Are PushRod Engines Feasible for IRL Cars?

[indyrjc]

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[Jim Wilke]

Check with Cammy but I think today's NASCAR-type engines are too big, too heavy and not suited to be stressed members in the chassis. Yes, you could design them to work but what does that accomplish?

[CamKing]

a 400ci stock block would have a 150HP advantage over the current IRL engines. My dad developed a 209ci turbo chevy small block that qualified for Indy every year it was there in the early 80's. At the time it was actually lighter then the Cosworths. It's only problem was it was bigger and didn't fit the chassis very well.

If they could get the engines to fit in the chassis, there is no reason they couldn't be competitive.

[indyrjc]

CamKing, if there would be a 150 HP advantage at 400 cubic inches at what size would the pushrods be more comparable? Would a 355 cubic inch stock block make more sense?

Also, I think I remember the car that your father had the 209 ci turbo Chevy in. Tom Klausler drove it and I believe Chuck Looper was the crew chief. I was impressed by it at the time because the chassis was basically out of date. I think it was an older Lightning chassis. Handling and speed in the turns at Indianapolis was a real problem in the early 1980s for non ground effect cars. Goodyear put all of their engineering into making tires for the high downforce cars. Anyone who didn't run a ground effects car ended up with a softer sidewall tire that just barely worked. Klausler got the car in the show in spite of this.

[CamKing]

indyrjc, that's the car. Klausler drove it one year, Pete Halsmer drove it another, and I forgot who elso drove it. The turbo 209 had a ton more power then the cosworths and was a lot cheaper to build.

As for what size pushrod engine would be about the same power wise as a current IRL engine, it would depend on what other resrictions they put on the stock block.

look at a W.C. motor, it's a 358 and it has 80hp more then the IRL engines and it runs on gas with 12:1 compression.

If we went with a 302ci engine, it would be about right as long as the IRL limited the RPM's or the bore size.

[Jim Wilke]

I guess I'm missing the point. If the IRL were to adopt a different engine spec and went with a readily available, off the shelf engine like the small-block pushrod V-8s being raced all over the country, then, yes, that might make some sense.

If, however, those engines are too big and too heavy and too powerful, then you have to go to a clean sheet of paper design. If that is the case and it appears to be, then there are a lot of other configurations that would be more logical. Heck, go to a turbo-4 and market to the Fast and Furious crowd.

[CamKing]

Originally posted by Jim Wilke
Heck, go to a turbo-4 and market to the Fast and Furious crowd.

That would be my suggestion.


BTW, if they wanted to look at a stockblock rule package that would be about right, they should look at Trans-Am.

[Railbird]

Once again I'm in agreement with Wilke.

The inline four is more "inline" with today's target demographics than any push rod hunk o' iron.

The engine would be easiear to package and more attractive to the manufacture involvement needed to fund the series.

[CamKing]

Originally posted by Railbird
The inline four is more "inline" with today's target demographics than any push rod hunk o' iron.

The engine would be easiear to package and more attractive to the manufacture involvement needed to fund the series.

That was my dad's argument in 1983.
He made an SAE presentation saying that Indy racing should reflect the trends of the automotive marketplace.

"The future of Indy car racing is small displacement Turbocharged inline 4cyl's."
Well, he didn't live long enough to see the future, I wonder if I will??

[Lucky161]

An inline 4 with turbo? More like what the public is familiar with. And I can think of one with tradition on it's side as well. Why not bring back the Offy?

[dog-ring]

How about the Ford Focus?

[Railbird]

I think the same target the "Focus" is aimed at will be the future of motorsports dog.

Compact and efficient with today's technology making the output nearly unlimited but easily controlled.

[CamKing]

Originally posted by dog-ring
How about the Ford Focus?

It's a piece of krap.

I'm thinking Turbo 164ci "Gearte' style 2valve pushrod Ford/Chevy/Chrysler/Buick against Turbo 124ci 4valve overhead cam Toyota/Honda/Mitsubishi/Saturn/Audi .

[Jim Wilke]

What, no Iron Duke?

[Jack Harrington]

None of this will happen, cause it makes too much sense!