Projects rebuilding after the crash

Scruffy were you listening in on my conversation with my wife? We were talking about the chevelle last night on how i will have time to work on it.

 

Now that we have all seen how to build and race a fuel coupe we can all learn how to fix one. This could be a thread all by itself.

 

Great minds think alike ?

 

It could be a separate thread and if you decide to do that, please post a link to the thread on here so we don't miss it.

 

We talked about getting the 427 in the chassis and fired up before christmas. I want to make sure it all works and doesn't leak. Then i will put the body back onto the frame.

I will most likely cover it in great detail here. Its something most guys would never do but might find it interesting. There is alot that goes into it. Fortunately the mains are ok and the drivers side oil galley wasnt hurt. These kb blocks oil from the outside passage that runs the length of the block. If repairs involve this area a drill bit as long as the block is needed. Tonights work will be getting the 7 and 8 sleeve out. A big propane torch to heat the block is needed.

 

I am definitely a nacho guy (more than happy to sit with the wives ) ... hell, I can't even tell what the mess in this pic once was!!

 

Thats looking at the engine side of the gear drive cam cover. The cam has a spud bolted to it. This spud drives the fuel pump. The cam was driven forward tearing it up. The cover has a fuel pump extension bolted to it. The pump then bolts to that.

 

The block put up a good fight but they came out. The bottom of number eight sleeve was flared out some. I used my big propane torch to put alot of heat into the block for expansion. The sleeve puller uses a foot that is specific to the bore. I had to heat and hammer over and over. As the sleeve came out i used a cut off wheel to put two cuts in it. Eventually i got it to split now all the damage can be seen. I think it will be ok. Tomorrow i will break down the head. I feel better tonight. Im now starting to fix it. The pitty party is over.
At the track its a race to get the heads and oil pan off along with the rod and piston out. If its just a scored sleeve with no damage the sleeve will come out easy as long as the blocks is still hot. A crew man will put sleeves on ice as soon as its determined a sleeve needs to be replaced. That little bit of shrinkage makes a difference. I will get a pic of the sleeve installer along with a better pic of the puller tomorrow. Having these tools is absolutely necessary if you want to run this kind of engine.

 

Brian, You need to right a book on how to have a positive attitude! On second thought that's what this whole thread is about! Keep posting and we will all follow in amazement! I would be still shaking my head and discussing the future with my friend Jack Daniel's. lol Larry

 

Brian
You are like the Energizer bunny!

 

I think this Thread is really a Journey in Research and Development with meeting challenges head on and overcoming them with a Professional Troubleshooting attitude no matter how big or small the issue is and it truly seems a part of Drag Racing Culture...kinda like a Beehive of activity...no room for confusion all are on their game...I left out one important and perhaps the most important quality...The Passion...

This all with a Vintage Steel Body and a connection to the Yesteryear as much as the Modern Class racing will allow while Throwing in the Street connection just as a nod to the past when many racers drove to the strip...

This was possibly the detail that created the Anomaly with the water being a catalyst as alluded...You certainly are utilizing the far sides of the brain juggling all these...again, we're all on the edge of our seats cheering your every turn...learning and living the near complete experience via your sharing the ups, downs and dangers...

 

The tools of the trade. The sleeve pullers as mentioned before are bore specific. The foot is flipped up to slide down the bore. It catches the bottom of the sleeve then the slide hammer does the rest. The sleeve installer fits all bores. If the block is hot enough the sleeves will almost drop in requiring only a few gentle taps. Because i run water i had the blocked decked flat. Usually the sleeves stick up a few thousandths above the deck. There is no way it will hold water. Its done that way to get a better seal on the sleeves. Installing two new sleeves will require a fresh deck job. It may also need to have the receiver grooves cut deeper.

 

And then he said "it could have been a lot worse".
You hear these kind of things from people who drive 200 mph drag cars.

 

I will attest to Brian’s attitude I was there when it happened even worse I was the one who pointed out the hole in the block but he never said one bad word didn’t throw anything or storm off he just looked at mark and said let’s get it jacked up and the diaper off so we can pull the pan and see how bad it is now a hen he went home away from everyone he may have had a tantrum but not at the track and he held his head high and hoped for the best that probly why we get along so well he helped me get an ignition system together after I got there and my mag died just so I could make passes after driving 12 hrs to get there thanks again Brian

 

I have thrown rods before. It happens. Im not happy but getting upset wont fix it. So its a waste of energy.
Mr.Jackson helped me out when i was at MoKan. I broke a drive for the fuel pump. He took it home and repaired it. He is also a fellow altered wheelbase driver. Racers being racers always try to help out. I wasnt going to let him sit with a broken car all weekend after his long tow. As it turned out the parts were found and he was able to run his car. Thats just what friends do. After it was running again we were all having some fun.

