RusherRacing
15+ Year Contributor
- 142
- 1
- Jun 21, 2006
-
Yankton,
South Dakota
2007 Season Update May 23rd, 2007
Preseason
Well my preseason was fairly uneventful. I was strapped for cash due to major home remodeling projects over the winter so the car didn't get touched much. I got a set of tires on 235/40/17 Toyo RA1's used take offs from JB tires, I am hoping these will last till mid July. I installed a Ultra-shield Pro Road Race 17" seat its very good quality and they have GREAT customer service. Then changed the fluids, nut and bolt checked everything, The General Pre-race maintenance.
First Event-TnT Thunder Valley Dragway Marion, SD-April 21st 2007
This was just a TnT for the car it just happened to be at the drag strip because it's the first racing event of the season.
We (Brad Wheelhouse and myself) worked on the car until about 11:30pm Friday night getting the seat mounted and the fluids flushed. We were having problems getting the clutch to fully disengage. Hydraulic issue? We had this problem last season and at this point couldn't find the solution. We bleed and bleed the clutch till we thought it was good. Got up and made a crazy breakfast (big breakfasts are a thing at my house the morning after a party or late night working on the car). Made our way up to Marion, SD its about 45 minutes north east from where I live. We got to the track about 12:30 which was way to early they didn't start tech till like 2:30 so we just hung out and chit chatted. We got the car unloaded and drove it around the pits letting everything get up to operating temperature for the first time since drove it into the garage the last fall. Everything looked good brought it over to tech which is always fun at a drag strip because my car looks like it should be certified for like an 8.99 or something. Once you tell the Tech Inspector it runs low 13's high 12's it is a breeze. But he said I was leaking something. This was new to me and brad. So we pulled the car up on the ramps and found out one of the fittings going to my rear radiator was a little loose. The reason we didn't catch it before was the car was finally heated up circulating the system. Easy fix tightened up the hose fittings. This is one thing on the car I need to change just haven't gotten to it yet. I want to run hard pipe between the front and rear radiator.
I went out and made a couple really horrible runs great reaction times but dogging it off the line. I wasn't letting the turbo spool while staging.... I am not here to write about drag racing its kind of boring. Well the car ran good for awhile then the clutch wasn't disengaging again. So we decided to load it up on the trailer and try and figure out the problem.
Second Event-MAM orientation-May 4th 2007
Prepping for this week included mounting a passenger seat, and general maintenance. I thought the seat looked like it would bolt right in once I relocate the fire extinguisher and H2O/methonal injection system. I was WRONG, it was a pain but I got it after about an hour of fighting. I ordered some new bleeders for the brakes; I had one that was seeping (noticed it after the drag event). Installed them and bleed the system. Re-bleed the clutch and it felt really good. So we thought it must just have been an air bubble we didn't get. I took Friday of work so I could run this event and when I awoke it was down pouring. I checked the weather and it was supposed to burn off by noon down at MAM. So I left my house around 8:30am and headed out. I drove through a bunch of rain. But when I showed up at MAM around 12:00pm it was clear
. I was early again, so I unloaded went through everything and hung out. I was the only driver there but buy 1 there was more people had the little class room orientation. Nothing amazing or interesting about it. When we finished that we lined up on the paddock and got our instructor. I had Bill Pemberton, we got in got the car fired up and took off on the track.
The first lap I took it slow I didn't even know where I was going. After that Bill was pushing me and telling me lines etc. It was different than I expected. I wouldn't say good or bad. I thought we would have walked the course talked more about each section or something. Nope we just went for it. I ran for awhile (they didn't have run groups because there was only like 10 cars there). Then I road with Bill in his Jeep Grand Cherokee he should me the lines a little better. That really helped because A it was slower B we could actually hear each other and talk about it. I got back in my car with Bill in the passenger seat, and took off. This time I felt much better about the track. After a couple laps I really felt like I was starting to figure something out. I was running down a little gray S2000 but about once or twice a lap I wouldn't take a corner right and he would jump way ahead and I would have to run him down again. This went on for a couple laps and I noticed my hood was really shaking so I pulled off into the pits. Sure enough three of the four bolts were missing. I didn't have spares so Bill drove me down to the little town next to MAM Green something... to NAPA got the bolts and headed back. We talked a lot about the corners and techniques. I fixed the hood and noticed a few other bolts loose (brake master cylinder) so I decided to check almost all of the bolts on the car... It looked good and I didn't find anything else loose.
