Provide a pair of pre-built vehicles, something like lightweight Jr. Dragsters that are normally powered by a 1 cylinder Briggs & Stratton. Then the teams have to get creative with converting one or more turbochargers into a jet engine. If it looks like it might take too much time or be to difficult to start/keep running there are electronic devices available on the model jet engine market called FADEC. Full Authority Digital Engine Control. Many builders have used them to make their engines nearly "pushbutton" operation, programming the FADEC (through experimentation) to not rev up or slow down too fast, control fuel and oil pressure, monitor temperatures and adjust other parameters if the temp gets out of spec. On race day there would be a weigh-in and the lighter car with driver and fuel etc onboard would be ballasted to exactly match the heavier one. That would bring the outcome down to which team built the most powerful/reliable jet engine. :) If you want to get more of an element of operator skill then forget the FADEC. Its possible to build one of these that puts out plenty of thrust on propane, which eliminates the need for a fuelpump, but diesel will make more thrust. Gasoline is never a good idea for any sort of turbine. Its too volatile plus it likes to get past seals and wash oil out of bearings. It also burns hotter than diesel or kerosene. So how about it RDF? Can we have a JYW with junk-jets? :)

-- Gregg Eshelman (gregg1@valint.net), March 01, 2001

Answers

I think building a junkyard jet engine would be a great idea, and i would really love to see it on the tube. I am currently building a jet engine of my own for school, and i dont think it should be to hard to build one. its a great idea.

-- steve rodriguez (wstriker19@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001.