Courtesy of Engine Builder by Evan Laux
At the 2023 Ultimate Callout Challenge, the unmistakable roar of diesel engines reverberates through the air. If you’re lucky enough to be positioned near the starting line during the dragster runs, you’ll be greeted with vibrations up and down your body – just make sure you have ear plugs in!
We had the privilege of catching up with Jared Jones of Scheid Diesel during the event. If you’ve followed diesel drag racing at any point in the last decade and a half, you’ll know Scheid Diesel. They’re the name behind the first diesel to achieve 200 mph in the 1/4 mile and first diesel in the 6s. Scheid’s lightning-covered dragster has become synonymous with speed.
“What we do is start out with a blank billet, and it’s like 750 lbs. when it starts out, and it comes out to like 243 lbs.,” says Jared Jones. “It’s still based off of a two-valve engine and it’s got a 4.125” bore in it. It’s running a 6.7L crank, so it’s like 393 cid. We make our own fuel lines in-house as well, we did a billet intake on our 560XL, and we make the injector bodies for this engine as well.”
The entire manufacturing process is meticulously executed in-house, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment such as the Centroid 560XL and other advanced three-axis machines. Notably, the team at Scheid Diesel even manufactures its own billet heads, ensuring comprehensive quality control from start to finish.
When it comes to power, this engine doesn’t disappoint. It makes around 2,800 horsepower on fuel alone, but that’s just the beginning. This season, they introduced nitrous to the equation with a Hammer Tech Nitrous Cannon.
