what's the chance of blowing your engine?
 

How many times have you guys done it? I'm wanting to purchase a drag car but my friends and family keep telling me that I'll "blow" the engine and all my money will be wasted. What do you guys think? How often has this happened to you? What dan I do to prevent it?

Thanks

I look forward to reading some of your responses.

What kind of car are you planning on starting with?

Up until a couple of years ago I ran stock engine cars and never had a problem. I had an engine built by a local shop and ran it for 2 years with no problem. I just ordered a crate engine from ATK engines for an altered I'm putting together. I hope I don't have any problems with it.

It's a low compression (8.5-1) 454. I can run pump gas. Even though pump gas is as much as racing fuel used to be. :roll: It dynoed 449 hp. No giant killer but should run in the high nines in my car.

The biggest thing, don't over rev it. Too many guys have the "go fast syndrom" and torture their equipment.
So I might be a couple of tenths slower but my stuff stays together.
In my stock vehicles I always let the cars shift themselves. It's more consistant and I figure GM knows better than me what the best and safest shift point is.

With the parts available today making an engine last that makes good power is a lot different than back in the day. That said even the best engines can break and sometimes do, there are no guarantees. We usually put a couple of hundred passes and a motor and then tear it down to look inside. I agree with slowmotion about RPM being a big killer. I think a really important thing to stay on top of is valve spring pressure also when you are trying for longevity.

I have a little 383 sbc in my 27 roadster. Crosses the 1/8 mile stripe at 6500, 6.08@109. Lots of fun and low maintanance. 1.76 glide 16.5-33 tire I could probably hook this car in a mudpuddle. When I went to the bigger tire I just hoped I could do a burnout no more power than I am making LOL.

I guess to answer your question though the last motor we lost was a 355 that had sat in our Nova for about 10 yrs only getting started about twice in that time. It had alum. rods and we went one pass too far :shock: :oops: . Kicked one rod and piston completely out of the block onto the track. Luckily it was 1/8 mile track. But this motor had a lot of hard passes in front of a Doug Nash five speed. Yeah I know really old school stuff. :P :P

Curtis

doesn't matter who builds your engines or how good of parts you use..the stuff is made of metal and will break eventually..the question is when..
i just broke a roller off a lifter, wiped out the cam and damaged block..was not over reving, maintained the motor like a baby....
fact is its just one of those things that happens when metal rubs against metal...IT WILL BREAK..

If you are not prepared mentally and financially to accept this fact..i would suggest you find yourself another hobby...racing is not cheap even if you don't break anything.


there was someone on here that made a quote a year or so ago that was so true..

" The only way to end up with a million in racing is start with 2 million"

That's is very true B. It is very expensive

Taken good care of your equipment will definitely make a huge difference in how long it stays together.

I run my 540 at 30 degrees timing and leave at 3800 rpm and shift at 6800 and we put 520 passes on it before we pulled it apart and it was definitely time well it was over due the lifters was completely warn out i just got lucky that they didnt fall apart i want run it that long again before it gets freshened up.

but like the guy's said if you abuse it you will lose it

Not if you use Duralube...aint you seen the comercials...lol :P


jk Best advice you can get right there.It's Not if but when and how
bad. Just do everything as "right" as you are capable of and hope for the best. I love the quote BJUICE that's great. Another one that is in someone's signature says somethin' like "Racing is a disease for which the only cure is poverty"

thanks for all the responses guys, I appreciate it. Any hobby is expensive, etc., I understand that. I was more or less attempting to find out the frequency of an engine blowing.

Farking up a motor is totally dependent on the knowledge, or lack there of, of the guy putting it together, and the quality of parts you use in reference to the power being made.

It's like asking how likely you are to crash your daily driver. There's so many variables internally and externally that occur, it's almost impossible to answer.

Murphy's Statistical Law of Engine Longevity states that the probability of blowing your engine is inversely proportioned to the amount of money you have left in the bank.

"Racing is a disease for which the only cure is poverty"
That used to my signature. I changed it awhile back, but is still very true.
Charles