Top Fuel Dragster Facts

After attending a recent NHRA event where Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars performed incredible feats of speed, I though I'd share with you guys some very interesting facts about these amazing machines.
To witness the power generated by these things is nothing short of awe inspiring.

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The supercharger can be a 14-71 type Roots blower although Screw blowers are also sometimes used. It has twisted lobes and is driven by a toothed belt. The supercharger is slightly offset to the rear to provide an even distribution of air. Absolute manifold pressure is usually 3.8-4.5 bar (56-66 PSI), but up to 5.0 bar (74 PSI) is possible. The manifold is fitted with a 200 psi burst plate. Air is fed to the compressor from throttle butterflies with a maximum area of 65 sq. in. At maximum pressure, it takes approximately 350 horsepower (260 kW) to drive the supercharger

At maximum throttle and RPM, the exhaust gases escaping from a dragster's open headers produce about 800–1000 pounds (3.6 kilonewtons) of downforce. The massive foil over and behind the rear wheels produces much more, peaking at around 12,000 lbf (53 kN) when the car reaches a speed of about 324 mph (521 km/h).

The engine of a Top Fuel dragster generates around 150 dB[1] of sound at full throttle, enough to cause physical pain or even permanent damage.

The oil system has a wet sump which contains 16 quarts of SAE 70 mineral or synthetic racing oil.

Oil pressure is somewhere around 160–170 PSI during the run, 200 PSI at start up.

There is an engine driven mechanical fuel pump and about 42 fuel nozzles. The pump can flow 100 gallons per minute at 8000 rpm and 500 PSI fuel pressure. In general 10 injectors are placed in the injector hat above the supercharger, 16 in the intake manifold and two per cylinder in the cylinder head.

One dragster's 500-inch Hemi makes more horsepower then the first 4 rows at Daytona.

Under full throttle, a dragster engine consumes 1 1/2 gallons of nitro per second, the same rate of fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747 but with 4 times the energy volume.

Even with nearly 3000 CFM of air being rammed in by the supercharger on overdrive, the fuel mixture is compressed into nearly-solid form before ignition. Cylinders run on the verge of hydraulic lock.

Dual magnetos apply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.

Nitromethane burns yellow. The spectacular white flame seen above the stacks at night is raw burning hydrogen, dissociated from atmospheric water vapor by the searing exhaust gases.

Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After 1/2 way, the engine is dieseling from compression-plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by cutting off its fuel flow.

To exceed 300mph in 4.5 seconds dragsters must accelerate at an average of over 4G's. But in reaching 200 mph well before 1/2 track, launch acceleration is closer to 8G's.

If all the equipment is paid off, the crew worked for free, and for once NOTHING BLOWS UP, each run costs $1000.00 per second.

Dragsters reach over 300 miles per hour before you have read this sentence.

Putting this all into perspective:

Lets say the you are driving the average $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered Corvette Z06.

Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged & ready to launch down a quarter-mile strip as you pass by it. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard up through the gears and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH. Just as you pass the Top Fuel Dragster the 'tree' goes green for both of you.

The dragster launches & starts after you. You keep your foot down hard, but you hear an incredibly brutal whine that sears your eardrums & within 3 seconds the dragster catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it - from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 MPH & not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the road when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race!

I did not witness this video below (which is the current record holder), but the races I witnessed were no different. Average of around 300-310mph. The track was too hot today for them to get great traction. (It was 111 degrees F on a cloudless sunny HOT day)

Nice post!, Didnt knew 74 PSI was possible =o!