Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: hitz on February 09, 2010, 02:10:11 PM
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The 2009 SpeedWeek was fun but it's time to get serious about 2010. I did start to check out some of the things that needed to be improved as soon as we got home.
The engine had been falling on it's face at about the 1 mile. We couldn't find the problem and made 7 runs. When the engine was torn down I had a indication that there had been a slight lack of oil. Nothing broken and the bearings where OK except for a small shiny spot on the #1 main and and a hint of a score on each cylinder. When I disassembled the head I found that the hydraulic lifters had air in them. The oil had become aerated! :-o After each return to the pits and pulling the panels and checking things we would run the engine a little and it would sound great. Apparently the air in the oil had settled out and it ran at low rpm well enough to put some solid oil through everything. I had tilted the engine to the left about 14 deg. to allow enough room for the ITB's. I had worried about the oil level clearance at the time but didn't have any problems running it in the barn. I had planned on putting a dry sump system on it but budget restraints ----. I'm working on the dry sump system now. The engine will get a fresh build with Scat rods and forged Wisco pistons with a little more compression and some mild head work. It a '98 Saturn DOHC 4 valve engine. 4 cyl.and 1.9 L.
The engine was running lean and I kept trying to enrich it with the Tech2 ecu. The computer operator isn't very good (me) and couldn't seem to save it to the Tech 2. Finally figured it out. Not going to say what it was.
Shifting was a problem and I have some major changes to make on the linkage.
Need to finish up the ice water air cooler and install an inertia switch for the fuel pump.
Plenty of stuff to do.
Harv
Need to get out there and get to work
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Harv --
I don't remember you showing it to us when it got done -- how about it?
And a better report of how it ran, too, please.
And while you're at it -- although it won't mean anything to me -- why didn't you gerthanphazer not extrapolate the hindergonann? It might help others.
Thanx in advance,
Stan
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Harv,
Pretty obvious that you have caught the "salt bug" (or maybe it has caught you!!!) Interesting about the oil and certainly something that can occur. Going with some head work and more compression certainly means more hps and that is of course more MPH! I think we discussed your solution to the shifting last year at the salt and if this is your path I certainly agree that it will work as this is the method used by most rear engined sports cars to shift their trannys. The G gas Lakester record is some where around 210 you you will need a pretty good power shot. It may cost a little but once you have your engine done one of the best investments you can make is a day on the dyno. Saves lots of time looking for horse power at the salt. Looking forward to seeing you there next year!!!
Rex
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Harv, good luck with your quest in 2010. I think you are on the right track, but follow the advice and run on the dyno if possible, the earlier the better. Can your ECU run closed loop? DA is constantly changing and the ECU may not keep up if you are using ram air. Ram air is about impossible to simulate on the dyno... be prepared to richen the mix
See ya on the salt 8-) Stop by and say hi
Forgot... Rex, 211.463, don't short me... :-D :-D :cheers:
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stainless1
ecu can run in closed loop but only to 4500 rpm. Tech 2 is too old for wide band O2 sensor input. It works in DOS! I hope I'm able to make speed week but may go to World of Speed because of the lodging situation. I'll be running on one of your records but don't think I'll be the one to nab it. Thanks for the info. I'm not running ram air, just a NACA duct that dumps into a large air box but plan on building another panel with a ram air inlet to try.
REX
I remember talking to you at Bonneville but don't remember talking to you about the shifting problem. Most of SpeedWeek is just a blur. Let me know your thoughts on it.
Stan I'lltry to post a link to photobucket
Harv --
I don't remember you showing it to us when it got done -- how about it?
And a better report of how it ran, too, please.
And while you're at it -- although it won't mean anything to me -- why didn't you gerthanphazer not extrapolate the hindergonann? It might help others.
Thanx in advance,
Stan
Huh!
