crash
02-26-2008, 10:40 PM
I know we showed up with no big names or anybody really known in the sport--but that really didn't matter to us.. But I just wanted to share a story with you guys..
First sorry for the long tale and this is from my own prospective
Well early monday morning I kissed the wife goodbye, hopped into the dodge and was off to renton(washington near seattle) to meet up with larry ... So we met up, dropped off my dodge and we were off to pats shop in bremerton(those guys rods and customs) to get the rig done and loaded onto the trailer...
Well after alot of work and some problems not fixable at the moment--the rig finally drove out of the shop under its own power close to midnight and into the trailer. Now this was the first step to get the rig done and on our way--there was still one thing left.
So after this we were headed to renton to meet larry's buddy Dave who was waiting for us.. We unloaded the rig and into his shop---where he did the exhaust. So close to 2:30am we drove the rig out and back into the trailer.
So one quick stop to pick up larry's girlfriend and we were loaded and headed for the hammerz.
One major problem we still faced (that we knew of,lol) was the t-case had the wrong 1310 yokes(had cv yokes and we needed standered 1310 32 spline yokes). So once the sun came up larry started to make some phone calls--and we were finally able to get ahold of jess at high angle and he had a plan to help us.
So we made a detour and headed for his shop in paradise. Not only did jess make up a BETTER front shaft (NW drivelines can kiss our ass) but he also ran and got us the needed yokes.
And again thanks to jess ;)
So with that problem solved we continued our trip south. we drove till we got to apple valley and decided since we needed more parts and it was around 5am--we took a nap (in front of starbucks,lol).
So once the sun came up and it was around 7:30 we headed east a bit to a parking lot near the napa (next to carls jr) and spent the better part of the day in a parking lot near napa and worked away on the rig. Now at this point we figured there was only a couple small items left and just headed to yucca valley to the motel to get a good nights sleep..
So thurs morning we all got up bright and early and headed to the lake bed with the intenion of taking care of a few small items--teching in and pre-running..
Well once I got the motor running good I had noticed it was still running rich and the fuel pump was noisey. Well we drove the rig over and got it teched in(thanks lil rich again for giving us a little more time to play with). Well we made it half way back and the rig died. Towed it back to camp and started checking it over--come to find out the fuel pump died.. So gave the needed info to larry and he was off and running to get a pump..
Well he got back with a new pump and I got it all hooked up. And got it running--but after a bit the new pump started making noise and really rich and the pump was very hot.
Well not being involved with the main buildup I had to weed my way thru what we had. Well I came up with since it was a later model LS1 it had a returnless fuel system wich was causing the pump to run at max pressure and basicly causing it to be beat to death. Well I devised a plan and me and larry were headed off to town. Well what i did was build a fuel return system with being able to control the flow using a check valve--which worked like a champ. We both loaded into the rig and headed off(this being around 9pm).
Well we got a ways off and blew the upper rad hose off and the cooling fan was falling off. Once the chase crew got to us we were able to fix it up--and headed back into the darkness. We called it a night around midnight and headed to the motel for some sleep.
We got up around 6:30 and headed to the lakebed where we loaded up and got staged for the start...
8:17 and we were off and racing.. within a 1/4 mile we had made our first pass.
Well we got to the first hill climb and----the engine temp had reached 250 so we shut it down and I climbed out. I found the rad was good and hot and had larry turn the fan on--where I found air being forced out the front of the rad. Well I came to the conclusion the fan was going the wrong way (fan was wired balck to ground and blue to power and was boxed as a puller). Now at this point we found our tool bag had ripped off and left the rig--so all I had was a box knife. So I cut the wires and reversed them--had larry fire off the rig and the fan was pulling air the right way--and the temp started to drop..
So back into the rig again where we made the hill climb and blasting hard down the course.. By this time i was starting to get used to the navigation system----but we got on top off a bluff and bad things happened...
All of a sudden a bunch of smoke from under the dash---wire smell. So I quickly jump out and kill the battery power.. So I inspect it and find a wire had melted abd buned a bunch more wires.. So I power the rig up--only to find no radio/navigation or trans/engine fans... So I start to look over the rig and trace the wires to only find the cooling fan wire had shorted when the rad moved back off its lower mount. So I try my best to seperate the wiring under the dash to make sure no more damage can happen and I hot wire the cooling fan. So I look at larry and we both decide to continue(no radio or nav). So we are off and running--down off the bluff and across the lake bed at wide open throttle and pass the first check point. Well we are blasting down the whoops good and hard and one time the rear catchs some good air and-----the rig dies. Again we get out and I look the rig over and came to the conclusion I cannot continue with the "tool" I have........
So this is where we made it...
I wanna thank larry for not only the chance to be a a part of this---but for taking everything like he did--the guy did not once get mad or pissed and in fact we joked about it--even layed in the sand and made snow angles,lol....
Now I know we have caught alot of slack for brining a new/untested rig out--but we did not let that stop us from trying to make the race...
And again much thanks to our support team that was there to help us. And I hope we are invited back next year as we will be back in full force with a very well tested rig..
