Hey Sean it is Reid. The higher the compression the more correct the electrical spark system has to be on its game. That is why sometimes the spark plug will spark when tried out of the engine but when you reinstall it in the engine it acts up. I forget from Eng school but I think a spark plug tried at normal atmosphere takes like 2 kv to fire and then once in the engine under compression takes like 12kv. At the far extreme like in F1 race cars where they are running some where around 60 LBS of boost and 18,000 RPM they have such sophisticated ignition systems to deal with the super high compression it creates. Their spark plug wire sets and caps are not made in China princess auto specials like what our snowmobiles etc get.
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- Thread starter maxwell
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pfi572
Active VIP Member
High compression top fuel motor.
-Dual magnetos supply 44 amps to each spark plug. This is the output of an arc welder in each cylinder.
-Spark plug electrodes are totally consumed during a pass. After the run, the engine is dieseling from compression plus the glow of exhaust valves at 1400 degrees F. The engine can only be shut down by running the car out of fuel. There is no way to cut off the fuel; the engine stops only when it blows or the tank runs dry.
Anvil1010
Active VIP Member
Oh how I love my drag racing.
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