The Cal-look Lounge

I´d like to hear techniques, tips and stories about running the 1/4 mile with fan belt removed. I´m looking for a quick way for few extra ponnies:-) My plan is to use wing nut on the generator and reinstall the fan belt at the end of track. Is there such a thing as stretchy fan belt for quick removal and temporary use? I´ve heard about using a piece of nylon hoses instead of fan belt to keep the fan moving..

How much did you gain on dyno or strip with no fan belt?

You gain 10 - 15hp.

Take it off before the start and install it before you start on the return back to the depot. Simple.

Perhaps not so smart to do 1/8 mile burnouts and play tactics for several minutes at the lights with 5000 rpms on the engine but I`m sure you get my point.

We ran a 1914cc 1966 Beetle last Saturday at the local 1/8 mile drag meet without a belt. The problem was that you had to come back round and do another pass staight away in order to qualify. The engine oil got to almost 110 degress c by the time the car got back to the pits after the two passes. The outside temp was about 30. The valve clearance opened up a bit, but after a reset all was ok. Don't think we'll try this again if the rules stay the same regarding qualifying. We came last in a small field and one second behind the winner- modified 6000cc Merc SL.

Use a proper fan belt and keep a 21mm in the glove box if you have one. Install before return lane.

I take mine off in the lanes and put it back on after the run.

That won't work.  You won't be able to tighten the nut enough, and the vibrations during the run will make the wing nut fall off with the pulley half and all the other bits.
Just keep a wrench in the car.  Take it off in the staging lanes.  Put it back on at the top end of the track. Driving back will cool the engine back down.

After thinking a little I remembered this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA&feature=player_embedded

Do one hell of a burn out then go out of the car, do the video tricks, back in the car, stage, race and put it back on.  ;)

I like that video. I like it a lot ;D

If you did that in front of any track official, you'd be kicked out immediately.

Try using one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EMERGENCY-Fan-Drive-BELT-Car-Boat-Truck-Plant-UNIVERSAL_W0QQitemZ370513251234QQcmdZViewItem#vi-desc

(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqQOKi4E3OmyNUd,BN74e1MUP!~~0_12.JPG)

Get to the end of the track,

fit this temporary belt,

drive back at low RPM and it should hold and add a bit of cooling,

then simply pull it back off again.

Have seen a few people use them before!

I have a feeling he was taking the piss ;)

anyone stupid enough to stick a screwdriver in a spinning belt deserves a broken finger or two!

For 1/4-mile racing, I pull off my fan belt in the staging lanes, when I get near the front of the line.

Then after the race (at my home track) I go to the end of the track and on the return road I simply pull over and put on an old fan belt without removing the pulley (just turn the pulley and the belt slips on with a half-turn).  Yes, it wears the belt out eventually, but I can race all season before I start to wreck a belt via this quick installation.

At one track, I'm not permitted to do this, so I just hot lap and haven't seen any issues.  I do put the belt on in the staging lanes, so that I can cool the engine as we inch forward in the lanes.

How about wiring the generator in reverse, to use it as a motor to power the fan around? I think I first heard about the Bergs doing that on Sonic Muffin way back when.

I think this has been discussed before.
I have a switch that grounds the field of my generator and turns it into a motor ... spins about 750(?)rpm, just enough to clear the dead air out of the sheet metal. I take the belt off before and replace after the run too, but the extra air makes a big difference. I have also left it off for the day when I have a power source to recharge the battery between rounds ... works great!

On an extra note, the larger guage the wire to the field post, the faster the generator will spin when grounded ...
Another vote for generators ;)
TxT

This is available too...
http://www.aircooled.net/new-bin/viewproductdetail.php?keyword2=ESM0067&cartid=

If your gonna try this make sure you have a battery in top notch condition with a maximum charge in it .
I tried this a Shakey last year , my own battery wasn't up to it  ::)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7pbdcaYqr0&feature=player_embedded
When the RPM's got up past 6 grand I suffered a misfire due to lack of amps , and ran a whole second slower than my previous run .
You can here this when I change gear , still on the plus side i still whipped the Ricer  ;D

Yep, that can be a problem!

Three words ... Mag Knee Toe  ;)
LMAO

A old timer I looked up to , Don oper.  Used a A/C clutch off a GM car and adapted it for his upper pully, To me that was pretty cleaver!