Pat's GRM ScAries!

[Pat]

Ran the ScAries at Cecil yesterday...here's the full rundown:

1st pass: snapped an axle in the trans. It's pretty nice work if you ask me...I"ll snap a picture of it later. Barry and I swapped in a spare and back out I went

2nd pass: Just wanted to drive the car down the track and make sure the used axle I threw in there was OK. Launched extremely easy, then hit the gas. 19 psi, creeping to 21, shifting easy watching the gauges. Went 12.5 @ 115.8, no spray. All looked well.

3rd pass: Same tune I had set up for GRM, with the exception of a tighter plug gap to hopefully take care of the break up issues I had down there. Went a bit too easy on the launch to where it actually started to bog a bit more than I would have liked, but still managed a 1.72. I was a bit disappointed here because I knew from 20 ft into the run that the track could have taken more. Anyway, the car went:

ST: 1.723
330: 4.76
1/8: time didn't register
1000: 9.215
1/4: 11.010
MPH: 125.12

The car felt great! This was also the same tune I ran in June when it went 11.4's when I was testing the intercooler and found significant pressure drops. Since then, I installed a 3 core cooler and did the divorced downpipe, to get away from the stock swingvalve/downpipe assembly. The difference in how the car felt was amazing. Mid range and top end were huge compared to in the past. It felt downright voilent on shifts. I feel like I'm now really starting to see the benefits of the head work, the intake, the IC and the downpipe. Even though this is on spray, this is still on the Thunderbird turbo, which is a 60 trim T3 that was put into a chrysler .63 housing. It's slightly smaller than a Super 60. :-)

4th pass: After the 11.01, I could taste a 10.9x. I knew that there was more at the line that would likely put me into the 10's, but I started to have some doubts about how much the driveline would take. Other than me, there were quite a few cars that were breaking at the line. The other option was to launch the same and up the boost or nitrous a bit. I debated, but in the end, put a bit more jet into it. I jetted to about 90 hp and went slightly rich on the fuel and took some timing out. At the line, I launched slightly harder and hooked hard again to a 1.66 ST...once again, I think the track would have taken more. The run was absolutely awesome until I missed 3rd gear. At that point, I knew the run was shot but really wanted to watch the gauges and make sure all was well. I put it back into 3rd and let it go. EGT's were around 1500-1550, A/F was 11.2-11.3, boost was 25 psi. Everything looked good. Went to 4th, all readings looked the same. Then, before the 1000 foot mark, I was greeted with a massive spray of coolant from between the nose and the hood and let out, rolling through the traps at 11.35 @ 116.9. Lost the headgasket in #4 at the front of the block. I can actually see the piece missing.

At that point, I decided to call it a day. There was a bunch of TM guys offering to do a quick swap, but I am a bit concerned about other damage in there (this thing is still a non common block, cast cranked, T-II rod/cast piston motor) and would rather get a good look at everything before slamming it back together. I'm a bit worried about that piston. Hopefully the head gasket fuse worked and saved the shortblock.

So close...but next year is right around the corner.

[Shadow]

Awesome! So that's basically a 60 trim like the MP + units? What exactly did you do to the exhaust S/V downpipe?

[Force Fed Mopar]

What head gasket was it?

[Pat]

Awesome! So that's basically a 60 trim like the MP + units? What exactly did you do to the exhaust S/V downpipe?

I'm not sure...don't know what the MP turbo was. The Thunderbird/SVO turbo is a T3 with a 60 trim compressor, which if I remember correctly, has a slightly smaller inducer than the Super 60 compressor. Turbine side is a standard stage 1 wheel in a .63 housing.

The SV set up is detailed/pictured in post number 387. Check it out.

What head gasket was it?

MP 005

[Shadow]

I'm not sure...don't know what the MP turbo was. The Thunderbird/SVO turbo is a T3 with a 60 trim compressor, which if I remember correctly, has a slightly smaller inducer than the Super 60 compressor. Turbine side is a standard stage 1 wheel in a .63 housing.

The SV set up is detailed/pictured in post number 387. Check it out.

Yep, same compressor as MP+, very close to S60.

