I talked to Lucas tonight about the damage to the motor, and I brought it to his attention as I did at the Vegas BOTI event. After reviewing his logs in vegas they were staging the car at over 215 degrees coolant temps. By the return road they were pegging out at 225degrees at times, in 100+degree weather outside this sure isn't helping matters. Now not saying this is why the problem is happing, but it sure can contribute to it for sure. So I shared a few tips with Lucas about getting the coolant temps down a bit. Since this is pretty much a full drag car I told him to yank the T-stat out of the car and replace it with a restrictor plate. But I think 80% of the problems lies within the cooling factor.

Dave, I know it's hard for you to believe anything Paul and Lucas have to say, but I have seen the car in person, I have known Lucas for some time now and known Paul from this past season. The motor was set up at .005 wall clearance. I think a combination of maybe some pre ignition and coolant temps were the cause of this black scuffing going on, the car would be shut off in the pits at over 220 degrees and just sit there and bake away and a couple of occasions where the car was hot lapped at that temp, not good .
Anytime I have shut the motor down that hot in 100+ degree weather on a forged piston it makes me cringe, I try to throw some fans on the motor to help cool it down quicker as most don't know the motor temps will still climb after shut down.

Paul and Lucas, your problems are starting to go away as the more you guys learn about what the car likes and dislikes, keep up the hard work and it will pay off in the end I am sure of it!

It goes back to the old saying, heat and friction kills motors within time. A motor at that power level does not like to be ran at that kind of temps for that period of time.
I have kept my car consistent all season long by staging the car at 155-160 degree coolant temps, I have a restrictor plate in place of the t-stat, I cross the traps at 170 degrees and on the return road it will hit 185-190 and hold steady. My pistons came out looking great this season minus the nice crack in the block, (my fault and I know what caused it) but that was well over 50 hard passes at over 40+lbs and 100shot on a damn near full weight street car running 9.1's @159mph.

Last season I had some issues with cooling and I was having a hell of a time with damage, since I have been getting the cooling problem fixed the problems I was having were going away.

 

Well said Jake I love when we can all put our experiences together and help each other figure things out Thats what these forums are about

 

Thanks guys for the info.

Dave I know there is not a 100psi in the system. Its like a hose when you put your finger at the out let the pressure is high.

Either way after talking with Jake I feel its our cooling problems and the tune being off for a few passes.

 

I think with our new fan solution and CBRD Radiator we should see no problem with cooling

 

the most comon cause of black death we had found on our race motors was the preasure of the piston during the combustion process on a piston with the wrist pin located low on the piston like the ones found in the evo setup compared to the 1g and 2g with the lower C/H have a tendancy to have a better chance of black death. If you look at the geomitry of the piston in an evo the wrist pin is far below the center of the piston center line causeing to be able to have more preasure against the cylinder wall on the top half of the piston while the lower half has no preasure what so ever. Look at the pistons and you will notice that the scuffing started up near the ring line and the bottom of the skirt is clean. we have used longer rods and pistons with a lower C/H and it makes the load of the piston on the wall more evenly spread across the whole piston side wall also allowing for the engine to make more power because of less friction preasure. Look into other aspects of racing engines and their geometry of rod to stroke ratios and how it effects, Nascar is a good place for info

 

Good info here... GL Paul!!!

 

I was wondering about the piston choice and heat. I read you guys were going with a JE setup but does the higher silicone content JE uses not a huge issue?

 

Thanks for the updates on the beast Paul and lookin forward to seein that Tial housing on there.

 

Paul & Lucas English,

I love your openess and honesty. This is how we all learn without repeating the mistakes of those who have gone before use. It is much appreicated. I set up my car with a little over .0050 piston to wall and I was thinking that was "loose". It does have a bit of blow by and oil consumption, but I guess that is par for the course. You will love the CP pistons and especially the rings. They are made out of tool steel I believe and seat faster than anything I have seen before. The shop car is getting your old turbo. Can't wait to see it in the 8's next year.

 

Lead + alcohol = ? But I have read that alcohol mixed with TEL significantly lowers antiknock activity. Just in case

 

blow by and oil consumption are certainly not "par for the course" atleast not any course I'm on............

 

My experience with my Buschur race engine has shown that the oil consumption and blow by are close to that of a stock engine - dont know how you do it but you do it right!

 

Ive been looking at these Total Seal Rings ive heard good things about.

http://www.totalseal.com/

 

Can you give us any help on some of your solutions to what you have found to work well? Instead of my motors are the greatest and we never have problems.

We would be very greatfull for any of your vast knowledge on this David

 

i guess ricky from top level is running your old turbo, i noticed he sold his old turbo to!or is that for another car!whatever the case is good luck to you.....