How to Start a Blown
& Injected Alky Engine
1. A removable aircraft
style starter is attached to the blower. Cables are connected to a portable
36-48 volt battery pack.
2.
A small hand wheel on the end of the starter is turned clockwise to engage the
starter dogs. This prevents slamming the starter dog when power is supplied.
3. The driver ensures the
car is in park or neutral. If a clutch car, the clutch is engaged. Pressure is
applied to the brake and the magneto switch is in the off (grounded) position.
The 3-way fuel shutoff valve must be in the open position.
4. Once a clear signal is
received from a track official, a small amount of gasoline is manually squirted into
the injector using a hand held primer bottle. Gas is used since it ignites much
easier than alcohol at the slower cranking speeds.
5. The crew person engages a
momentary toggle switch on the starter. Once the engine has reached full
cranking speed (2-3 seconds), the magneto(s) are switched on.
6. As the engine comes to
life, the crew person immediately primes the injector with additional gas. Even
though the butterflies are closed, there is an air gap of approximately
.010" and a vacuum sucks the gas in. If he delays, the engine may die since
it takes several seconds for the main fuel system to pick up the alcohol from
the fuel tank.
7. The driver should be
watching for sufficient oil pressure at this time. If he hears the engine
starting to die, he should not press on the throttle pedal. Doing so will open
the butterflies allowing extra air to the engine though minimal fuel. Have faith
in your crew.
8. Once the engine changes
tone from a smooth idle to a slight crackling, the crew person can stop priming.
The engine has picked up the alcohol and additional priming will cause too rich
of a condition.
9. The starter is removed
from the blower, the body is lowered and the driver is ready to make a burnout.
There is no rush since blown alcohol engines build up heat very slow.
The above procedure may seem simple but actually requires practice and a keen
ear. The engine will die if too much, or not enough gas is primed at the exact
moment. One should also be careful removing the 40lb starter since it is very
close to the turning blower belt. And one must always be aware of their
surroundings since the car can lurch forward at any time. Only necessary crew
person should be standing in front of the car.
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