Took it to the track

[RTCarlin]

Finally made it down to Northeast Dragway (Hertford, NC). And oooooh boy... what a story... The last time I went down there, I snapped my shifter cable on the first run coming off the T-Brake. So this time, I just had to top it...

On my first run, I launched off the footbrake for a shakedown run... after I hit the trap, I saw a whole bunch of smoke in my rear view and no oil pressure.

I can hear all sorts of lifter noise as I come back down to pick up the time slip and back to the pits... I pop the good and I blew the damned oil filter off the car! I dumped 6 quarts of oil in the process... so the car made part of that run and the drive back on no oil... I ended up borrowing one of the tech guys cars and driving to Walmart to get more oil and a filter. I refilled the oil and put the filter on and crossed my fingers.... started her up and still heard all sorts of lifter noise... let it run for about 3 or 4 mins to warm up and then..........she starts to purr like a kitten.... somehow, I got out of this situation without destroying the motor. All I can say is, Royal Purple is worth what you pay for it.

Car made 4 passes:

1) 7.38 @ 96.19 (1.78 60')
2) 7.52 @ 96.53 (1.93 60')
3) 7.55 @ 96.22 (1.86 60')
4) 7.46 @ 96.13 (1.79 60')

I just couldn't get the thing to hook. Pass #4 I took my foot off the gas and then got back into it... I think the car has some 7.0's and maybe a 6.9 in it if I can get the traction issue fixed. I see a set of slicks in my future...

---Ron

 

[Onalky87]

What tires r u running right now? And how much boost? And what psi did u launch at

 

[RTCarlin]

I'm running MT ET Radials. Boost was at 24#. I tried launching @ 10#, 5#, and then I just flat-footed it for the other two... The track just wasn't hooking real well today. On the third run, I just stayed on it and put on a good show for everyone with some near-sideways racing... The car's done 1.5's in the past. Though, the tires were "younger" then.

 

[Onalky87]

I wouldn't b surprised if that car has 99-100 mph in it in the 1/8th with a good 60

 

[turbofrank]

What type oil filter ?

 

[RTCarlin]

What type oil filter ?

Royal Purple. I should have looked up the right p/n myself. I let the parts girl at Pep Boys get it for me. It was close enough that it threaded on and seemed tight, but as soon as I got under pressure it blew out. I had a good ol' AC, but the Purple ones were on sale with purchase of 5 quarts. .75 off each quart and 4 off the filter. So not only did I nearly wreck the motor/car, but I dumped $55 worth of oil on the track. I'm just lucky I didn't come loose at the top end with all that oil spray. The back of the car is covered in oil!

 

[Dabigguy]

Sorry to hear that, hopefully your car is OK.

I've heard Northeast doesn't hook as good as Outer Banks does. Outer Banks is worth the extra 45 minute drive. I've got a buddy that has a low 4 sec pro mod that LOVES Outer Banks' track. If he can run a 4.11@170 and hook, it can't be bad !!

 

[gman7.0]

I can't help but grin when I see these times with a v6. hehehe

 

[RTCarlin]

Sorry to hear that, hopefully your car is OK.

I've heard Northeast doesn't hook as good as Outer Banks does. Outer Banks is worth the extra 45 minute drive. I've got a buddy that has a low 4 sec pro mod that LOVES Outer Banks' track. If he can run a 4.11@170 and hook, it can't be bad !!

Car seems to be fine. I'm going to cut the filter open tonight to see what I find.... Hopefully just oil. I need to make it to Outer Banks sometime. I hear the same thing about it. I've hooked with these tires in the past, so maybe it was just the track.

I can't help but grin when I see these times with a v6. hehehe

That was the response from a lot of guys at the track. That and "You DROVE that to the track????" haha.. You see lots of trailered cars/trucks running high 7's and 8's... My only response to them is, "Yours is a LOT less stressful to run and work on."

The good thing about this weekend was a made a lot of friends. I had a huge pit crew after that first, smokey run. I knew one guy there with a 72 Skylark w/ a 461... He was running pretty consitant 7.0's.

My laptop crapped out on me after the first run (battery)... So I didn't get to play with the fuel, but I probably could have got a few more MPH out of it by leaning it out a little. I've been running fairly rich on the street. I saw no knock count during the 1 run I recorded... This was on 24# boost, 42psi (fuel vacuum off), 93 octane, and an old school SMC non-progressive kit....

Overall I was pretty happy with the car, aside from my two oil changes:redface:

 

[Dabigguy]

Do you drive it there or trailer it?

 

[RTCarlin]

Do you drive it there or trailer it?

Drove it there, let some air out of the tires, tech'd in, then made a pass. Then drove it home at the end of the day... I think I've just been lucky so far... I really need to trailer it, but there's just something to be said about driving into the racetrack and running as good as / quicker than some of the trailer guys...

 

[Dabigguy]

That's Kewl !!!!! If you need to bring big things like slicks, I've got an Expedition that I can throw them in the back of it. I live in Chesapeake, just off 464 so it's on the way.

 

[turboc87gn]

Royal Purple. I should have looked up the right p/n myself. I let the parts girl at Pep Boys get it for me. It was close enough that it threaded on and seemed tight, but as soon as I got under pressure it blew out. I had a good ol' AC, but the Purple ones were on sale with purchase of 5 quarts. .75 off each quart and 4 off the filter. So not only did I nearly wreck the motor/car, but I dumped $55 worth of oil on the track. I'm just lucky I didn't come loose at the top end with all that oil spray. The back of the car is covered in oil!

Ac and fram filters are garbage now theres a thread here somwhere about it...