by admin | Jan 22, 2014 | Clutches, Tech How-To |
By Freddie Heaney, Photos by Moore Good Ink: Racers frequently face the inconvenient fact that some clutch-flywheel assemblies are so light they fail prematurely, often during the taxing process of getting the car into the trailer. Curiously, most professional clutch makers agree that you quickly reach a point where the ultra light clutch unit has no advantage at all and instead its arch attribute, lightness, undermines the process bringing decreased durability. A stroke of marketing brilliance some might say! Racer purchases ultra light clutch, racer quickly destroys ultra light clutch, racer purchases successive ultra light clutch. You may think racers would resent these dubious practices, but there is no evidence to suggest they do. In all likelihood if you added a little strength to the unit you would probably gain 50 percent greater clutch longevity without any perceptible loss in power. In either case, to reduce these often unnecessary costs here are a few tips intended to prolong the life of the racing clutch. Persistent clutch killer Probably the most persistent clutch killer strikes when the racer is on his own. Without crew members or a winch to assist, he is often obliged to load the car by himself. So he slips his thin, thin lightweight clutch a couple of times and as it colors dark blue its end is nigh. To minimize clutch damage during loading and unloading without crew members it pays to use a winch. Of course, the amount of wear on all racing clutches is largely determined by how much the slippage is provoked during takeoff. Excessive slippage will cause premature warping, especially in lighter...
by admin | Jan 17, 2014 | Press Releases |
By Bertie Scott Brown For 2014 AFIS is introducing a new range of fast-reaction fuel injectors and ignition wire sets that helped Dan Fletcher win 6 NHRA national events in 2013. You’ll notice that today’s ignition wires are distinguished by several fine attributes not least their low-resistance, but in the early 1990s the Ohm resistance could be as high as 800 per foot. Then one day Tom Jenkins found 150 Ohm-per-foot wire and constructed a set for NHRA Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson, who won his next three races. Later when Johnson returned to his race shop in north Georgia he told Jenkins that his engine power had increased by 5 or 6hp—more energy was being transmitted through the plug wires. Today, AFIS presents their latest ignition wire rated at 50 Ohms per foot. -Strong, high-energy ignition wire sets with low resistance -Both fiber and spiral cores transmit current without interference -Every wire set checked for output and endurance Hebron, Indiana: Developed for high performance street cars and racing cars, AFIS has introduced a comprehensive new range of spiral-core ignition wire sets that contribute very low resistance, 50 Ohms per foot. Their low resistance means that more electrical current is transmitted from the distributor or coil to fire the spark plugs while still maintaining RFI/EMI suppression: they inhibit electromagnetic interference. Electrical current is transmitted through the cable’s Aramid™ fiber and also its spiral core—its inductive wire windings. At its center the strong, heat-resistant synthetic core fiber is impregnated with carbon. The spiral core, which is wound around the fiber, prevents the magnetic field, the electrical noise, from being transmitted...
by admin | Jan 17, 2014 | Press Releases |
By Ben Mozart There are many ways to move forward but only one to stand still: -Franklin D. Roosevelt It’s PRI 2013 and Richard Maskin exudes a glow of satisfaction. He began thinking about the potential of the LS engine around 6 years ago and initially itched to correct rampant leaks throughout its oiling system and to optimize the length of its cylinder barrels. There was much work to be done: “When the piston protrudes at the bottom of its stroke, ring seal is usually compromised.” In discussion about Dart’s latest innovation, the aluminum LS Next high-performance engine block, Maskin is engaging, always seeking efficiencies, always aiming for a higher standard—the ultimate triumph of the rational mind. Here are some of the facts surrounding Dart’s new aluminum LS Next variant. -Lightweight aluminum Next block saves 108lbs -Windage concerns at high revs eliminated –Proven priority-mains oiling system: greatest safeguard of the performance engine -Extended cylinder bores resolve ring-sealing anxieties and accommodate longer strokes Troy MI: One year after revealing their remarkable cast iron LS Next engine block, Dart Machinery reduces its mass and announces an aluminum counterpart. Created from the finest casting materials and weighing 107lbs, the LS Next was the first aftermarket block to comprehensively address high-performance troubles in the original equipment LS power unit. Laden with innovations, the list of performance upgrades incorporated in the Next block is long. It was the first to correct rampant internal oil leaks. It was also the first to introduce a stepped bore to maintain oil pressure in the main galley. The first to remove the crankcase skirts, which not...
by admin | Jan 16, 2014 | Press Releases |
By Fergus Ogilvy Understanding factory clutch hydraulics in late model vehicles. Whenever working with hydraulic release systems, taking the extra few minutes to verify slave cylinder measurements is more than worth it. Factory hydraulics depend on a proper amount of preload for the clutch to disengage properly, yet not so much as to not allow room for the clutch to wear over time. Aftermarket systems require a correct amount of bearing gap or clearance to function properly and allow for wear over time. RAM has an excellent technical document on checking factory bearing preload. Click here to read. Or view this excellent video by clicking here. For further information contact: RAM Automotive Company 201 Business Park Blvd. Columbia, SC 29203 Telephone (803) 788-6034...
by admin | Jan 5, 2014 | News, Press Releases |
Written by Moore Good Ink What would a Rat Rod look like if it were propelled by an 820cu in Pro Stock engine? Robert Killian hails from Canton, Georgia. He’s been building hot rods for most his adult life, and he has always indulged himself in the unorthodox. But when contemplating Uncle Jed he told his chassis builder, “Let’s have one last adventure into the unknown. I’m reaching a point in my life (58) when I don’t anticipate foolin’ with 200mph cars much longer.” So this was how he approached his latest creation: a 1,900hp big-inch Pro Stock-powered road-legal Rat Rod. “Mind you,” said Killian, “I’m hesitant about calling Uncle Jed a Rat Rod because some Rat Rodders take offense. They’re adamant that it’s not low-buck enough, but obviously there’s not enough gleaming paint on it to call it a hotrod.” So its genre is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that Uncle Jed was constructed using a 1928 Ford Model A 2-door sedan body mounted on a twin-rail chrome molybdenum drag race chassis with a front-mounted 14-gallon fuel tank between its rails and wheelie bars at the back. Certified by the NHRA to run in Top Sportsman, the car has sufficient wherewithal and stability to run a quarter mile in 6.50 seconds at speeds in excess of 200mph. The chief reason for selecting a 1928 or ’29 cab is that each side of its narrow cowl steps out an inch or more to meet the door pillars. In so doing the cowl accentuates the impressive proportions of a Kaase 820cu in Mountain Motor. Mickey Thompson 33in tall x 10.5...
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