Blog Title: Adventures in Racing
Inspired by DG's old Talon Digest race reports, I've been chronicling my own race experiences. You'll find write-ups here dating back to 2007, although I've been active in autox & time attack since 1999.
Here are my adventures in racing. Hope you find them interesting / entertaining.
Here are my adventures in racing. Hope you find them interesting / entertaining.
Time Attack @ Atlantic Motorsport Park - Sept 03, 2011
Posted 10-21-2011 at 10:34 AM by Scott McIntyre
As usual, I was plagued with mechanical issues at the event. On Saturday I only got one timed lap before I had to retire.
Just before this event, I had added that new valve cover with the big vents. One of those vents was routed to my exhaust using a Moroso crankcase evacuation system. Just before this event, I had installed a new valve cover with the big -10AN vents. One of those vents was routed to my downpipe using a Moroso crankcase evacuation system.
Following the incident I pulled off the track fearing the worst... a blown engine. Once I determine that wasn't the case, I slowly crept the car back to the paddock for further diagnosis.
In the end, the exhaust check value line had ripped apart and melted, and hot exhaust was blowing directly at my motor mount / intercooler pipe coupler / plastic radiator fan shroud, so I dared not drive the car home like that.
A fellow competitor came to my rescue and offer to trailer my car home.
Once I got home Saturday evening, I ran to the hardware store and found a metal pipe cap in the plumbing section (Ha!) that was the right size to cap off my crankcase evacuation exhaust nipple. Then I blocked off the valve cover line and was ready to go for Sunday!
It's quite ironic that this past Winter / Spring's upgrades were focused mainly around maintenance & improving reliability, yet this year has been my worst yet. Of the four events I'm managed to get the Talon to this season, only one has not ended in mechanical issues.
By the way, my one hot lap was a 1:21.619.... Quite slow. I would have had 11 more attempts on Saturday (and 12 more on Sunday), but I doubt I would have beat my personal best this weekend. The track was pretty hot & greasy.
Here's a video clip of my first & only session, complete with numerous annotations:
However, in preparing to replace the O2 housing I removed my WBO2 sensor and found it to look like this:
Hmmm... So lets take a look at the turbo and see if anything is missing.
Looking though my ECMLink log, notable things are that my coolant temperature jumped from 184°F to 240ºF in only 2.5 minutes. I also got about 3.5° knock at one point, perhaps attributed by the high temps. I have been battling overheating issues all season. Temperatures are fine on the street, but creep up fast on the road course.
Oh, I should also add that my AC fan fell victim as well. I had it turned on the whole time so I'm not sure why only one blade is missing. My guess is that while my car was sitting with the engine off between sessions, the radiant heat soften up one blade, and once I got going again, the centrifugal force sent it flying. I actually found the missing piece of the fan in another part of my engine compartment, and there are little bits of melted white plastic peppered throughout.
Note, this is on a stock engine with 240K kms on it.
In any event, cylinder #3 is hurting. From what I've read, any leak down > 30% is cause for concern.
So that's where I'm at. It's always been a dream of mine to rebuild the engine into a 2.3L stroker and put a FP HTA DSM76 on it, but I'm broke. So it's more likely I'll just rebuild the head, and throw the stock T25 & O2 housing back on it until I can afford a complete build. Or maybe find a cheap E16G. In any event, my 2011 season it over.
Just before this event, I had added that new valve cover with the big vents. One of those vents was routed to my exhaust using a Moroso crankcase evacuation system. Just before this event, I had installed a new valve cover with the big -10AN vents. One of those vents was routed to my downpipe using a Moroso crankcase evacuation system.
However, during my first session the exhaust check valve failed and allowed exhaust to blow up through the hose and into my valve cover. From there the exhaust pressure traveled out the other vent on my valve cover, through the line into my oil catch can, then through the return line into my intake pipe, taking lots of oil with it. When this happened the engine started sputtering and blew a HUGE cloud of blue smoke. Actually several people told me that it shot a big flame out the exhaust pipe as well. 8O
Following the incident I pulled off the track fearing the worst... a blown engine. Once I determine that wasn't the case, I slowly crept the car back to the paddock for further diagnosis.
In the end, the exhaust check value line had ripped apart and melted, and hot exhaust was blowing directly at my motor mount / intercooler pipe coupler / plastic radiator fan shroud, so I dared not drive the car home like that.
A fellow competitor came to my rescue and offer to trailer my car home.
Once I got home Saturday evening, I ran to the hardware store and found a metal pipe cap in the plumbing section (Ha!) that was the right size to cap off my crankcase evacuation exhaust nipple. Then I blocked off the valve cover line and was ready to go for Sunday!
However, when I started up the car Sunday morning to go to the track, I could still hear an exhaust leak. So I jacked up the car to take a close look and discovered a hole blown through my O2 sensor housing. Ugh! At this point I was completely disgusted and just went back to bed. So I missed Sunday's event completely.
It's quite ironic that this past Winter / Spring's upgrades were focused mainly around maintenance & improving reliability, yet this year has been my worst yet. Of the four events I'm managed to get the Talon to this season, only one has not ended in mechanical issues.
By the way, my one hot lap was a 1:21.619.... Quite slow. I would have had 11 more attempts on Saturday (and 12 more on Sunday), but I doubt I would have beat my personal best this weekend. The track was pretty hot & greasy.
