Projects rebuilding after the crash

I was performing some maintenance on the car getting ready for drag week and found a big problem. I changing rod and main bearings and as I was rotating the engine it came to a complete stop. Pulling plugs revealed the issue. A water leak filled a cylinder with water. The heads came off and I found some damage to a head. The last time I drove the car the water return tube separated dumping all the water out. The engine over heated so this must be the resulting damage. In a way it's good timing because it can be fixed. On the other hand it's not what I need this week.
So going forward I'm doing what I always do. Build it stronger. All the hoses are now double clamped. Seeing as the heads are off they got new springs. The old ones dropped to 250 lbs. The new springs are 320. Fresh springs really make a blown nitro engine rev. A valve job was also performed. With the heads off I will re ring it Saturday. I worked 12 hrs Wednesday then pulled the heads. Got up at 3:45 am for a 5.5 hr ride to Iowa. Fixed the heads then 5.5 hrs back home. 12 hr shift today then three days on the car. Its do able to get it all done. We will be ready for next week.

 

Man Brian it seems like you are in a perpetual thrash

 

If anyone could make a square peg fit a round hole and then hold 30 lbs of boost it’s Brian. Blown away that you even function let alone at these levels with that schedule

 

Its go time. What ever needs to be done has to get done. It will all be worth it next week. Lack of sleep is a temporary thing.

 

I'll see you and the car out there next weekend...should be another fun adventure!

 

for sure. there is no place I would rather be than with my hamb/drag week brothers. to help deal with the extra heat with stop and go traffic im going to reverse the coolants flow. the heads will get the cool water first. all I have to do is flip the hoses at the front of the engine. from guys I talked to who have done this it keeps the engine 15 degrees cooler. it might be worth trying on the cuda.

 

Brian, sorry to hear about the problems but I'm sure you realize how you dodged a bullet in so many ways. like that the engine did not hydrolock with water upon attempting to fire it up and blow out a cylinder wall or bust off a rod or even the crank. And that a hose didn't come off and dump water under your slicks at 200 miles an hour! Good luck with the repairs. I set up my coupe for reverse cooling, pumping 55 gallons per minute from the Mezzeire electric pump into the heads. The car ran extraordinarily cool to the heat of drag week last year. I used all a.n. fittings and hoses in the cooling system for easy disassembly and to ensure that there is no way a hose could ever pop off.

 

upgrades over the upcoming winter will include male fittings being welded onto the pipe. I plan on heading out early Friday morning around 4am to get past Chicago by 6am. if you want to hook up some were along the way let me know. the track is 16 hours from my door. I plan on taking the northern route going down I-80 then dropping down because its free. going down I-76 will cost a lot do to tolls with a trailer.

 

Unfortunately, I'm scratching Drag Week this year. I lost in the registration race, and ended up on the wait list. I have not as of yet made it off the wait list and into the rolls of the registered racers. I had a drop dead date in my mind, that if I wasn't registered by, I wasn't going to waste the time and money and make the commitment to be ready, and that date has passed.
I've done drag week in 07,08,09,11,13,14,15,16,17,&18, so it kind of hurts to contemplate missing it, Drag Week gets in your blood. But I am also enjoying this late summer season without the burden of the thrash to be ready.

I'll be watching from the live feed, rooting for you, Brian! I hope you finish, do very well in competition, and most of all be safe!

 

That sucks. We have to get it back together first. Big thrash is going on

 

I got the new rings and bearings in. The heads and intake are on. The new electric ring file I bought last year at pri made quick work out of the job. I received a 911 call from a friend racing at the grove so I will start again Sunday early.

 

Wow brian you are definitely on task hope all is well at the grove keep on keeping on I’ll be following along drag week living vicariously though you lol


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Man you are one BUSY guy with your job and the coupe.

 

It's not quite ready to race but it does run on the gas side. I will fire it on nitro Monday. Work has started on packing the trailer. Don't kid yourself it's a major undertaking that takes alot of planning.

 

It's not clean but it runs. I took it to a car show in town for a test drive. My neighbor from the other side of the corn field brought his 55.

 

nice - good luck on drag week - trying to make it to atco.....hope to see you there....Oh, and is that a pinto woodie in the background?

 

With all that I bet the corn pops right on the stalks.

 

9The drive didn't go as planned. Water is running out between the head and block. Blue devil gasket sealer isn't working. Everything is disconnected as I wait for mark to show up. We will remove the intake and blower together. The silicone I used never set up is what I'm thinking. I was cleaning some things that had the silicone on it and it was still runny. I bought a fresh tube to go with another set of gaskets. If it seals I will load up if not there is next year. The good thing is the car ran great.

 

This car is kicking my ass. The deck and heads were cleaned. They look like they never had silicone on them. My suspicions were correct. The heads are back on. They will cure over night. After work I will retorque the heads and put the rest back together. If I make drag week it might be a case of throwing everything in the trailer and sorting it all out Sunday. This is not going as planned.

 

Fingers crossed!

 

Last minute thrashes are a hallmark of Drag Week. and all day thrashes. And all night thrashes. You are going in tired, I hope it goes so well that you get a little time to rest.

 

I wanted to leave Friday morning at 4:30 am. That would get me around Chicago with no delays. Its 16 hrs from my door to the track. Saturday nothing is going on so after a good sleep we could unload things and get organized. I have Sunday to after tech. I can get the car ready to race while mark works on the trailer. I think its do able it just wont be easy. Typical drag week.

 

Wife: "What on earth are you doing on your knees" ?
Me: " Just praying Brians silicone holds up"

Good luck for the drag week. To me it looks like YOU will do it.

 

If anyone can pull it off it’s definitely Brian. Looking forward to seeing this through


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Hoping for the best Brian, and I know if it's humanly possible., you'll make it. I admire that trait in you and Jim Forbes, and believe that is the root of success for both of you.
Went back and read till I found "blue devil" mentioned as gasket sealer to be used on last rebuild. Unfamiliar to me, is that a brand name or a nickname? Sucks to have a failure of a gasket sealer to harden cause so much trouble.

 

Good luck from the other side of the world. I will be wearing the coupe T shirt for good vibrations.

 

I feel your pain Brian, got my new 340 in the truck like we talked about, went for a ride on sunday and it over heated, with water in the oil. I plan on leaving on Thursday for Drag week, but if not fixed I cant leave until its done. I am still hoping on a gear change. Good luck and hope to see ya in Virginia.
Tony

 

Hell man I thought I was having trouble keeping my car together I am by no means in this kinda rush YET I still have a few weeks till George rays lol good luck Brian


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All this work and no sleep is just practice for next week. Doing the repairs at home sure beats doing them on the side of the road in the rain using flashlights to see.

 

...or even doing themat a hotel....