We went back out and wow now I am getting the hang of it. I made like 5-10 laps and then my clutch stopped disengaging again! I was pissed pulled off and as I did so Bill handed me a little card saying driver orientation completion. I then jacked up the car thinking I boiled the fluid I was going rebleed it. I messed with it for like an hour nothing gave up loaded it up and head back.
I learned a lot that day. For one my car was never meant to AutoX. It was designed as a road racer and it was a completely different animal out there. It is FAST, I didn't get a lap time but I am betting it was fairly fast I was pulling on a pair of some highly modified M3's at the end of the day. I was amazed at how well the car handled, Compared to Autocross.
Third Event-SCCS Autocross Sioux Falls, SD-May 13th 2007
I was frustrated with my car after last event. I ordered up a Stainless steel clutch line. It was the only thing left in the hydraulic system that could possibly be causing the problem. As I waited I started doing research and more research I found that DSM's typically disengage a couple inches off of the floor not an inch off the floor. I looked at the adjustment of the pedal, and motion or issues with the pedal assembly NOTHING. So when the line came in I replaced the old one still had the problem... I didn't know what else. So I headed over to the local parts store and they had a Master Cylinder waiting for me actually two one for cruise and one without... I don't have cruise and I had a non cruise master cylinder in it. I examined them thoroughly and the only difference was the cruise had a longer rod and larger reservoir and a $40 dollar difference in price. I took the one for cruise just because I had the other one and well had to try something. Installed it and it was better but not right. I was able to disengage the clutch.
Got up early Sunday morning and headed to the parking lot. I was responsible to for course design. But I have done it for years so I just winged it with a fairly easier no frills course. It was a good course neither my best nor my worst. I would have redone the start after racing on it but nothing is ever perfect.
The first 4 heats went ok; I was running a solid 64's (see results http://www.sccsiouxland.org). I know I was leaving 2-5 seconds out there just couldn't find it. I was having clutch issues again; I was bleeding the clutch before every run just trying to do something it wasn't helping...
The second heat was of to an ok start still solid 64's for the first two runs. Then when I was bleeding the clutch again... we had a problem a HOLE in the top of the bell housing. Brad and I looked at each other after fitting this for um since I owned the car last July. The trans has been out and put back in... So I loaded it back up, hung out till the end so I could help pickup the cones and make sure everything is taken care off.
Since Last Event
Brad and I pulled the Trans, a bolt holding the pressure plate broke and went through the housing. It didn't mess anything up besides the hole, but I have decided to say screw it. I am sending the trans off to TRE as soon as I receive my shipping box. I am changing from the fidanza flywheel to an ACT chromoly, and putting in a new ACT 2600 kit.
The disengagement problem was that the steel ring that goes between the trans and the engine was missing, and the flywheel, disk and pressure plate were shot. Why wasn't it caught not sure not going to place blame etc. If I wanted to get the car up and running I could probably do it by welding the whole and put a new flywheel and clutch in but I don't want to have to pull the trans again this year or have the down time from pulling it. I have until June 10th before my next points event so I got a little time now to do it right.
I am also replacing all hardware bolts etc, and putting new seals in the t-case (the output was starting to have a slight leak), and working on sponsorships because I am finding out having a full blown race car is way more expensive than I originally thought. If I have time I am going to start the roof project. I am going to be putting on a polycarbonate roof skin with a tubular support instead of the sunroof skin with a plate welded in.
The wonderful photos are from Raquel my favorire Photographer. She has some amazing skills.
