Track Days 2017 - Itching to Get on Track
11-01-2017, 02:53 PM
#541
11-02-2017, 01:08 AM
#543
I think that is the best way to go if trying to preserve your fender. We all know that a track car takes a fair amount of abuse, that is why I have have two sets of fenders. One set is just for track days and regional events, they are beat up, rolled, stretched, dented and chipped to death. My second set of fenders is for Majors and Nationals, they are the ones you put the stickers on down at Daytona. I call them my money fenders because of all the stickers that represent contingencies if I happen to be on the podium.
Fenders are cheap...having them painted is not. Helps to have a body shop as one of your sponsors.
BTW - those Hoosier R7's in a 225 are the same wide as any other tire in a 245, why the heck Hoosier did this with the R7 is beyond me. I think I bought 7 sets this season ($1360 per set) and all got used multiple times with the exception of the set I put on for the final race at the Runoffs. But its a great track tire and I currently have no less that 5 sets in the cellar which should last me through the 2018 season.
Fenders are cheap...having them painted is not. Helps to have a body shop as one of your sponsors.
BTW - those Hoosier R7's in a 225 are the same wide as any other tire in a 245, why the heck Hoosier did this with the R7 is beyond me. I think I bought 7 sets this season ($1360 per set) and all got used multiple times with the exception of the set I put on for the final race at the Runoffs. But its a great track tire and I currently have no less that 5 sets in the cellar which should last me through the 2018 season.
11-03-2017, 05:14 PM
#544
Thread Starter
My last race of the season.
Analysis while I'm breaking down the engine reveals that the crankshaft broke between the #4 connecting rod and the #3 main.
It looks like the oil pump took a major hit. It has a big gouge in its side, and it doesn't want to spin all that freely. I suspect internal damage and anticipate that I will be replacing the entire pump and drive spindle.
And maybe the camshaft took a hit as well. A few teeth on the distributor drive spindle are partially sheared. These ride on the same gear on the camshaft as does the oil pump.
Surprisingly, the engine can spin and so far the connecting rod looks straight.
11-05-2017, 03:59 AM
#546
Thread Starter
Will you be shopping for a new engine or doing a rebuild on your current engine?
I've been scrounging old short blocks and heads wherever and whenever I can find them. I have 3 extra 1600 blocks with crankshafts, plus a Magnette 1500 block with crankshaft. So the best I can do is a rebuild of this engine or another. I'm praying that the block is intact.
I've stripped a crankshaft off of one of my other short blocks as it came to me mostly disassembled.
11-05-2017, 05:03 PM
#547
I have found it better to throw away almost all moving parts after a major engine failure. When I tried to reuse parts in my TR3 after a major failure, one of those reused parts would later fail and I would end up chasing more failures after that. Have the block crack checked and checked to make sure that it is straight.
When I was breaking TR3 cranks (also at the #4 journal), I spent the extra money to buy a billet crank (Moldex). Yes they are expensive up front, but much less likely to break. When you think of the cost of a failure, you will save lot's of money with the billet crank over the long term.
When I was breaking TR3 cranks (also at the #4 journal), I spent the extra money to buy a billet crank (Moldex). Yes they are expensive up front, but much less likely to break. When you think of the cost of a failure, you will save lot's of money with the billet crank over the long term.
11-07-2017, 02:32 PM
#548
No crate engines in VSCCA vintage racing!
I've been scrounging old short blocks and heads wherever and whenever I can find them. I have 3 extra 1600 blocks with crankshafts, plus a Magnette 1500 block with crankshaft. So the best I can do is a rebuild of this engine or another. I'm praying that the block is intact.
I've stripped a crankshaft off of one of my other short blocks as it came to me mostly disassembled.
I've been scrounging old short blocks and heads wherever and whenever I can find them. I have 3 extra 1600 blocks with crankshafts, plus a Magnette 1500 block with crankshaft. So the best I can do is a rebuild of this engine or another. I'm praying that the block is intact.
I've stripped a crankshaft off of one of my other short blocks as it came to me mostly disassembled.
Just had time to watch. Sorry to see your miss hap.
It'll provide lots of interesting updates over the upcoming off season for us to read about.
11-08-2017, 03:51 AM
#549
Thread Starter
Paul, yes it was my new engine. It took about 18 months for me to get it rebuilt and installed. This spring, I lent my old engine to another MGA racer who blew his engine in the first event of the season. He got some racing in with my engine, but then it too blew in late September or early October.
I'm making progress on the tear down. Is there some desire that I start a thread here? I thought that might bore you all to death.
I'm making progress on the tear down. Is there some desire that I start a thread here? I thought that might bore you all to death.
11-08-2017, 04:51 AM
#550
Former Moderator
You need to start a thread. It’s what will keep us entertained.
Content drives participation and partially due to the new updates, I think participation and content has been dwindling. A thread like that will engross people and who knows it may also inspire some to follow your lead (as in rebuild engines, not blow them up
)
Content drives participation and partially due to the new updates, I think participation and content has been dwindling. A thread like that will engross people and who knows it may also inspire some to follow your lead (as in rebuild engines, not blow them up
)