9,500 - 10,000 hp (1 Viewer)

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Just heard Mike and Paul talking about Jimmy Prock's HP comments. I remember an article in National Dragster back in the late 90's about the Kalitta and Bill Miller teams mounting transducers on their TF cars and seeing numbers in the 9,000 HP range. On one run the Kalitta team said the clutch locked-up prematurely and the HP spiked at over 10,000 HP for a fraction of a second. Does anybody else remember that article? I hope Mike and Paul do a big follow-up segment. :cool:
 
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yeah, there was a whole bunch about the show I liked. I think the topic of estimated horsepower is one of those that never quite leaves...it's always around, and every year they seem to up the estimate. Even if someone had a capable dyno, I've always imagined the real issue is what to do with an enngine that can reach peak rpm from an idle in a fraction of a second....not exactly a torque curve. it would still end up being an estimate (average)

another cool thing on the show today- (besides the Kalitta Camp showing it's stuff)

that Taylor Capps is a total sweetheart....and Ron Capps = Good Dad

he'd be in Great Dad territory had Taylor wanted to see Ashlee Simpson
 
I thought the horsepower estimation was based on how much horsepower it takes at a certain weight to travel a certain distance in a certain time.
 
Just heard Mike and Paul talking about Jimmy Prock's HP comments. I remember an article in National Dragster. On one run the Kalitta team said the clutch locked-up prematurely and the HP spiked at over 10,000 HP for a fraction of a second. Does anybody else remember that article? I hope Mike and Paul do a big follow-up segment. :cool:

I was in the Kalitta pits at Firebird when Weld and S.W.I.F.T. (Spinning Wheel Integrated Force Transducer - I think) showed up with parts for this. Got to see the whole system put together and talked with a team member and a SWIFT engineer after the test. Both confirmed the HP results. Several other parameters were measured and produced some very interesting data. I was told the data was offered to a parts provider and a sanctioning body and no one was interesting in examining the results. Very much looking forward to what is revealed tomorrow!
 
I have tried to contact Mike Dunn (worked with him when we were testing blower belts with Darrell Gwynn) to remind him that the HP they always talk about (and this thread as well) is HP delivered to the rear wheels. It does not take into account the 1000 HP that it takes to drive the blower.

Jim Shepherd
 
Very cool follow-up segment. It's almost hard to comprehend what Neff said about his engine now burning 10 GPM more fuel than it was just 7 years ago. The difference in superchargers and heads must be tremendous.
 
It does not take into account the 1000 HP that it takes to drive the blower. Jim Shepherd

Can't take that into account anyway; the supercharger is an integral part of the package. That's like saying a PS 500 engine would make 2000HP if it didn't take 500HP to run the camshaft and the valve train. Take the blower away, and you have about 5000HP less, despite picking up 1000 due to the parasitic gain.
 
Didn't do a good job of getting my point across. We all understand that it takes power to make an engine run. However, in the case for the fuel and alcohol blown cars, there is a huge load driven by the engine crank and that is the blower. By comparison, the HP lost within the engine is much smaller.

So, any HP the TV folks quote needs to have have the other major crank load added to it.

Jim

Can't take that into account anyway; the supercharger is an integral part of the package. That's like saying a PS 500 engine would make 2000HP if it didn't take 500HP to run the camshaft and the valve train. Take the blower away, and you have about 5000HP less, despite picking up 1000 due to the parasitic gain.
 
HP at the back end of the crank is only important when comparing changes made to the engine no matter what type of change. The sum total of HP delivered to the rear wheels dictate available/useable HP. The fact that you have one or multiple blowers of varing sizes, one or multiple engines, 3-4 or 5 disc clutches etc. then becomes a detail of the total HP output where the rubber meets the road. I know I'm preaching to the choir but I felt the need to throw in my 2 cents.
 
Can't take that into account anyway; the supercharger is an integral part of the package. That's like saying a PS 500 engine would make 2000HP if it didn't take 500HP to run the camshaft and the valve train. Take the blower away, and you have about 5000HP less, despite picking up 1000 due to the parasitic gain.

Didn't do a good job of getting my point across. We all understand that it takes power to make an engine run. However, in the case for the fuel and alcohol blown cars, there is a huge load driven by the engine crank and that is the blower. By comparison, the HP lost within the engine is much smaller.

So, any HP the TV folks quote needs to have have the other major crank load added to it.

Jim

Carl's point is that you wouldn't get the HP at the wheels that you have without the addition of the blower. That is part of the HP you get, you can't add that HP as it is already part of the package deal.
 
I loved Jim O's interview where he said they're making at least 10,000 HP, except for Connie, he makes 11,000 HP, just because he's Connie Kalitta.:D
 
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