ð100:                     HELP -HEADER TUBES
If this engine combination has headers, reply yes. You will then be asked to
enter the size of the headers.
ð103:                     HELP -HEADER TUBE SIZE
Header tube size often has a dramatic effect upon an engine combination's
horsepower output, RPM powerband range, vehicle driveability, and fuel
economy.

Header tubes help boost an engine's horsepower output in two ways: headers
relieve exhaust backpressure, and they create a powerful "siphon" effect
which draws additional air-fuel mixture into the cylinders during the valve
overlap period of the camshaft.

Generally, the larger your header tubes are, the lower the exhaust backpressure
will be. However, as header tube size increases, the cylinder siphoning effect
decreases at the lower RPM ranges. The net effect of these tradeoffs is that as
header tube size increases, the powerband range of the engine increases and
typically narrows.

Thus, many street cars actually run faster using a set of headers that is
one size smaller than that required for peak horsepower output. Despite the
reduced horsepower, the lower engine powerband matches up better with the
less-than-optimum gears and stalls used in these vehicles. TYPICALLY, SUCH
HEADERS DRAW A 88-94 RATING BY DRAGSTRIP PLUS, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED
 ¯                     HELP -HEADER TUBE SIZE, page 2
NORMAL FOR MOST STREET MACHINES. All-out race cars generally base their
combinations around header tubes which draw a 95-105 rating by DragStrip Plus.

A popular header tube diameter for street use is 1 5/8" for small block
engines, and 1 3/4" or 1 7/8" for big blocks.
ð105:                     HELP -EXHAUST TUBE SIZE
The larger your exhaust pipes are, the better your engine can breathe.

A common exhaust pipe diameter for street use is 2 1/2".
ð110:                       HELP -ENGINE SIZE
Enter the size of your engine in cubic inch displacement (CID), including any
extra displacement created by overboring the engine.

As engine size increases, the powerband range of the engine proportionately
decreases, for any set engine combination. Normally, as engine size increases,
your combination must be scaled upwards to reflect the increase in aspiration
required to fill the larger engine to the same level of volumetric efficiency.

Overboring the engine by .030" typically adds five (5) CID if the engine is a
small block, or eight (8) CID if a big block engine. Double these figures if
the engine is overbored by .060".

NOTE: If your engine's size is measured in metric, multiply its size in cubic
liters by 61. Example: A Camaro equipped with a "5.0" engine is actually 305 CID
(5.0 X 61 = 305).

Popular engine sizes are 302 and 350 CID for small block engines, and 427
and 454 CID for big block engines.
 ¯                         HELP -ENGINE SIZE, page 2
ð111:                  HELP -NUMBER OF ENGINE CYLINDERS
Press <ENTER> to accept the default number of engine cylinders already
displayed, or enter a new value if applicable.

DragStrip Plus uses this information during its process of calculating injector
sizes (if the engine is injected).
ð112:                   HELP -ENGINE MANUFACTURER
Select the engine manufacturer that made your engine block. Press <ENTER> to
select the default, or choose a new engine manufacturer as applicable.
ð113:                     HELP -ENGINE TYPE
Select the engine category that best describes your engine.

IMPORTANT: If you have a Ford engine equipped with Cleveland heads, select the
"Big Block" category.
ð115:                   HELP -TRANSMISSION SELECTION
Select the transmission that best describes your vehicle. A common trans-
mission for Chevy based vehicles for street use is the Turbo 350; many Fords
employ the C4 or C6; while many Mopars use the 727.

If your transmission is made by a different manufacturer, select the
transmission category that comes closest to the performance and endurance of
your transmission.
ð120:                 HELP -NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION GEARS
You are being asked to supply the number of gears in the vehicle's
transmission. Press <ENTER> to accept the default answer already displayed,
or enter the new value of your choice.

At the present time, DragStrip Plus makes no use of this information, and is
included for future use only.
ð122:                 HELP -TRANSMISSION GEAR RATIOS
Like your vehicle's rear end, the transmission also contains gears that have
specific ratios that vary from transmission to transmission.

Transmission gear ratios work like this: In first gear, if your vehicle's
driveshaft were to rotate 2 and 1/4 times for every once the engine turned,
your transmission's first gear ratio would be described as being "2.25 : 1".

A less cumbersome way to represent this ratio would be "225", and that is what
DragStrip Plus is expecting.  Press <ENTER> to accept the default value already
displayed, or enter a new value of your choice.

At the current time, DragStrip Plus makes only indirect use of this information,
and is mainly included for future use.
ð125:                    HELP -FINISH LINE GEAR
You are being asked to input the transmission gear your vehicle is in when it
crosses the finish line.

Since most race cars finish the quarter mile in high or final (1:1) gear, this
is the default answer. Press <ENTER> to accept the default, or type in a
different finish line gear if applicable.

NOTE: If DragStrip Plus detects that your vehicle's finish line RPM will be too
high or low in the finish line transmission gear that you selected, DragStrip
Plus will "shift" your vehicle upwards or downwards into a different gear.

For example, if your vehicle is equipped with an overdrive transmission,
DragStrip Plus may downshift into overdrive if your vehicle's RPM across the
finish line in your transmission's high (1:1) gear exceeds your engine's
optimum shift point by an excessive margin.

Similarly, if your vehicle's RPM across the finish line is below your engine's
optimum shift point by a considerable amount, DragStrip Plus may upshift into
your transmission's next lowest available gear.
 ¯                     HELP -FINISH LINE GEAR, PAGE 2
In either case, DragStrip Plus will inform you of the action it took via
appropriate messages, prior to displaying your vehicle's E.T. (in certain
cases, you may be able to set your vehicle's finish-line gear back to your
original setting; however, most of the time you will not want to do so).
ð130:                      HELP -CAMSHAFT TYPE
The type of camshaft in your engine can potentially have quite an effect upon
your engine's operation.

Generally, roller cams are more efficient than solid lift-camshafts, while
solid-lift cams are more efficient than hydraulic cams.

Roller and solid-lift cams lift the cylinder valves higher and hold them open
far longer allowing useful air flow into the engine cylinders than hydraulic
cams, for any given amount of total camshaft duration.

Most sport cars and street hot rods use hydraulic camshafts due to their ease
of maintenance, while most serious street machines generally use solid cams.
Roller cams, far more expensive overall, are mainly used by all-out race
cars only.
ð140:                       HELP -VALVE LIFT
In general, the higher your camshaft lifts the cylinder valves, the more horse-
power your engine will make, for any given camshaft duration and valve size.

If you have a SPLIT PROFILE camshaft with different intake and exhaust valve
lifts, enter the mean (average) value of the two.  If the intake valve's lift
is .480", and the exhaust valve's lift is .492", enter the average value of
the two figures, which is  "486".

TECHNICAL NOTE: Enter the valve lift as measured at the valve with the current
rocker arms installed on your engine.  If you have 1.6 rocker arms but your
camshaft's valve lift is rated at a 1.5 ratio (for example), and you do not know
what the 1.6 rocker arm valve lift is, do the following: enter the 1.5 rocker
arm valve lift figure that you are sure about, then enter 1.5 as your engine's
rocker arm ratio as well (if this is a new engine combination, you will asked
this question automatically later on).  Then, after DragStrip Plus as made an
initial computation of your vehicle's E.T., change the rocker arm ratio to
its correct value. DragStrip Plus will automatically adjust the camshaft valve
lift to the proper value for this new rocker arm ratio.
 ¯                        HELP -VALVE LIFT, page 2
A common valve lift for many street cars is .480", or simply "480".
ð145:                  HELP -TOTAL CAMSHAFT DURATION
Enter your camshaft's total, or "advertised" duration. "Total duration" refers
to how long the camshaft holds open a given cylinder valve above a set
reference point (usually .004" valve lift), measured in degrees of camshaft
arc.

A camshaft's total duration has a direct and dramatic effect upon your engine's
operation, including horsepower, shift point, powerband width, idle
characteristics, fuel economy, effective compression ratio, vacuum for vehicle
accessories such as power brakes, plus literally a dozen other less significant
but important factors.  The bigger an engine is, the less effect a given
camshaft will have on the engine's idle characteristics, fuel economy, and
overall driveability.

DragStrip Plus takes all these factors into consideration, therefore it is
important that you enter the correct duration. If available, refer to the
factory spec card included with the cam.

However, due to the algorithm employed by the program, DragStrip Plus can
tolerate a substantial degree of error, as long as you correctly answer the
 ¯                   HELP -TOTAL CAMSHAFT DURATION, page 2
majority of everything else the program asks you.

If you have a SPLIT PROFILE camshaft with different intake and exhaust
durations, enter the mean (average) value of the two durations. For example,
if the intake valve's total duration is 280, and the exhaust valve's total
duration is 288, enter the average value of the two figures, which is "284".

A popular total duration for many street machines is 280 degrees.
ð150:                 HELP -CAMSHAFT DURATION AT .050"
Enter your camshaft's duration at .050" value lift. This figure is determined
by how long the camshaft holds open a given cylinder valve above a set
reference point, .050" valve lift, as measured in degrees of camshaft arc.

The relationship between this figure, and the camshaft's total or advertised
duration, along with the maximum valve lift (both entered separately), allows
DragStrip Plus to calculate the curve of the camshaft's airflow envelope.

A camshaft's airflow envelope controls your engine's operation in virtually
every aspect of its operation, including its horsepower, shift point, powerband

width, idle characteristics, fuel economy, effective compression ratio, vacuum
for vehicle accessories such as power brakes, plus literally a dozen other less
significant but important factors.  The bigger an engine is, the less effect
a given camshaft will have on the engine's idle characteristics, fuel economy,
and overall driveability.

DragStrip Plus takes all these factors into consideration, therefore it is
important that you enter the correct duration. If available, refer to the
 ¯                HELP -CAMSHAFT DURATION AT .050", page 2
factory spec card included with the cam.

However, due to the algorithm employed by the program, DragStrip Plus can
tolerate a substantial degree of error, just so long as you correctly answer
most everything else the program asks you.

If you have a SPLIT PROFILE camshaft with different intake and exhaust
durations at .050", enter the mean (average) value of the two durations. For
example, if the intake valve's duration at .050" is 230, and the exhaust
valve's duration at .050" is 236, enter the average value of the two figures,
which is "233".

A popular duration at .050" for many street machines is 230 degrees.
ð155:              HELP -CAMSHAFT LOBE CENTER SEPARATION
The "camshaft lobe center separation" statistic refers to the ground-in degree
of physical separation between the intake and exhaust valve lobes of the
camshaft, as measured in degrees of camshaft arc.

Generally, a lower number raises an engine's powerband, while a higher number
lowers it.

Erson brand cams for street use are generally manufactured at 108 degrees of
lobe center separation, while Competition Cams are usually set at 110 degrees.
Many stock factory camshafts use lobe centers in the range of 112 to 118
degrees, while all out race cars frequently use cams with lobe center 
separations in the 106 degree range.

Be sure to enter the value shown on your camshaft card, regardless of whether
your camshaft was "degreed" at installation or not.  Later on you will be given
the opportunity to enter the number of degrees your camshaft was advanced or
retarded, if any.
ð160:                    HELP -CAMSHAFT OVERLAP
Camshaft overlap describes that period when both of your engine's valves are
open at the same time, as measured in degrees of camshaft arc.

The greater the camshaft overlap is, the more horsepower (potentially) the
engine will make, but at an ever higher and higher RPM range.  Also high
overlaps reduce the streetability of the vehicle, and usually waste large
amounts of fuel.

Most street cars employ camshafts in the range of 30 to 90 degrees of valve
overlap, while all-out race cars can have well in excess of 100 degrees of
overlap.

If your camshaft has an overlap of 60 degrees, enter this as "060", or enter
is as "60" and press <ENTER>.  IF YOU DO NOT KNOW YOUR CAMSHAFT'S OVERLAP, OR
ARE NOT SURE, ENTER "0" (OR PRESS THE <ENTER> KEY). 

However, keep in mind that DragStrip Plus' calculation of your cam's "Overall
Camshaft Profile" rating in the Advice Screen will be the most accurate if you
 ¯                        HELP -CAMSHAFT OVERLAP, page 2
enter your camshaft's correct overlap.
ð165:                 HELP -CAM INSTALLATION TIMING
A camshaft can be physically installed during engine assembly "ahead" or
"behind" in its rotation, when measured in respect to the engine's crankshaft
rotation, or simply installed "straight up", which is the most common assembly
procedure.

In general, retarding a camshaft raises an engine's powerband peak, while
advancing a cam lowers it. The effect upon a vehicle's overall performance
depends largely upon how well the various engine and vehicle parts match with
each other as a total combination.

An engine which is relatively overbuilt for the vehicle usually benefits from
advancing the camshaft, while an underbuilt engine normally benefits if the
camshaft is retarded. If the engine combination is balanced and matches the
vehicle fairly well, the camshaft is best installed straight up.

Tip: Most street cars benefit from advancing the camshaft. Consult DragStrip
Plus's "Advice" screen for specific advice based upon your particular
engine and vehicle combination.
ð170:                 HELP -CAM INSTALLATION TIMING
A camshaft can be installed during engine assembly physically "ahead" or
"behind" in its rotation when measured in respect to the engine's crankshaft
rotation.

Generally, as an engine's camshaft is advanced, the engine's powerband range
lowers; as it is retarded, it increases.

Enter the amount of the camshaft's deviation from "straight up" installation,
in degrees of crankshaft rotation.

