[alfa] re: single row timing chains

[Joe Elliott <jee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Now that I've given this some thought, I'm inclined to question the 
alternator issue.  Sure, a smaller alternator has less rotating mass 
(which requires power to accelerate from one speed to another), and 
presumably less friction with the air from the little impeller on the 
front.  But as far as the work of generating electricity, the load 
that the alternator puts on the engine is proportional to the current 
being drawn from it, right?  So I would think that the only thing 
that would change with the installation of a smaller alternator would 
be its maximum output--you'd just be capping the output, which I 
doubt affects anything on a race car, since no track event I've ever 
attended has required loud stereos or multiple 130W driving lights. 
Maybe you should try rewiring your charging system (bigass diode on 
the battery positive wire, perhaps) so that you don't waste any power 
charging the battery--just charge it with a trickle charger after 
every race.

Joe
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided