JCB land speed record - with a backhoe engine

[Shannow]

http://www.jcbpowersystems.com/About/JCB-Dieselmax-Record-Breaker.aspx

http://www.ingenia.org.uk/ingenia/articles.aspx?Index=428

Quote:
The standard JCB 444 engine met four key design targets: strong construction; high torque at low engine speeds; reduced noise levels; and future-proofing for the next steps in emissions legislations. Also in its favour were a very strong crankshaft, an exceptionally stiff cylinder block and a substantial cast-iron bedplate (the plate at the bottom of the engine, which closes the crankcase and gives it extra rigidity).

The challenge was to multiply the digger engine’s specific power output by a factor of five, since two engines and 1500 bhp were required to hit the target speed of 350 mph. This was exacerbated when Leverton insisted that the engine had to retain the standard block and fundamental architecture: “It had to be recognisably the JCB 444 engine. We ended up with a stock block, with only internal tweaks, cylinder head and bedplate.”

There were further drawbacks. The basic engine weighed 470 kg. With high-powered diesels, the ideal is to have multiple cylinders. This is because the number of injectors dictates how much fuel can be pumped in and thus how much power the engine can generate.


Again, Ricardo are the driving force between Sow's ear and silk purse.

 

[WANG]

This was such a smart thing for them to do. I remember reading about this when it happened. After that, every JCB I'd see would trigger me to start bending the nearest ear about the record breaking effort that JCB made. Very cool.

 

[02SE]

I was there when they were making their attempts at a new Diesel LandSpeed record. They certainly were spending the most money of any of the Competitors that were present, as evidenced by their extensive support crew and vehicles.

I had the pleasure of talking to Andy Green for a bit. He told me about the effort involved in that then-current attempt to set a Diesel LandSpeed record. He also talked about the effort and ultimate success in breaking the sound barrier, in a previous LSR vehicle.

He was an interesting guy to talk to. He did seem a bit unnerved by the prospect of riding a conventional, sit-on, 600+ HP Turbo Hayabusa to 250+ mph on the Salt, which was the effort I was there to support.

 

[CT8]

Keep on feeding the diesel engine fuel and boost and the limit on the power output is when something breaks