And here is something I threw together--something more for the spirit of it than anything--and I was working with very limited video..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlb44Va6dfI
First sorry for the long tale and this is from my own prospective
Well early monday morning I kissed the wife goodbye, hopped into the dodge and was off to renton(washington near seattle) to meet up with larry ... So we met up, dropped off my dodge and we were off to pats shop in bremerton(those guys rods and customs) to get the rig done and loaded onto the trailer...
Well after alot of work and some problems not fixable at the moment--the rig finally drove out of the shop under its own power close to midnight and into the trailer. Now this was the first step to get the rig done and on our way--there was still one thing left.
So after this we were headed to renton to meet larry's buddy Dave who was waiting for us.. We unloaded the rig and into his shop---where he did the exhaust. So close to 2:30am we drove the rig out and back into the trailer.
So one quick stop to pick up larry's girlfriend and we were loaded and headed for the hammerz.
One major problem we still faced (that we knew of,lol) was the t-case had the wrong 1310 yokes(had cv yokes and we needed standered 1310 32 spline yokes). So once the sun came up larry started to make some phone calls--and we were finally able to get ahold of jess at high angle and he had a plan to help us.
So we made a detour and headed for his shop in paradise. Not only did jess make up a BETTER front shaft (NW drivelines can kiss our ass) but he also ran and got us the needed yokes.
And again thanks to jess ;)
So with that problem solved we continued our trip south. we drove till we got to apple valley and decided since we needed more parts and it was around 5am--we took a nap (in front of starbucks,lol).
So once the sun came up and it was around 7:30 we headed east a bit to a parking lot near the napa (next to carls jr) and spent the better part of the day in a parking lot near napa and worked away on the rig. Now at this point we figured there was only a couple small items left and just headed to yucca valley to the motel to get a good nights sleep..
So thurs morning we all got up bright and early and headed to the lake bed with the intenion of taking care of a few small items--teching in and pre-running..
Well once I got the motor running good I had noticed it was still running rich and the fuel pump was noisey. Well we drove the rig over and got it teched in(thanks lil rich again for giving us a little more time to play with). Well we made it half way back and the rig died. Towed it back to camp and started checking it over--come to find out the fuel pump died.. So gave the needed info to larry and he was off and running to get a pump..
Well he got back with a new pump and I got it all hooked up. And got it running--but after a bit the new pump started making noise and really rich and the pump was very hot.
Well not being involved with the main buildup I had to weed my way thru what we had. Well I came up with since it was a later model LS1 it had a returnless fuel system wich was causing the pump to run at max pressure and basicly causing it to be beat to death. Well I devised a plan and me and larry were headed off to town. Well what i did was build a fuel return system with being able to control the flow using a check valve--which worked like a champ. We both loaded into the rig and headed off(this being around 9pm).
Well we got a ways off and blew the upper rad hose off and the cooling fan was falling off. Once the chase crew got to us we were able to fix it up--and headed back into the darkness. We called it a night around midnight and headed to the motel for some sleep.
We got up around 6:30 and headed to the lakebed where we loaded up and got staged for the start...
8:17 and we were off and racing.. within a 1/4 mile we had made our first pass.
Well we got to the first hill climb and----the engine temp had reached 250 so we shut it down and I climbed out. I found the rad was good and hot and had larry turn the fan on--where I found air being forced out the front of the rad. Well I came to the conclusion the fan was going the wrong way (fan was wired balck to ground and blue to power and was boxed as a puller). Now at this point we found our tool bag had ripped off and left the rig--so all I had was a box knife. So I cut the wires and reversed them--had larry fire off the rig and the fan was pulling air the right way--and the temp started to drop..
So back into the rig again where we made the hill climb and blasting hard down the course.. By this time i was starting to get used to the navigation system----but we got on top off a bluff and bad things happened...
All of a sudden a bunch of smoke from under the dash---wire smell. So I quickly jump out and kill the battery power.. So I inspect it and find a wire had melted abd buned a bunch more wires.. So I power the rig up--only to find no radio/navigation or trans/engine fans... So I start to look over the rig and trace the wires to only find the cooling fan wire had shorted when the rad moved back off its lower mount. So I try my best to seperate the wiring under the dash to make sure no more damage can happen and I hot wire the cooling fan. So I look at larry and we both decide to continue(no radio or nav). So we are off and running--down off the bluff and across the lake bed at wide open throttle and pass the first check point. Well we are blasting down the whoops good and hard and one time the rear catchs some good air and-----the rig dies. Again we get out and I look the rig over and came to the conclusion I cannot continue with the "tool" I have........
So this is where we made it...
I wanna thank larry for not only the chance to be a a part of this---but for taking everything like he did--the guy did not once get mad or pissed and in fact we joked about it--even layed in the sand and made snow angles,lol....
Now I know we have caught alot of slack for brining a new/untested rig out--but we did not let that stop us from trying to make the race...
And again much thanks to our support team that was there to help us. And I hope we are invited back next year as we will be back in full force with a very well tested rig..
And here is something I threw together--something more for the spirit of it than anything--and I was working with very limited video..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlb44Va6dfI