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4/29/08, 10:25 AM   #1
Midget Engine Location
wobbler
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 189
 

just looking for some thoughts on where to locate an Esslinger Midget Engine, Left, Center or Right. What are the pro's and cons on each??
Also what height should the crank center line be?

Car is a 7" bar height, 33" car with Esslinger St motor running 1/4 -1/3 mile tracks.
 
4/29/08, 12:26 PM   #2
Re: Midget Engine Location
LEADERS EDGE
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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Now here is another question where you get 20 people together and you'll get 20 different answers.

Most generally the motors in the cars were 1" to the left since the Stealth cars around '93 until the Spike Car.

By putting the motor to the left, you were adding left rear to help the car drive off.

There is also another thought that says the car works like a pendulum around the center of the driveline and if the motor is car is offset to the right, then the car will have a tendency to fall(rotate around center) to the left.

Since then the cars have changed some. The newer Spike Cars are mostly 1/2" to the left and the cars are 33 1/2" setback.(I believe)

I do not know off-hand the Spike bar height, but the Stealth cars used to be anywhere from 5 3/4"-at least 6 1/2"-6 3/4".

There are always guys who do things a little differently and have great success. Some guys run the motor in the center or to the right because they don't like it falling on the left rear and feel it drives the RR harder. At some places like Sun Prarie, I believe some of the guys run the motor to the left with a longer axle on the right side to keep the car stable. You can do that as well by running to the center or middle, but if you run the motor to the right or center, it is hard to use a 44-3 axle because of the short Left Side. To the middle and the right you run a 44-2 or 44-1.

Another general rule of thumb many guys use is that the crank center needs to be at the bar heigth. 7" Bar= 7" Motor.

Sprint guys and some midget guys often tip the motor plate back a degree or two to help keep the driveline in a straighter alignment.

As far as pros and cons go, that is a tough one. I have seen cars go fast with any number of setback positions. (33"/33.5"/34"/35") I have seen cars go fast with motors at 5 3/4" and 7".

I have seen cars go fast with motors to the left,right,and center.

The rule of setback generally is the farther back the motor, the harder on the rear wheels;but harder to run in the heavy and rough.

The farther forward the easier in the rough/heavy; but doesn't hook up very well in the slick. All of that said, I have seen many examples that destroy both rules of thumb.

From my own personal experience, we had a car that was a
34" car with 5 3/4" heigth that I felt hooked up harder that the 33" car we got with a 6 1/2" motor. Both motors were to the left.

It seems to me that most of the Esslinger motors really hook up well and are relatively easy to drive no matter the combination. You just have to look at the parts available and the condition of the tracks you run and make a decision.

There maybe some person out there with the definitive answer, but it is also easy to look around and see whats fast and go by that standard as well.

I'm sure whatever you choose it will be close.

Me personally, I think that once you have what you are going to work with in place, you figure out how to make it work. No matter what it takes.

Good Luck
 
4/30/08, 9:13 AM   #3
Re: Midget Engine Location
wobbler
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 189
 

Thanks for the feedback Scott!
 
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