For those interested in mind-buggering power figures from the Top Fueler drag racing car.
(So, Kelvin alone I guess)

In the August 1st issue of National Dragster there is an article by Patrick Hale about Top Fuel engines making 10,000 HP.
He got some data logger info from Lee Beard for Steve Torrence’s 3.775 @ 328.38 mph run. He made some calculations off the time slip and the logger data.
They said the car was about 50 lbs lighter at the finish line than the starting line due to the fuel burned in the run. 2320 lbs min weight.
The highest G force is about 2.5 sec into the run. (4.8 g)

Time into run = 1 sec
Engine RPM = 7890
Driveshaft RPM = 2775
G meter (g’s) = 3.75
Fuel flow (GPM) = 60.7
Manifold boost (PSI) = 47
Ignition Timing (deg) = 36.5
Total Aero Drag HP = 70
Clutch slippage HP = 4607
Inertia HP = 88
Acceleration HP = 2118
Friction HP = 178
Calculated Engine HP = 7061

Time into run = 2.5 sec
Engine RPM = 7075
Driveshaft RPM =6275
G meter (g’s) = 4.8
Fuel flow (GPM) = 82.5
Manifold boost (PSI) = 48.5
Ignition Timing (deg) = 60.5
Total Aero Drag HP = 1142
Clutch slippage HP = 1061
Inertia HP = 567
Acceleration HP = 5939
Friction HP = 661
Calculated Engine HP = 9371

Time into run = 3.775 sec
Engine RPM = 8425
Driveshaft RPM =8425
G meter (g’s) = 2.0
Fuel flow (GPM) = 82.5
Manifold boost (PSI) = 60.5
Ignition Timing (deg) = 51.0
Total Aero Drag HP = 2940
Clutch slippage HP = 0.0
Inertia HP = 628
Acceleration HP = 3519
Friction HP = 833
Calculated Engine HP = 7920

The time slip for the run:
60’ = 0.834 sec
330’ = 2.133
660’ = 3.034 282.95 mph 1000’ = 3.775 328.38 mph

The engines have some kind of ignition retard that acts like rev limiter at the end of the track.
Hale figured Antron Brown’s 3.071 ET was 10,100 HP.
I thought some of this data was pretty cool & amazing. They don’t go the full 1/4 mile in the US any more, just 1,000’ due to safety concerns.

>Ignition Timing (deg) = 51.0

rocket engine with pistons

>>They don’t go the full 1/4 mile in the US any more, just 1,000’ due to safety concerns.
So these figures for the 1/4 mile (1320’) are now figures for 1000’. Which is only about 76% of the distance.

Another post from my car forum ….

“Just rang my mate who tunes a top fuel car and got the rundown on parts attrition. Here’s what he said:

“We change conrod bearings every run, plugs every run, pistons 2-3 runs, rings 1-2 runs depending on how close you are to getting it right with the tune-up. At the Winters we went 4.60 fine, 4.64 throwing the belt off then 4.56 and scuffed 3 pistons. I got after it, ran too much boost and it went lean. “Blower belts every run. In qualifying we use a belt with 1 run on it and on race day we use a new belt every run. Those race day belts become qualifying belts for the next meeting or test session. Clutch discs we get 2-3 runs (2 new and 3 used every run) new become used for the next clutch pack. The steel floaters that run between the clutch discs we use for 1 pass and then they go in the bin. “60-80L of nitro per pass. Head gaskets 2-3 runs max. After that they’re too squished from going on and coming off every run. We carry 300 gaskets in 0.001” increments from .050” – .100. “We bring 8 sets of cylinder heads and 5 engines to each meeting. Plug leads we change every run and rotate them but four sets last a year (20 runs each set). Tyres last 3-5 runs depending on blistering. I’ve seen new tyres last one pass because we got it wrong. The blower is re-stripped every three runs (sometimes 1-2 depending on the pass). “Lifters we change every two years. They’re very expensive Jesel deals. They’re measured every run though. Pushrods use them until they flog out. We don’t usually burn them up. Sometimes you might wreck the cup from lack of oil but it’s rare. They’re checked every pass though. The most laps we’ll put on a conrod is 12. We have thrown them out after 1 run before though. “We run 3 different piston heights in each engine to allow for variance in distribution. Piston height varies by about .030-.040. We use 30L of oil every single pass. 10 litres for warm up that goes in the bin and then 20 litres during the run. Caps and rotor buttons we change every 2-3 meetings as they burn out. “Cranks go 8 runs max. They crack from the very first time you stand on it. We track the cracks to determine whether we can reuse them. They crack in the radius usually but depending on the location, size and type of crack you can keep using them. Valve springs last 6 runs. The inconel exhaust valves last 6 runs and they bend every run from heat. We straighten them every pass and if they straighten too easily they go in the bin. The titanium intake valves last 20-30 passes. “Diff gears we get a long time out of, maybe 40-60 runs per set. Front tyres last one year. The front half of chassis lasts 100 runs and then it is cut off and front-halved. We only do that once then the whole chassis goes in the bin. 200 passes and that’s it. “The engine leaves the line at the it at about 8700rpm. They drop to about 6500rpm as the clutch takes up and then cross the finish line at about 8700rpm if everything’s gone to plan. Typically if a cylinder goes out and the engine blows up it’s not because of a hydraulic lock. The cam is still opening the exhaust valve and pumping raw fuel out but because that cylinder is no longer scavenging the boost goes up by 2-3psi, you run lean and the whole thing goes bang.”

