Thread: Hey... I am new

Tweet

Hey Everyone... I am new, and I figured I would say hello. I am a 24 year old Engineer from Central Maine. My current occupation is in the nuclear engineering field, which is pretty cool. I have been drag racing since I was 15, and I am not talking jr. dragsters. I started off with an 11 second dodge, followed by a 10 second mustang, a 9 second mustang, an 8 second 48 Fiat, a 7 second Rear engine dragster, then last was a 7 second Top Sportsman mustang which I just sold... I now have a 55 Chevy Pickup with a 402" Blown Big Block. I also race Eastern Regional Snocross, and Maine Series Motocross. If any of you have diesel questions, I am a pretty good guy to go to for that. I used to have a small diesel performance business when I was in college, and currently do diesel truck pulls and diesel drag racing. Well, that about sums it up for me... Any Questions or just wanna say hello. send me a message!!!

Welcome to CHR comp

Got any pics. of the '55?

Welcome to CHR! Sounds like you got tons of experience. Wanna send some of those pictures of your drag cars over and that 55?
Hope ya stick around, this place is pretty cool and it's not all serious so you should probably like it. I know I do.

Hey Welcome To CHR. what's the fastest times you can get with a diesle drag car wighing around 2500pound's? and like FMX said this is a cool place and great site.

Welcome to the club. You must of run your cars at N.E.D.? When was the last time you were there, I may have seen you. I spent way too much time up there this past season. Post some pics of the cars and I'll see if I recognize them.

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply... Thanks for the welcome!!! I am gonna try to post a few pics for you guys, and for the question on fastest diesel drag cars. There is a guy with a 5.9 cummins in a dragster running in the 7's. There is also a pro stock truck with a cummins running mid 8's. There are a few other diesel drag vehicles in the works that should have some pretty good #'s as well. I just drag and pull my 1-ton ford. Runs high 13's in the quarter right now!

Oh... and for the question on running at NED. I used to run there about twice a year. I ran Winterport Dragway up in maine most of the time. I actually live about 30 minutes from epping right now, but with the other types of racing, I dont have that much time anymore. here is a pic of my last drag car.

Welcome to CHR, you have a lot of experience with FAST diesels! Why do people think diesels are slow? Because of the extra block weight?? Anyway I have taught a short section on diesel engines in Thermodynamics for years and I usually show a few pictures of marine diesels which are used to reduce fire/explosion hazzard on small boats as well as economy. Those marine engines have very high compression ratios like 23:1 while the Olds V8 that was produced by GM for a while was only about 13:1 or so. Is that because the Olds block could not take any more compression or what? Just for conversation, what is a typical diesel C.R. used in competition? Where I come from a Nuclear Engineer is the Creme de la Creme, the best in terms of Physics ability and personality stability and maybe you could hold forth on Hydrogen embrittlement for the folks here who want to use a lot of chrome since proton bombardment of even the best steel can lead to embrittlement in reactors as well as chromed suspension parts. Sorry to ask two questions, but they are easy for you and you will find a wide range of technical questions on the Forum anyway, along with a lot of chit-chat.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Welcome to CHR and that is one sweet '55

that is one NICE 55 chevy.

how much would it cost to build a diesel drag engine and you would probly need a different trans for it to wouldnt you?

any ways i am just wanting to know around how much it would cost for the engine trans setup to drag?

Thank's

Awesome truck - course I'm partial to trucks never having owned a car myself.

My daily driver is a Ford dually crew cab with the 6.0L turbodiesel. Most folk have no respect for diesels until they get dusted by one. Mine has a 125hp Quad box, 4" exhaust, and intake. With less than $1000 in mods you can have a truck which is a towing animal, gets 20mpg, then turns around runs 13.6s

Regards, Mark

Thanks for the great response. I usually find that people underestimate me because of only being 24 years old, but you guys are great! As for the diesel questions, typically the compression for a diesel racing motor is around 17:1. You will find that 90% of the diesel drag cars / trucks out there right now are stock block 5.9 cummins engines right out of a dodge diesel pickup. They have a great bottom end, and will handle lots and lots of boost. For the most part, they run stock crank, rods and pistons. They will o-ring the heads to allow for more boost, and clean up the ports to make them flow better. Overall there isnt much differnt about a diesel used for racing. All the power come from the fuel pump, injectors, and turbo's being used. It is pretty easy to make a 5.9 liter cummins dyno 700+ horsepower, and 1400+ torque to the rear wheels. That kind of # would be at around 100 psi of boost. Some of the pulling tractors out there now are well over 200 psi, and push up around 3000 horsepower. For the question on diesel compression vs. gas motor compression. A typical gasoline engine will not handle the extreme pressures exerted by such high ratios and boost pressures. This is where all the extra weight comes from in the diesels. You also cannot lean out a diesel like a gasoline engine due to the fact they have the fuel injected just before the top of the stroke, and there is no chance of pre ignition. I hope I did a good job explaining the diesel thing, it is actually 4am right now, and I am trying to stay awake on a mid shift, so it may be a little scattered. I have also attached a picture that shows a great example of the kind of forces a diesel goes through. For the nuclear questions, we will save the long explanations for another time..... Being at work it is too much physics and thermo for one night!!! But just for my own info, what does everyone here think about the nuke industry? Anyone hear about the new AP1000 design by Westinghouse? Oh, and one more question for Don..... Where did you teach thermo?

Welcome, Your accompolishments are quite impressive for any age . Im 60 and started this at 15 and Im sure I could learn a lot from You. I have been a member for 2 months and have really enjoyed this club.Hope you will too. It's now 5:12 am and Im going back to bed. Nite!

comp178z, I was in the middle of a long reply to you when the site went down, but here is the short version. I have taught P. Chem. including Thermo and Quantum Chemistry for 34 years at Virginia Commonwealth University, but because I like engines I developed some notes on diesel engines over the years. I am retired now but still teaching one course at Randolph Macon College and this year I again spent some class time on diesel engines. I had no idea the boost was so high on diesel dragsters, I have usually given students spec sheets on marine diesels which are normally aspirated, but with 23:1 C.R. Sometime can you tell us your version of Hydrogen embrittelment as comparing protons in reactors to H in chrome plating? By the way what are the control rods in the new reactor designs, Cd?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

We use a Ag-In-Cd alloy for the control rods. The fuel rods use a Zircalloy cladding.