TireSmoke.org

So I opted to try and make a hardened spool valve. My hillbilly hardness tester indicates that a "factory" spool is between 60-65 Rockwell "C" (about the hardness of a dowel pin - aka HARD). While I doubt that I really need to do this - I thought it would be a good challenge so OFF we go! I ordered some O1 (aka "drill rod") because that's supposed to be one of the easiest materials to harden at home. I made the part with the OD having a few extra thousandths that I will grind off later. I then took an old coffee can, put some metal chips in the bottom and filled it with used motor oil that I heated until it just started to smoke. I then heated the main part of the spool until it was just turning a bright red and verified it was NOT magnetic (signaling it is hot enough) - I then dropped her in the oil!!!!! Let it cool - retrieved it and ran a file across it - skated like it was glass - mission accomplished. I purposefully did NOT heat the small shaft up as I felt it was less risk to warp it. Next I cleaned the oxide of the shaft (it came right off with a scotchbrite) and put it in the lathe collet. Using my just rigged up toolpost grinder I took it down to a half thousandth oversize and then polished the last couple tenths off. Came out great - I'm ecstatic.

"I thought it would be a good challenge so OFF we go!"

I love that! And you were able to get it right on the first shot too. Nice.

-BP

BasementPaul, To be honest I was a bit hesitant because I had a fair amount of time making it and knew I could scrap in short order with the heat treating, but I then remembered what Stan used to say, "I'm gonna go do something even if it's wrong!" Gotta break a few eggs if you wanna make a cake! So now that it's done - I, of course, thought of a WAY easier way to machine it. And you KNOW I will have to make more just to see if my "NEW" way really is easier or not. Good times.

Jacin

Worked on the linkage...the bracket is Stainless, the bell crank is aluminum fully polished now). The bellcrank rides on bronze bearings for the utmost reaction times! Ha ha ha

Really slick!

A work of art, Jason.

Thanks Guys! It really has been a labor of love. As a bonus I think I've learned a few things in the process. Here's the latest component- a torsion spring. Hilborn sells these so nothing earth shattering about them, but if you notice the one has a crack in it. Now was that because I got a little caveman while using it on my stack injector or was it a design defect? I think maybe a little of both. Combine that fact and that I wanted to use it slightly differently than Hilborn sets theirs up. Result is raiding my dwindling scrap pile and make a slightly improved version. Mines on the left and features a wider hub (more wall less likely to crack). I also use a spring with a longer leg to allow me to position it much further down on my shaft where it will be optimal for my setup.

So last weekend (actually Thur, Fri. I was able to go out to Dragway 42 and make 2 passes on the NEW combo - blower and homemade injector.

FIRST PASS: I left in Second gear -left real easy and a little ways out all felt good so I gave it some throttle. Instant shift light, power out the wazoo, got out of the groove, got a little sideways (ok I got a LOT sideways) straightened it out, coasted to a 11 something pass. My SLOWEST and MOST SCARY pass ever.

Back to the pits, looked everything over, checked the valves, all looked well.

SECOND PASS: The next day we got another chance and this time I lined up against the OTIES car. I left really easy in FIRST, short shifted, eased into the throttle, instant shift light, went straight, lifted at 1,000 ft, got some fuel spray in my face (loose fitting), pulled the chute - everything went good. I was thrilled.

Next day was Saturday - they were very busy running a couple programs - so I packed up. I was there with the AA/Gassers as a cling on while they ran their program so I wasn't sure if I'd get any runs, but I did so that was great!!!!

Thrilled.


Jacin

Success! It went there and came home in one piece. Now you have to learn how to drive and tune it again. Any ideas, besides more seat time, that will help you get to make a full power pass? I saw the video on FB, and it looks and sounds awesome!

-BP

BP, To say I am thrilled thus far is a huge understatement. Like you said - there & back in one piece -major win. Going out and not having the motor blubber, fart or burp another huge win.

I knew I would be starting from ground zero as far as learning. So far I have relied on what I knew from the injected motor - most of that has been wrong! For example, with the injected motor - if you wanted to wheelie - UP the tire pressure. So THAT'S why on my first pass I had the pressure pretty low - not sue why I was worried about a wheelie since I had planned to leave n 2nd and ease into the launch, but i THINK that may have contributed to going sideways later in the run. So second pass I decided to leave in first because THAT'S how I would normally do it - so starting with as many variables closer to the end game makes sense. So while I did leave EASY in first - at least it was first. I won't leave hard in first until I add some weight to the nose -which at the moment I do not have any tabs welded in yet. I have to think that thru to work with my air bag I use during towing. So that second run I had upped the tire pressure for a couple reasons. First to add some stability on down the track and second to narrow the contact patch to help not grab so much had I gotten more aggressive than I planned.

Yeah the biggest thing is to just learn EVERYTHING again!!!!

The NEXT biggest thing is that the old motor was pretty much ALL about the launch - once you left good - you were just hanging on. THIS motor DEMANDS respect every inch of the track - and I have it turned WAY down. It's just such a big difference from the injectors. Lots to learn and I have no reason to push it. I will go slow and see how it goes. Shit I almost wadded it up on the first pass because what I thought was EASY wasn't - I just didn't know, Now I do. This being my first blower motor there is just so much to learn. ALL things now happen faster. getting squirrley now happens faster too!!!

I remember talking with Don Enriquez from hilborn about the fuel system - he was saying with me running the blower so slow - I might as well not have it. Well Bullshit!!!!!!! It has made a huge difference. I'm glad I didn't listen to some of these guys. They're just so USED to going mega fast - my little tinker toy is almost a joke to them (not that they'd ever act like it), but power wise - I'm in a Big Wheel compared to what they are normally dealing with. I get it. I also get that I am WAY out of my comfort zone and that's OK - just proceeding SLOWLY...

All-new is what keeps it exciting. And now you're searching for tracks that prep the WHOLE way down. No wheelie bar in the future? I know when a lot of these types of cars launch with a bar on the back, they run the tires real soft (maybe not the same tire you're running) and they're basically touching the bar for the first 30-40 feet.

-BP

BP, there's lots of schools of thought. The softer (lower pressure) may help get it off the line as it's technically a shorter tire until the wheelspeed and centrifugal force grows it. I imagine the softer tire has a larger contact patch as well. As for me I REALLY do not want a wheelie bar on the car. I'll add the lead first. Well thats the plan for now anyways. Hopefully I can play with the tire pressure and control it that way. I also run the Nostalgia Slicks - they have a stiffer sidewall than your typical modern slick. Hopefully that will help me. It's all just supposition until I get more runs on it. I've got LOTS to learn!!!!!! Both in my head and in getting my brain to control my foot properly!!!!!!

Let's try this: https://youtu.be/U3RmKBUCmwg

Injector working good, landing was a little rough, tweaked a couple tubes, I will repair!!

That's such a bad-ass picture! I doubt you finished that pass after the hard landing though? Hopefully a little weight will cure your wheelie woes. Too much power is cool!

-BP