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Stan, I'm trying to post a URL to the Photo bucket web site.with some pi cures of the car at SpeedWeek.
http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn265/hitzaina/lakester2/
This is for anybody. Hope it works.
harv
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Didn't for me -- but it's probably me.
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Stan,
Sorry Honey, it's you! :roll: I even got to see the pictures! :-o
Lynda :-D
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worked for me.
Nice car. What did ya run?
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Stan Back - -
I clicked on the first site and got no pictures.
Came back and clicked on the second site and saw the pictures. You might try it that way? :?
I remember seeing this lakester during the build stage. It was good to see it made it onto the salt. I am learning that the first time on the salt with a new car, not to expect your top speed possible.
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Stans gotta get rid of that Commodore 64.
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Stan and HotRod,
The car ran through 1st and 2cd gear quickly with shift points at 6500 rpm. 3rd gear was difficult to hit but pulled hard from 4000 rpm even though the shift was so slow. Around 5000 rpm the power started to fade so I short sifted it to 4th and only saw around 5100 rpm in 4th. It would slow down as I shifted down even though I still had my foot in it. The fuel ratio stayed right where I had set it and I had trouble getting back to the return road. The top time was 144mph. The reason for all of this was the oil aeration I mentioned in the first post.
The car handled like it was on rails. I shut it down once without pulling the chute and cut the engine. It got very quiet and didn't seem to slow down. I hit the brakes and it still didn't slow much. It took about a mile before I turned out. I have a solid front axle (no springs) and it was noisy and rough. Made it to the return road easily this time. The chute really felt good when I did use it. I was really happy with the handling and am looking forward to going faster.
harv
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Hello hitz - -
Thanks for the extra details on your first outing. I remember seeing picture during your build. I liked the body work you did, and especially the work around the canopy. I was glad to see paint on the car and it on a tarp on the salt.
I am planning to start a liner build in a year or so and am checking on other builds as they are posted. Thanks for some pictures along the way.
I haven't raced in 45 years and if I "short shifted to 4th" and it "still slowed down in 5th with your foot in it," like you did, the first thing I would have thought of was fuel.
Oil aeration? :evil: That would have taken me a while to find.
The good news is she handled great. I think that is the big half. The other half is the power. You know where you are with that now, so 2010 is here and it is count down to SW. Time to enjoy and clock some nice numbers. :cheers:
If you could do it over again, would you put some suspension in the front axle?
Will look for you at SW,. .. my first time.
Bill
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Harv, the little car will be at WoS, we have to make a stab at the record Mark Vigeant took at the Finals. We have a NACA duct feeding an air box when we run NA as well, the faster we went, the leaner it got... when we ran carbs, it ran real rich until we got to 175 or so. If you were monitoring A/F ratio, what did it show? N/A we usually shoot for about 12 to 12.5 to 1.
Oh Stan, the pics worked for me too....
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I'd still like to see it -- guess I'll just wait 'til August.
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Stan,
I've been having trouble posting pictures but I'll work on it.
harv
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Good that worked,
harv
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Thanx, Harv. Lookin' good. A lot different than the last shot on your build site.
Stan
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Stainless,
I see I forgot to answer your question about the fuel ratio on my lakester. It was running 16.5:1. I kept trying to richen it but somehow the little window on the floppy got closed up and I forgot to check it. I couldn't save the new program so I keep putting the same one back in the ECU. I was trying to start at 12.5:1. The exhaust temp was running 1300 f. but I think the plug reading was good. Reading plugs that are running on un-leaded gas is not one of my better skills!
My laptop floppy drive was broken by the time I got home. Probably salt worms. I'm looking for a old lap top with Win 95 or 98 now.. I've been holding off shooting the drive with WD40 but might as well go ahead and do it, its no good to me the way it is. Hope to see you at WOS.
harv
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Check your local Craigslist for a Toughbook. Nice used Military/Police spec laptops suitable for doing an automotive ECU go for around $300 around here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughbook (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughbook)
Mike