This ad will goes away when you log in.
Drift Patrol @ Sonoma
Im making a video called "how to fuck up a perfectly good qual run"
Boy what a weekend. Started out by scrambling to make the Drift Patrol #2 presentable for the weekend.
Formula Drift was supposed to alot me 20'x40' to put 3 cars on display, next to my buddy Tony B (Team X Foose S197) who also needed extra space.
Instead, they grouped TOny and I together in a 20'x40' between to rigs- super cramped!
People didnt notice right away that Drift Patrol #2 was indeed, #2. We had lots of people asking if we'd have the car ready by morning- since DP#1 was still at the dyno shop. It wasnt til Friday morning that people started noticing there were 2 of them.
Practice was ok, much better than last year. I felt like I already knew how to drive the track. On my 3rd practice run, the car temp spiked to 250- definately another blown head gasket. It wouldnt fire. After a tow into the pits, we discovered a low water level in the radiator, and a milky dip-stick- confirmed- head gasket.
With only 15 minutes to qual, we ripped out the t-stat. The car didnt want to start, but I knew a compression start would do the trick. Luckily I was right.
With FD officials breathing down my neck to get on track, I was rushed up to the line.
My first run was a spin.
The second run went much better. I ran super wide- again, killing cones with my quarter panel, but not spinning or running off track. My entry speed was 86mph (within about top 10 of the top 16). I made it all they way through the hairpin, and back up through the big sweeper. I took a huge sigh of relief as I entered the final clip.....and then it happenned. A tiny bit too much throttle, followed by a 100% lift and I was backward- AFTER the finish!!!!!!!!! I couldnt believe what I had done. My weekend was done. Lame.
Tony made it into the top 32. After making qual, his diff took a shit. Luckily, Bruce Griggs was still at the shop, and was nice enough to supply Tony with a spare welded unit (plus t-shirts for our entire crew). Sat AM in pre-qual practice, Tonys clutch disintegrated to dust. Again, lucky for him J-dub (From Toyo, the mechanic for Ken Gushi) had a left over clutch from Gushis old mustang. With only 45 min to qual, my guys went to work fast. Tony had to sacrifice his first qual run, but with only 3 bolts holding the tranny in place, we jammed to get the car on track for his 2nd qual run. Unfortunately, the new clutch feel plus cold tires, and a buttload of pressure had Tony spinning at the entry.
A tough weekend for us Mustang guys.
Ok Dan, I'm getting tired of this head gasket business. *sigh* Get that sorted out by Irwindale, it's time to put on a good show with all that new power. Hopefully DP #2 will be up and running by then.
what gaskets are you using? just weld them on there
I dont think I'm gonna even replace it for Irwindale- the problem is I'm running the high boost configuration on a stock ass motor. The boost is blowing the dipstick out, valve cover gaskets out, etc. I cant lower the boost for Irwindale, thats a hp track all the way. I'm just gonna cross my fingers and hope it dont pop.
I'm not gonna rush the DP2 car for Irwindale- not a good track to christen the car. However, I am considering pulling the motor from that car to put in DP1.
I'm running SEC copper head gaskets with the printed rubber gaskets- they're $400 a set. Grr.
After Irwindale, I'm going to replace the head gaskets and drop the boost to 6-8 psi, and ship that car to Chicago. The new motor wont have these problems, and if it does I'll run little to no boost. This shit's getting old.
sounds like you almost need a vacum pump or just build an all motor setup. Have you always used the SEC coppers? Tried any of the other ones?
I've had a custom tune every time, it makes lots of power and has zero problems on the dyno. Its just a tired old 200,000mi motor that we're throwing too much boost at.
I agree, an NA motor would be far less hassle, and on the new motor this is a possibility but with Paxton a sponsor, the NA option will have to wait til 2010.
I have tried Fel Pro Hi-po ones that seemed to work, but the my dyno guy insisted I swap back to the coppers since they'll save your heads if they blow as compared to the standard material ones that'll allow your heads to warp. I need to atleast check my block surface- but really dont wanna spend any more money on this shit stock motor.
Do you think metal gaskets would help at all?
1987 Ford Mustang
SECs are very thick copper gaskets with printed rubber seals. They are supposedly the best thing you can run without O-ringing the heads and block.
But Geoff has started a wheel turnging in my head...... should I just drop the 347 into the old car as a "break in"? Its now a definate possibility.....
Do it!!!!
Especially considering $400 gaskets are more then the entire stock motor.
hey dan theres a kit u can buy for less than $400, which by the way is ridiculous for a set of head gaskets, that cuts a groove around the cylinder and combustion chamber on the head that a little crush ring can be inserted into. 5.0 magazine did it on a stock engine that they turbo'd after replacing like three head gaskets in a month. from wat ive heard it works very well and would probably be a great add on the the copper head gaskets your already using. you should be able to google it and find the article with all the supplier info. head studs would be a good choice also if you havnt already put them on. roughly 63.00 from jegs i think.
it cuts a groove or you have to cut them yourself? Fel-pro has had the o ring gaskets for along time but you gotta have the groove machined yourself. Some ppl like them, though some ppl wont recommend them cause they can seal so well, that if something fails, its usually frying a piston instead of blowing the headgasket. Some ppl like to have a weak link engineered in just in case.
I remember reading though porsches dont have headgaskets, they are a precision machined surface
I just spent this evening pulling the intake off my '64 Chevelle because the Mr. Gasket manifold gasket that came on the engine failed and turned my oil into a sweet milkshake. Not that anyone has mentioned Mr. Gasket, but I though I should just say that I have never had a Fel-Pro fail me, but Mr. Hatchet, what a piece of crap. The intake water passages are not even under high pressure, yet this thing failed miserably and was leaking water down into the lifter valley.
never used their intake gaskets I dont think. Ive used their graphite/steel exhaust manifold gaskets and had great luck. Much better than the typical fel-pro exhaust gaskets.
I'll be looking into this - thanks. I have heard about this before. What Mars said is true too, my engine builder insists that blowing head gaskets are like a fuse- much better than screwin up the pistons or head/block surface itself. Still, at $400 a pop, its an expensive fuse. And yes, I have ARP studs in the block.
hahaha! i found it. basically it cuts a groove in either the block or cylinder head or both and allows for a metal o ring to be inserted into the groove. from what i understand this works better that a metal racing head gaskets and allows you to run a cheaper head gasket while still having an awesome seal. so god forbid it still pops its not gonna cost you 400 bucks for a new gasket. you can find the tool at www.goodson.com or you can probably have your machine shop do the same thing for you. here's some pics.
this is the tool and plate that bolts to the engine.
wow, thats badass
Very cool idea.
Im definately gonna look into this after Irwindale. Thanks Franken Stang!
anytime hope it helps
Post new comment