Anatomy of a LSR attempt.

[Iceaxe]

The JCB Dieselmax car is attempting to set the Landspeed Record for a diesel powered car. Below are the team diaries, which will give you an insider view into what is involved in attempting to set a record. The English team is based locally out at the Wendover air field for Speedweek.

http://uutah.com/forum/files/andy4.jpg

12 August 2006
WENDOVER AIRFIELD - UtahTime: 20:45 (US)

Temperature: 30

[stefan]

WOW!! what a gripping story ... interesting troubleshooting. :popcorn:

i am dying to find out the outcome. how many more days/tries do they have before it's all for naught? till friday evening?
or is friday evening, more accurately, the moment of truth?

[Iceaxe]

Actually they have until Friday morning, since Friday afternoon is reserved for the return run of record attempts. So the team is up against the clock in more ways then one.

[Iceaxe]

15 August 2006
BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - UTAHTime: 22:10 (US)

Temperature: 29

[Iceaxe]

For those playing along at home.... If you haven't figured it out yet..... You kind of need to follow the dates for this all to make sense because you are sometimes reading the same story from three perspectives.

For the most part you are reading "The Team Log", The project engineer (Dr. Tim Leverton) diary and driver Andy Green's diary.

[JimmyD]

You have me hooked!

I am not normally into this kind of stuff but I can't wait to hear what happens.

:popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

I'm not exactly sure what happened on the salt yesterday. I don't think the JCB Team made a run because I have heard nothing from them. It appears that only return record runs were held. (to set an LSR you must make two runs, in opposite directions. The average of the two runs is your speed.)

I do know that the "Chassis Engineering Special", who is also competing for the same LSR as the JCB team, was successful is setting a new LSR, but I'm not sure how fast it is. I was told it was 226.591 mph but that doesn't seem correct because I know their speed for the 3rd mile of the return run was 303.835 mph. Their "down" run was 309.798 mph the day before, so the record should now be 306.817 mph.....

Dang..... I'm waiting to hear, time is running out. Really you need a "down" run today that will allow you to take a shot at the record tomorrow.

:popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

16 August 2006
BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - UTAHTime: 22:15 (US)

Temperature: 31

[Iceaxe]

Couple of pictures.

[marc olivares]

i got to watch them run today
IIRC they hit a 308 speed at mile 3....?

at 300mph, you could barely hear those diesels running.
it was a creepy quiet running vehicle.

Damn speed week is fun :nod:

i'm a sucker for the old stuff though

[Iceaxe]

17 August 2006
Dr. TIM LEVERTON - Bonneville Salt Flats, 12.15 am (US)308.622mph

[Iceaxe]

I just heard the JCB Dieselmax team plans to stay on the salt to the end of the month in their quest to set the diesel LSR.

:popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

17 August 2006
JCB DIESELMAX EXCEEDS 300mph

JCB DIESELMAX moved a step closer to its ultimate goal and realised more of its potential as Andy Green exceeded 300 mph for the first time on the Bonneville Salt Flats today.

Running late in the afternoon, just before five o

[Iceaxe]

18 August 2006
JCB DIESELMAX POWERS TO BONNEVILLE SPEED RECORD

The international diesel land-speed record for diesel-powered vehicles moved a step closer today as the JCB DIESELMAX broke the Bonneville Salt Flats course record with a measured-mile speed of 317.021mph.

Having already achieved a recorded average speed over a measured mile of 308mph in the late afternoon of Thursday 17 August, the JCB DIESELMAX needed to complete a second run within 24 hours at least matching this speed in order to take the record.

Today the second run was completed successfully achieving an average speed of 325mph. The average speed of the two runs was thus recorded as 317mph, thus establishing the JCB DIESELMAX as the fastest-ever diesel over the Bonneville course.