Preseason
Well my preseason was fairly uneventful. I was strapped for cash due to major home remodeling projects over the winter so the car didn't get touched much. I got a set of tires on 235/40/17 Toyo RA1's used take offs from JB tires, I am hoping these will last till mid July. I installed a Ultra-shield Pro Road Race 17" seat its very good quality and they have GREAT customer service. Then changed the fluids, nut and bolt checked everything, The General Pre-race maintenance.
First Event-TnT Thunder Valley Dragway Marion, SD-April 21st 2007
This was just a TnT for the car it just happened to be at the drag strip because it's the first racing event of the season.
We (Brad Wheelhouse and myself) worked on the car until about 11:30pm Friday night getting the seat mounted and the fluids flushed. We were having problems getting the clutch to fully disengage. Hydraulic issue? We had this problem last season and at this point couldn't find the solution. We bleed and bleed the clutch till we thought it was good. Got up and made a crazy breakfast (big breakfasts are a thing at my house the morning after a party or late night working on the car). Made our way up to Marion, SD its about 45 minutes north east from where I live. We got to the track about 12:30 which was way to early they didn't start tech till like 2:30 so we just hung out and chit chatted. We got the car unloaded and drove it around the pits letting everything get up to operating temperature for the first time since drove it into the garage the last fall. Everything looked good brought it over to tech which is always fun at a drag strip because my car looks like it should be certified for like an 8.99 or something. Once you tell the Tech Inspector it runs low 13's high 12's it is a breeze. But he said I was leaking something. This was new to me and brad. So we pulled the car up on the ramps and found out one of the fittings going to my rear radiator was a little loose. The reason we didn't catch it before was the car was finally heated up circulating the system. Easy fix tightened up the hose fittings. This is one thing on the car I need to change just haven't gotten to it yet. I want to run hard pipe between the front and rear radiator.
I went out and made a couple really horrible runs great reaction times but dogging it off the line. I wasn't letting the turbo spool while staging.... I am not here to write about drag racing its kind of boring. Well the car ran good for awhile then the clutch wasn't disengaging again. So we decided to load it up on the trailer and try and figure out the problem.
Second Event-MAM orientation-May 4th 2007
Prepping for this week included mounting a passenger seat, and general maintenance. I thought the seat looked like it would bolt right in once I relocate the fire extinguisher and H2O/methonal injection system. I was WRONG, it was a pain but I got it after about an hour of fighting. I ordered some new bleeders for the brakes; I had one that was seeping (noticed it after the drag event). Installed them and bleed the system. Re-bleed the clutch and it felt really good. So we thought it must just have been an air bubble we didn't get. I took Friday of work so I could run this event and when I awoke it was down pouring. I checked the weather and it was supposed to burn off by noon down at MAM. So I left my house around 8:30am and headed out. I drove through a bunch of rain. But when I showed up at MAM around 12:00pm it was clear
. I was early again, so I unloaded went through everything and hung out. I was the only driver there but buy 1 there was more people had the little class room orientation. Nothing amazing or interesting about it. When we finished that we lined up on the paddock and got our instructor. I had Bill Pemberton, we got in got the car fired up and took off on the track.The first lap I took it slow I didn't even know where I was going. After that Bill was pushing me and telling me lines etc. It was different than I expected. I wouldn't say good or bad. I thought we would have walked the course talked more about each section or something. Nope we just went for it. I ran for awhile (they didn't have run groups because there was only like 10 cars there). Then I road with Bill in his Jeep Grand Cherokee he should me the lines a little better. That really helped because A it was slower B we could actually hear each other and talk about it. I got back in my car with Bill in the passenger seat, and took off. This time I felt much better about the track. After a couple laps I really felt like I was starting to figure something out. I was running down a little gray S2000 but about once or twice a lap I wouldn't take a corner right and he would jump way ahead and I would have to run him down again. This went on for a couple laps and I noticed my hood was really shaking so I pulled off into the pits. Sure enough three of the four bolts were missing. I didn't have spares so Bill drove me down to the little town next to MAM Green something... to NAPA got the bolts and headed back. We talked a lot about the corners and techniques. I fixed the hood and noticed a few other bolts loose (brake master cylinder) so I decided to check almost all of the bolts on the car... It looked good and I didn't find anything else loose.