A popular amount to advance or retard a camshaft is 4 degrees.
ð175:                   HELP -INTAKE VALVE SIZE
In general, the larger your intake valves are, the better your engine will
be able to breathe, and the more horsepower it will generate, for any given
camshaft duration and valve lift.

Intake valve size is not as critical in supercharged and turbocharged engines,
as the air-fuel mixture does not have to be drawn in to the engine, but instead
is forced in under pressure.

Popular intake valve sizes for street use are 1.94 and 2.02", entered as
"194" and "202" respectively.

Press <ENTER> to accept the default if correct, or enter a new value.
ð180:                   HELP -EXHAUST VALVE SIZE
In general, the larger your exhaust valves are, the better your engine will
be able to breathe, and the more horsepower it will generate, for any given
camshaft duration and valve lift.

Exhaust valve size is potentially critical in supercharged and turbocharged
engines, as a large volume of air-fuel mixture is forced into the engine
under pressure by the turbo or supercharger, but is left to basically find its
own way out of the engine.

Popular exhaust valve sizes for street use are 1.50 and 1.60", entered as "150"
and "160" respectively.

Press <ENTER> to accept the default if correct, or enter a new value.
ð185:                      HELP -ROCKER ARM RATIO
The greater the rocker arm ratio, the further the camshaft will open the valves
for any given camshaft duration. In addition, the greater the rocker arm ratio,
the longer the camshaft will hold open the valves above any given valve lift.

Higher rocker arm ratios allow use of a smaller CAM than would otherwise be
necessary to achieve a given level of performance. Normally, a Camshaft
equipped with high ratio rocker arms will produce the same horsepower using
somewhat less fuel and be slightly more "driveable" than a larger Camshaft
equipped with standard ratio rocker arms.

Unless your camshaft is too large for your engine, using higher ratio rocker
arms will benefit your engine. NOTE: If you change your engine's rocker arm
ratio, DragStrip Plus will change your camshaft's valve lift to match. You
will then be given a chance to either accept or change the new camshaft
valve lift computed by DragStrip Plus.

Small-block engines normally use rocker arm ratios of either 1.5 : 1 or
1.6 : 1, while big block engines normally use a 1.7 : 1 ratio.

Press <ENTER> to accept the default if correct, or enter a new  >
 ¯                       HELP -ROCKER ARM RATIO, page 2
value.  Enter a "1.5 : 1" rocker arm ratio as "150".
ð190:                    HELP -CARBURETOR TYPE
Select the category that best describes your carburetor. If your engine is
injected, select the "Injected" category.

A common carburetor for street use is the Holley.
ð195:                  HELP -CARBURETOR SIZE OR CFM
The larger the engine or the more radical the engine combination, the larger
the carburetor must be to allow the engine to fill its cylinders to capacity.

If you use a carburetor which is moderately too small for your combination,
your vehicle may run fairly close (or even the same) as its potential E.T. with
the optimum carburetor, but the engine's shift point and MPH will be sharply
reduced.

This is because a carburetor that is smaller (up to a certain point) than
optimum will increase the engine's low-end torque, and thus the launch of the
vehicle.  But at higher engine speeds, the engine runs out of air, forcing the
driver to shift short of the engine's RPM potential. This results in a
reduction of the vehicle's top end acceleration, lowering its finish-line MPH.

Enter 750 CFM as "0750", or enter it as "750" and press 'ENTER'. A typical
carburetor size for many street race cars is a carburetor with potential to
flow from 600 to 850 cubic feet of airflow per minute.
ð200:                   HELP -MANIFOLD SELECTION
Select the manifold type that best fits your vehicle per these definitions:

"Tunnel Ram"                    This is the tall, high speed, ram air effect
                                manifold built for two carburetors.

"High-rise single plane"        Strip Dominator type manifold.

"Medium-rise single plane"      Victor Jr. type manifold.

"Low-rise single plane"         Torker II type manifold.

"Dual Plane/Sports Cars"        Performer type manifold, and most sports car
                                manifolds.

"Stock cast iron smog"          This is the heavy, cast iron, flat manifold
                                that comes standard on most non-performance
                                V8 engine production cars for fuel economy,
                                emission control, and cost-reduction purposes.
ð203:                   HELP -INTERCOOLER SELECTION
Intercoolers are radiator-like devices that aid the performance of turbocharged
vehicles by cooling the hot intake charge produced by the turbocharger, thus
allowing a denser mixture to packed into the combustion chambers of the engine.
However, this is accomplished at the expense of a boost pressure drop across
the intercooler.

Aftermarket racing intercoolers work better than stock intercoolers by cooling
the intake charge to a greater degree, with far less pressure drop across the
intercooler.

