Electric Water Pumps
"Upgrading to an electric water pump is an easy way to reduce parasitic power losses on any motor, and improve cooling. Moroso's electric pumps are designed for demanding, high-temperature applications and have undergone extensive testing on the street and track. The motor design is one of the most durable and efficient on the market. Our motor turns higher rpm, and flows up to 44 percent more coolant than others pump designs. Also, it has larger brushes with a 20-bar commutator, which increases brush life. The windings are varnished to keep them in place during severe vibration, such as during tire shake or on the street, and the wire is a very heavy gauge for higher temperature use. Furthermore, the bearings are preloaded to accommodate thermal expansion and extend bearing life. There are real power savings to be gained by removing the parasitic drag on the crankshaft of a standard mechanical pump, but that amount varies with each application. The cooling demands of a race car compared to a street car are different. Street cars require efficient cooling at low engine rpm, while race cars need efficient cooling at mid to high rpm. There are too many variables in each engine and each vehicle application to make a blanket statement that 'X' horsepower will be realized using an electric water pump or electrically driven mechanical water pump, but there will definitely be a measurable increase."
Skinnies
"They key to designing front drag tires is maximizing stability and minimizing rolling resistance. The tread design of Moroso's DS-2 drag tires offers improved lateral control due to the interrupted tread grooves. This design limits tread groove side flex as a result of the tread groove ends being connected to the contact surface of the tire. The staggered tread groove design provides lateral control as the tire revolves, and each groove makes contact with the track. The staggered tread also eliminates any bump if the grooves were directly adjacent to each other. Furthermore, the straight tread groove design offers reduced rolling resistance since there are no angled tread grooves that would tend to push against the track surface and increase friction. When choosing a front tire for a drag car, there are a number of things to consider. First, and perhaps most obvious, would be size. Moroso offers three sizes of our traditional Drag Special front tires and, five sizes of our DS-2. Proper fit on the wheel and inside the wheelwell should not be overlooked.
"It's also important to consider the type of racing that's going to be done. If a full, five-tenths Sportsman tree is used, like in Stock, Super Stock, and footbrake bracket classes, then a tall tire like our 17100 or 17600 Drag Specials should be considered. A tall front tire gives you more rollout on the starting line, giving you a running start on the race, so to speak. This could shave a few thousandths off your e.t., which is important for qualifying and record runs. An increase in rollout may also help a driver that has a propensity for redlighting. If a four-tenths Pro tree is used, such as in Super Gas, then you may want to consider a shorter tire, such as the 17023 or 17040 DS-2, to minimize rollout and reduce reaction time."
Stud Girdles
In addition to top-notch oiling, cooling, and suspension hardware, Moroso also offers a line of high-end valvetrain components. And with the kind of rpm small-blocks are turning these days, one of the most useful upgrades for enhancing valvetrain performance is a rocker stud girdle. "Moroso's single-bar stud girdle stabilizes the valvetrain by tying all the rocker studs together to form a rigid bridge to minimize stud deflection," says Rick. "You will realize the benefits of a stud girdle anytime spring pressure or rpm is increased. Naturally, the higher these values, the more critical it becomes. When using a mechanical roller cam with very high spring pressures of 200 pounds and up, stud girdles should be considered a must."
New Products
With the exploding popularity of GM's LS-series motors, Moroso has introduced tons of new hardware to cater to the swap-happy Bow Tie crowd. "The new 2010 Moroso and Competition Engineering performance products guide contains over 140 new products, so we're certain to have something new to give you that extra edge. We have an entire new line of parts for LSx motors, including oil pans for muscle car engine swaps, remote coil mounting kits, oil pumps, and sheetmetal valve covers," says Rick. "We've also expanded on our offerings of power steering pumps, coolant expansion tanks, and air-oil separators. To help you build better and more power motors, we have a new precision cylinder leakdown tester in addition to our race specialty tools. The best way to see our new and innovative products as soon as they're available is to regularly check our websites at www.moroso.com and www.competitionengineering.com. Products are added frequently throughout the year, and are listed online before anywhere else." CHP