We went back out and wow now I am getting the hang of it. I made like 5-10 laps and then my clutch stopped disengaging again! I was pissed pulled off and as I did so Bill handed me a little card saying driver orientation completion. I then jacked up the car thinking I boiled the fluid I was going rebleed it. I messed with it for like an hour nothing gave up loaded it up and head back.
I learned a lot that day. For one my car was never meant to AutoX. It was designed as a road racer and it was a completely different animal out there. It is FAST, I didn't get a lap time but I am betting it was fairly fast I was pulling on a pair of some highly modified M3's at the end of the day. I was amazed at how well the car handled, Compared to Autocross.
Third Event-SCCS Autocross Sioux Falls, SD-May 13th 2007
I was frustrated with my car after last event. I ordered up a Stainless steel clutch line. It was the only thing left in the hydraulic system that could possibly be causing the problem. As I waited I started doing research and more research I found that DSM's typically disengage a couple inches off of the floor not an inch off the floor. I looked at the adjustment of the pedal, and motion or issues with the pedal assembly NOTHING. So when the line came in I replaced the old one still had the problem... I didn't know what else. So I headed over to the local parts store and they had a Master Cylinder waiting for me actually two one for cruise and one without... I don't have cruise and I had a non cruise master cylinder in it. I examined them thoroughly and the only difference was the cruise had a longer rod and larger reservoir and a $40 dollar difference in price. I took the one for cruise just because I had the other one and well had to try something. Installed it and it was better but not right. I was able to disengage the clutch.
Got up early Sunday morning and headed to the parking lot. I was responsible to for course design. But I have done it for years so I just winged it with a fairly easier no frills course. It was a good course neither my best nor my worst. I would have redone the start after racing on it but nothing is ever perfect.
The first 4 heats went ok; I was running a solid 64's (see results http://www.sccsiouxland.org). I know I was leaving 2-5 seconds out there just couldn't find it. I was having clutch issues again; I was bleeding the clutch before every run just trying to do something it wasn't helping...
The second heat was of to an ok start still solid 64's for the first two runs. Then when I was bleeding the clutch again... we had a problem a HOLE in the top of the bell housing. Brad and I looked at each other after fitting this for um since I owned the car last July. The trans has been out and put back in... So I loaded it back up, hung out till the end so I could help pickup the cones and make sure everything is taken care off.
Since Last Event
Brad and I pulled the Trans, a bolt holding the pressure plate broke and went through the housing. It didn't mess anything up besides the hole, but I have decided to say screw it. I am sending the trans off to TRE as soon as I receive my shipping box. I am changing from the fidanza flywheel to an ACT chromoly, and putting in a new ACT 2600 kit.
The disengagement problem was that the steel ring that goes between the trans and the engine was missing, and the flywheel, disk and pressure plate were shot. Why wasn't it caught not sure not going to place blame etc. If I wanted to get the car up and running I could probably do it by welding the whole and put a new flywheel and clutch in but I don't want to have to pull the trans again this year or have the down time from pulling it. I have until June 10th before my next points event so I got a little time now to do it right.
I am also replacing all hardware bolts etc, and putting new seals in the t-case (the output was starting to have a slight leak), and working on sponsorships because I am finding out having a full blown race car is way more expensive than I originally thought. If I have time I am going to start the roof project. I am going to be putting on a polycarbonate roof skin with a tubular support instead of the sunroof skin with a plate welded in.
The wonderful photos are from Raquel my favorire Photographer. She has some amazing skills.
Last edited by a moderator:
.... at which they are typically between 3-50, at most 60mph, in all of the autox I have been to, and trust me, ive been to more than a few. That wing on his vehicle I was making a joke about, which he obviously took as a joke, but if he were serious about that autox and just wanted autox, the benefits of that wing are overweighed by the weight of the wing.
