etc.com

12-10-2003, 06:02 PM	#14 (permalink)
CaptainInsane-O Got Homebrew!? Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Missouri City, TX Posts: 185	Welll EXCUUUSSSSE me for not knowing this had been posted before.... whiny sissy babies!!! Doug C. __________________ Got BOOST?! '87 Turbo-T '05 SRT-4

12-10-2003, 06:04 PM	#15 (permalink)
Steve Wood An American American Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: East of Eden, Texas Posts: 36,866	Oh, don't ruffle your feathers! It's still very entertaining! Now that Dan is changing his name, you can take Grumpy! __________________ ------------------ 'A government that is big enough to give you everything you want, is also big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson I think one should worry more when people are lining up to get out of a country rather than into it. If they're sneaking in, we must be doing something right. The Chronicles of Zap, from the early 21st century www.vortexbuicks-etc.com

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