Select the intercooler category that best describes your vehicle.
ð205:                    HELP -IGNITION SELECTION
Most street cars use ignition systems classified in the "High Performance"
category.

At the current time, DragStrip Plus makes no use of this information other
than for general advisory purposes, and is mainly included for future uses.
ð210:                    HELP -PISTON SELECTION
Normally, serious racing applications use forged pistons, due to their greater
strength and durability.

At the current time, DragStrip Plus makes no use of this information other
than for general advisory purposes, and is mainly included for future use.
ð215:                   HELP -ENGINE COMPRESSION
The higher your engine's compression is up to a certain point, the more
efficient it will be. However, the fuel octane requirements of the engine go up
sharply as the compression ratio increases.

Since DragStrip Plus looks at your engine's operational or dynamic compression
ratio, rather than its static or mechanical compression ratio, the exact
mechanical compression ratio is unimportant. This is why DragStrip Plus does
not include a compression ratio calculator.

Enter a compression ratio of  "12.25 : 1"  as simply  "12.25".

Most street race cars use compression ratios in the range of "8:1" to "10 : 1",
as these compression ratios work well with pump gas.
ð220:                  HELP -CYLINDER HEAD SELECTION
The choice of engine cylinder head type is one of the very few selections in
DragStrip Plus that is absolutely critical you make correctly.

Unlike most other engine and vehicle selections used by the program, DragStrip
Plus has no way to compensate for an incorrect head type selection, except in
certain situations that occur more or less infrequently.

NOTE: Most big block engines produce more horsepower using open-chamber heads
than they do with closed-chamber heads. The reverse is true with small block
engines.
ð225:                  HELP -CYLINDER HEAD PORTING
Porting, or enlarging a cylinder head, if done correctly, is a excellent way
to (potentially) gain a lot of cheap horsepower.

How much horsepower a given engine will gain if its cylinder heads are ported
depends upon a number of factors, such as the horsepower output of the engine,
the type of cylinder heads in use, and especially to what degree and how well
the heads are ported.
ð230:                      HELP -ENGINE FUEL
The higher your engine's compression ratio, the greater its need for increased
fuel octane.

DragStrip Plus basis its fuel octane ratings upon your engine's operational or
dynamic compression ratio, rather than its static or mechanical compression
ratio.

Thus two engines built with different combinations, but with the same
mechanical compression ratios and using the same fuel, may still receive
different fuel octane ratings by DragStrip Plus.

Many street machines typically use a fuel octane that draws a 85 to 95 rating
by DragStrip Plus. As long as the vehicle's ignition timing is retarded
somewhat, a fuel octane rating this low will usually work. However, retarding
the timing reduces the horsepower of the engine, lowering the vehicle's
overall performance, particularly its finish-line MPH.

The vehicle cannot attain its highest degree of performance until you use the
optimum fuel octane (95-105 rating), AND the engine's ignition timing is
advanced to the optimum point for the higher octane but slower burning fuel.
ð235:                       HELP -FUEL PUMP
If your fuel delivery system (fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel line) is inadequate
to supply your engine throughout its RPM range, from launch through the finish
line, the E.T.s and especially the MPHs displayed by DragStrip Plus may
be substantially faster than your vehicle's actual track results.

However, DragStrip Plus will forecast the same E.T. for your vehicle,
whether it is starving for fuel or not. DragStrip Plus has no way of knowing to
what degree your engine is short of fuel, for a number of reasons.

It is your responsibility to make sure your engine has an adequate supply of
fuel throughout the quarter mile, just as it is your responsibility to make
sure the engine has been properly assembled, installed, tuned, and driven.

DragStrip Plus will give you some warning of potential fuel delivery problems
in its "Advice" screen, but this warning will not affect the vehicle's
predicted E.T., no matter what fuel pump selection you make.
ð240:                     HELP -AIR INDUCTION
Select the air induction category that best fits your vehicle. If you have
a supercharger or turbocharger, you will be asked to supply the amount of boost
it produces.

If your vehicle is equipped with a hood scoop that does not actually direct
air into the carburetor, select either "Ram/Cowl Air" or "No Hood Scoop". The
actual choice would depend upon which category bests describes your vehicle's
particular hood scoop.
ð250:                   HELP -DRIVER EXPERIENCE
At the current time, DragStrip Plus makes no use of this information, other
than for informative purposes to the user at the "Advice" screen only. Your
selection will have no effect on your vehicle's E.T., no matter what choice
you make.

Press <ENTER> to accept the default if correct, or enter a new value.
ð999:eof
È

