Satan's Toy Run?

#1

Got an update from IndyJim. Ranger et al suffered a DNF due to overheating. Bummer! :frowning:

Jim and the pro drivers are leading E2 due to an extended time in the pits by the previously leading Honda Civic. Jim is pissed at me because I recommended pads he doesnā€™t like. :blush: They had to change all 4 corners already. I chose to blame it on the sprint-race, World Challenge, use-up-the-equipment-cuz-weā€™ll-buy-new pace. And he probably forgot to tape up the brake ducts in the 30 deg weather. He still thinks I did it on purpose.:laugh: Heā€™ll probably forgive me as long as ā€œheā€ wins. :woohoo:

#2

which pads are they using?

#3

csrow wrote:

fixed it for you. :wink:

#4

The demise of Rangerā€™s 4th engine:

I got out of the car around the 5 1/2 hrs mark. We (Fred Switzer and Simon Hunter) debated replacing the front tires that had lots of rubber but no grip, but decided to drive on with them for another session and then consider changing tires and front pads.

The car was running fine.

Simon headed out, but cames back after only 2 laps saying oil temp was high. Coolant temp was not scary high. I noticed that I easily squeeze coolant hoses so maybe there was no water in them. Over the course of 10-15min we slowly poured water into the very hot block.

Oil looked fine, so apparently headgasket ok.

Itā€™s worth noting that if you lose some coolant, your temp sensor is no longer in the water flow. That makes the coolant sensor a lousy warning system for coolant loss.

Simon got back in and attempted to start the car. It was hard to start and when it did catch there was an awful clanking. He immediately shut off the car. We then all stood around and looked stunned and dismayed.

I wonā€™t get home until Thur so itā€™s going to be some days before I pull apart the motor and figure out what is going on, but it certainly sounds bad. Maybe we put water in it too fast, I donā€™t know. Certainly it wasnā€™t making that noise when Simon pulled into the pits.

A year ago I would have been mortified over an engine failure. But now itā€™s just kinda a pita. I have a spare motor, but this is my premo one so Iā€™d rather fix then replace.

I figured out later that the coolant loss was caused by the failure of a coolant hose. Itā€™s the little one that connects to the block towards the rear of the motor. When I last put this motor in Iā€™d considered tapping the block and putting a bolt in that hole, but Iā€™d decided not to for fear of getting metal shavings in the block. So I put in a 6" piece of hose and plugged it. And the hose failed.

#5

Thanks for letting me drive today, I can at least kinda get round the track now without wondering where the hell Iā€™m going. I was feeling pretty good about us detecting the overheating problem before it was too late, but once we started it again it sounded like a bag of bolts. Hopefully its not too bad.

#6

Indy Jims car was never not in the lead in E2, the civic never did take the lead! They won E2 buy 37 laps, and as far as we could tell took 3ed over all. Our average pitstop was 2 and half minutes, with the exception of the under 15 minutes , four corners brake change( thanks Steve) We werenā€™t prepaired to do the rears nor expecting it!

#7

Ranger wrote:

[quote]The demise of Rangerā€™s 4th engine:

[/quote]

Sorry to hear this Scott. :frowning:

#8

Hereā€™s something to think aboutā€¦
I was talking to Bob ā€œBMW guruā€ Shields today about my dead motor. When I said ā€œa coolant line failedā€, he said, ā€œlet me guess, the hose on the block back by the starterā€.

The fact that he was able to immediately guess which hose failed tells me that this is a weak point. Folks need to think about removing that hose and plugging the hole in the block. Iā€™m certainly going to on my Dec09 motor.

And I will on my Jun2010 motor and my Dec2010 motor.

#9

That or a throttle body heater hose failure are the most common and both are a bit of a pain to change and thus are frequently neglected. Neither are likely to fail if timely replacements are done. On a street car I figure no more than six-eight years on the rubber/plastic parts of a cooling system. A race car should probably see half that.

#10

Scott my buddy, it is time to take your Bentleyā€™s out back and shoot it with a Glock. Then call Digel and have him build you one of them there cheater motors. :wink:

#11

Gasman!?!?! Are you nuts?

This is our chance to get hours of free research and analysis of the M20 cooling system! Of course, you get what you pay forā€¦ :ohmy:

Rangerā€™s attitude in the paddock yesterday was amazing. Whereas most guys would be grumbling around and kicking the dog, I am pretty sure Scott was actually excited at the opportunity for a rebuild. That whole ā€œsecond time is easierā€ thing is going on.

Good for him.

PS - I should probably take my car to Brendan for the manual trans swap, but Iā€™ve got just a little Ranger in meā€¦ :laugh:

#12

but Iā€™ve got just a little Ranger in meā€¦ :laugh:[/quote]

Steve D, enough of the ā€œMan Loveā€ this is an auto racing forum.

Al

#13

FARTBREF wrote:

Steve D, enough of the ā€œMan Loveā€ this is an auto racing forum.[/quote]
Seems like a pretty innocent comment. I think you failed that Rorschach Test.:laugh:

#14

I was bumming to miss the sprints and open a can of whoopass by knocking out 146ā€™s like clockwork, but the motor is no crisis. Itā€™s probably a rod bearing and thatā€™ll be $150 worth of bearings and a 1/2 day.

But it was terrific to see everyone again. Well, about half of everyone. Attendence was a little lean. Anyways, no sense being all bummed out about some engine problems.

Iā€™d love to better understand how overheating can blow a rod bearing. And Iā€™m hoping thatā€™s all it is.

Worst case pistons are damaged and cylinders are scored. Then Iā€™d have to buy more 0.020 pistons and pull the engine, completely disassemble it, and then take the block to a machine shop. And all the work would have to be done in the driveway because our two little 1-car garages are too small to move the engine hoist around. The driveway is a pain because itā€™s a little unsafe, itā€™s dark at 6PM and cold. Do-able, but thatā€™s a couple weeks of evenings.

And thereā€™s also the risk of screwing up. Replacing rod bearings is easy. But completely disassembling and reassembling the motor is less easy.

Iā€™m curious as hell as to whatā€™s wrong tho, so I am kinda looking forward to dropping the oil pan and finding out.

#15

Sounds to me like that engine is going to have to be completely torn down and everything inspected. That means measurements of bores, journals, etc., checking wear surfaces for scoring, the whole nine yards.

#16

jlevie wrote:

Ya, well arenā€™t you full of christmas cheer.

The motor is going to have a bad rod bearing on 5 or 6 for no reason anyone will ever understand. Iā€™ll replace the rod bearings and the motor will live happily ever after.

Or at least 6 months.