Going to be an interesting week. Lots of decisions to be made.

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pittsburghracer

pittsburghracer

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Well yesterday during the first round my transbrake didn’t hold when I tested it behind the line as I always do. So needless to say I footbrake it and redlite ending my day. That’s the second time this year so my other transmission goes on the stand today. Plans where to stay loaded up and attend Michael Beards big money race at keystone but now I gotta unload today so I can rebuild and change the transmission. Problem number 2 is this thing is smoking real bad. I’m by myself but it appears to clear out once I leave the line. I bought these heads used and damaged pre 2008 and after I fixed them with new bigger valves and ported them they have been on probably 4 different engines getting new seals and valve jobs so I’m thinking the guides are shot. So that’s not a quick fix and this weeks race is surely out if I get into both jobs. The car just ran five 6.0-6.03 passes this weekend so the performance isn’t affected. I have a better set of heads started that are new but I’ll have to look today to see how far along I am. I could just replace the transmission with little downtime and finish those heads and change them or finish the year puffing smoke. Decisions decisions.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Well yesterday during the first round my transbrake didn’t hold when I tested it behind the line as I always do. So needless to say I footbrake it and redlite ending my day. That’s the second time this year so my other transmission goes on the stand today. Plans where to stay loaded up and attend Michael Beards big money race at keystone but now I gotta unload today so I can rebuild and change the transmission. Problem number 2 is this thing is smoking real bad. I’m by myself but it appears to clear out once I leave the line. I bought these heads used and damaged pre 2008 and after I fixed them with new bigger valves and ported them they have been on probably 4 different engines getting new seals and valve jobs so I’m thinking the guides are shot. So that’s not a quick fix and this weeks race is surely out if I get into both jobs. The car just ran five 6.0-6.03 passes this weekend so the performance isn’t affected. I have a better set of heads started that are new but I’ll have to look today to see how far along I am. I could just replace the transmission with little downtime and finish those heads and change them or finish the year puffing smoke. Decisions decisions.
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IDK John, if it’s not pushing oil out everywhere and it’s only doing it at the line I think I’d just swap in the new gearbox and go.

Pretty high vacuum right there so it may be getting some oil by the guides there like you say. As long as it’s not so bad you feel like it’s so bad you think it will kill the valve and destroy everything it’s probably ok.

Now that I typed that out it doesn’t feel as good lol.

It wasn’t that long ago almost every Pro Stocker smoked at the hit. Watching yesterday I didn’t see it nearly as much.

Obviously they are doing it for very different reasons and because for them it’s a ring/vacuum thing I always didn’t care for letting oil into the chambers and the increased possibilities of detonation.

Seems like it never bothered those guys and evidently still doesn’t because I saw it yesterday.

That was always my biggest concern about that.

It’s probably not a big deal if you don’t think it will fail a valve or guide.

And how do you know that if you don’t take it apart?

Ok, I don’t have any good thinking on this.

I’m back to a solid I don’t know what to think lol.

One way is more work, and one way increases the risk of killing a valve or guide (which would be both…I need to go back to bed!) and then hurting the engine and possibly crashing the car.

Ain’t I a ray of sunshine and knowledge today???
 
Newbomb Turk said:
IDK John, if it’s not pushing oil out everywhere and it’s only doing it at the line I think I’d just swap in the new gearbox and go.

Pretty high vacuum right there so it may be getting some oil by the guides there like you say. As long as it’s not so bad you feel like it’s so bad you think it will kill the valve and destroy everything it’s probably ok.

Now that I typed that out it doesn’t feel as good lol.

It wasn’t that long ago almost every Pro Stocker smoked at the hit. Watching yesterday I didn’t see it nearly as much.

Obviously they are doing it for very different reasons and because for them it’s a ring/vacuum thing I always didn’t care for letting oil into the chambers and the increased possibilities of detonation.

Seems like it never bothered those guys and evidently still doesn’t because I saw it yesterday.

That was always my biggest concern about that.

It’s probably not a big deal if you don’t think it will fail a valve or guide.

And how do you know that if you don’t take it apart?

Ok, I don’t have any good thinking on this.

I’m back to a solid I don’t know what to think lol.

One way is more work, and one way increases the risk of killing a valve or guide (which would be both…I need to go back to bed!) and then hurting the engine and possibly crashing the car.

Ain’t I a ray of sunshine and knowledge today???
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Well Like I said for sure the transmission is getting rebuilt so that part is easy. If the weather showed rain this weekend the choice would be easier but no rain in the forecast for the weekend. I trudge forward and get my calendar out and check my race schedule. I have all parts on hand for both jobs so that helps. I have that offset rocker set of heads on my shelf but I never looked into why the Indy intake was sucking oil under the intake. It’s never easy but thank God I’m semi retired.
 
Well from all the work I did on my truck over the last month and pet supplies it’s shop cleaning day so I can get a bay open for my duster. Man what a mess. Time to build a fire.

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Newbomb Turk said:
I so HATE dealing with cardboard. I love burning it but it’s so dry at my house right now I don’t even want to let a hot fart up there for fear of getting a big time fire going.
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That’s one reason I was holding off. Wind and lack of rain. We had a nice storm right before I left last weekend and this is moving in.

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That's the one part of my outside woodstove that I enjoy so much. All of our trash goes in it year round to heat our house and hot water so I don't have a pile of boxes laying around, other than the large stash I keep for when I sell stuff to ship.
 
Ok had a nice long talk with my friend Tim that races with me at Keystone and watched almost every pass over the weekend. He assured me that my car is not smoking during a pass. I know it’s smoking bad in the lanes and in the water box but cleans out. So I guess I’ll shelf worrying about head work for now. This engine and my 422 will be getting rebuilt by me this winter Lord willing.
 
