Engine diapers for FE engines

[JamesonRacing]

Byron Raceway announced that diapers are required for all cars running faster than 10.0 this year, and 11.0 next year.  Any consensus on best practice for attaching a diaper to a FE engine in a Fairlane chassis?

[troublemaker427]

I'm watching.....

[John67427]

ME TOO.....

[FordEver]

1. Make/fab the welded in crossmember under the pan removable.
2. DRE makes a Kevlar custom for  $600, won,t burn on headers.
3. I got a free used burned hole  $125 universal Jegs, wife repaired/sewed hole, its nylon, can not touch pipes.
3. Its shaped like a bread pan, fexible like  t-shirt, pain to handle, fit  it under the motor mounts on the side, holds it away from pipes, mostly.
4. Four straps , water pump bolts front, header bolts rear
5. Install removable crossmember and push up against pan.
6.  Fab/bend  1 " flat stock to follow contour off pan in back, fasten to rear pan bolts to hold it away from pipes and steering cross link.
8. Wrapped the two pipes in the area that cross under the pan in rear, get the good stuff.
9. Ran last season, looks like a black pan. So far so good.
10. 67 Fairlane, 2 ' Hookers, C6, stock suspension, newer Milodon pan thats notched more around cross member

[Falcon67]

It's coming for all Box/NoBox cars in the near future.  We're paying $100 bonus to winners in Box or NoBox that use an engine containment device.  Encouraged for 7.50 and faster 1/8 mile

BTW - consider a pan vs a diaper.  Lots of cars are opting for pans.  I'm going to have to look at the wive's car - 351C with the Hookers would be a bitoch to get a diaper installed into.

[fairlanegt427]

I know its about diapers but I have yet to see a ford anything scatter at the track!   the  other 2 companies I have seen blow up
 a lot. 

[thatdarncat]

I know its about diapers but I have yet to see a ford anything scatter at the track!   the  other 2 companies I have seen blow up
 a lot.

Although we all know FE’s never blow up  It’s a NHRA rule for vehicles quicker than 9.99 and certain classes. It’s mainly only been pushed at the National & Divisional events since it was rolled out, but the last couple years I’ve been seeing reports of more tracks requiring them at all their events. I would guess at some point it will become universally required for everything 9.99 & quicker. NHRA required them right from the start at our ET Finals also since that’s considered a divisional event.

[troublemaker427]

NHRA does not enforce this for FE powered cars in Stock & Super Stock at National events.  I know someone who runs a FE powered SS car and he basically told me this. To be honest I don't think they enforce it for any of those cars no matter what brand. All you need to do is to look at starting line photos from last weeks Winter Nationals.  None of the fast SS or S class cars have diapers.  They realize it is basically impossible for these shock tower cars to have room for these stupid diapers.  I know it is all about safety but you simply can't put these things on every car.  We all don't have chassis cars or SBC Camaros.... 

We've raced these cars for 50 years with parts that are way less quality than they are now but now all of the sudden there is an issue.  IMHO the only cars this should be required on is power adder type cars.  Very few fast naturally aspirated cars oil the track ever.   

[machoneman]

Oil downs are of course the issue. Yet, one can't expect a no power adder gas powered engine to explode like the upper class cars. Heck, just note the hundreds of body slammers at any national event making maybe a 1,000 runs in total over the course of the the event. More likely a auto tranny blows than an engine, I say!

[Royce]

At a recent NMCA event trannies were grenading all over the place. That was the source of the frequent oil downs

[BattlestarGalactic]

I've contemplated putting a diaper on my car this winter since the motor is out.  Only problem is there is NO room for it around the front crossmember.  The pan is too close to allow the diaper to fit.  Plus the deep front sump and the fact the typical diaper is made for a flat pan it won't really fit well.  I have thoughts of trying to see if it fit, but I know the outcome already.

I'm not ready to cut the front crossmember tube out of my car to get the diaper to fit.

Typically they want 9.90 cars and quicker to have them around here.

[FordEver]

If i did it, you guys with all your skills/abilities/knowledge can also.
At first, I bitched and moaned also, put finally gave it some thought/trail error figured it out. Read my solution above. I can post pictures is needed.
I,ve seen the pans installed , that seems like a nice deal, drop a few bolts, drops down. Specs are fairly liberal. Make a pattern, build or have it build.
Many tracks/organizations are requiring them as it cuts cleanup time/costs/crashes.
For us, to speculate a eng won,t fail seems like a risky approach, and what off the quality off the eng/car in the other lane ?
FE in a unit body shock tower car, always a challenge, just one more, so far we have done a good job!
Good discussion, Thanks, Bob M

[thatdarncat]

I agree that both NHRA & the tracks enforcement of this rule has been uneven, but it is being enforced at many events & tracks, and I think the handwriting is on the wall. I’ve mentioned in the past that my racing buddy stepped up his ‘67 Mustang a couple years ago with a 700hp stroked Windsor and is solidly in the 9’s now. He had the local racing chassis shop get a custom diaper made while the car was there getting the other updates he had done at the time. I realize it’s a Windsor and not a FE, but it’s still a stock chassis shock tower car. The diaper pretty much fits the oil pan like a glove. I don’t know who made it and he doesn’t remember so I’ll have to ask the shop next time I’m there. I thought I had pictures on my phone, but I can’t find them right now. As has been noted though a Mustang/Cougar has a removable crossmember, and it’s easy to space it down a little if needed. My friend had it done though because NHRA is definitely enforcing it at our ET Finals. I know a few of our local stock/super stock racers have installed them too since many use the same chassis shop, but I haven’t asked what conversations, if any, they’ve had with Tech. I’ll have to start checking around. I agree though that Super Stock cars can be tricky since they usually have extreme oil pans and front chassis mods. I’m not trying to be argumentative, just pointing out that this stuff really varies around the country and from track to track. I’ve probably seen at least 3 tracks on Facebook this winter announce they will be enforcing the rule this year, and like Jameson said, with Byron’s announcement it looks like the cut-off may be heading to 10.99 next.

[Rory428]

I have to admit, in over 40 years of drag racing, I`ve oiled down the track a few times, twice the Fairmont was sliding around in its own oil/water while engine/trans/rearend pieces were bouncing off the track surface. You run stuff hard, shit happens. My problem is that NHRA typicallygoes overboard, like they did with header collector tethers, and mandate factory produced SFI stickered parts. Many Super Stockers have huge oil pans, often with the steering running thru the middle, not to mention large tube headers, with a stock subframe, how would you adress stuff like that? My FE in the Fairmont uses an oil pan that is notched to fit (barely) around the steering rack, and the headers are almost touching the block and oil pan in several locations. When you have maybe 1/16" between hot metal parts, how the hell are you supposed to install a 1/2" thick diaper. If this crap goes nationwide, I guess I will be saving some dollars are just keep running low 10s. A full tube chassis car is totally different than a stock front chassis car. One size DON`T fit all!!!

[Falcon67]

Oil downs are of course the issue. Yet, one can't expect a no power adder gas powered engine to explode like the upper class cars.

I have personally seen - and helped clean up - slower cars puke guts all over the place.  Had a race friend that built a maybe 500 HP NA 347 that made 4 passes and came back from #5 dripping with the block split down the middle.   The worst ones are not the ones that throw up in one spot, it's the leakers that run 660' plus all the way down to the turnout - another 2000' - dripping oil.  That's a lot of sweeping and bags of rice hulls.  And down time.