how do those flaming exhaust pipes work?

[dpopiz]

you know like the ones they had in fast and the furious (don't laugh)

 

[ElFenix]

you mean the ones where it was just a header straight out of the block?

 

[fatbaby]

aerosol can and a match

 

[Zim Hosein]

Nitros is you answer

 

[thawolfman]

w00

 

[dpopiz]

yeah, like thawolfman's link

 

[BCYL]

In real race cars (like the ones in World Rally Championship), the shoot out flames because they are running too rich (meaning there's more fuel in the air/fuel mixture than neccessary)...

The excessive unused fuel ends up coming out of the engine with the exhaust gas... Those fuel sometimes get ignited in the exhaust (maybe by the hot pipes), thus resulting in flames shooting out of the back...

 

[Zenmervolt]

The way they work is the person activates them and then the police officer that they didn't see arrests them.

ZV

 

[Soybomb]

I never saw the fast and the furious but on old hot rods the car would just be set to run on the rich side leaving unburned fuel in the exhaust (I can get another 5 mpg off the exhaust!) and spark plugs in the exhaust. Hit a button to start sparking the plugs and speed the engine up to get a good volume of exhaust.

note: that would be if you didn't just run a straight pipe right off the engine, with short enough pipes you can pull them without extra plugs

 

[bolido2000]

You buy a controller and you put a spark plug in the exhaust. Flip the switch and make the engine run rich and turn on the spark plug.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: bolido2000
You buy a controller and you put a spark plug in the exhaust. Flip the switch and make the engine run rich and turn on the spark plug.

yup

 

[UDT89]

from what i know there is a gas line that runs to the tailpipe. You press a button and it squirts a little gas into the tailpipe and it ignites itself and makes the flame.

 

[BlamoHammer]

NAWS!

 

[rgwalt]

Originally posted by: UDT89
from what i know there is a gas line that runs to the tailpipe. You press a button and it squirts a little gas into the tailpipe and it ignites itself and makes the flame.

This would be the better idea... won't unburned fuel in the exhaust screw up the catalytic converter?

Ryan

 

[bolido2000]

Originally posted by: rgwalt

Originally posted by: UDT89
from what i know there is a gas line that runs to the tailpipe. You press a button and it squirts a little gas into the tailpipe and it ignites itself and makes the flame.

This would be the better idea... won't unburned fuel in the exhaust screw up the catalytic converter?

Ryan

It wouldn't look like in the Fast and Furious if it ignites at all.

 

[ETan]

pardon my lack of automobile knowledge... I thought it had something to do with turbo? Or a misfiring system?

 

[Imported]

It's all about the misfiring system.

Initial D

 

[ETan]

Initial D f'ing rocks.

 

[BCYL]

Originally posted by: ETan
pardon my lack of automobile knowledge... I thought it had something to do with turbo? Or a misfiring system?

The misfiring system works on a similar concept... The misfiring system intentionally ignites the unused fuel in the exhaust to keep the turbo spinning when the driver is not on the gas... This reduces turbo lag and makes cars with big turbos much more drivable...

But you dont need the misfiring system to have flames shoot out the exhaust...

 

[Antisocial Virge]

The 18 wheeler where I worked actually had a propane cylinder plumbed into the stacks.

 

[alpineranger]

In rally cars these anti lag systems are very popular because without them, the large turbochargers would have an unacceptable amount of lag. Basically, when the throttle is closed, a special valve allows a lot of air in the engine, the engine computer runs a very lean mixture and retards the engine a crazy amount. The idea is that you intentionally ignite a very lean mixture (causing very hot combustion gases) while the exhaust vavles are open, putting extra hot exhaust right into the turbo. That way, the turbo can keep spinning even when the throttle is closed and there is no turbo lag. Even though a lean mixture is bad for power (compared to a somewhat rich mixture, that's why most cars will run right from the fuel map if you go open throttle - because the narrow band O2 sensors most commonly used provide horrible accuracy at any air/fuel mixture not immediately around stoichometric and so you they wouldn't be able to run a closed loop feedback system for a non-stoich mixture), I would think that there is still some impact on engine braking and how fast engine revs can drop. I can't speak from experience though, I've never driven a car with an anti-lag system installed.

In a street car such a system would be a bad idea. First, there's a tremendous amount of strain on the turbo and the exhaust system. Exhaust gas temperatures would soar, and if you've seen how hot turbos get already I think you would be loathe to put them through an additional few hundred degrees. The shock of exploding the mixture directly in the exhaust system isn't a good idea unless it has been specifically designed for that. Additionally, such a system would be very loud, destroy all catalytic converters and muffler baffles in short order, and be an absolute environmental disaster. Pro teams that run rally cars don't mind spending thousands on beefier turbos and exhaust systems, don't have to worry about noise and emissions regulations, and don't mind replacing entire cars after a single race (I doubt even the racing parts would last very long in a street car).

 

[MC]

Originally posted by: alpineranger
In rally cars these anti lag systems are very popular because without them, the large turbochargers would have an unacceptable amount of lag. Basically, when the throttle is closed, a special valve allows a lot of air in the engine, the engine computer runs a very lean mixture and retards the engine a crazy amount. The idea is that you intentionally ignite a very lean mixture (causing very hot combustion gases) while the exhaust vavles are open, putting extra hot exhaust right into the turbo. That way, the turbo can keep spinning even when the throttle is closed and there is no turbo lag. Even though a lean mixture is bad for power (compared to a somewhat rich mixture, that's why most cars will run right from the fuel map if you go open throttle - because the narrow band O2 sensors most commonly used provide horrible accuracy at any air/fuel mixture not immediately around stoichometric and so you they wouldn't be able to run a closed loop feedback system for a non-stoich mixture), I would think that there is still some impact on engine braking and how fast engine revs can drop. I can't speak from experience though, I've never driven a car with an anti-lag system installed.

In a street car such a system would be a bad idea. First, there's a tremendous amount of strain on the turbo and the exhaust system. Exhaust gas temperatures would soar, and if you've seen how hot turbos get already I think you would be loathe to put them through an additional few hundred degrees. The shock of exploding the mixture directly in the exhaust system isn't a good idea unless it has been specifically designed for that. Additionally, such a system would be very loud, destroy all catalytic converters and muffler baffles in short order, and be an absolute environmental disaster. Pro teams that run rally cars don't mind spending thousands on beefier turbos and exhaust systems, don't have to worry about noise and emissions regulations, and don't mind replacing entire cars after a single race (I doubt even the racing parts would last very long in a street car).

 

[dpopiz]

hmmm hehe I think I may try to figure out some sort of fake exhaust flamer to add to my ricer, then wow the ladies. would it be illegal to do this? I'm not talking actually spewing gas out the exhaust and igniting it, just hooking up some system with maybe some aerosol or something

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: dpopiz
hmmm hehe I think I may try to figure out some sort of fake exhaust flamer to add to my ricer, then wow the ladies. would it be illegal to do this? I'm not talking actually spewing gas out the exhaust and igniting it, just hooking up some system with maybe some aerosol or something

sorry...but....hahahahaha

 

[boyRacer]

well that's one way to get rid of stupid tailgaters...