Q about starting an A/Fuel car (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter flapjack
- Start date
You have the first part right, but all A Fuel Cars have an aux tank that is removable that has alcohol in it for the inital fire up. A Fuel engines have a much higher compression ratio than a top fuel engine so it makes it very dangerous to start it with nitro only. Once the engine is fired on alky and has warmed up to what the crew chief feels is good then the signal is given to the driver to turn the fuel pump on. Once the engine is running soundly on nitro then the alky tank is turned off and removed. Hope this helps!!
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
Tim, I have been a member for a very long time!! July 2006 to be exact
You are an old man ya know....
hahaha.... I'll call you later tonight...
Thanks Ralph. I take it the danger in going straight from gas to nitro when running high compression is hydraulicing the engine. Correct?
Too many to list here
Nitro Member
I get a tad nervous when they try to start those things-and I'm close by.
Has an incident ever happened with starting an a/fuel dragster??
d'kid
Nitro Member
Let's put it this way... is "the sky above and the mud below" ?
that would be a BIG yes.
d'kid
2 points to whoever can tell me what the quote is from
Hydrauliced the engine?
d'kid
Nitro Member
That would be a Yes Tom.... also has been known to happen in the pits.
d'kid
Dave Hirata's father was badly hurt by Shrapnel from a Motor exploding in the Pits!
As we all know Nitro can be a bad thing!! It loves to explode when compressed!! Have you ever noticed even the pro teams always tighten the head studs with a speed wrench by hand? From what I have been told the nitro follows the threads with the oil. and if you use a impact to tighten the stud it can compress it enough to explode. A big rule of thumb with the A Fuel engines is to clean all the nitro out of the engine fuel lines and cylinders before you work on it. You do not even crank it over with a wrench with the plugs in if it has been ran on nitro.
.
Nitro Member
Here's a good visual. YouTube - Dan Mercier - A-fuel Dragster Warm-up 2007
Make sure to click the high quality option and turn up your volume!
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
A/Fuel cars often don't fire the first time, if I am nearby I ALWAYS make sure a crew guy is backing it down before they try to refire the thing ... if not I head for the hills. I know they are usually starting the thing on gas or alkyhol, but just in case I don't have my ninja underwear on so I can dodge all of the shrapnel, I get out of the way.
Just 3 or 4 years ago at a D1 race, a crew guy nearly lost his leg from the knee down and the trailer pitted next door got a hole blasted into it on such an occasion.
Just 3 or 4 years ago at a D1 race, a crew guy nearly lost his leg from the knee down and the trailer pitted next door got a hole blasted into it on such an occasion.
AlkyDennis
Nitro Member
Here's a good visual. YouTube - Dan Mercier - A-fuel Dragster Warm-up 2007
Make sure to click the high quality option and turn up your volume!
Cool video! looks like they start on Alky and then shut down on Alky to get all the dangerous Nitro out of the engine!
Question: are the Nostalgia Funny car warmups the same as far as starting / shutting off on alky or is it a little different with a blower on top??
stanzig44
Nitro Member
Here's a good visual. YouTube - Dan Mercier - A-fuel Dragster Warm-up 2007
Make sure to click the high quality option and turn up your volume!
That's my video. I was just gonna add it to this thread.
.
Nitro Member
No BS, I bet I've watched that video close to 50 times over the past year or so. I just love the sound quality!That's my video. I was just gonna add it to this thread.
