Table of Contents
- 1 Do Top Fuel dragsters have superchargers?
- 2 What kind of supercharger do Top Fuel dragsters use?
- 3 Why do dragsters use superchargers instead of turbos?
- 4 Why do American cars use superchargers?
- 5 Can superchargers be turned on and off?
- 6 Can a supercharger fail?
- 7 What happens if you over fill supercharger oil?
Do Top Fuel dragsters have superchargers?
It’s a supercharger that sits up on top of the engine. So, the more are that can be put in an engine means the more fuel you’re able to burn in an internal combustion engine. The more fuel you burn, the more power you make.
What kind of supercharger do Top Fuel dragsters use?
| Typical Top Fuel Engine | |
|---|---|
| Displacement: | 496ci |
| Valve lift: | 0.800 |
| Supercharger: | Roots style, 14:71 |
| Boost pressure: | 65 psi maximum |
What cools the engine on a Top Fuel dragster?
As Bennet said, top fuel drag cars are essentially fuel-cooled. They use Methanol and nitromethane rather than gasoline. Methanol has a very high latent heat of vapourisation, meaning that it cools the inlet air a LOT as it evaporates.
How much boost does a Top Fuel dragster supercharger make?
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).
Why do dragsters use superchargers instead of turbos?
Because supercharging is much, much more effective. Supercharging makes boost as soon as you spin the crank. It’s like an instant 2x displacement (or therabouts). Turbocharging requires exhaust at volume and velocity.
Why do American cars use superchargers?
american cars are generally more torquey than european cars because of the higher displacement engines so superchargers are easier to accommodate and there isn’t any lag whatsoever! American companies have used turbos before.
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.
Is a supercharger better for drag racing?
Lance Keck, engineering manager at Vortech Superchargers, added, “We feel that centrifugal supercharging is effective in drag racing and building horsepower due to its linear boost and power curve. Coupled with its significantly higher efficiency, it is clearly a superior option over all others.
Can superchargers be turned on and off?
Third from the right in the above photo of easy-to-find-in-junkyards superchargers, the Previa supercharger can be turned on and off in true Mad Max fashion, and that requires the correct switch. This switch is used for two-speed truck axles.
Can a supercharger fail?
A supercharger, if properly cared for with regular oil changes, will give many years of trouble free service. Just like an engine, it can be made to fail by overheating, over revving, engine detonation, and poor care, which all contribute to many supercharger problems.
What happens to air pressure during a supercharger boost?
Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psi, so a typical boost from a supercharger places about 50 percent more air into the engine. As the air is compressed, it gets hotter. Hotter air is less dense and can’t expand as much during the explosion as cooler air.
How much more horsepower does a Supercharger add to a car?
Supercharging adds an average of 46 percent more horsepower and 31 percent more torque. In high-altitude situations, where engine performance deteriorates because the air has low density and pressure, a supercharger delivers higher-pressure air to the engine so it can operate optimally.
What happens if you over fill supercharger oil?
Overfilling of oil level: Overfilling a supercharger dramatically increases the oil temperature. The excessively high oil temperature (400°+) can also melt and dissolve the drive coupler which “cushions” the drive from the supercharger and harden the seals. Anyone who is melting down the coupler, needs to investigate the cause.