Water Injection Thread

[Greg Hermann]

>A couple thoughts:
>
>Transmissions only see  torque.  Power ratings are not technically correct.
>If someone is rating a trans for power, find out the rpm range and calculate
>the torque they really mean.  The only effect power has is to heat up the
>lube.  An oil cooler can fix that problem.  Usually its the output side that
>breaks when in 1st gear due to the torque multiplication.
>
>Intercoolers are great for cooling compressed intake air resulting in higher
>mass flow.  Water injection is great for its anti-detonation qualities.  Use
>both!
>
>A heavy flywheel absorbs torque when the car is accelerating, especially in
>the lower gears.  This reduces the stress in the transmission.  It also
>smooths the torque which also helps.  But don't dump the clutch, here the
>flywheel weight hurts the trans.  I think a soft clutch is a great way to
>save transmissions.
>
>180 degree headers on a V-6?  Wouldn't routing each bank into a turbo (3
>into 1) result in 120 deg and every other pulse into each turbo?  Same for
>intake.
>
>AWD is really great for low traction conditions and year-round driving.
>Rear wheel drive with a mid engine and sticky tires should be nearly as good
>on dry pavement with way less complexity.  How and where do you drive?
>
>Gary Derian <gderian at cybergate.net>

All true, in theory, but what I said about using a light flywheel and crank
stands, especially if you are using sticky tires, and especially for
racing. Most tranny failures are caused by impact loading, which happens
when flywheel inertia hits the gears against good traction on the other end
of things if the driver is the least bit careless with the clutch.

A soft clutch can keep you from finishing--and would therefore be a poor
choice, at least in my estimation. Plus, a lightweight flywheel  and crank
means a MUCH quicker car, which is what racing is all about!

If you doubt the bit about inertia loading being the thing which will break
a driveline, try driving a semi with a lowboy trailer with a piece of heavy
equipment on board sometime--with a GCVW in the 100K range.
A Cummins 855, and even more emphatically a KT-6 or a Cat 3406 could never
be accused of being low rotating inertia engines, there are obvious gobs of
traction available in this sort of a case, and it is as easy as sneezing to
shuck teeth off of ring gears or shear a driveline on this kind of a rig!

To the point that most competent drivers of such rigs only touch the clutch
when starting out from rest, and never touch the throttle when touching the
clutch! It is just way too easy to get real expensive repair bills any
other way!!

Regards, Greg