[stefan]

happy timely ending ... sweeeeet! :2thumbs:

it must be crezy drivin' at those speeds :eek1:



well, i'm sure the brits partied pretty hard last night :friday:

[Iceaxe]

it must be crezy drivin' at those speeds

I heard a large banging sound when Andy Green walked :lol8:

[Iceaxe]

18 August 2006
ANNIE BERRISFORD - Bonneville Salt Flats 2:12PM (US)Well after feeling our luck was down at the beginning of the week a whole bunch of black cats would have been useful, however it seems to be that black Labradors do the trick too!!! Just before our RECORD BREAKING run, one walked out in front of the car on the start line

[Iceaxe]

19 August 2006
WENDOVER AIRFIELD - UTAHTime: 20:45 (US)

Temperature: 30

[Iceaxe]

21 August 2006
Bonneville Salt Flats - UTAHTime: 17:55 (US)

Temperature: 33

[Iceaxe]

NOTE: To set a World FIA record the vehicle must make two runs in opposite directions in less then one hour.

22 August 2006
WORLD'S FASTEST DIESEL - Bonneville Salt Flats, UtahTime: 15:55 (US)

Temperature: 37

[Iceaxe]

23 August 2006

Dr. TIM LEVERTON - Bonneville Salt Flats, UtahMy last blog was written late last Thursday night while surfing a wave of emotion following the first run of the JCB DIESELMAX with the car and engines working together as intended. That run was the vindication of all the effort that the whole team had put in to create a truly high speed diesel powered vehicle over the last 18 months. I knew with certainty at that point that success would eventually come to us but only after having received a serious lesson from the salt in the process.

I found the experience of watching the car deliver for the first time to be the most emotional and overwhelming moment of my engineering career to date. Everyone on this team has invested so much of themselves in this cars potential that the first signs of its performance appearing assumed enormous significance to me. I have a much clearer idea now how passion can make the crucial difference to doing something like this.

On Friday morning we took the JCB DIESELMAX out of the Bonneville Nationals impound area and ran the car again at 325mph in the last mile to set a new Bonneville class record (for the AA/DS class) of 317mph. This was the fastest single pass by a diesel powered vehicle in history and the fastest diesel record at Bonneville. In fact this record already made the JCB DIESELMAX the fastest diesel in the world but the record is not recognised by the FIA who require a 2-way pass through the mile within one hour.

On Saturday we started to organise the arrangements for setting up the international course which had been created for us by Mike Cook. As we are on the salt on our own this week we are responsible for the security and safety of all visitors including press and members of the public. Actually, there was a massive amount of work to do and without the unstinting help of Bryan Horner, Geraint Lewis and Sophy Gardner I am not sure we could have managed it. A big thankyou to them.

Richard Noble sat down with me on Saturday morning and demonstrated yet again what a formidable force he is in understanding the issues involved in running record attempts. Throughout the JCB DIESELMAX project he has generously given his experience to us and we have used that as our basis. On this occasion we went through the whole structure of the event management and I used his input to understand all the issues involved from where to place security people to how to control intinerant film crews to ensuring the course is clear prior to running. A special thanks on this occasion Richard because my brain had slowed to a snails pace in the wake of all the previous days excitement.

The salt looks very different with only JCB on it than it did in speedweek. Its easy to get lost because there are so few landmarks to navigate by. Individual stakes and markers assume high importance as you cross the wide expanse of the salt lake.

Our eleven mile course looked in excellent shape. Standing on the timing tower about 8 feet up you still cannot see the start and finish. Over this distance there is just over a 16 feet rise in the centre of the course. This is why we have had so many problems getting our radios to work from end to end of the course. Everything was ready by 5.00pm on Monday so that we could make our first record attempt on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile back in the hangar ...

It was always our plan to change the engines to the so called "record" engines and to give the car a major service. This is fraught with hazard because after 49 runs we have fixed everything on the car and in fact enjoyed excellent reliability as we have developed the cars performance. New components can introduce all sorts of new problems.

The engine change went very well and both engines were re-installed by monday morning ready for a start in the workshop. The engines both started and it was a clear illustration of how far we had come in a short time. On the weekend of 15th/16th July it had taken 16 hours to start the rear engine for the first time and the front never did run until a few days later. Now the team takes it for granted that they will simply start when requested to.

