Table of Contents
How do top fuel dragsters get so much horsepower?
Top Fuel cars get their power from custom engines that are 500 cubic inches and boast superchargers, making them capable of around 8,000-horsepower. These engines can’t burn regular gasoline, or even race gas. They need nitromethane, a special kind of fuel, which is how these cars got the Top Fuel name.
How much horsepower and torque does a Top Fuel dragster have?
The peak horsepower for the 500-cid Top Fuel engine is almost 9,400 at 7,200 rpm. The observed peak torque is right at 7,000 foot-pounds at 7,075 rpm.
What is better for drag racing horsepower or torque?
You may accelerate the quickest in any 1 gear at the torque peak, but you will accelerate quicker in a lower gear at the HP peak. Racing is all about quickest acceleration to get to the highest speed. Gears let you keep the acceleration high by keeping the engine in its highest HP range.
How much torque does a dragster make?
Its 1,000-volt, 5,000-odd horsepower motor might fall short of the peak power figures of the Top Fuel cars, but it’ll generate more than 17,000 pound-feet (23,049 Nm) of torque from zero RPM, has more “power strokes” per revolution, and should use its muscle in a far more controllable way than the combustion cars.
Are Top Fuel dragsters faster than jets?
NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars travel the length of more than four football fields in less than five seconds! … NHRA Top Fuel dragsters can exceed 280 mph in just 660 feet! That from a standing start, NHRA Top Fuel dragsters accelerate faster than a jumbo jet, a fighter jet, and a Formula One race car!
What do Top Fuel dragsters run off of?
nitromethane
Since 2015, NHRA regulations limit the composition of the fuel to a maximum of 90\% nitromethane; the remainder is largely methanol. However, this mixture is not mandatory, and less nitromethane may be used if desired.
How high does a Top Fuel dragster Rev?
approximately 540 revolutions
A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence. With a redline that can be as high as 9500 rpm, Top Fuel engines turn approximately 540 revolutions from light to light.
What RPM does a Top Fuel dragster idle at?
2400-2500 rpm
T-minus 90 seconds – Burnout & Backup After 15 seconds idling at 2400-2500 rpm, the signal to roll though the water box is given. “The fuel lever goes back to full and after three tire rotations through the water, I release the clutch to do the burnout.
How much does weight matter in drag racing?
A general rule of thumb is for every 10 percent reduction in weight has a comparable 10 percent reduction in the force required to accelerate or decelerate an object. The same applies for an automobile. To break it down in quarter-mile drag racing, every 100 lb removed from a vehicle equals [approx.]
How loud is a Top Fuel dragster?
The engine of a Top Fuel dragster generates around 150 dB of sound at full throttle, enough to cause physical pain or even permanent damage.
What is the G force in a Top Fuel dragster?
* In order to exceed 300 MPH in 4 seconds, dragsters must accelerate an average of over 4 G’s. In order to reach 200 MPH well before half-track, the launch acce leration approaches 8 G’s. * Top Fuel engines turn approximately 480 revolutions from light to light!