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Posted By Discussion Topic: Pike's Peak -- page: 1 2 3     Old Henry 10-29-2010 @ 11:00 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 738 Joined: Apr 2010 After throwing out Pike's Peak as an example of the possible use for higher pressure radiator caps I suddently got the urge to take that climb to the top in my old '47 Sedan. I'd be interested in hearing other's experiences of doing the same. How 'bout it? Anyone done that and can tell about it? Still Old Henry flathead4rd 10-30-2010 @ 5:53 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 169 Joined: Oct 2009 Here's my expierence but not in a Ford. Back in 1960 I had a new 60 Chev, Impala 327 V-8. The wife and I drove it from Michigan to Colorado and while ther decided to drive to the top of Pikes Peak. Fourteen thousand one hundred ten feet, gravel road, and no guard rails. Very interesting, especially if you met another vehicle that was on the way down. Anyway, long story short, around the ten thousand feet elevation there was a major change in engine power. I had that C***y floored most of the time and could barely keep a speed of 25 MPH. The engine was starving for air the rest of the way and running very poorly. Finally made it to the top and I will say it was worth the drive. On the way down, no problems. DUH, it's downhill all the way, no engine needed. They stopped all vehicles at the 10,000 ft. level and checked your brakes. If necessary had you pull off to the side for a cool down. Once below the 10K foot level the engine started running normal again. I don't know how the road is now some fifty years later but I do recommend you do it if your there. Something you will remember for a long time. PS: Don't get out of your car and run around when you get to the top. You might get a little dizzy and pass out. Yes, they do sell oxygen up there at the visitors building. Old Henry 10-30-2010 @ 8:07 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 738 Joined: Apr 2010 I was thinking that might happen. (Loss of power at altitude.) Many years ago we were pulling our camping trailer with our van on I-70 in Colorado and as we approached the Eisenhour Tunnel at 11,158 elevation we had the same experience - severe loss of power such that we were just crawling 10-15 mph until we got over the top and started down the other side. I have sometimes advanced the timing on my distributor at higher altitudes and retarded it at lower to compensate some for the change in atmospheric pressure with some benefit. Might have to do that on the Pike's Peak climb. Still Old Henry supereal 10-30-2010 @ 8:58 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 The problem is loss of compression due to the thinner air, and made worse by the drop in air induction. Timing changes wouldn't help much, if any. A turbo or other supercharger would, however. An altitude of 14,000 feet does do strange things to vehicles and people. The last time I was to the top of Pike's Peak it was in my new '72 Chevy pickup. It was a strong vehicle until we got 2/3 of the way to the top, then it turned into a panting monster that struggled. The temp at the base was 80. At the peak, it was in the low 30's. If you go, take a coat. For many years, "Denver" heads and brake drums were available for those in mountain states. Old Henry 10-30-2010 @ 12:24 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 738 Joined: Apr 2010 The main reason I've adjusted my timing for altitude is this: Historically, when I've gone from my high elevation home in Utah (5,000 feet) to California or Arizona, I've developed premature detonation - "pinging" - in the engine. When I back off the timing at low altitude the pinging goes away. Likewise, when I return to higher altitude, I have less power than I had before at that higher altitude so I advance the timinig and regain my power. There is, of course, a limit to the amount one can advance timing to increase power but I think every little bit will help when we climb Pike's Peak. I surmise that thinner air, meaning less fuel, takes a little longer to detonate and explode. Thus, a little earlier timing under those conditions can give the air/fuel mixture a little "head start" on the explosion before reaching maximum compression - thus increasing power some by doing that. A super charger or turbo charger could certainly help. Or, if they sold the oxygen at the bottom of the mountain, instead of at the top, one could prop it under the hood and let it "trickle" oxygen into the carburetor on the way up. Now I think that would give it a boost. What do you think? Still Old Henry This message was edited by Old Henry on 10-30-10 @ 12:36 PM Stroker 10-30-2010 @ 1:59 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1460 Joined: Oct 2009 Old: Your engine pings at low elevation because you have more compression. I think the idea of "trickling" straight O2 into the carb is a wonderful way to explore the innards of your motor, while you replace the pistons with holes, valves without heads, etc. If you wish to give your flattie a rocky mountain "high", it would be better to do it with "laughing gas" (nitrous oxide), as the metering (trickling) hardware is readily available along with the advice. Another option would be to hog out your jets, and run a methanol/nitromethane mixture in the fuel tank. This is essentially a monopropellant that is used in various racing venues. Just don't forget to drain the oil when you are done, so the breather cap doesn't punch a hole in the hood the next time you fire it up. I once roared over the summit at Berthoud with a McCulloch supercharger, and I will say it is truly rewarding passing cars 5 or 6 at a time. Old Henry 10-30-2010 @ 2:12 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 738 Joined: Apr 2010 I'll probably just creep up the hill along side the turtles and snails and enjoy the scenery. Still Old Henry coftbird 10-30-2010 @ 6:17 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 14 Joined: Oct 2009 Pike'sPeak in an old Ford - go for it. Last year I went up in a '37 pickup with 21 stud V8. It was not easy due to vapor lock and heating, but I made it. If a fellow could get gasoline without ethanol it might help. I had to use the electric fuel pump at the higher elevations to keep from vapor locking. Also about 11,000' the truck got hot and I had to shut down to let it cool off. Strangely five days earlier I had gone up Mount Evans, slightly higher, with no problems. The road is partially paved, partially gravel and partially under construction. Did not have any view when we got there. Had fog, rain, snow, sleet and hail. Did not stay long as my wife wanted down promptly. The full story is in May/June 2010 V8 Times. Old Henry 10-30-2010 @ 7:55 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 738 Joined: Apr 2010 Charlie, I read your full story in the V8 Times and loved it. But, I couldn't find anywhere when it was that you took the trip. When did you do it? It sounded like a cold time of year, at least with the cold weather you had on Pike's Peak and I was curious why your engine overheated in such cold weather. I'm thinking that your water was boiling because of the low air pressure more than overheating. Maybe I will take a higher pressure radiator cap to put on for the climb to keep that from happening. Still Old Henry This message was edited by Old Henry on 10-30-10 @ 8:01 PM coftbird 10-31-2010 @ 11:55 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 14 Joined: Oct 2009 Henry - the date was August 29, 2009. The air temperature was warm at the bottom of the hill (7,400'). When I shut down for the engine to cool at 11,000' the air temp was about 55 to 60 and engine temperature was about 200 (as best I remember). At the top air temp was at, or near, freezing. Yes I imagine the low air pressure contributed to the boiling, but the '37 truck does not have a pressure cap so there was nothing I could do about that.

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