Smart Product Valves

Keep the Fuel Pressure Right

For Champion APBA Top Hydroplanes

One of the most technically sophisticated racing venues for hydroplanes is the APBA (American PowerBoat Association) US Titles Series / Capsule Hydros, 500CC, 700CC, and 1150CC (Top Hydro). These high tech professional racing outboard motors used in this series can generate well over 265 HP at 14,000 RPM out of a 700CC displacement engine! These are 2-stroke engines which run on racing grade methanol alcohol with a castor oil or a chemical oil mixed into the fuel, and a dash of nitro on occasion.

The final product is a 14 foot aerodynamic racing hydroplane which flies just over the water surface on a cushion of dense air, and is capable of reaching straightaway speeds exceeding 120 MPH in 5-lap sprint races on a short 1 mile oval!

The fastest engines in the world for this special breed of race boats are produced in small quantities by two competing Italian companies, Rossi and VRP. Even though these boats are raced all over Europe and the U.S., not many engines are needed for this sport because there are very few drivers capable of handling these high-powered rocket ships!

The big challenge here is feeding 3 gallons of this fuel through four 38MM carburetors in less than 5 minutes without flooding the engine. This takes dead accurate fuel pressure control, with a very narrow operating pressure window. Fuel delivery pressure to the carburetors must be precisely maintained between 2 and 3 PSI. Many of the racing teams, including 13-Time National Champion and World Speed Record Holder

Liquid Courage piloted by Sean McKean of Mabank Texas, rely on Smart Products to keep their fuel pressure in line.

The engine crankcase provides the pressure source for the fuel tank by pumping up to 10 PSI of positive pressure generated through a check valve from an oscillating pressure-vacuum. This is accomplished with a # 304 Series Check Valve from Smart Products. At speed, this valve is opening and closing over 200 times per second! Pressure is maintained by using a

# 118 Series Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) from Smart Products at the fuel tank. This PRV continuously bleeds off the over pressure to maintain the prescribed 2 – 3 PSI fuel tank pressure.

There is absolutely NO ROOM FOR ERROR! If either valve fails, the boat will go dead in the water and fail to finish the race.

Joe Flow

Vapor Trail Racing

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Tags: President and founder of VTR. | Joe Flow

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This year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the second oldest race in the United States next to the Indianapolis 500, will have even more local involvement as local inventor, entrepreneur and President of Vapor Trail Racing, Joe Flow, is putting his money on Paul Dallenback to win the Unlimited Class title and set a new world record for the 88th running of the “Race to the Clouds.” Flow has equipping Dallenback’s #98 car with the equipment that will hopefully win the race to the top and break the old record of 10:01.

Flow’s company, Vapor Trail Racing, founded in 2001 and based in Denver, CO, has been supplying oil and coolant temperature control equipment to almost every division of motorsports including NASCAR, IRL, Grand AM and NHRA and has recently entered the marine market. Dallenback’s Open Wheel Rally Style Car will be facing some stiff competition from four-time-champion, Nobuhiro Tajima of Japan and Rhys Millen, the Red Bull World Drifting Champion from New Zealand.

Tajima's 20-year history at Pikes Peak means he is an expert on the mountain's treacherous variables like weather, temperature and changing road surfaces and presently holds the world record at 10:01.408 set in 2007 with his 1000-hp, twin-turbo Suzuki XL7. Tajima is chomping at the bit to crack the 10-minute mark and this year he will attempt it with his new, Monster Sport SX4 Hill Climb Special.

Millen wants to set the record and return to the glory days his father, Rod Millen, generated by setting the record of 10:04.06 until Tajima’s record run in ‘07. Millen will be driving a new, never-before-seen race car, the 2010 RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580 packing a turbocharged 4.1 liter V6 engine that puts out 750hp.

Dallenbach team was testing the new equipment on the mountain earlier this month and felt confident in the car owned by Leonard Arnold of Greeley and managed by his Crew Chief, Kevin Kidwell. “The equipment is running perfectly,” said Arnold. After installing Vapor Trail Racing’s TurboStat Temperature Control Valve and specialized cooling system components, Dallenback has been able to overcome cooling problems and keep the temperature of the car steady as the climb to the top of the mountain is plagued with cooler, thinner air and maximum engine temperature becomes harder to maintain. Between the high altitude, unpredictable weather and a demanding asphalt and gravel road course, even seasoned drivers feel the strain of the course.

