Milwaukee Midget

[Milwaukee Midget]

Oddly enough, the recommendation based on Vizard's extensive dyno work and testing of these engines shows that a finely atomized A/F mixture produces less power in this engine.

As to the A/F ratio, my gauge - when it gave a reading - indicated between 9.2 and 21.4.

So that's why I checked plugs - and why I am looking for a new gauge.

[Stan Back]

I guess I'm in a newly-found cantankerous mood (Right!).

But if I had my choice of stopping a 120 MPH car in a mile or mile and a half with 2-wheel brakes (considering letting off the gas goes directly to 100 MPH) in an area that doesn't have anything substantial I could hit within a mile or two . . .

and being towed 400 miles with an 80-ft. rope behind a car that can stop twice as fast as I can thru dangerous cross-over areas and thru a lot of drivers who don't know where they're going . . .

my first investment would be in a tow-bar (and benefitting of the air conditioned environment enjoyed in the tow vehicle).  And then I'd disable the race car front brakes.  Now the total investment might be up to $30 (materials included).

Stan

[Tman]

Lose the front calipers, add a tiny drag chute if you are worried. That thing will stop fine on the rears. I was watching tow setups this year and see that I WILL have a towbar for ease of use. We do OK with the rope and the pickup but it is a pain in the but t at times

[Milwaukee Midget]

I guess I'm in a newly-found cantankerous mood (Right!).

Alright, alright . . . geez . . . that's all we need is for Stan to turn this build diary into a new wellspring of cantankerotism.  

Lose the front calipers, add a tiny drag chute if you are worried.

Now THAT would be the height of posing.

Trent - did you catch up with Gregg and Linda?

Seriously, I am grateful that so many of you want me to succeed - and I know that this is the motivation behind the comments.

It's a huge mental stumbling block for me to put together a car with weak brakes.  And yes, I know, there's nothing to hit out there.

Just let me sit and stew on it a while.

I'll put it on the table along with everything else I'm looking at.

And seriously - everybody - thank you.      

[Sumner]

....As to the A/F ratio, my gauge - when it gave a reading - indicated between 9.2 and 21.4.

So that's why I checked plugs - and why I am looking for a new gauge...

Congrats on what you have done with the car.  You should be very proud.

Whose air/fuel gauge are you using?  We put 2 of the....



http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/MTXL.php

...MTX-L Innovate gauges in the stude this year and so far I really like them.  Easy to read and easy to data log with other Innovate gear.  They have the wide band O2 controllers included with them so they are ready to use as a gauge or in a gauge/data logging situation.

I also agree, loose the front brakes and if the rears are disc pry the pads off before a run.  We should do the same.  We aren't looking for 3 mph at this point but you are and a little change might get it for you,

Sum

[Sumner]

One thing I forgot.  The cooler air at World Finals might also get you where you need to go.  If running SpeedWeek again I'd try and run first thing in the morning after record backups are done.  If you are in line the day before let cars past you so you are in line and ready to run first thing after backup runs,

Sum

[hotrod]

The one issue with pulling back the pads if you have to discipline yourself to not tap the breaks in line after the pads have been pushed back.

One other thing to consider if you are that close, is heaters on your engine and warm up procedure as well as Oil and gear box/diff so they are up to full operating temperature when you push off. Cold gear lube can cost a car as much as 40 hp on the dyno (high power Porsche with a cold transaxle).

At this point you are looking to reduce losses so look for all the small parasitic losses you can get rid of. Things like alternators radiator fans etc. can add up as well.

Do you have a windage tray in the engine or a deep oil pan to cut windage losses?

[Milwaukee Midget]

....As to the A/F ratio, my gauge - when it gave a reading - indicated between 9.2 and 21.4.

So that's why I checked plugs - and why I am looking for a new gauge...

Congrats on what you have done with the car.  You should be very proud.

Whose air/fuel gauge are you using?  We put 2 of the....



http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/MTXL.php

...MTX-L Innovate gauges in the stude this year and so far I really like them. 

I'm using the innovate LC-1 and haven't been able to get a reliable reading out of it since day one.  I'm looking for an analog alternative.

Regarding the cooler air, this car produced better speed in hot, thin air, which indicates to me that it is the aero that is more of a problem than lack of power.  Speeds consistently increased as temp and adjusted altitude went up. 

The pan is rather deep - especially with respect to the very short stroke - 2.45 - but I'll be pulling the pan, and a crank scraper and windage tray would be a good idea.  As to the transmission, I'm running 10w30 Mobil 1, it has a close ratio set of straight cut gears, and it only takes 3 cups - there's not a lot of oil to sling in there.  I'll be changing out the 50 weight in the diff once I decide on a lighter alternative with good sheer properties.  No alternator, no fan on the radiator, other than an electric, which I never used, but helps block off some wind going into the radiator.

Maybe that's the ticket - two, big obstructive fans with oversized blades . . .

[scrapiron aka Park Olson]

All this talk about brakes,,jeeezz, it should be easy to make a simple tool to slip in  behind the wheel and twist/turn against the pull tabs of the pads,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but then again,,, it's been 30 years since I've
 seen a Midget brake caliper,,,,

Something like battery cable spreaders

[Tman]

I guess I'm in a newly-found cantankerous mood (Right!).

