Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track

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Aug 17, 2008 | 05:08 AM
  #1  
105 degree weather and overcast. No new records today but did get to try out the new camera mount on the new roll bar Didn't put a fresh set of plugs in and haven't driven the car since end of June. Of course the first run was crappy with the engine running rough till it cleared out, plus it was the only one I rememberd to record on haha. Best run of the night was 12.02 @ 113.5 mph with a 1.70 60' I spun and spun all night, don't think they prepped the track much if at all due to it being hot and figuring on a low low turnout. Alternator took a crap at some point and didn't notice before making a nitrous run. Nitrous solenoid didn't open so it just dumped fuel Anyway, here's the video of the crap run, burnout to finish in-car.
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Aug 17, 2008 | 09:33 AM
  #2  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Wow having the camera mounted like that is pretty sweet, even if you say that was a shitty run
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Aug 17, 2008 | 05:36 PM
  #3  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Not bad at least you have a video of your pass. If I were to make any recommendations...shift into N after your pass instead of coming down on the engine. It's not terrible at our speeds, but the faster you go the harder it is on the rotating assy.
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Aug 17, 2008 | 06:10 PM
  #4  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Another change I'll have to do hehe... I'll start doing that. This motor has been together for close to 5 years now, daily driver duty at first then basicly turned into a fun car when I got another daily driver. Took the alternator to get tested today, sure enough it was bad. Free replacement under warranty I doubt if I had done a good nitrous pass if the track would have been able to hold it. Oh well, next one is Sept 20th. I'll get a pic of how the camera is mounted later tonight maybe. Basicly a tab that I was going to use for mounting the seatbelts but that didn't work out. So I just welded one in the center of the crossbar, bolted a camera knuckle to it and then just spin the camera on.
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Aug 17, 2008 | 06:53 PM
  #5  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
atleast the right solenoid did't open up

i was having issues last evening at sac as well
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Aug 17, 2008 | 09:15 PM
  #6  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
I dont think you should put the car in netral if you have to go through other gears to get there ( like a reverse manual valve body) that could cause parts of the trans to overspeed, and likely fail, and if you have engine braking in lower gears, well thats even worse.
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Aug 17, 2008 | 09:21 PM
  #7  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Good point car_fixer, I wasn't thinking about that. I have a reverse manual valve body but it free-wheels 1st & 2nd, and the S/C car was a foward valve-body. I should comment to do that only if your valve body allows you to free wheel when pulling into neutral, if you have to bypass the lower gears.
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Aug 18, 2008 | 01:45 AM
  #8  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Seen some pics of the trans' ripping apart the insides by putting it in neutral after a pass. Leave it in gear and just hit the brakes. Wouldn't want to see trans parts scattered across the strip or the inside of the car and going through the floor.
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Aug 18, 2008 | 03:23 AM
  #9  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Mine's just a regular shift pattern TH400 non full manual. But back to leaving it in gear I guess. Don't want this thing going bye bye either, expensive sucker lol. Oh yeah, no pic of the camera mount yet. Got kind of busy throwing some primer on a friends car.
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Aug 18, 2008 | 06:13 AM
  #10  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Quote: atleast the right solenoid did't open up

i was having issues last evening at sac as well
Couple runs before trying to make the nitrous pass I armed the system on the return road just to see if the fuel solenoid was working ok with the bottle off. Sure enough, bogged the engine down like normal. Purge solenoid seemed to work fine too at the line. I'll have to do some looking around to see what's really going on.
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Aug 18, 2008 | 08:21 AM
  #11  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Once again....you need to know your trans, just as well as the rest of your car. If your not sure then check around the pits and ask some questions, then ask your transmission man, and your engine guy. 2 areas that are hardest on parts are the burnout box and the shutdown area.
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Aug 18, 2008 | 06:17 PM
  #12  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
It's not recommended to neutral an automatic even if it has a forward shift pattern. There is a possibility of them exploding. Leaving it in high gear and slowing down is best even though after many, many runs, it can be hard on con rods. I doubt the typical 8 second and slower vehicle will have any problems leaving it in gear unless you're using aluminum rods.
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Aug 19, 2008 | 03:24 AM
  #13  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
u mean reverse right
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Aug 19, 2008 | 07:28 AM
  #14  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
i was thinking the same thing stephen was...unless you're using aluminum connecting rods, i don't see this as being a problem.
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Aug 19, 2008 | 12:32 PM
  #15  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Quote: Nitrous solenoid didn't open so it just dumped fuel
Check the wiring first. Undersized wiring can cause a noid to not open when under bottle pressure. Make sure the ground is the same gauge as the power...