Try again, hopefully easier to read this time …

“Just rang my mate who tunes a top fuel car and got the rundown on parts attrition. Here’s what he said:

“We change conrod bearings every run, plugs every run, pistons 2-3 runs, rings 1-2 runs depending on how close you are to getting it right with the tune-up. At the Winters we went 4.60 fine, 4.64 throwing the belt off then 4.56 and scuffed 3 pistons. I got after it, ran too much boost and it went lean.

“Blower belts every run. In qualifying we use a belt with 1 run on it and on race day we use a new belt every run. Those race day belts become qualifying belts for the next meeting or test session. Clutch discs we get 2-3 runs (2 new and 3 used every run) new become used for the next clutch pack. The steel floaters that run between the clutch discs we use for 1 pass and then they go in the bin.

“60-80L of nitro per pass. Head gaskets 2-3 runs max. After that they’re too squished from going on and coming off every run. We carry 300 gaskets in 0.001” increments from .050” – .100.

“We bring 8 sets of cylinder heads and 5 engines to each meeting. Plug leads we change every run and rotate them but four sets last a year (20 runs each set). Tyres last 3-5 runs depending on blistering. I’ve seen new tyres last one pass because we got it wrong. The blower is re-stripped every three runs (sometimes 1-2 depending on the pass).

“Lifters we change every two years. They’re very expensive Jesel deals. They’re measured every run though. Pushrods use them until they flog out. We don’t usually burn them up. Sometimes you might wreck the cup from lack of oil but it’s rare. They’re checked every pass though. The most laps we’ll put on a conrod is 12. We have thrown them out after 1 run before though.

“We run 3 different piston heights in each engine to allow for variance in distribution. Piston height varies by about .030-.040. We use 30L of oil every single pass. 10 litres for warm up that goes in the bin and then 20 litres during the run. Caps and rotor buttons we change every 2-3 meetings as they burn out.

“Cranks go 8 runs max. They crack from the very first time you stand on it. We track the cracks to determine whether we can reuse them. They crack in the radius usually but depending on the location, size and type of crack you can keep using them. Valve springs last 6 runs. The inconel exhaust valves last 6 runs and they bend every run from heat. We straighten them every pass and if they straighten too easily they go in the bin. The titanium intake valves last 20-30 passes.

“Diff gears we get a long time out of, maybe 40-60 runs per set. Front tyres last one year. The front half of chassis lasts 100 runs and then it is cut off and front-halved. We only do that once then the whole chassis goes in the bin. 200 passes and that’s it.

“The engine leaves the line at the it at about 8700rpm. They drop to about 6500rpm as the clutch takes up and then cross the finish line at about 8700rpm if everything’s gone to plan. Typically if a cylinder goes out and the engine blows up it’s not because of a hydraulic lock. The cam is still opening the exhaust valve and pumping raw fuel out but because that cylinder is no longer scavenging the boost goes up by 2-3psi, you run lean and the whole thing goes bang.”

jeeez, **ck, what a hobby.

what’s the dose of whatever they chuck in the blower intake before doing the run in some machines i’ve seen…de-icing, or just something to wash the steroids down with.

Yep, de-icing.