Alright, alright . . . geez . . . that's all we need is for Stan to turn this build diary into a new wellspring of cantankerotism.  

Lose the front calipers, add a tiny drag chute if you are worried.

Now THAT would be the height of posing.

Trent - did you catch up with Gregg and Linda?

Seriously, I am grateful that so many of you want me to succeed - and I know that this is the motivation behind the comments.

It's a huge mental stumbling block for me to put together a car with weak brakes.  And yes, I know, there's nothing to hit out there.

Just let me sit and stew on it a while.

I'll put it on the table along with everything else I'm looking at.

And seriously - everybody - thank you.      

Gregg and Linda are out here, did the Badlands today, I will see them tonight or tomorrow night.

[Captthundarr]

Chris, I installed a MTX-L in camaro and have had no issues with it. I run it through the calibration before Amy makes runs at the strip. Just saying.

Frank

[gkabbt]

Gregg and Linda are out here, did the Badlands today, I will see them tonight or tomorrow night.

Chris, Yep, we are going down to see Trent tomorrow night.

Gregg

Currently in Rapid City, SD on our way to WoS!

[Sumner]

....I'm using the innovate LC-1 and haven't been able to get a reliable reading out of it since day one.  I'm looking for an analog alternative.

Regarding the cooler air, this car produced better speed in hot, thin air, which indicates to me that it is the aero that is more of a problem than lack of power.  Speeds consistently increased as temp and adjusted altitude went up.   . . .

Where is the O2 sensor for the LC-1 in relation to the end of the pipe and also the collector?  We didn't always have good readings with the LM-1 but it was not that far from the end of the pipe and it was also operating in high temps.  I had a heat sink on it that helped some.  They don't really like temps over 1000.  We bit the bullet and put the ....



http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16148&cat=250&page=2

...expensive heatsink standoffs on the new turbo motor and so far that has worked great.  They are only about 9 inches from the turbo.  We have a second fitting further down the exhaust we can move to if the heat gets to much but getting near the end of the pipe can cause problems also.  We bought all of the new Innovate parts from Jerry at DIYautotune.  He is also a landspeed racer.

I'm wondering if the air/fuel ratio you are ending up with in the afternoon makes more HP.  If you could get the same ratio in the denser morning air you might make even more HP.  The Difference between 4500 air and 7000 air is about the same as 1 lb. of boost.  I'd hate to give that up if possible.  We have almost always done better in the morning air.

Good luck,

Sum

[Milwaukee Midget]

....I'm using the innovate LC-1 and haven't been able to get a reliable reading out of it since day one.  I'm looking for an analog alternative.

Regarding the cooler air, this car produced better speed in hot, thin air, which indicates to me that it is the aero that is more of a problem than lack of power.  Speeds consistently increased as temp and adjusted altitude went up.   . . .

Where is the O2 sensor for the LC-1 in relation to the end of the pipe and also the collector?  We didn't always have good readings with the LM-1 but it was not that far from the end of the pipe and it was also operating in high temps.  I had a heat sink on it that helped some.  They don't really like temps over 1000.  We bit the bullet and put the ....



http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16148&cat=250&page=2

...expensive heatsink standoffs on the new turbo motor and so far that has worked great.  They are only about 9 inches from the turbo.  We have a second fitting further down the exhaust we can move to if the heat gets to much but getting near the end of the pipe can cause problems also.  We bought all of the new Innovate parts from Jerry at DIYautotune.  He is also a landspeed racer.

I'm wondering if the air/fuel ratio you are ending up with in the afternoon makes more HP.  If you could get the same ratio in the denser morning air you might make even more HP.  The Difference between 4500 air and 7000 air is about the same as 1 lb. of boost.  I'd hate to give that up if possible.  We have almost always done better in the morning air.

Good luck,

Sum

Thanks, Sumner.

By the way - it's good seeing you active on the boards again!  

The sensor is the standard issue Bosch unit that came with the gauge.  It's about 8 inches from the end of the tailpipe - I don't think heat was an issue, but the erratic reading was pretty useless.

I'm running leaded fuel, but I was doing the gauge reset before each run - to no avail.

The best speed was obtained after going to 165 jets and bumping up tire pressure.  We started with 180s, which is what we tuned with at 750 feet, and was adjusted after temp, humidity and barometric pressure, if I recall right, to 1,700.

It's possible I'm still too rich, or that the low air density actually put the engine into a better state of relative tune, but I can't judge from the gauge.

Either way, aero work will commence, and I'll figure out the gauge later.

And I'd prefer to run in cooler temps - it gets a tad warm in that little kipper can.  But as it sat this year, it appears as though the aero advantage of less dense air proves to provide better speed than the power of denser, colder air.



Logic dictates it shouldn't look like this, but this is the data I collected on my 9 competitive runs.

[hotrod]

That close to the end of the pipe can lead to reversion sucking fresh air into the pipe in between exhaust gas pulses and giving erratic readings.
One of the tricks used at emissions stations to get a border line car to pass emission tests is to pull the wide band probe out of the pipe a few inchs (the probe is about 18 inches long). Just those few inches closer to the end of the pipe can let enough fresh air to back flow and mix with the exhaust gases to give readings that are a bit leaner than the real values.

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