Engine building errors FAQ?

[panic]

Given the altitude and (probable) air temp, is there a general list of "most frequent errors" for engine design/construction? I know "more compression to compensate for reduced air density", but more?
 
 Thanks.

[fwillyj]

-Probably as much consideration needs to be given to the lack of humidity, and the heat generated from the long length of TIME at wide open throttle, and some serious attention to the ram air the engine gets, as anything else.

[John Beckett]

Take a look at the ring package. Five miles at full throttle can be tough.
 
 JB

[Sumner]

We found out an oiling system that is fine for the drag strip won't cut it on the salt.  Pumped all the oil into the top end and lost pressure.  Make sure you have really good oil return passages and if you are running a sbc you might want to reconsider the stock wetsump oiling system.  We are changing this year.
 
 c ya, Sum

[promachine]

Sumner is right, the number one thing to look out for is oil control. I f you dont have a dry sump or dont plan on getting one, what we have done in the past is add extra oil to the system.If you have a 7 qt. pan and you want to run to the 5 mi., add 2 to 3 extra qts. depending on engine rpm. I know it sounds like to mutch , but you will probly have 3 to 4 qts. in the top end by the 3 mi. mark if your running 7000 rpm or so.

[fwillyj]

-One other problem on wet sumps is the oil sloshing forward when the parachute hits and not having oil pressure during the coast down.

[Dakin Engineering]

Ahhh, this brings back memories. 2001 and my first time on the salt with my drag bike. Went crop duster about the 2 1/4 mark. No damage, but the safety folks had never seen so much smoke w/o a crash, they said. The lesson: What got by on the strip don't mean spit on the salt.
 
 Good luck,
 Sam

[John Beckett]

Hmmmm, ran a wet sump Chevy for about 14 years on the salt and never had an oiling problem. Have a dry sump system this year, I here it makes more HP.
 
 Tell you want didn?t work was filling the block half way with 'Hard Blok'. Couldn?t get enough cooling on just the top half of the cylinder to run five miles.
 
 JB

[ddahlgren]

If that is the case something else in the coolng system is screwed up. ran a Cosworth YB at 10500 rpm for 5 miles many times with a filled block and it ran just fine. 2 liter 450 hp on the bottle starting at 1 mile out.. 235 mph + more than once.. lakster chassis..
 Dave

[panic]

Excellent, thanks to all, very useful.
 More on diffs in design for LSR vs. sea level race? LSA?
 CR?
 Gear ratio progression?
 Flow bias intake/exhaust?

[John Beckett]

Dave
 
 We ran the same car, same cooling system, same everything except the one time we had a problem was when the engine had the block filled. All the other engines, with un-filled blocks, worked just fine.
 
 JB