 

Am I dreaming, or do I remember you saying after the last Drag Week problems you were going to start running the block dry when running it on nitro? I was thinking you said the water turned to steam and cut the block or head? Or maybe I'm thinking of something else I've read.....

 

That’s what I remember too.

 

As the head gasket and surfaces were not shot, what do you think was the root cause of the kaboom? Like lifter broke, snapped the cam, valves stayed closed, cylinder hydrolocked with fuel... Would be interesting to learn the chain of events that could have caused this very unfortunate event. Obviously there is couple of possibilities but please share your gut feeling?

These kind of things happen at every race to someone, no point to start throwing tools. Like Brian very well put it, that doesn't get it fixed.

 

i did have some deck damage in the past due to steam. i solved it by upgrading the center studs to 9/16ths. the torque value increased from100 lbs up to 130lbs. going higher on a cast block can pull the threads. this seems to have fixed that issue. the failure this time just seems to be simple rod failure. the crank and bearings were not black. the rod bolts were not broken. the piston was not stuck. that pretty much narrows it down. i dont think a lifter failure could cause this damage. although in a nitro engine anything is possible. its not a matter of if something will happen but more of how bad and when something will happen.

 

Do you keep track of how much time is on the rods? They fatigue with use....

 

They do require service. When you call a rod company and ask when should they be replaced the answer is always the same. Hopefully before it breaks. I replace my rods before the start of each year. This year was no exeption. They can be sent back for re sizing. They ventually go out of round. Grp will resize them they do this for free. I only had a few passes on these new rods. None were full passes. I use a stretch gauge on the bolts along with arp moly lube for the most accurate bolt torque. Something caused the failure that so far i cant explain.

 

Nitro is a cruel mistress. Hats off to you for sticking with it!

 

I ran to iowa to work on the block. First up was getting the lifter bores round again. A slide hammer was used with a ball end of the correct size. It was run through several times down 7 and 8 lifter bores. A reamer was used next followed by a rabbit turd hone. The lifters move freely now.
The blocks sleeve register took a hit on 8. The broken piece was removed. The areas that were roughed up were ground smooth. Solvent was sprayed and blown off to get rid of the oil. You cant weld dirty aluminum.
The head was put in the mill and the cracks were removed. While this all looks nasty it can be fixed. After the head and register are welded the register will be cleaned up with a boring bar. The block will be heated and a new sleeve installed. A line bore check will happen and the block will be decked a few thousandths. The head will get the combustion chamber welded and cut. The head will get decked and new o rings cut. These pieces will live to fight another day.

 

Looking at your last two pictures I can see cracks from your spark plug holes to the valve seats. How hard are those to fix?

 

Thats a normal hemi thing. It most likely wont be touched. It doesnt go into water. It really depends on the guy welding it. He might do it just to do it.

 

My friend Dennis sent me this QA1 instagram link for some Street Fuel Coupe props. Check it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9v9E7NC03/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Thats cool. Thanks for the heads up on that. The QA-1 marketing rep was at Back To The 50s. I gave her a bunch of photos to use. With the help of their tech guys mainly Trevor i have gotten my 60 foot times consistently under 1.20 using the QA-1 Mod Shocks. I fired the car on nitro for her. She said oh my i could feel it in my chest thats cool.

 

...some tools just don't reach the level of receiving a sophisticated name but they still find a position on the Hemi Repair Team fulfilling important shit...I had a chuckle on that one Brian and got it immediately...

Wild what's going on here with the rebuild...containing power and controlling it has incredible challenges without a doubt...and true to this Adventure your on.

The ball shot thru the aluminum channel seems like a coining operation...I used to do Jet Wing building and coining was part of certain hole finishing/strengthening operations on aluminum structures as well as reaming and broaching in some cases...

This engine shares many similar operations to the winged 600 mph cousins...

 

I use a tool similar tto the lifter tool on valve guides. It sets the liners before they are finish honed. My arsenal of special tools is rarely used luckily but essential to have.

 

From the Instagram