2006-09-04 21:34:42 · 11 answers · asked by david c 1 in Sports ➔ Auto Racing
Highly explosive fuel and extremely high pressures in the super-charger and engine.
2006-09-05 00:06:18 · answer #1 · answered by ezachowski 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the main question is why do supercharged top-fuel engines sometimes explode when they self-destruct? As opposed to your family car blowing a seal and just squeeking to a stop at the side of the road?
Look at why engines run first - take some fuel, take some air, mix these two up, squeeze them into a tight spot, and then add spark. Boom.
Now, look at why top fuelers run so fast - Take some fuel that ignites at a much lower temperature (less spark needed to produce big bang), take that air and compress it (more air in the same space - like juice concentrate), then add your spark.
Definitely more bang per spark in this situation, right?
Okay, now stick a hole in that spot where you had the air and fuel all nicely compressed and contained. Now the compressed air expands really fast, the fuel gets all excited and then the darned spark plug goes off. Yeeeeehawwww!!!!
BTW, you remembered that alcohol flames are not visible, right? Got Nomex?
2006-09-06 16:09:23 · answer #2 · answered by ducatisti 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Supercharged and turbocharged engines create more combustion temperature as there is more compressed air in the cylinders which enhances the volatility of the fuel. High octane fuel burns slower cooler and more controlled than cheap (no) octane gas. You'll wind up totally ruining the top end of the engine. Valves and pistons will eventually overheat and fail plus it will run sour anyway with the knock sensor retarding the ignition most of the time. If you can't afford the grade of fuel this engine demands, you'd better buy something else that runs on good old crappy gas.
2016-03-26 22:43:24 · answer #3 · answered by Nancy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trying to get over 7,000 HP out of it!
There is a natural balance at work here. Your car's engine may put out 180 HP, but it will do so for years. Would you cut the lifespan of your engine in half to get twice the horsepower?
Keep trading off longevity for horsepower, and eventually you get to the point where the engine is rebuilt between EVERY race, but only lasts 5 seconds!
Every time the engine is rebuilt, there is a balancing act between taking out as much friction as possible while still maintaining enough structural integrity to handle so much power. We're talking ignition systems that put out so much spark energy that the plugs only last HALF the race, and fuel pumps designed to flow over 80 GALLONS of fuel per minute!
Sometimes the rebuild works, sometimes it doesn't, and it can be the tiniest, most insignificant detail that decides the outcome. So when the engine fails it can be as lame as having a spark plug blow out or as spectacular as having the whole car explode.
2006-09-05 09:28:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When all the parts are working correctly, they don't. Supercharger blowoffs don't happen nearly as much as they used to. There are hundreds of parts that need to work together to make a clean run possible. From injectors to fuel pumps and the lowly rubber o-ring. One leaky o-ring can allow some fuel into a place where it doesn't belong and boom - one lost engine.
2006-09-06 12:52:22 · answer #5 · answered by Nc Jay 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The efficient fuel, the pressure that the air/fuel mixture is subjected to and the heat.
2006-09-05 02:41:36 · answer #6 · answered by frieburger 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
David, take a deep breath and think about it. A race engine with nitro methane under high compression. Run it hard enough, stuff breaks....... No mystery.
2006-09-05 12:45:22 · answer #7 · answered by lana_sands 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Top Fuel Dragster Supercharger
2017-02-22 12:03:55 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
7000 hrsepower from a 500 cubic inch engine does not last 100,000 miles
2006-09-05 06:20:49 · answer #9 · answered by jp#5 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
air and fuel mixtures
2006-09-05 04:08:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