How Much Horsepower Does It Take To Run The Supercharger On A Top Fuel Dragster?
That’s because the nitro works to pull the heat out of the air despite the immense power required to drive the blower. Miller estimates it takes between 900 and 1,000 crankshaft horsepower to drive one of his superchargers. Just let that last fact settle in for a moment.
How much horsepower does it take to run a Top Fuel supercharger?
At maximum pressure, it takes approximately 1,000 horsepower (745.7 kW) to drive the supercharger.
How big is the supercharger on a Top Fuel dragster?
To suck in as much air as possible, Top Fuel dragsters run a huge positive displacement Roots type supercharger: at its highest, this supercharger alone absorbs around one thousand horsepower, but can reach pressures around 60 to 65 PSI (up to 4.5 bar, limited by the rules).
How much horsepower does a Top Fuel dragster need?
11,000 horsepower
A Top Fuel Dragster—distinguished by a supercharged, custom-built, 500-cubic-inch engine—boasts 11,000 horsepower and burns nitromethane. By contrast, a Top Alcohol Dragster’s output is about approximately 4,000 hp.
What superchargers use Top Fuel?
Bill Miller is President of Bill Miller Engineering, Ltd., the manufacturer of the Gibson/Miller Supercharger, owns the BME/Okuma/Red Line Oil Top Fuel Dragster and is the only independent in Top Fuel racing who regularly qualifies at NHRA National Events.
How much does a Top Fuel dragster engine cost?
about $500,000
While a pro mod drag car will run anywhere from $275,000 to $350,000, a Top Fuel dragster costs about $500,000. Top Fuel engines that displace 496 cubic inches are most common, and these cars can weigh about 1,000 kilograms. Top Fuel dragsters can produce over 6,000 horsepower.
How much fuel does a Top Fuel dragster use in a quarter-mile?
NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars consume between four and five gallons of fuel during a quarter-mile run, which is equivalent to between 16 and 20 gallons per mile!
Is anything faster than a Top Fuel dragster?
Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of 335 miles per hour (539 km/h) and finishing the 1,000 foot (305 m) runs in 3.64 seconds.
How much nitromethane does a Top Fuel dragster use in one pass?
Powered by a supercharged and fuel-injected 500-cubic-inch adaptation of the famed Chrysler Hemi engine, Top Fuel dragsters can burn up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel during a single run. ”
How many fuel pumps does a Top Fuel dragster have?
The fuel pump for a Top Fuel dragster delivers around 65 gallons of fuel per minute, equivalent to around 10 big Walbro fuel pumps running at once.
How much money does a Top Fuel dragster make?
The base salary for Top Fuel Drivers in companies like NHRA range from $41,116 to $55,609 with the average base salary of $48,060. The total cash compensation, which includes bonus, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $41,380 to $56,129 with the average total cash compensation of $48,378.
How much does it cost to run a Top Fuel dragster for a season?
Every single run consumes 14 gallons of fuel to run wide-open throttle for 1000 feet, costing about $600 (10% of the fuel is alcohol, which is less expensive). Factoring in costs for fuel, crew mechanics, parts, and transportation, every single run costs an NHRA team about $5000, champion racer Matt Hagan said.
How much HP does nitromethane add?
It has been learned that nitromethane can increase power output by as much as 13 percent on an indicated or gross basis when added to methyl alcohol and by 7 percent when added to a benzene-isooctane mixture in concentrations of 20% by volume.
Do superchargers need an oil feed?
Superchargers just require a dedicated oil. For normal use, we recommend changing the oil every 12,000 miles. Severe use will require more frequent changes. The standard bottle holds 7 ounces and – depending on the kit – the supercharger takes approximately 5 ounces.
What octane do Top Fuel dragsters use?
Do race cars use gasoline like normal cars do or do they use something else?
- NASCAR engines burn 110-octane leaded gasoline.
- Indy cars burn pure methanol (a.k.a. wood alcohol, CH3OH).
- Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars burn nitromethane (CH3NO2).
A higher ratio extracts more power during the expansion stroke, but it also creates higher cylinder pressures and temperatures, which tend to induce knock. In supercharged engines boost pressure behaves the same way. That’s why the highest-performance engines require higher-octane fuel.
How long does a Top Fuel dragster engine block last?
around 12 passes
Due to the forces involved, a dragster engine has to be completely replaced after around 12 passes. No engine lasts long in Top Fuel drag racing.
Do Top Fuel dragsters have transmissions?
Unlike a street or high-performance car that uses a manual or automatic transmission, a top-fuel dragster uses a centrifugal clutch and only operates in forward, high, and reverse.
What is the fastest a Top Fuel dragster has gone?
Brittany Force sets national record with fastest Top Fuel run in history: 338.48 mph. Brittany Force made the fastest run in Top Fuel history and reset the national speed record to 338.48 mph in her Flav-R-Pac dragster in the opening round of the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
What RPM does a Top Fuel dragster turn?
A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence. With a redline that can be as high as 9500 rpm, Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light. Including the burnout, the engine needs to survive only 900 revolutions under load.
What oil do Top Fuel dragsters use?
Red Line® 70WT Nitro Drag Race Oil is utilized by NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car champions. This race oil is designed for nitromethane, and dramatically improved fuel dilution. Provides ultimate protection against piston scuffing, valvetrain and bearing abuse.
Contents