Most powerful Cobra engine - Page 3

justa6 · #41 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 12:38 PM

Your both right. I'll get out of here and go make a "Mini Motor" thread...

I do have a chapter in my Buick V6 handbook that tells you how to put 2 of them together to make a V12. Lets see 274" x 2 would be 548". Hmmmm then I could really bug you guys...

Next one maybe, see ya guys,

niles · #42 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 02:39 PM

justa6:
Novice "drag" question; describe "slid step" the clutch?

thanks
gn

justa6 · #43 (**permalink**) 06-27-2002, 04:09 PM

I think I said "Side step" the clutch. That's the term for removing your foot from the clutch so that it engages instantly. ie you move your foot to the side and just let it go.

It probably seems hard on the clutch (and it is) but not as hard as slipping it at high RPM. The pressure plate "grabs" the disc with very little slip. It is very hard on the drive line and engine mounts. I use a ratchet strap tying the drivers side of the engine down to the frame. It absorbs the shock that would try and twist the engine towards the passenger side. Even my little motor has a lot of energy when your spinning a Flywheel and pressure plate at 6000 RPM and "side step" the clutch. The Big Blocks guys have to be real careful as their torque would be VERY hard on a Cobra chassis and mounts. I think that is why a lot of them use automatics. But I really don't know for sure.

To give you an idea of just how hard the above is. My car has a 60' time of 1.47 seconds. Which means that the car goes from a dead stop to 55 MPH in 60' in 1.47 seconds. If a car has a 1.30 60' time (my goal) it would be 0-60 in 1.30 seconds in 60'.

Oh and one last thing. I'm told that for every .1 second you reduce your 60' time you decrease your 1/4 mile time by .17 seconds. That is why the launch is the most important part of a drag race, IMO... Now I'd better get off this thread before the BB guys go ballistic

Regards,

fordracer · #44 (**permalink**) 07-01-2002, 07:45 AM

Man I'm going to have to move to Georgia. I get in trouble if I don't have the right wheel studs on a 13 second truck !!! Mr 6 kind of got this thread off on a tangent. I believe the original question was how much power do y'all make.

jdean · #45 (**permalink**) 07-09-2002, 02:31 PM

Justa6-

I agree that having big HP bragging rights does not necessarily translate into going fast.

You have stated your case well against us BB folks for your ability to get good HP per cubes AND apparently hooking up reasonably well.

But one day we will all discover the guy who puts a tweaked 2.3 liter Ford turbo 4 banger in his Cobra kit. Then he could use the same logic on your "huge" engine that you use on us BB guys-

I have 100 cubic inches less than your V6
I get better mileage than your V6
I make more HP per cubic inch than your V6
My engine weighs 100 lbs less than the Buick V6
I have better 60 ft and 1/4 mile times than your V6
I can beat you at the strip and the track

Dont' believe it? Check it out...there is more than one Pinto out there with one of these that run in the 10s.

Anyway, I am just a BBF guy having some fun.

John

750hp · #46 (**permalink**) 07-11-2002, 05:54 PM

Bob, what's wrong with too much horsepower??? I just might WANT to run mid 10s @ 145mph.....

It's a shame you didn't get to the Fling - it would have been great to see you and your car!

justa6 · #47 (**permalink**) 07-12-2002, 06:34 PM

I also own a 3600 lbs Grand National Turbo. It is as fast as the Cobra. But it HAS A TURBO. At 15 lbs of boost your 2.3 is a 4.6, at 30 lbs its a 6.9. Boost is Boost.

My motor is the same as the Indy Menard motor that produced 900 hp except it had a small bore and stroke to make the 3 liter restriction. Yup 188 cubic inches and NO intercooler. I can use Kenny Dutweilers twin turbo setup on mine and make over 1000 HP. But why would I?

My point in building my car was to do it normally aspirated just like the normally aspirated V8's. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that my car is not the fastest Cobra around. I just wanted to see if I could make a V6 run with the V8's. I came in 3rd overall in last years run and gun and the car runs 10.8's and has a little more to go. As I said there are faster Cobra's. But I haven't seen many of them. Not normally aspirated anyway.

Thanks for the info I know very well how strong the Ford 4/Turbo is...

See ya,

coyled · #48 (**permalink**) 07-12-2002, 07:32 PM

Just a 6, your combo is impressive as are 10.80's. Lets not forget that those mt street et's are really slicks with grooves. A 1.47 60 ft as you know is hooking really really well. I had the same tire on a mustang and was pretty proud of some 1.57, 1.58 60 ft times, 11.70's at 117 mph. I know that they are dot approved, but they are a purpose built drag tire not a street tire. I ran one pass only before 86'd of 11.60's at 129mph in the cobra with a 2.25 60 ft, sliding around on some bfg's up to a 100 mph. A drag race is really about hook up as he who hooks up first will almost always win. Once you hook up, its then a hp to weight ratio contest. My car hooks up out of corners on a road course with over 660 hp and bias ply slicks just fine. Other than greg lapoint, nobody has stayed with me on a straight yet. Now, if I could only drive. One of these days I will put some slicks on it and look for a low 11 or a high 10 in the 1/4 mile. Problem is, you get one pass if you break 11.99 and your done in Phoenix. Usually your first pass is not your fastest as you have to make side step/tire presure/ heating procedure adjustments. I think lapoint has run some low 10's at 135 mph in a cobra but I know of nobody that fast with under 300 cubes. Thats an awesome time for a 6 cylinder or anything else in a cobra. Scott

justa6 · #49 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 03:46 AM

I used to live in Scottsdale and owned Kawasaki of Phoenix on Indian School.

