Technical So school me on Nitromethane

I have always been intrigued with it, but have never been around it much. Just school me on how it affects everything else. Do you run way more timing ? I am assuming so, since you should have a denser charge. Is is way harder on parts ?etc. Just everything. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Sometimes you post stuff and I really need to know what you are planning....

-Abone.

 

Last year at Brainerd i went to a thing Alan Reinhart puts on called Nitro School. It's basicly a Q&A session were he tells you some facts about nitro and shows you some parts of a Top Fuel engine and then answers your quesions. For Example.

1. Nitro has LESS BTU's ( British thermal Units) then gassoline.
2. Nitro burns SLOWER then gassoline.
3. Nitro is very hard too light off (each Top Fuel engine has two 44 amp mags.)
4. you can burn a gallon of nitro every 2/3's of a second.
5. the spark plug is burned out half way through the run and the engine is just dieseling the rest of the way through the run.
6. I asked how much cylinder pressure those engines make, he looked straight at me and said "They Don't Know"
These are are just a few things i remember sorry if i went a little O/T.

 

My basic understanding is that nitromethane is able to release high power (230%) compared to normal petroleum fuels, especially when ignited in a confined space. After combustion, the exhaust gases contain byproducts including nitric acid in vapor form, making the use of a proper gas mask mandatory for the driver and for those close to the car in the starting area. I remember nitric acid from chemistry classes and if inhaled can cause severe muscular reactions making it impossible to breath.

 

Does this answer your question?...

 

I bet you could learn a little by reading Brian's (racer-x) thread about Rebuilding after the Crash. Fun stuff.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/rebuilding-after-the-crash.991650/

 

Just wondering.....

 

It was the secret ingredient used that helped Hernandez defeat Cobb in 49 for the grudge runoff at the first ever recognized drag race. A direct quote from The Merchants of Speed.

 

Nitro can be touchy ......

 

Pretty touchy,...............

 

VERY touchy.....





Just add a drop or two of Hydrazine, sloppy engine building, push it too hard!

 

Run racing oil, I've had recommendations for Valvoline and Im sure it works fine but we cut a deal with a supplier for a brand I cant recall.... regardless, after several hard runs at Bonneville the bearings looked new, love the junk!

Dont run lean, ever. I cracked 6 of 8 cylinders going against better judgement on 30%, would have been worse if the the driver didnt have decades of experience under his hat. 40 hours of block work down the shitter.

Its been awhile and I'll have to refer to some notes for advance and pill/nozzle sizes. Always take notes, measure temp, barometer, time of day, plug condition, fuel mix, gear ratio etc.

Mixing wasnt complicated once I knew how to do it, use a clean funnel with a fine mesh screen to prevent contaminates getting into the mix. I keep 3-4 labeled containers... 20%, 25%, 30% (for tuning).. I cant afford more nitro and I was running flatheads. You can always drain the tank and put a lower/higher mix, its best to have the fuel ready so you arent rushing around when your class is called to line up.

When racing is done, I flush the system with gas.
Keep an eye on the oil.... it will get diluted, first sign of it change it.

Thats about all I can recall at the moment.

 

Sniffing Nitro fumes seems to affect the engine builder's cognitive ability to make decisions.

For some reason they always seem to choose engine blocks that crack easily.

 

Gas has a fuel to air of 14 to 1 -- alky 7 to 1 -- nitro 2 to 1 because it carries its own air you have to run more of it then you get a bigger boom

Be sure to back off the engine before starting each time or you can hydrolic a rod, been there done that

DND

 

* One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower then the first 8 rows at Daytona.

* 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.

* The supercharger takes more power to drive than a stock hemi makes.

* 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.

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

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

* 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.

* 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 off its fuel flow.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

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

 

If you are planning to run some "Nitro" disregard the postings on this thread so far,,,Mosty Bull shit..
Nitro is some dangerous shit,for sure..Talk to a professional ,not some dip shit here on the HAMB

 

Nitromethane cleans bank accounts.

 

What he said....

 

Works great on stains.

 

Dribble about 4/6 oz on your charcoal briquets next time ya BBQ, stand back (way back) and thrown a match @ it Instant white charcoal ready to BBQ.

 

Like Jim stated, Brian -RacerX , is running nitro, and knows what it takes to do so.

 

I remember the first Cakel Fest at Famosa, paid the entry fee, what a fffn' mistake that was. They put all the cars in a circle and fired em up. I think I lost a few brain cells on that one.

 

Some of the facts posted are true. Most of the things posted were in regards to all out big show nitro cars. Those cars are on the edge for each pass because money is always on the line. Destruction of parts is a given. Nitro can be run on a limited budget safely in smaller percentages if care and restraint are strictly followed. Big power gains can be achieved running between 30- 50 percent. Nitro burns very slow thats why timing is increased. Inconel exhaust valves are used due to the heat. The cam timing will open the exhaust sooner as it acts as a pressure release. Nitros specific gravity is measured to determine the percentage. The fuels temperature changes the percentage so a correction chart is used. Adjust nozzle sizes for fine tuning. Never go lean. I run my stuff on the rich side for safety. Use only the best parts available. Be on top of the engine maintenance at all times. Like a freak about the maintenance. Get a guy with a proven record to help out and there is no reason why a small guy cant play with nitro. The pics posted of the detructive nature nitro can pose are no joke. Be safe and go slow.

 

Great stuff. Thanks

 

I kinda think the intent of those posts was humorous rather than technical.

 

which is a shame, because it's a serious subject...yes, I got to see Brian's car in real life, helped him change it over from nitro to gasoline on Drag Week. Very interesting stuff. And he is very willing to help others learn about nitro, and what it takes to make it work on a street/strip car, or a dedicated race car.

 

Ask Don Garlits...........

 

Dipshit? My experiences come from actual track time with the stuff, on my dime. You and your girlfriend "oldskoolspeed" should post your awesome experiences here. Hahaha

I bet you 2 turds couldn't mix a cake if your lives depended on it.

Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Best thread title ever

 

Plan9,,,If the shoe fits....wear it