In the last article on the subject of surface finish, we looked at some of the important reasons for providing a good level of surface finish. On surfaces involved in sliding contact we can help to ensure that the lubricant film maintained by the basic geometry of the components and their motion is thick enough to keep the high-points or asperities of the two surfaces apart by providing a smoother surface with less peaks, and also peaks which are of a lower height. We also noted that the...
Amid all the hype over the past few years of Global Warming or as it has been re-branded now, Climate Change, it won't surprise anyone that motorsport has come in for its own fair share of criticism. Viewed by some as a waste of resources, the sport is now fighting back and where once the word 'power' was king, 'efficiency' now replaces it. But from a motorsport perspective, 'efficiency' can mean many different things but in the final analysis and in today's...
In the last edition of Monitor we introduced the concept of 'Tractive Effort' curves plotted against road speed to analyse performance. Most 'racers' are familiar with using the traditional straight line plot of road speed against engine rpm as a method of choosing ratios. Whilst this gives an indication of maximum speed in each gear and helps to assess the drop in engine rpm associated with changing up into the next ratio, its use is otherwise limited. In particular it...
A strong and stable valvetrain is essential to power an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Top Fuel rail down the 1000-foot dragstrip. For that reason, teams are always looking to improve stability of the pushrod. For a long time, Kenny Bernstein Racing used only hollow pushrods - and purchased those exclusively from Manton Pushrods in Lake Elsinore, California. While the Top Fuel team continues to work with Terry Manton for its pushrods, the specification has changed. "We've...
Starting the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock season with a brand new Ford engine and car this year, veteran driver/tuner Larry Morgan faced many challenges. It's been a trial-and-error situation for the Ohio-based entrant, particularly in the area of valve springs. "I've been using PSI springs for over a year and I have to give those guys, particularly Larry and Steve, a lot of credit. They want to make the valve springs fit our engines and that is good; they...