We're going racing again tonight!

Hopefully anyways. If our local track doesn't just shut me down right from tech

Goal is to try and get into the 1.5 60' and hopefully run like a low 6 in the 8th. Something like a 6.2-6.3. we'll see! I ran a 6.69 on the street at 7400 DA, while grabbing 4th in the 8th.

7400 DA is brutal! Good luck, car definitely is capable of a low 6

Okay boys we hurt the car.

Probably a good 1/4 quart of oil poured out of the backside of the engine. Somewhere up top. Not wet above the manifold anywhere, but right below the head gasket area. Could be a bad blown head gasket. This would be the corner of the head passenger side closest to the firewall.

I got back last night around 10:30 and got the car off the trailer. Haven't had a chance to dig into it yet though.

We did a new PB 60' and trap but still slower overall in the 8th than in gillette.
6.729 @ 113 w/ 1.60 60'

Congrats man! Hopefully it’s nothing too serious with the car

Took the intake manifold off and was able to get better look. Confirmed, blown head gasket.

Looks like it likely lifted the head and blew out the gasket right at the oil return in the head, and because of that it wrinkled the gasket further down behind cylinder 3.



I've got some videos of the runs from Friday night so I'll throw something together and post it up here hopefully today.

Well guys we have a pretty big dilemma.
Head studs are L19, which is is susceptible to Hydrogen Embrittlement if exposed to water or moisture. When this happened I was running distilled water and water wetter. PLUS this would have been the 4th time these would have been torqued.

I was thinking on the way to work if I should check the bearings since oil and coolant mixed and make sure that none of them were failing. And it hit me. My rod bolts are L19 also..

What are your guys thoughts on if you think those rod bolts need replaced too? And thoughts on replacing the bearings?

If it comes down to replacing the bearings, I honestly might just pull the engine and do a whole new tuneup in it and replace mains and rod bearings. I'm not so sure how well replacing the rod bearings would go while in the car.

Also I was able to pull the valve cover last night and some other stuff to prepare for pulling the head. Could only do about half since I managed to lose to lug nut key so I couldn't take my wheel off.

Anyways. Forbidden milkshake pictures:

Got the head off today and boy..

My parents always said, if it's something worth doing. Do it good.. this is done good



New head gasket, L19 Head studs, L19 rod bolts ordered. I reached out to R&R about replacement rod bolts and they said that if they came into contact with water they should be replaced.

The head and block look just fine. Didn't torch the head or block. You can see where the head lifted on both 3 and 4 and the fire ring moved and then clamped back down. Made 2 sets of marks in the head.


I cleaned up the head studs and all but one seemed to look near perfect. One had a small amount of black spots just above the threads for the block. I'm gonna reach out to ARP about that and see if they think these would be alright to re-use.


Ordered up my billet 1-2 shift fork from White Shed. Still waiting to hear back from him on chromoly shift rail end for 3/4 rail.

That’s crazy! What do you think was the culprit? Boost? Timing? Headstud Fatigue? Happy for you the block/head are okay, I know your running some big boy boost on that thing, can’t wait to see her back on the road

1cleangsx said:

That’s crazy! What do you think was the culprit? Boost? Timing? Headstud Fatigue? Happy for you the block/head are okay, I know your running some big boy boost on that thing, can’t wait to see her back on the road

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Honestly I'm not exactly sure yet. Fueling, boost, no knock, timing all seems normal. It seemed to happen right at the 2-3 shift so I can only assume it had something to do with the rev limit or no lift shift ignition cut.

Hello.
As a suggestion, take a look at the aluminum cylinder head where the washer under the head stud nut sits. I assume you run the washers arp gave you with the l19s? If so they are a little small and can (over time) dig into the head and reduce the clamp load of the studs. If this is happening maybe consider the 1inch o.d. arp washer upgrade

erikoberdorfer said:

Hello.
As a suggestion, take a look at the aluminum cylinder head where the washer under the head stud nut sits. I assume you run the washers arp gave you with the l19s? If so they are a little small and can (over time) dig into the head and reduce the clamp load of the studs. If this is happening maybe consider the 1inch o.d. arp washer upgrade

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I don't run the washers actually. I have ARP washer inserts that the head was machined for.

The washer ideas still isn't bad idea though. I'll still check and see if the head has an imprint from the insert.

Still haven't taken the head apart. I'm not really in any rush since the trans is going to get shipped out in about a month and probably won't be back for awhile.

Started getting a few goodies.
WSS 1/2 shift fork,
New L19 rod bolts, and Head studs.
New head gasket



An unrelated note my buddy just finished putting together his 99 Mazda speed rx7. Guy had zero mechanical skills at all and bought his dream car as someone else's project and rebuilt the already torn down engine himself. Let me drive it yesterday. First right hand car I've ever driven, very weird feeling.