Nice video!
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Aug 19, 2008 | 07:54 PM
  #16  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
I agree to go ahead and shift it in "N" while you slow down .. the rods would be the least of my worries when making the engine a "break" but think about the thrust on your crankshaft ... now I could be wrong but I do see alot of race cranks come thru my work with worn thrust and some can only go to cetain undersize's before they are no good .. like I said I'm just tossing it out there, could be wrong but its an idea
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Aug 19, 2008 | 08:03 PM
  #17  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
awesome vid, I gotta see the mount you are using
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Aug 19, 2008 | 08:54 PM
  #18  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
If keeping the trans in gear while slowing bothers you, put a chute on it and stop faster lol. Most thrust wear is actually from the torque converter pushing on the crank, especially on a trans brake. Some engines have such a bad problem with this people make roller thrust bearing kits for them. again this is also why they call those things FLEX plates and it is important to check that your converter has the correct space, check with your converter manufacturer lol
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Aug 19, 2008 | 09:53 PM
  #19  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
I don't believe the auto tranny was designed to throw in nuteral at over 100 mph. I've never done it, and won't. One of my buddys has went through 4 glides in 2 seasons, not saying that's whats causing it though. Better not try doing it on a th350 whit a reverse pattern body, cause it'll go in any gear at any speed. That'd be much harder on everything. Higher stall converters unhook much earlier anyways, no need to shift to nuteral.
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Aug 19, 2008 | 10:48 PM
  #20  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Just a thought but with all the suggestions being thrown out there maybe someone should suggest easing down on the motor at the end if you have enough shutdown room... too much too fast can cause oiling issues and disaster faster than the potential for breakage from the forces on the rotating assembly especially if you are using a stock setup.
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Aug 20, 2008 | 12:19 AM
  #21  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
ouch evil.. well $hit happens..

my last 2 times to the track, car was running low 12's.. on the second day, only made 3 runs then it happened... electric water pump went out.. sucked too cause first run, spun 1st gear, pulled second and went sideways to run a 19.6@57mph.. second run missed second gear and ran 13.5.. third run short shifted cause wideband was reading 16.0 from 5k but still hit a 12.2..

my night ended with me and my dad rushing, trying to seal the electricals in the water pump.. only to make it to the burnout in the second round of qualifying and have the pump die again.. had to tow it to my brother's house and install the mech water pump the next day.. thank god i saved the belt, it was a sunday and napa doesnt open..
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Aug 20, 2008 | 03:23 AM
  #22  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Quote: Check the wiring first. Undersized wiring can cause a noid to not open when under bottle pressure. Make sure the ground is the same gauge as the power...

Nice video!
Was thinking of replacing all the wiring with a little heavier gauge stuff just to make sure. Right now I believe it's about the same gauge as the solenoids themselves have. Been cleaning up wiring lately anyway and magicly, everything rewired so far has worked

Quote: awesome vid, I gotta see the mount you are using
I'll grab the camera when I get home then take a pic. Still need to stick the new alternator in, hope it lasts a bit longer than the old one.
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Aug 20, 2008 | 04:09 AM
  #23  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
so when you wanna get drug? the people wanna see it
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Aug 20, 2008 | 08:03 AM
  #24  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
Sorry for the blurry pic, camera didn't want to focus properly in the dark.

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Aug 20, 2008 | 08:24 AM
  #25  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
looks simple, it`s a really good steady shot it takes, most are blurred and shaking, what sits between the tab and camera? is it some type of isolator?
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Aug 20, 2008 | 09:21 AM
  #26  
Re: Grumble grumble.... got back a bit ago from the track
It's a knuckle, bolts to the tab and then you just spin the camera onto the stud of the knuckle. Then there's the little handle on the side so you can rotate or tilt the camera however you want it.
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