Projects rebuilding after the crash

The basics. 526c; 35lbs of boost; 21.5 gallon pump; 43-45 degrees of lead. Low side valve at 8 pounds. High side 90 pounds. 83-85 percent in the tank. It needs to be richer to run this combo. We increased the idle and run side fuel volume.

 

I don't know what's up with the duplications.

 

Brian

Only changed the hat and idle nozzles?

Jeff

 

Great thread! I just came across this and realized which car this is. I recall seeing it in Hot Rod magazine a few years ago and reading about how it was the first car at Drag Week to run nitro. Very cool! I’ll have to go back over this and follow it’s transformation.

 

For the first start up only the hat nozzles are changing. Depending on exhaust temps we will adjust the run nozzles. The injectors don't have accelerator pumps. Running the engine rich at idle cures that. A temp gun is used to get the pipes even. That is a big deal to get that right. I'm just waiting on the mail now for the starter to arrive.

 

Increasing the fuel to the blower helps tighten it up. It also helps keep it cool. Having a pair of nozzles spraying at the rear bearing plate is a good idea. It prevents galling the plate. A lot of little things go into all of this.

 

PM sent

 

If you want them to match just measure 5 times and cut once. Hehe.

 

Trust me it was way more than five times. These pipes don't come cheap. I should get them back from the powder coater this friday.

 

I sure like it when the brown truck shows up. I received my new blower starter. These units are 48 volts. The starter locks into the cage that's part of the belt guard. The wheel at the opposite end is rotated to advance the starter dog into the blower dog. Once engaged a shot of fuel goes in and the trigger is pulled. As soon as it fires the starter dog disengages. The starter is then removed. View attachment 6006252 View attachment 6006252

 

For warm ups it's expensive to burn nitro. The engine is warmed up on cheap methanol. The tank is filled with methanol. The tank is pressurized with air. The 1/4 inch air bleed plug is removed. The line from the tank plugs in. The valve is opened as soon as the engine fires. The timing can then be checked. Once the engine is warm the shut off valve for the nitro is opened and the tank valve is closed. Now it's on full nitro. The idle can now be set. The nitro valve gets closed and the methanol valve it opened to clear the engine. When the valve is shut off it cuts fuel to the engine shutting it off. See nothing to it. A word of caution never stand close at the side of a running nitro engine. Bad things can and do happen. I have seen heads fly off.

 

@racer-x what is the fuel used to fire it? That’s actually squirted in the hat?

 

Gas on a 60 degree day or colder. Methanol 60 and above. Gas on a hot day can easily flood the engine. Alcohol on a cold day is harder to fire.

 

Can't go wrong with Jerry helping you.

 

Looking good Brian I’m hoping to run my afx car at mokan this weekend for test and tune in excited to see how the blown alky motor runs I know it’s nothing compared to your car but I’m moving towards that small steps ahead I can’t wait to see your car run this year

 

Jackson, we will be down there this weekend, heading out at noon tomorrow. Let me know if I need to bring anything.

 

I hope the Dodge comes to the Out of Site drags. We will be at Eddyville twice if you can make it. A good match race for you would be the rebel from hell awb car. It will be there.

 

More work today. The zoomies were picked up from the powder coater by a crew member in Chicago. They went on today. They were ceramic coated then tumbled in plastic beads to get the shiny finish. I had them finish the support bars in satin black for contrast. The blower restraint brackets had to be modified alittle to fit.
The starter was tested out. It's very important to get it set up right. If it's off your hands will feel like you got stung by a hundred bees.
I need to extend the points box wires going to the coil. Then it's ready to fire. The scoop cover was off of Steiners dragster. A cover with real history.

 

Did you have Loko do the ceramic coating? Dad and I have had a ton of stuff coated by them with great results.

 

Yes I did. I met them at the Chicago auto Rama. I was using the guy in Janesville but he proved to be unreliable. The new guys did a great job.

 

It runs. I have my crew guys coming over Saturday. Some are coming from out of state. I didn't want to waste anyone time if there was a problem. After a rebuild and changing a bunch of wiring anything can happen. So I gave it a squirt of gas and pulled the trigger. It made noise. I can't wait for Saturday. We will warm it up on alcohol. The timing will be set along with the idle. As it cools down the heads will get re torqued and the lash reset. Then it get fired on nitro. A temp gun is used as it idles to get the cylinder temps even and at the correct temp. Idle nozzles are changed to do this at each cylinder. When it's all good the covers come off again to check the lash and re torque the heads. The oil gets dumped and the filter cleaned and inspected. Twelve quarts of oil in the pan and it's ready to go.

 

Love those new shorty headers.

 

Going to get a video of that bad boy coming to life?

 

For sure. Saturday.

 

So now that it's pure nitro and a higher percentage load, what will the race day between runs procedure be ?

 

Same as before. Nothing changing there. Heads get torqued; lash; leak down; fuel sample; cool converter; tire pressure and lots of little things.

 

If I was driving it, there would be one more thing..........change underwear.

 

Hope everything goes as planned on Saturday Brian. I know it is well planned and prepared for. Flames out the pipes and nitro smell in the air.

 

Things didn't go as planned. The engine was pre oiled. We had pressure on the gauge. It fired up although retarded. Big flames were coming out of the pipes after the gas priming. Too much gas. The good thing is we know by the angle of the flames the body won't get burned. Some advance was put in. The engine was cleared. It was fired and run off the pressure tank. The idle was good. No adjustment needed there. It got up to temp. The covers came off to retorque the heads and adjust the lash. To our surprise no oil was on the heads.
We cranked the engine over with the plugs out. No oil. We pulled the rocker assembles. A little oil. We blew out the rockers. They were clear.
The only thing we can think of is the head gaskets are the problem. The heads are coming off right now. Or some trash is caught in the restrictions at the deck.
The cam bearings are pinned. The cam has a 360 degree oil groove on number 4. The cam lash is set at .008 it can't move away from the groove. Something strange is going on.

 

Good luck man,,,,,I know you will get it fixed !
Mopar !

Tommy