Relief - My Motor did not toast any Pistons

[Cajun Kid]

I guess I was just paranoid !!!

Near the end of the run the motor flattened out and did a slight sputter, I glanced to the oil pressure and it dropped from it's normal 80psi to just over 40psi, between the sputter and the Oil Pressure drop, I made an instant decision to lift (seeing a few recent oil downs and not wanting to hurt my motor or delay the runs either)..  I went through the traps off the throttle at 146.3xxxx  on a 147.3xxxx Record,,, Oh so close. 

When I made the short shutdown the Oil Pressure was back at 80PSI and the motor was running correct,,, But I was still paranoid,,,, back in the pits. I opened the hood and listed, nothing sounded wrong or even felt wrong,,, I revved her a bit and "thought I heard a slight miss near #5 and #7"  pulled the plugs and saw some silver residue on the leading threads.
At this point thought we had melted a piston.. loaded up and came home,,,,

Upon further inspection, nothing major was wrong.

The silver material was not aluminum, it was anti seize on the threads.
No loss of compression, Leak Down test was right on, no problems,
Bore Scope showed no problems.
Top end all fine.
Oil Pressure drop was due to a bad or sticky relieve valve in the pump, new pump on the way.

Sputter was fuel starvation.  Floats had been set low on this carb for the other motor 255 CID, this new bigger 370CID needed more fuel...

Going through carb to check for any trash and raising the floats, also checking fuel pressure.
Revved no problem to 8200 on dyno,,, but like the engine builder said they don't hold em wide open for a mile like we do... ??

Hope to resolve these "seemingly small issues" and be back in May.

Yes, I do feel silly for packing it in and coming home, but glad no damage.. who knows lifting may have been the right thing,,, but I sure wanted the extra 1 MPH for the record...

Charles

[Geo]

Charles,

Glad you did not break anything.

Oh, so close...  We know you can do it!   

Now back to the Stude 

Geo

[Rchop]

Glad to hear all is well Charles, good luck next month.

You know what they say..."Better Safe than Oily"

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Excuses, excuses.  To everyone else:  Charles caught up with me during Friday's goings-on and mentioned that he wanted to get some landracing.com stickers.  We both said stuff like "There's time this weekend -- we'll do it sooner or later."  Well, sure enough, our inventory still has your stickers in it, CK -- and I'll either mail some to you (PM me a mailing address) or you can wait 'til the May event.  You'll get 'em eventually.

To everyone, as long as I'm on the sticker thought -- we've got a supply of landracing.com stickers.  You're welcome to buy a few -- or send a donation of at least $25 to the website, along with a mailing address, and we'll mail a few stickers back to you as a thank you for the donation.  They're standard size bumper stickers, solid blue with white letters -- won't look too oddball on your vehicle.

Glad your motor wasn't hurt, by the way.  You car is a cool one to see rolling past the pits -- and going down the track it makes a properly righteous sound, too.

[t russell]

Charles Are you using a high volume pump?
2 years ago I run all the oil to the top of the motor not good
terry

[McRat]

The first SBC I ever built, all the oil went up and filled the valve covers at high RPM, and the oil pressure fell sharply.  IIRC, I started to put in restrictor plugs to limit flow up top.

[Cajun Kid]

I use the Melling Select, we do have oil restrictors to limit oil up top,,, Looks like the pressure relief valve spring hung.. not sure,,, we put a new pump in this afternoon.. any how 40PSI is not dangerous low, but not where I like it...
 
I hope we have it all resolved now.

[Cajun Kid]

Jon,  Mr. SSS

How can I donate my $25 to the website and get my 4 bumpr stickers ?

You take paypal ?

If we wait till May,, we could get busy again and forget....

Thanks for the kind words and noticing my Vicky.

Charles

[narider]

Glad everything is ok Charles... missed you at the banquet and the sound of the Vic's pipes bouncing off my trailer on a still sunday morning.
Todd

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Charles -- and everybody else, for that matter:

On the front page of landracing.com there's a "donate" button that takes you to the Paypal pages.  Go there and do your best for the site.  If you want stickers you need to include a mailing address so I know where to send 'em.

Thanks.

[Cajun Kid]

Jon,  I will do that tonight when I get on my home computer...

Thanks

[Dan Stokes]

Charles -
Glad nothing big is wrong and we'll see you back in May.  I'd make the same decision you did - cheaper safe than sorry!

Dan

[Hawk]

You car is a cool one to see rolling past the pits

I'll second that.

[Cajun Kid]

Hawk, thanks for the pic....

can you email a copy ?

cajunkid5690@yahoo.com

Thanks

[Cajun Kid]

In May I need to remove my headlights,,, My last run on Saturday before we loaded up was at 146.xxx...  To my surprise the headlights blew back and where pointing 30 degrees up after the run and the big 15/16 nuts where really tight... Guess if they moved back, those big headlights must be catching some big air...

I can only assume the are pulling a big vortex as well ??  I will remove them in hopes of less frontal drag and hopefully reducing any potential front end lift ?

Not sure just guessing here ?

Charles