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The move to Top Dragster is almost complete!

4/8/04

he upgrades we had to make to "Project 4-Link" are just about complete. The engine is done and has returned from the dyno. The Jim Pulliam chassis has received the helmet bars as needed to re-certify, the transmission has been rebuilt and received some stronger parts, and the tire and wheel package has been changed to handle the additional power. The throttle stop has been removed for the first time in three seasons and to not worry about hitting the 8.90 index every run will be a nice change. Back to running it flat-out and dial it to run that way.

The entire process has been pretty smooth and I have a lot of people to thank for their help and efforts to put our "Project 4-Link" into Top Dragster. I couldn't have done it without their assistance, advice and terrific components. This month I am going to cover the decisions surrounding the engine and the assembly of the engine by Jay Roeder at Roeder Performance Machine. I am also going to cover the details to watch for and to check during assembly and finally the actual dyno test of the 572" Mopar at Stealy Machine in East Moline, IL. Time for all the time and efforts to either show their stuff or...

We arrived at Jeff Stealy's shop in East Moline, Ill. for the dyno session. We found the shop very organized and full of the best equipment available. Seeing a couple of dozen race engines "in the works" is always reassuring to me that the shop is "race ready".

We hauled the engine over to Jeff Stealy's dyno on a Friday morning and it was hooked up and ready to go in about an hour. It is always interesting hooking up my belt drive to someone else's dyno. Aeroquip would be proud of the trick work we did with some hoses, adapters, reducers and wire ties. We started the test session with the single alcohol King Demon we ran the last two seasons in Super Comp. This will let us see the gains in just the engine package. It was on there for a warm-up and two pulls. Last year that intake and carb made a peak rating of 817 HP and 710 ft./lbs. of torque. The best pull with the 32 additional cubic inches, about 1/2 a point higher compression and a different camshaft netted a best pull of 835 HP and torque increased to best of 754 ft./lbs @ 5500 rpm. A pretty substantial gain for having the exact same cylinder heads on it with no changes but new Ferrea valves.

Finding Top Dead Center is the first step in any camshaft installation as you have to start at the right point to get it degreed in correctly. Jay uses this "positive stop" method to be sure he is at TDC.

Then we took about an hour off to remove the alcohol King Demon and install the new Indy tunnel ram and the matching King Demon TR 1090s. After some interesting "design work" to get the tunnel ram linkage setup, we made a pull with timing set as it was with the alcohol (28 degrees). The results were outstanding and surprising to everyone peeking through the dyno room window. The first pull was 899.9 HP and just over 790 ft./lbs. of torque! I never dreamed it might actually go over 900 HP. We made a back-up run to make sure it was the same and it was. Then we made a couple of small timing changes.

Jay used the larger Comp Cams degree wheel. It is easier to read and the larger diameter makes it easier to get "exactly to the degree" you are looking for. Comp Cams was instrumental in working with us to custom grind our roller camshaft. This is a typical service they offer any racer and if you are serious about the power you make just call them and one of their customer service tech people will help you out. There is no "special fee" for this personal service it is just the way they do business.

The Roeder Performance Machine 572 Mopar then made back-to-back pulls with a peak horsepower of 958 HP at 7200 rpm and peak torque of 806 ft./lbs. at 5600 rpm. We ended up at 35 degrees of timing with VP-16 racing fuel. We will probably turn the timing back to about 32 degrees for 1/4 mile racing and leave it at 35 when we run tracks with great starting lines like Eddyville and CFR. If you haven't been to a dyno session with a big inch engine sitting on the dyno and feel and hear it hit 7600 under full load, you are missing something. When I heard and watched it and had paid for the engine I thought I was missing something ... my mind! What was I thinking standing there watching these guys run my engine flat-out and no "pipe rack" wrapped around it? It was GREAT, SCARY and EXHILARATING all at the same time. The engine ran perfect.

Roeder Performance Machine installed a set of light pressure "checking springs" and used the rocker arms, pushrods, retainers and keepers we would be racing with when he put the heads on to check piston-to-valve clearance. It is "absolutely critical" to always check piston-to-valve clearance. Just because you think it should be OK it isn't. Many engines have been destroyed because piston-to-valve clearance was too tight and they ended up with the valve hitting the pistons and valves breaking off and destroying pistons, cylinder walls and more. Take the time to check it.

After a mad thrash to get the motor home out of storage and the trailer cleaned out and "sort of organized", it was time to finish the car. Several companies helped make it happen and I want to mention them just in case you are looking for a part they offer. I hope you will support the companies that have supported "Project 4-Link" the last few years. Barry Grant / Demon Carburetors provided a deadly matched set of tunnel ram King Demon RS. RCI had just what we needed to update our safety harness, engine diaper that is now required in Top Dragster and a set of fire pants and jacket for Andy. Indy Cylinder Head produces a tunnel ram intake that was flat-out amazing in the power gains it provided. Flat-Out Gaskets made a custom set of rubber-coated copper head gaskets for our 4.500" bore Mopar. Comp Cams worked with us in designing a roller cam that would match the heads, intake and our plans. Chris did a great job and his service at Comp Cams was extremely thorough and the roller lifters, springs, retainers and 10-degree keepers all fit perfectly. CP Pistons worked with the engine builder to produce a light piston and ring package that will offer durability and excellent performance. Steve Stokes dragged over his new TIG Welder and put in the helmet bars I am required to have. Steve owns a local metal fabricating shop and this was his first time welding on a chrome-moly dragster chassis and his workmanship was superb. THANKS Steve, reminded me of the "old days" when doctors made "house calls"!

Here is the "crew". On the dyno controls is Jeff Stealy, in the foreground is my son, Andy, who will do most of the Top Dragster driving and in the background is "Mr. Horsepower", Jay Roeder. (I had to poke him to keep him awake UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING!) Man, did that big Mopar sound GOOD at 7500 rpm!

We finally got everything loaded and began out first outing in Top Dragster trim. We are headed to the NHRA Spring Challenge XII at St. Louis Int'l Raceway in IL. I was fortunate enough to have won that event last year in Super Comp and this year we will give it a try in the JEG'S Super Quick Series. Of course we have to ACTUALLY QUALIFY for that race. Look for the results in my mid-month update. I'll go over our actual runs, what we learned about converters, etc. in our first ever JEG'S Super Quick Series event.

You will hear from me in a couple of weeks. Race safe my friends ...