Ohhhhhh man. Talking about incentive to get my car fixed. Nothing like getting your car on the brochure and being broke. Waaaa

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Very productive day for an old guy. Got my spare transmission mostly torn down and mounted on my transmission building stand. I’ll let it drain a little more and pull the pan before I guit for the night. Then I can spray it down and let it soak for cleaning in the morning. Thank God I bought a new 1.80 gearset two years ago before the price jump.

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71Demon528 said:
Making any progress John?
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Well not exactly. On Saturday I started feeling at pain in my back on the right side of my back. I just thought i tweeked my back a little but by Monday evening I was peeing blood and the pain was worse so I knew my kidney stone was on the move a little. Rounding up tranny parts I couldn’t locate a new steel 6 clutch drum I thought I bought and stored on my shelf but must not have bought. So I just planned on since I’m pulling the transmission anyway I’d pop the pump off and grab the front drum and repack it. That’s where the trouble set in. I never tried it but with my hillside I can’t unload the race car up top my hill so I unhooked the motorhome and backed it down the hill with the truck. I’ll unload today in a few minutes but now the plan is if I get the work done I’ll just tow up with the truck and come home at night. I’ll update my repairs later but target is to race only two days.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Well not exactly. On Saturday I started feeling at pain in my back on the right side of my back. I just thought i tweeked my back a little but by Monday evening I was peeing blood and the pain was worse so I knew my kidney stone was on the move a little. Rounding up tranny parts I couldn’t locate a new steel 6 clutch drum I thought I bought and stored on my shelf but must not have bought. So I just planned on since I’m pulling the transmission anyway I’d pop the pump off and grab the front drum and repack it. That’s where the trouble set in. I never tried it but with my hillside I can’t unload the race car up top my hill so I unhooked the motorhome and backed it down the hill with the truck. I’ll unload today in a few minutes but now the plan is if I get the work done I’ll just tow up with the truck and come home at night. I’ll update my repairs later but target is to race only two days.
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Sorry to hear that about your back and kidney stones. Happy you plan to still make an effort to go.
 
Ouch !!! I feel your pain .. I have had eight kidney stones always seem to come on a Friday before a Saturday race day.. a little humor for you : years ago I came home very early on a Saturday morning from the hospital very heavily medicated for the pain of the stone .. the phone rang and I picked up the lamp trying to answer it .. I told my wife .. time to go racing ! then she reminded me of the lamp incident .. maybe its best if you skip racing today she said !! .... hope you can pass the stone and get out racing !!
 
BVoelzke said:
Ouch !!! I feel your pain .. I have had eight kidney stones always seem to come on a Friday before a Saturday race day.. a little humor for you : years ago I came home very early on a Saturday morning from the hospital very heavily medicated for the pain of the stone .. the phone rang and I picked up the lamp trying to answer it .. I told my wife .. time to go racing ! then she reminded me of the lamp incident .. maybe its best if you skip racing today she said !! .... hope you can pass the stone and get out racing !!
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Crazy story is I was at Norwalk at at the monster Mopar race and I thought I saw some blood in the toilet. In the motorhome I watch my water use in my toilet because I bucked empty my holding tank and dump it by hand into my house toilet septic system. But next time I put some water in the toilet and when I pissed there was definitely blood but little pain. Next time I went I had a little “side spray”. I had a few adult beverages and after a few more trips was holding onto the wall in pain as I passed a stone. In a few days all was well. I told my doctor and he did some tests and I have another stone or two under I think he said 5mm. (Probably over 7-8 years ago now) I’m not a doctor but my thinking is no matter how much I try to drink more water I’m getting dehydrated at times. It’s hard not to especially at the track. I’m seeing less blood now but I keep it a comfortable 73-75 in my house so I’m not sweating 24 hours a day at home. I was able to unload the duster, get it up on my wheel blocks and start doing some maintenance checks. Update my findings later.
 
Ok small update. There is no way I can lay on the floor and change a transmission right now so I went to plan C. I pulled the pan and honestly for a 3 year old transmission (4 but I didn’t race one year) the transmission fluid looks good with very little debris in the pan. The screen filter looks great. I’m letting everything drip off over night. I pulled the brake solenoid which was new and pulled the rod and spring to give it a good cleaning and I hand polished the rod. Tomorrow I’m going to set the band. I found some very shady things on the power side of my delay box at needs addressed right now. And I mean right now. The grounding side was addressed a few years ago when I ran a 12 gauge ground wire to a grounding box on the drivers side floor. I’ve neglected to tie some things into it as planned but the transmission brake is. So tomorrow some new wiring, reassemble what I tore apart today, set band, and I’m going to try to jack up the transmission and remove the trans mount and Tailshaft and address a leak. Going on 8Pm so I’ll go eat and think some more on things I want to check. Ohhhh I ordered a new big red Biondo trans brake button to have in the trailer. I like that button and for 50.00 I’ll have a spare. I also ordered a new 6 clutch drum so both should be here tomorrow. Plans for now are to skip the discounted 400.00 three race buy in. Hopefully I can tow over at 7am Friday and pay 150.00 for Fridays race, leave the trailer there and tow home Friday night. And repeat Saturday if all goes well and pay 250.00 for Saturdays race. Calling for over 90 degree temps on Sunday so I should be ready to quit for the weekend. So tow back home Saturday night. Loading up the motorhome and rehooking it up for the weekend would be to much. Plus I can just feed my 10 kitties each day before I leave.

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