Great Interview with Chuck ! The performance of his roadster is evident in
his precision thinking, and attention to detail. Undoubtedly he has a few
dollars in the car, but the engineering behind his roadster is what really
makes it perform. It doesn't cost any more to locate the ballast in the car
as low as possible to improve high speed handling characteristics, or design
a rear suspension to allow tunabilty of the weight bias in the car. Also,
routine maintenance such as checking valve spring pressure and using only
quality parts help keep the motor together !
I'd love to hear more from Chuck and others like him on the land-speed forum
! Right on Ardunbill !
Darrell Ferguson
BLACK RADON ENGINEERING
# 939 BBFALT
http://my.cybersoup.com/blackradon
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ardunbill@webtv.net [SMTP:ardunbill@webtv.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 9:17 AM
> To: bigsid@webtv.net; bk185@lafn.org; LITNMAN@aol.com;
> land-speed@autox.team.net; wrhoddinott@webtv.net
> Subject: An Interview with Chuck Salmen, Part Two
>
> (Chuck continues) All the engine internals are the best and strongest
> available and I have no qualms about holding 7200/7500 rpm for long
> periods.
>
> I did have trouble with my new engine at Bonneville in August this year.
> The compression ratio is 15 to 1 and at first I was using the ERC 118
> 'fast-burn' gas, which resulted in detonation kicking out the head
> gaskets. Fortunately there was no other damage and since then I changed
> to ERC 118 'slow-burn' gas and ran another meet with no more trouble.
>
> B: What are the limitations of these engines?
>
> C: Valve springs are the only problem no-one has been able to solve.
> I've used all kinds. The seat pressure is 340 pounds and at full lift
> (.867") around 900, and the springs fatigue and lose pressure quickly
> sometimes. So I have to check and maybe replace some on the head at a
> Bonneville meet, to keep away from valve float. The roller cams and
> lifters hold up well, but now and then the high spring pressures will
> cause cam bearing failure, or maybe a bent pushrod.
>
> B: Tell me about your intake system.
>
> C: It's a home made plenum single-plane manifold with Enderle
> butterflies for a throttle, and Enderle fuel injection nozzles a couple
> inches from each intake port.
>
> B: Why do you prefer this to a Hilborn BB Chev with individual throttle
> bodies?
>
> C: It's easier to tune. I use a thermocouple in each exhaust header to
> monitor the gas temperature. We like them all at 1350/1400 degrees. If
> there is any variation we can adjust the nozzle size for more or less
> fuel. I have 25, 26 and 27 nozzles in this engine. One thousandth in
> the nozzle size makes a big difference in the exhaust gas temperature!
>
> Another thing about this intake is that it's low, and I don't have to
> have a bump or scoop on top of the hood.
>
> B: How do you cool this big engine?
>
> C: A 4000 watt immersion heater in the 15 gallon water tank gets it to
> 140 degrees before we fire the engine. A 38 gpm electric pump
> circulates it. At the end of a run down the Long Course the temp is
> 170/180 depending on the air temperature. I like to run the water cool
> as it reduces the expansion of the aluminum block and/or heads to limit
> the increase in valve tappet clearance which can be so much it reduces
> the cam duration appreciably.
>
> B: How much spark lead do these big motors like?
>
> C: The ignition retards 2 degrees at high revs and then it's only 25
> degrees total. With big cylinders and 15 to 1 that's all it wants.
>
> B: What is your driving technique on the car?
>
> C: Just short shifting, not too much throttle to avoid wheel spin, and
> we want to get into high gear at 5000, and ease the speed on up from
> there. Even at 5000 in high gear you can provoke wheel spin with too
> much throttle, and it can only take full power near top speed.
>
> B: What's your approach to cold-starting with your fuel injection?
>
> C: I have an auxiliary electric pump with a hose and check-valve to the
> distribution block, and a two-second squirt primes the engine. It will
> usually start on the starter then, but sometimes it floods, and we have
> to push-start it.
>
> B: Do you have a fuel pressure gauge on your distribution block?
>
> C: Yes, it shows about 10 psi at idle, and 56 at high rpm.
>
> B: What future plans have you for the car?
>
> C: We think it has a lot more speed in it, and we may go to fuel class,
> even run a little nitro, to see what we can do with it. A car like this
> is a constant learning experience. That's what keeps it interesting.
>
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