Top Fuel: Now that's flyin'!

[robert999]

Some interesting Top Fuel dragster facts:
Some interesting Top Fuel dragster facts: (Copied from another site)
1) One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona

2) 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.

3) The supercharger takes more power to drive then a stock hemi makes.

4) 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.

5) Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

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

7) 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.

8) 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 of it's fuel flow.

9) 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 blow the block in half.

10) Dragsters twist the crank (torsionally) so far (20 degrees in the big end of the track) that sometimes cam lobes are ground offset from front to rear to re-phase the valve timing somewhere closer to synchronization with the pistons.

11) To exceed 300mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. But in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.

12) 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.

13) Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have read this sentence.

[Gimme3steps]

How many RPMs does a top fuel dragster turn from the green light to the finish line?

[12GO]

With the right clutch settings, a top fuel car can get traction enough to pull over 6g's. And the slicks are still not completely "hooked up".


quote; Gimme3steps "How many RPMs does a top fuel dragster turn from the green light to the finish line?
"


I used to know the old answer to the how many rpm question, but now they are turning more rpm. I believe it's appox. 720.

[nevergoingback]

wow, approx 720 revs. I never really thought about that one. Def lower than I would have ever guessed, even when I think about the 4.5 secs it still sounds low. I'm too lazy to do the math, I'll take your word.

[studedude]

Originally Posted by Gimme3steps

How many RPMs does a top fuel dragster turn from the green light to the finish line?

They turn between 8000 and 9000 RPM. An ideal run would have the engine come up to max RPM off the line and apply more clutch as you go down track.

[12GO]

This is taking the conservative rpm of 9000 rpm. Now, figure in that they only take 4.5 or less seconds to make the pass. That is how I "ballparked" how many rpm to make the pass. I used to work for a top fuel local team. Yeah, when you realize how many rpm the pass takes vs. what the rpm you see on a tach, it's an amazing difference.

[Gimme3steps]

Originally Posted by studedude

They turn between 8000 and 9000 RPM. An ideal run would have the engine come up to max RPM off the line and apply more clutch as you go down track.

You have to remember RPMs is revolutions per minute. A 4.5 second run only takes 4.5 seconds. Divide 60 seconds(one minute) by 4.5 seconds. You get 13.33. There are 13.33, 4.5 second intervals in a minute. 9000 RPMinutes divided by 13.33 gives you the RPMs turned from green light to finish line. 675

[studedude]

Originally Posted by Gimme3steps

You have to remember RPMs is revolutions per minute. A 4.5 second run only takes 4.5 seconds. Divide 60 seconds(one minute) by 4.5 seconds. You get 13.33. There are 13.33, 4.5 second intervals in a minute. 9000 RPMinutes divided by 13.33 gives you the RPMs turned from green light to finish line. 675

Sorry misunderstood the question. You are of course correct for 1/4 mi runs. They now run 1000 ft @ 3.8 so Tony Schumacher's in run in the final Sunday he turned 570 revs. My friend Tim's funny car ran 4.09 and he used up 613 revs. Got Wilk?

[12GO]

Originally Posted by studedude

Sorry misunderstood the question. You are of course correct for 1/4 mi runs. They now run 1000 ft @ 3.8 so Tony Schumacher's in run in the final Sunday he turned 570 revs. My friend Tim's funny car ran 4.09 and he used up 613 revs. Got Wilk?

It was great to see Wilk win!!! That is a very nice all new car he has too!!! Alot of great innovative thinking in it. But the average person wouldn't know what to look for when i say that.