Helpful advice for first timer?

[janjon]

I think sitting in the car, visualizing and executing every action from starting the car to stopping at the far end, that you are going to go through on every run is EXTREMELY valuable and helpful. I drove a hundred passes in my mind before I ever went down a track in any car, many of them sitting in the car and going through the motions. I still do that to this day. I usually won't make the motor noises unless no one is around though... It's still not the same as at the track when the motor is lit and the heat is on, but it HELPS.

[rooman]

I had not driven since 1971 (and then only an 11 second six cylinder FED) when I got my fuel ticket in 2010. As everyone else has said, make sure that you are comfortable in the car and practice until you can work the controls without thinking. I was lucky enough to get the very first burnout right, just enough smoke and did not zing the motor (no throttle stop). After the first launch it was easy, I then knew what it felt like and stepped it up run by run. I even pedalled it when it carried the front end and headed inside on the second hit. The third time was a half track shot (actually about 600ft) and it went 8.98. Another one of those and then a 1000 footer where it went 7.10 before nosing over rich. The first full pull it again nosed over on the top end but still ran 6.86.
  I guess that I had a bit of an advantage having built the car and also having been around fuel cars for a long time so when things happened I thought "OK, that's what that actually fells like". The nose over deal was a prime example. The car was pulling hard and suddenly I was up against the belts (Big show speak "My head hit the dash"). Time to lift.
  On the helmet fogging I do the same as Glenn. I leave mine open one click on the detent for the burnout and the first thing that I do when I stop from the burnout is to open it all the way. I usually close it right before I put the first light on so that my left hand is free to make sure the motor is on the high side before I bump into the second light. A twin eye port head sock helps and if you are running at night in cool weather putting the helmet under the heater outlet in the tow car also helps. Just place it so that the heater blows into the helmet (with the visor shut).

Roo

[GlennLever]

I had not driven since 1971 (and then only an 11 second six cylinder FED) when I got my fuel ticket in 2010. As everyone else has said, make sure that you are comfortable in the car and practice until you can work the controls without thinking. I was lucky enough to get the very first burnout right, just enough smoke and did not zing the motor (no throttle stop). After the first launch it was easy, I then knew what it felt like and stepped it up run by run. I even pedalled it when it carried the front end and headed inside on the second hit. The third time was a half track shot (actually about 600ft) and it went 8.98. Another one of those and then a 1000 footer where it went 7.10 before nosing over rich. The first full pull it again nosed over on the top end but still ran 6.86.
  I guess that I had a bit of an advantage having built the car and also having been around fuel cars for a long time so when things happened I thought "OK, that's what that actually fells like". The nose over deal was a prime example. The car was pulling hard and suddenly I was up against the belts (Big show speak "My head hit the dash"). Time to lift.
  On the helmet fogging I do the same as Glenn. I leave mine open one click on the detent for the burnout and the first thing that I do when I stop from the burnout is to open it all the way. I usually close it right before I put the first light on so that my left hand is free to make sure the motor is on the high side before I bump into the second light. A twin eye port head sock helps and if you are running at night in cool weather putting the helmet under the heater outlet in the tow car also helps. Just place it so that the heater blows into the helmet (with the visor shut).

Roo

I thought for sure I saw you in and FED at Indy about 5 years back?

I'll have to try the helmet under the heater output

[ricardo1967]

... 

I thought for sure I saw you in and FED at Indy about 5 years back?

...

Was Roo under a race helmet or his trademark Akubra hat??   

[tony1966]

I made it out yesterday, and I can't thank you enough for all the helpful hints.  Spend most of last night fooling around getting the valves set, going over the procedure with my helpers (two seem to be the minimum I can get away with) and going over in my mind what to do.  Finally near dusk i got around to making a pass. 

Burnout was good, but i seem to have an off idle stumble which helped a bit.  Once the motor caught itself the rpm's came up and the burnout, according to my brother, looked perfect.  The stumble caught me again on the line, but when the engine caught on, it was out like a rocket.  I tried to shift to 2nd right away, but somehow bumped the shifter too far and got neutral.  At this point i was out of the groove anyway, and I was NOT looking at the horizon any more, so i just idled the rest of the way.  All I can gather from the run was "Wow, this thing is fast!".  But I had a huge smile on my face the rest of the day, and not so nervous. 

I didn't feel too good about making a run at night yet and the track gets dewey (is that a word?) so i packed it in.  I'm going back tonite for hopefully a couple more runs after i fiddle with the injection.

I got a couple of thumbs up and the like from some of the folks there (that's at least some of the reason we do this, right?) and I had a great time.  And I can't wait to get back in the seat now.

Tony

[dreracecar]

Went into neutral---- do a leakdown

[rooman]

I thought for sure I saw you in and FED at Indy about 5 years back?

I'll have to try the helmet under the heater output
[/quote]

I drove your car after I got my fuel ticket Glenn. That is why a low 9 second run made me feel like it was parked 

Roo

[wideopen231]

It is funny how your perspective change with more speed. My firs car ran 6.30 1/8 first season.2nd year was running 5.90 with few new parts.Broke the 5.13 reargeart and swapped in a 4.86 dropped it back to 6.19.Man I thought I could get out  run faster on foot.

Now going from 5.70 1/4 TA/D car to a hopefully high six second car.MAybe the front engine vs rearengine will help keep the fun meter up there. Those sub 6 second runs get costly quick.

[JrFuel Hayden]

Yes, the heat-up your helmet is a good idea, it is what I did when racing at night in Wisconsin. The point is to have the helmet shield close to your body temp. Sometimes I just took the shield off the helmet and put it under my suit next to my body.
NOW about going into neutral during a run, you may need a better shifter that has a lock-out to prevent going into neutral OR reverse.
We had a trans linkage issue last year, when our driver shifted into high gear, it went into neutral, motor went to 12,000 rpm, broke the block, some pistons, some rods, one head and some lifters. A high RPM rev limiter will not catch a fast reving motor unloaded. That will be about $13k to replace. Fix your shifter so you don't ruin your fun before you really get started.     

Jon Hansen, Hayden Wheels and Hammer-Hansen-Hook-Ramay JrFuel

[wideopen231]

Jon maybe next time list what did not break would be better.

[tony1966]

I did find some anti fog spray and used that a couple of times, it seemed to work ok.  I'll try heating up the glasses, too.  Never thought of that.

On the shifter, I'll chalk that one up to bone head driver.  there's a stop to prevent from shifting past second, but somehow i managed to get by it.  Perhaps a little too excited?    If i do it one more time, the shifter is getting modified/replaced.  I've got a 7K chip on it and i never got into the rev limiter, the motor should hold together till at least 8500.  Once i get this stumble thing figured it'll be way easier to drive.

I was thinking of high gear only runs to make the learning curve a little easier.  I am not looking to set any records, have plenty of time to let the trans cool, as that'll work the  converter pretty good.

[Totally T]

Need to take a look at that stumble...

[Tim Jones]

nice to hear you got out for a pass, How'd the motor check out ,, Tim Jones

[tony1966]

nice to hear you got out for a pass, How'd the motor check out ,, Tim Jones

I haven't worked on car too much lately, helping my brother out over the weekend.  I am trying to get a handle on the mech fuel injection (see my post in Spud Miller's section), but learning so much from you guys.  To date, I have 4 passes on the car, and am getting more comfortable each run.  So far I've only managed 10.03 on a car probably run 7's, but I'll get there.  And there is nothing more fun than the burnouts!

My only regret is not getting one of these sooner!

tony