 Dallenback is extremely optimistic. "You have to trust in your skills and your crew and believe in your car," Along with Vapor Trail Racing, Dallenback’s car is being sponsored by: Famous Dave's Legendary Pit Bar-B-Q, Rock Valley Oil, PEAK Performance, Vapor Trail Racing, Nature's Absorbent, the Double Eagle Casino in Cripple Creek, Susan Lingo Books, Black Tie Ski Rentals, Lucas Oil, Sunoco Fuels and BURRIS Optics. "We are fortunate to have sponsors who are so generous and into racing, actively participating in our race preparation," said Dallenbach, "It is great to have them as partners."

Tags: Pikes Peak Drama

Dear Walter,I hope you can help me here. The other day I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn’t gone more than a mile down the road when my engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband’s help. When I got home I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was in the bedroom with a neighbour lady making mad passionate love to her. I am 32, my husband is 34 and we have been married for twelve years. When I confronted him, he tried to make out that he went into the back yard and heard a lady scream, had come to her rescue but found her unconscious. He’d carried the woman back to our house, laid her in bed, and began CPR. When she awoke she immediately began thanking him and kissing him and he was attempting to break free when I came back. But when I asked him why neither of them had any clothes on, he broke down and admitted that he’d been having an affair for the past six months. I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was let go from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. I don’t feel I can get through to him anymore. Can you please help?

Sincerely, Sheila.

 

Dear Sheila A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carburator float chamber. I hope this helps.

Walter.

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Confirmed!

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DENVER - Vapor Trail Racing supplies engine components to all 33 cars in Sunday's race of the Indianapolis 500. Vapor Trail Racing (VTR) has been a Honda-specified supplier to the Indy Racing League for the last five racing seasons.

All the cars in Sunday's Indy 500 are fit with VTR's cooling system pressure controls. Nearly all 33 cars also are also running VTR's gear oil temperature control valves, and five cars are running VTR's latest engine oil temperature control valves. Five years ago, Honda Performance Development tested all of the cooling system pressure controls on the market, and selected and specified Denver based Vapor Trail Racing as the official supplier to the Indy Racing League (IRL). Since then, IRL teams have incorporated other fluid pressure and temperature control products from Vapor Trail Racing, and as a result of the track-proven performance, at least 65 components will be relied upon in the Indy 500.

The 94th running of the Indy 500 is May 30. It is the country's oldest race; also called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." "It is a pleasure, a privilege, flattering, and very exciting to be a supplier to the IRL," VTR President and founder Joe Cohen, also known as "Joe Flow" and "Vapor Trail Joe", said. "Besides the great competition on the track, there is a great competition behind the scenes to design and build the fastest, most reliable, and durable race car. I love the sound of an Indy car, and I know we are part of it!"

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Aurora, Colorado may be the home of the new Colorado Motorsports Complex. Developer Bill Schuck plans to build the largest sports project in Colorado history on 1100 acres east of Denver. The proposed project includes an oval track, a road course, a drag racing facility, indoor and outdoor go-kart facilities and a concert pavilion. "We are confident that we will be seeing racing in the Front Range of Colorado in the very near future," adds Schuck. "This is going to happen. The question is not if, but when and our plan is to have a track in place for the public to attend in 2013."

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Are you kidding me? NASCAR Cup’s Joe Nemechek has not completed a race this year and he’s still optimistic. He has Job from the Bible beat to hell. His 2010 NASCAR results read like this: Accident at Daytona, rear gear failure at Fontana, overheated in Las Vegas (We’re working on fixing that right now), blew a clutch at Atlanta, a rear gear went out again at Bristol, crash at Martinsville, electrical problems at Phoenix, transmission blows at Texas, ignition problems at Talladega, one more accident at Richmond and didn’t run at Darlington. His luck is about to change.

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“NASCAR Nationwide’s Brian Keselowski

is Vapor Trail Equipped”

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Vapor Trail Racing unveils “SumoMatchbox” high pressure oil temperature control valve that operates at pressures up to 500psi.

The new valve now available from VTR for the same price as the original 200psi Matchbox. SumoMatchbox performed perfectly under rigorous testing by Twin Disc Corp in Racine, Wisconsin,  one of the largest marine transmission builders in the world.

 

Keep your oil at the optimum temperature with Matchbox

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