Here's a video clip of my first & only session, complete with numerous annotations:
A few weeks later, after the disgust from the failure had worn off, I picked up the wrenches and went to work repairing the car. My plan was simply replace the busted O2 housing with my stock one, and leave the crankcase evacuation exhaust nipple capped. At least it would get me through the rest of the season.
However, in preparing to replace the O2 housing I removed my WBO2 sensor and found it to look like this:
Next to come off was the O2 housing. Initially I thought that it had got too hot and the exhaust blew a hole though it, but these pics tell a different story.
Obviously something hit it hard and punch a hole through it. Wonder what that could have been?
Hmmm... So lets take a look at the turbo and see if anything is missing.
Yup, definitely something missing. Turbine wheel snapped clear off the shaft. What could have caused that??!
Looking though my ECMLink log, notable things are that my coolant temperature jumped from 184°F to 240ºF in only 2.5 minutes. I also got about 3.5° knock at one point, perhaps attributed by the high temps. I have been battling overheating issues all season. Temperatures are fine on the street, but creep up fast on the road course.
Oh, I should also add that my AC fan fell victim as well. I had it turned on the whole time so I'm not sure why only one blade is missing. My guess is that while my car was sitting with the engine off between sessions, the radiant heat soften up one blade, and once I got going again, the centrifugal force sent it flying. I actually found the missing piece of the fan in another part of my engine compartment, and there are little bits of melted white plastic peppered throughout.
Next I performed a cylinder leak down test. This was on a cold engine with no oil nor coolant in it.
- Cyl #1 - 18% mostly from exhaust port
Cyl #2 - 19% mostly from oil pan, partly from exhaust port
Cyl #3 - 43% mostly from exhaust port
Cyl #4 - 20% mostly from exhaust port
- Cyl #1 - 195
Cyl #2 - 192
Cyl #3 - 167
Cyl #4 - 192
Note, this is on a stock engine with 240K kms on it.
In any event, cylinder #3 is hurting. From what I've read, any leak down > 30% is cause for concern.
So that's where I'm at. It's always been a dream of mine to rebuild the engine into a 2.3L stroker and put a FP HTA DSM76 on it, but I'm broke. So it's more likely I'll just rebuild the head, and throw the stock T25 & O2 housing back on it until I can afford a complete build. Or maybe find a cheap E16G. In any event, my 2011 season it over.
Total Comments 7
Comments
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Sorry to hear of all the troubles with the car, but keep it up, it's worth it.Posted 10-21-2011 at 11:11 AM by mattasi
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Do you have the OEM heat shields on the car?Posted 10-21-2011 at 12:00 PM by RipperXX
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No. FP exhaust manifold and PR 2.5" O2 housing prevent the use of stock heat shields.Quote:Originally Posted by RipperXX
Do you have the OEM heat shields on the car?
My manifold / turbine housing / O2 housing were all ceramic coated. Well, until my manifold cracked and was replaced (see previous blog entry).
Posted 10-21-2011 at 12:07 PM by Scott McIntyre
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Do you have any issues with the 90° ports off the valve cover hitting the stock hood?
Crazy to hear all the crap you've gone through this season. It sucks that it's all happening at once as well. Good luck with trying to decide what route to go with the engine. I think you'd be thrilled with the 2.3L and HTA76. I can't imagine throwing a T25 back on there though. That just wouldn't be any fun.Posted 10-21-2011 at 01:47 PM by snowborder714
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Nope, not at all. There is room to spare.Quote:Originally Posted by snowborder714
Do you have any issues with the 90° ports off the valve cover hitting the stock hood?
Yeah the T25 would suck for everything but tight autox's. But it would get car back on the road until I can do a proper build.Quote:Originally Posted by snowborder714
I think you'd be thrilled with the 2.3L and HTA76. I can't imagine throwing a T25 back on there though. That just wouldn't be any fun.
It gets complicated because we're planning to build a new house which means money & time will be tight for the next little while. Not the best time to be diving headfirst into my first engine build.
But eventually I'll have my dream 500+whp track monster tearing up the asphalt and striking fear into the hearts of all competitors.
Posted 10-21-2011 at 02:36 PM by Scott McIntyre
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Good to know!Quote:Originally Posted by Scott McIntyre
Nope, not at all. There is room to spare.
Ah, ya, the house throws a wrench in the plans. I would also be putting the car on the back burner at that point as well, as much as I'd hate it. I would definitely make the house the priority.Quote:Originally Posted by Scott McIntyreIt gets complicated because we're planning to build a new house which means money & time will be tight for the next little while. Not the best time to be diving headfirst into my first engine build.
But eventually I'll have my dream 500+whp track monster tearing up the asphalt and striking fear into the hearts of all competitors.
Well, glad to know we share the same goals for our cars! I keep dreaming of that 500-600whp road race car. Someday..........Posted 10-21-2011 at 03:42 PM by snowborder714
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Just a suggestion, if you could get some boss's welded onto the FP manifold at the OEM locations, you should then be able to bolt some heat shields on. Now if the OEM ones would fit or not I have no idea, but you could fabricate some, just an idea.Posted 10-22-2011 at 07:53 AM by RipperXX