Shakedown gremlins were few. An incorrectly connected pair of pipes, an oil leak on the front engine oil cooler, and more concerningly, fuel in oil on the front engine. This latter problem was found to be a leaking seal in one of the fuel pumps. The pump was changed but all the oil had to be drained and so it took three hours or so to sort out. Consequently, the car only went out onto the runway at Wendover Airport approaching 7.00pm for 4 shakedown test runs - the second pair executed after sunset ... Fortunately, apart from some instrument panel glitches the engines ran fine including both coming onto boost together. A sigh of relief all round.

But, due to the delay in running the team could not practice the turnaround procedure we would follow for the first time the next day in order to achieve the 2-way pass inside the hour. Rod Benoist had prepared a detailed description of everyones job in the turnaround but everyone was so worn down that it was decided to brief it next morning on salt.

At 5.45am the team convoy of SUVs reached the salt and met at the start where we had breakfast and gathered for the briefing. Its amazing how, when you are acclimatised to 35degC, 21degC feels freezing so a number of us wore sweaters at least until the sun was up. I went to the pits to brief the press and film crews and the car start procedure began.

This being our first time at running the course it took a long time to be sure that there was nothing in position relative to the course that could put Andy at risk or indeed the individuals concerned. The car was ready to run some time before the course was confirmed clear. Some time after 8.00am the car started only for the run to be aborted after 1 and a half miles. This was not unexpected from my perspective with all the rebuild content and indeed the fault truned out to be an electrical short from a wire trapped under the dash panel. I was relieved to hear from Andy that the car was running well up until then. Back to the start fro another try.

9.38am and the clear to push signal comes over the radio from Alistair Macqueen and we are off again. This time the car shoots past us in the pits, where I am standing with Sir Anthony, at about 250mph. Rod informs us that the entry speed was 319mph, the exit speed 329mph, for an average in the mile of 324mph. Thats fine, if a bit lower than expected. I race round to the turnaround point and learn that both engines have overheated during the run and gone into self-protection mode and de-rated their performance by 20%.

The un-practiced turnaround goes superblly smoothly. There is no rush, just each team member doing thier job steadily and correctly. The car is jacked up and the spats and wheels removed so that new tyres can be fitted. Some time is taken to drain an oil catch tank and then the recovery vehicles are sent to the other end of the track. The clock is ticking and in fact the car is ready to return but has to wait while the recovery vehicles cover the 11 miles down the course (driving alongside the track but not on it in case of damage or debris dropping).

Our FM radios start to conk out of battery life so clearing the course is complicated but conducted carefully. The car starts again with 11 minutes to go in the hour.

I am standing at the timing tower this time and watch the car enter the flying mile at 342mph and wonder why it is slowing to 328mph on exit. Maybe the engines are overheating again? It doesn't matter. The 333mph average speed in the mile is enough for a new world diesel record of 328.767mph. The JCB DIESELMAX is also the first diesel powered car to exceed 500kph with a 529.333kph speed in the kilometre which is located inside the flying mile.

I'm not so emotional this time. Probably because I just can't take it in. Sir Anthony, and John Patterson (JCB Chief Exec.) are grinning like cheshire cats. My wife Julie hugs me and we race back to the cars and head to the start point where the car has returned. By the time we get there most of the team are lined up behind the car. As I walk towards them they are appauding and John Piper grabs me and lifts me of the ground. Handshakes, high fives, whoops of delight - its an absolutely fantastic moment. We've done it.

So, four runs, two records. Worlds fastest diesel. Job done.

I wonder how much faster we can go tomorrow....?

Dr. Tim Leverton
Project Director
JCB DIESELMAX

[Iceaxe]

23 August 2006
BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - TWO FIA INTERNATIONAL LAND SPEED RECORDSTime: 12:45 (US)

Temperature: 38

[Iceaxe]

24 August 2006
ANNIE BERRISFORD - Bonnevill Salt Flats - Utah 11.38am (US)Thursday 24th August