yup, will be fun to see where they take us on the journey from Byron to Cordova. It won't be the short little jaunt on your map, that's for sure!
The challenge continues: I got it put back together. It started. It ran while I was getting the timing set. It started out way too retarded and sneezed a couple times. Nothing leaked so far. Then it made a clunk and quit. It wouldn't restart. I found that there's no spark Then I found that the reason that there was no spark is that the distributor is not turning. Then I found that the reason that the distributor is not turning is that the camshaft is not turning. Cranking the motor with a valve cover off, one valve just starts to lift and then it falls back down and then it starts to lift again. I think it might have sheered off the key on the crank gear. I have a funeral to go to tomorrow where I'll be busy all day, but Friday I'll pull the front cover off and see if I can get it fixed. Then we'll have to head out to drag week without any test & tune.
Hope you make it Joel, I will be heading down with no testing also. Now my turn signals dont work properly. Front works fine but both backs flash. When I step on the brakes they stay on, not sure yet but i will get it. Leaving Saturday around 8 am see you all there. Tony
wow Joel, I hope it's fixable. That's the kind of stuff we can fix in the registration line, don't sweat it see you there!
Have a look for a bad earth on the brake light globe. Sometimes in this situation the brake light will try to earth through the other wiring.
Now I feel bad, car is ready to go and loaded up on the trailer. Of course, there's still a 1500 mile drive to get to the start, and then discover all the problems with the car the first time it tries to go down the strip
As they say, "If it was easy everyone would be doing it". Have confidence Squirrel. The rest of us that can't do it have confidence in you.
Joel there's always that Gen two sitting in the corner. Lol I would check the cam key way also. That's very strange. The early hemis use a large crank key. In a unblown application I have never seen one shear. I have seen the cam bolts vibrate out.
Good luck gents - following this year's Drag Week with keen interest. The Aussie version (Drag Challenge) kicks off next month, but is a little more subdued - start track, 320 miles to second track, 370 miles to third track then 280 miles return to the first track (total 970 miles). https://www.whichcar.com.au/events/drag-challenge/dates-and-tracks-announced-for-drag-challenge-2022 Cheers, Harv
I got mine fixed, when my friend wired it for me, he put a jumper wire from the left and right tail light. I asked him why and he could not remember why, either way I have it fixed. New front tires should be here today, load truck and go. Joel I am hoping ya get it going, we will both be there with no practice runs, good luck.
Silently waiting with fingers, toes and eyes crossed as I can only hold my breath for so long ... while praying you didn't bend any valves ... crap, did I say that out loud?
Well, unfortunately the Hemi Coupe is out for Drag Week 2022. I looked at the pistons with a borescope thru the spark plug holes, and did not see anything wrong. Then I pulled the timing cover off and found the woodruff key that locates the cam gear on the cam was busted. I do not yet know what caused that. I put in a new key so I could turn the Hemi over enough to remove all the pushrods. I found a broken adjuster bolt on the #1 intake rocker. Then I did a leakdown test which revealed massive leakage, an indication that after the key sheared, the intake valves hit the pistons and bent. So I don't know if I'll get the 67 GTX F.A.S.T. Hemi 4 speed race car ready to race and bring that, or just stay home. The last time I drove the GTX race car was 2017, and it needs a clutch and some other stuff. There's not much time left to get ready.
That's what the Trunk Monkey said too... Better to break at home than to be broke down on the side of the road in East St. Louis after dark.
Yea, didn't he quit with one race day to report? We are still waiting for the end of last years epic journey.
That would be great. Now, instead of going to Drag Week as your Trunk Monkey he can go back to work and finish off last years story. After all he does have heaps of Hambers waiting patiently to read what happened in those last 2 days. Sorry to read of your problems Joel but last Thursday you mentioned when you started the engine that it sneezed a couple of times, wouldn't this be when the key sheared? BTW @Hemi Joel one of our Australian politicians, not sure if he was Prime Minister at the time or ex-Prime Minister had a saying which suits your current situation and it is "Life wasn't meant to be easy" You guys who participate in Drag Week are a special breed.
Politics are banned on the HAMB, but I hope I will be forgiven for sharing our ex-Prime Minister Fraser's view on cars... it applies well to Drag Week: "Yes, it is a very good car, but it needs to be taken out on to the highway every so often and given a big stick. It doesn't like too much city running." Cheers, Harv
Sorry to hear this Joel. Watching drag week will not be the same without seeing the coupe coming up to the line for a run. You made one hell of a effort to try and get there.
Well, I'm here at the hotel, registration starts soon, then racing Monday. Pretty boring drive to get here, since we hauled the car up on a trailer this time. But the next several days should be fun!
The Jalopy Journal
