Through the years, we've seen that of the total amount of improvement, however measured with a MicroBlue® build, 50% comes from improvements in combustion efficiency and the other 50% comes from friction reduction. Things like the crank assembly, the primary drive, transmission gears and shafts, bearings and everything else that moves.
A great quote about friction came from Mark Peiser, Antron Brown’s NHRA Pro-Stock motorcycle crew chief and builder in the early 2000’s:
“To do it right, it's all about the details. Remember that pennies make nickels, dimes and quarters and to do it right, you have to start with the pennies. Most people start with the dimes or quarters. That makes my job much easier”.
That approach resulted in win at the 2000 U.S. Nationals, the first time a MicroBlue® bike appeared in Pro Stock competition. A lot was learned that year and the foundation was set for our understanding of how to do it right and Mark led the way, thank you Mark.
Superfinishing and MicroBlue® compared:
As machined, the gear surfaces are comprised of very small "peaks and valleys". As the gears rotate, the gear oil is pushed out from between those gear surfaces. As the oil is pushed out, a certain amount of turbulence is created as the oil has to navigate through those peaks & valleys. This turbulence causes the oil to work against itself creating heat in the process.
So how do we create a "peak-free" surface that doesn't change the size of the parts? The common approach is REM® superfinishing. The parts are placed in a machine that contains a polished ceramic media. A chemical compound is used during the tumbling process and the peaks are reduced, creating a flat surface with no size change.
However, the amount of friction reduction is actually small. The real friction comes from the effort it takes to push the oil from between the gear teeth. MicroBlue's effect on the oil wetting properties reduces this by about 20-25%.
We once sat in on a drivetrain test by Andretti Racing. Their ring and pinion used two tapered bearings, which create a sizeable amount of drag. They brought three bearing sets, one broken in, another that was REM polished only and a third, polished and MicroBlue® coated.
They measure changes in throughput efficiency, how much energy is used to drive the box under load. The results were an eye-opener. The first set was run to establish a baseline. The second polished bearings were to compare to the first.
We asked Jason what he saw, "practically nothing" was his answer. Then they ran the MicroBlue® bearings and the results were stunning. "Two horsepower" he responded with a smile. He said that gear polishing has no effect on lubricants the way MicroBlue does, and that's where the gains came from. He added, "we've always seen a 20-25% improvement with drivetrain parts with your process".
This is how MicroBlue® works:
Think about how slippery you feel in the shower with soft water. Soft water simply reduces the surface tension of the soap, changing the way soap wet's your skin, which is why everything feels so slippery. MicroBlue® does the same thing with any lubricant, because of the two atoms of sulfur in the coating compound.
So it's all about basic physics and chemistry, which is why "it cannot work".
NHRA St. Louis (2007): Vance & Hines didn't see this coming...
ESPECIALLY FROM AN UNDER FUNDED TEAM BASED OUT OF A HARLEY SHOP IN RURAL WISCONSIN. WE PULLED EVERY TOOL OUT OF OUR TOOL BELT AND HEADED TO GATEWAY.
WHAT DOES THIS VIDEO SHOW? THAT A "PRODUCTION" ENGINE CAN BEAT THE BEST OF THE BEST...
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