[Land-speed] Speedweek tips and thoughts...

[neil at dbelltech.com]

Tom;

It's easy to forget which bolts have been torqued or Loctited. I usually try
to write "L" with a Magic Marker on the heads of bolts that I've Loctited
and torqued; this way if I get interrupted while working I don't have to
remember what I had done (or not done) previously.

Good luck getting it back together. Keep an eye out for oil dilution,
though-especially with alky.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

  _____  

From: Tom Bryant [mailto:saltracer at awwwsome.com] 
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 1:40 PM
To: land-speed at autox.team.net; 'Keith Turk'; neil at dbelltech.com
Subject: RE: [Land-speed] Speedweek tips and thoughts...

 


Neil,

 

I think that I have come to a conclusion on what my problems were. I spent
about an hour on the phone with Kinsler's tech, Brad. I understand  better
how the Vapor Canister Valve Controls  work. It doesn't seem likely that the
Vapor System was the problem with performance, although I did get lower
pressure readings at the barrel valve than at the pump. I had not measured
the pressure there before, so have nothing to compare it with. It still
doesn't seem to me that 15-20 psi should be lost through the filter and
lines, though.

 

When I disassembled the engine,  I found the bolts attaching the timing gear
to the cam were not tight, why I don't know. (the last time it was apart was
after Speedweek 2005)  I generally use Loctite on critical fasteners. Maybe,
I failed to get them tight in the first place. I just don't know!  I run a
Cloyes Gear & Roller Chain Set that is adjustable by a rotating button on
the cam dowel pin. When I removed the fuel pump drive, I found the button in
its most retarded position and broken into several pieces. I dialed checked
the cam and found it to be about 20 degrees retarded. At first, I thought
that this all had taken place when the cam got hit by the broken rod, but
after thinking about it for a while, I believe the cam was retarded all
week. I just didn't have the presences of mind to check cam timing. We did
check for proper TDC when we were replacing the head gasket. It would have
been a simple task to have checked for proper cam timing at the same time. 

 

The truth of the matter will never be known. The engine was on the lean side
(1150-1250 EGTs) on top end all week even with a .018 span of jet choices. I
still got the oil loaded with alcohol.  Things may become more clear when we
see what happens with a fresh motor.

 

Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/FCC

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