How was the shifting? I’d imagine you’d get used to it with practice, and that 1-2 fork sure is purdy

1cleangsx said:

How was the shifting? I’d imagine you’d get used to it with practice, and that 1-2 fork sure is purdy

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It was definitely different. My left hand isn't quite as dexterous as my right so I had to think about what I was doing.

Also the turn signal stalk is on the right instead of the left as well so I kept accidentally turning in the wipers instead of the signals

Got a nice little surprise coming in today. I'll update again later after it's here and safe.

3/4 shift rail sent off to Kurt for the chromoly shift rail end. This trans is gonna get the works.

Also, anyone need a tial 44mm wastegate? I bought another to troubleshoot some boost control issues but it turns out I'm.just running this turbo to the absolute ragged edge on and it's causing some issues in the wastegate diaphragm.

I present you

XONA POWER BABY.


Snagged this fella off Brent Wilkerson for a good deal. Running with a XMG .64ar turbine housing similar to @perrytheplatypus157 old setup.

So it's a 6869s X4C cover. These 2150s are gonna be sweating. Might have to find me some 2600s.

Looks like things are getting pretty serious

1cleangsx said:

Looks like things are getting pretty serious

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Oh definitely!

I honestly feel like this setup is my end game. Maybe eventually get some 2600s, get the dogbox finished up and maybe some axles and tcase and I'll be set I think.

Turbine housing showed up yesterday. Tested the garrett flange fitment and it matches perfectly. Which that being said, this turbo should be a bolt on affair! I've had a 90° aluminum elbow for a good while now that I'll have welded on and get rid of the 90° coupler off the compressor housing.


This .64 a/r is comically small Especially when compared to the 1.01 I have in my spare 3584rs and to the X4C cover on this thing.


Also a found a funny little sticker from FP on the box for the housing.

Okay so phase 2 of winter build started today and it just keeps getting more expensive.

Pulled the trans, tore down the head, mock mounted up the xona turbo to make sure that was going to fit dimensionally.


The head despite not being damaged I think is done for. Noticed at the very front of the intake can journal that there was some debris that must have gone through that ONE journal and scored half the journal pretty good.


The head stud inserts dug into the head pretty good also. Probably 2 thousands or so I'd bet. Every single one has a good imprint on it. Quite a few of the inserts were pretty stuck inside the bore too. I think it's just cause some gunk made its way in there over time (looks like a bit of ARP assembly lube). I need to find a solution for that. Whether it's larger washers (if someone knows the size of washer let me know. I'd like to run the same insert but a wider washer on the top.


ALL the exhaust valve tips are beat to shit. Not sure if that's from launch control, rev limit, or no lift shifting. Even if I could reuse this head all the guides would need replaced too due to removing them. I think there might have been a guide issue cause most of the exhaust valves I pulled out had some obvious guide shaving inside the keeper detent.


Found a roller from the exploded lifter too.


And on top of that the head has already had quite a bit milled off of it. IIRC it's well over .010"

Now the good news is I was able to finish lining my box with some packing instructions provided by mr Tim Zimmer.
I was also able to remove my old 3584rs and mock install the xona turbo on my manifold and make sure the downpipe also fits, so far everything really is bolt on. Including all the oil and cooling fittings so that's pretty neat.


I need to order some big ol snap ring pliers to take the compressor cover off to have the 90° elbow welded on but first I need to clock it where it needs to go.

I have a spare head that I believe hasn't been cut so I think I'm going to have that one rebuilt and use that one. Probably make the switch to some GSC valves, and rebuild with some GSC guides again.

Sorry to what about the carnage. For the arp washers, I am running ARP 200-8792. You can modify the head yourself for them using a piloted spot facing tool. Or, a machine shop can do it for you. There is one location that is tricky to get to compared to the others.

erikoberdorfer said:

Sorry to what about the carnage. For the arp washers, I am running ARP 200-8792. You can modify the head yourself for them using a piloted spot facing tool. Or, a machine shop can do it for you. There is one location that is tricky to get to compared to the others.

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Good to know about the washers. Thanks

Just curious what fuel pump are you currently running ?

awdmonster1904 said:

Just curious what fuel pump are you currently running ?

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Dual walbro 450s on Full blown hanger

Anfurnyy said:

Dual walbro 450s on Full blown hanger

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I would double-check the efficiency of your fuel pumps. If I remember correctly, there are two versions of the pumps, a high-pressure and a low-pressure version. Since you’re running a dual-pump setup, make sure both pumps are functioning properly and keeping up with the demand at high boost.


The reason I mention this is that I had a similar issue with my car blowing head gaskets. In my case, the fuel pump was losing effectiveness under high boost and high base fuel pressure. It’s worth checking your fuel pressure under load before ruling out a fuel delivery issue.