Your right about the MT ET Streets. They hook very well. My car runs about the way it should with its power to weight ratio. My original point on this thread was very simple. IMO, its the cars performance that counts. So many people talk about the size and horsepower of the motors they have or are planning to put into their Cobras but when they take them to the track they don't do nearly as well as they should. My point was its the ability to put the power to the ground that counts IF your interested in performance. Many folks just want to drive and enjoy their cars and thats great to.

In any case thanks for the reply. I'm going to try and get this car down to the 1.30's 60' and have a couple of ideas on using my dry sump pump to pull a vacuum in my crankcase (block the vents)
to get another 20 HP and, hopefully, get it down to the 10.5's. As you know it gets harder and harder to get those last few "tenths". Then I might throw a 150 horse shot of nitrous on it to see if I can go 9's and then pull it off again. The fun part of that is the motor I have can easily handle the power. There are guys running twin turbo setups on this motor pulling over 1000HP so I shouldn't be anywhere near its limits. (HOPEFULLY)

I really need to work on the Road Racing and Auto cross though as I'm WAY worse in those departments.

Regards,

Clois Harlan · #50 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 04:09 AM

Just wanted to put my .02 worth in to this thread. I watched Bob for three or four days (from behind) last year at the Run and Gun. We were even paired up once at the drags and he was very quick and consistant.

Way to go Bob.

Hotfingrs · #51 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 04:11 AM

Bob, You can use a pcv valve to get negative pressure in the crankcase. That's what I use, and it does pull some vacuum. In one valve cover I have my pcv valve and in the other valve cover I have a vacuum break. If you have a oil dip stick hole, you'll have to fill it with atv. My vacuum break is set at 5 inches, so I'm always running negative pressure in the crankcase. After running the engine, you can pull the pcv valve and the sound is just like opening a can of coffee, pssssss, so I know it's working. Also with running a negative pressure you can use rings with less tension because the negative pressure seals the rings, and less tension is more horses......just my 2 cents for today

CobraDan · #52 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 05:42 AM

Did you have to weld your pcv valve to the valve cover?
Dan

Hotfingrs · #53 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 07:33 AM

I didn't weld the pcv valve, but had to weld the vacuum break...pics can be sent if you want them.....

justa6 · #54 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 07:51 AM

I did run fairly well at last years R & G but the engine was only in the car 2 days when we left for St Louis. We were only running 11.4 for a best time if I remember right. But it wasn't the motor it was a brand new Tremec that wouldn't shift because it was so new. Its since broken in so I can power shift it and that is what made it drop to 10.8's. Plus we jetted it a little fatter.

Regarding the PCV valve that is a good idea but since I've got a dry sump pump that scavenges the oil pan it will pull a strong vacuum simply if I seal the vents in the valve covers. However, its not as easy as it sounds (is it ever?) as I have to make a new top for my dry sump tank that contains a vent in it as running a puke tank is not possible because I can't find any place higher than the tank to mount it. I guess I could wear one of those twin beer baseball hats and put it up there<G>

Anyway it will help. My big problem is that I WANT to go to Run and Gun this year and I'm going to be in training from August through most of Sept on the 747 so I may not be able to but I'm going to try like hell to figure something out.

For those of you who haven't gone it is, IMO, terrific with great people and really nice cars. I learned a LOT from going last year.

Thanks again for the advice, this is a really nice forum even though we have had tremendous "Thread drift"

Hotfingrs · #55 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 08:04 AM

I don't know how much vacuum your dry sump will pull, but you really need to put a break in there someplace. On my Corvette I run 2 pop off valves....One at 7 inches negative pressure and the other at 7 inches positive pressure. I'm using very low tension rings, that's why I use more pressure.

justa6 · #56 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 08:23 AM

This is an area that I know the hows and why's but have never done it. The guy that did the machine work on my motor and the dyno pulls used to be a crew chief for both an IMSA car and a Busch team that used the Stage II Buick V6. He told me that I'd gain right around 20 horsepower but I never asked him about the details. If you don't mind tell me what kind of vacuum breaks you use and are they adjustable. I've heard you can pull the seals into a motor if you get too much but that could be "talk".

I appreciate the info as I HATE to screw something up. And certainly don't mind learning something new from someone who knows.

Regards,

Hotfingrs · #57 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 09:19 AM

The break I'm using comes from McClintic.....

9701 Trumbull SE
Albuq. NM 87123
505-292-1311
McClinticrdm@aol.com

basically what you have is an aluminum cylinder that screws apart. Inside is a plunger sitting on top of a spring sitting on top of shims...the shims control when the break will open. Reading their brochure, the shim is .025 thick, and each shim is approx 2.5 inches of vacuum.

justa6 · #58 (**permalink**) 07-13-2002, 10:06 AM

Thanks for the info.

Sounds like your SB is no slouch either

Regards,