Your H/G blow-out sounds a lot like mine, #4 but I blew it right out above the trans. Hopefully it's the same deal for you, just clean it up and another H/G and your golden.

[turbovanman²]

Shitty deal about the head gasket but awesome on the 11.0,

I agree on venting the gate outside of the exhaust, I thought it felt better on the top end too, but then, my patented butt meter has been known to lie,

[Pat]

MP 005

Correction! It was a felpro. I thought it was an MP, but apparently not.

Dave and I pulled the head tonight and as suspected, the headgasket was blown pretty well. Cyl 1 was the worst, then 2, then 3. I thought 4 was bad, but it actually looked OK. All pistons look OK as does the head, although I need to straight edge the deck to be sure.

After looking everything over, it really does look like it was not a tune issue but just a gasket failure. At that power level, if there was any detonation or if it were lean, I would have seen evidence of it on the cast Mahles, and they look fine. I usually retorque the head, but after loosening those studs tonight, I'm having second thoughts that I did it. They did not seem to require the same torque to loosen them as they usually do. That also could be a contributing factor.

Odd thing though...it looks like some of the cooling passages in the gasket were blocked up by the graphite like material the gasket was made from. I suspect that the graphite squeezed into the smaller passages when the head was torqued down. I can't imagine that heped. I had another used felpro from Dave's car hanging on the pegboard for some unknown reason. When we looked at that, it showed the same evidence of passages blocked up.

[88C/S]

Like the way you did your downpipe with a separate wategate pipe. may do that to mine, when I have the funds.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Correction! It was a felpro. I thought it was an MP, but apparently not.

Doh! lol

[Aries_Turbo]

im impressed that the fel pro took that much beating.

maybe with a retorque it may have lasted into the 10's.

as for the graphite, could you slice away a little bit before installing the gasket?

what gasket is going back on the car?

brian

[RoadWarrior222]

Some headgaskets have "revisions" based on latest data from manufacturers, that are supposed to balance coolant and oil flow... hence you might have had holes that overlapped the stock holes a bit, then after it's been clamped it looks like it "squidged" out, when it was intended to be that size in the first place....

[Pat]

im impressed that the fel pro took that much beating.

maybe with a retorque it may have lasted into the 10's.

as for the graphite, could you slice away a little bit before installing the gasket?

what gasket is going back on the car?

brian

this confirmed for me that for 99% of what is out there, the fel pro is just fine. Bunch of rev limiter slamming autox runs, and mutlipe 11 second passes with a best of 11.01. On what could have been less clamping force than it should have had. The "my felpro failed on my bone stock T1" stories don't hold much water with me at this point.

Would it have held a 10? Probably. If I had not touched a thing from the 11.01 pass and just 60ft'd it to the 10, it likely would have done it. But....hindsight is 20/20!

I'll likely put an MP back on...since I have two of them on the shelf. :-)

Some headgaskets have "revisions" based on latest data from manufacturers, that are supposed to balance coolant and oil flow... hence you might have had holes that overlapped the stock holes a bit, then after it's been clamped it looks like it "squidged" out, when it was intended to be that size in the first place....

Doubt it. The cross drills were blocked completely.

[Reaper1]

Is that the Fel-Pro that has the full metal backing, or the all-foil one? I wonder how well the metal backed one would do as it seems to be a better built, and more stout gasket?

[Pat]

Is that the Fel-Pro that has the full metal backing, or the all-foil one? I wonder how well the metal backed one would do as it seems to be a better built, and more stout gasket?

Metal backed.

[Vigo]

this confirmed for me that for 99% of what is out there, the fel pro is just fine. Bunch of rev limiter slamming autox runs, and mutlipe 11 second passes with a best of 11.01. On what could have been less clamping force than it should have had. The "my felpro failed on my bone stock T1" stories don't hold much water with me at this point.

Im GLAD it was a felpro just because it says something about them. If it had been MP it wouldnt have been anything educational. And the best part is, you didnt hurt the motor.

[turbo2point2]

The metal backed Fel-pro's are a nice gasket IMO. Dan Carsons 10 second Omni has run that gasket for a few years, also while using bolts not studs. Glad to see it will be an easy fix Pat

[Shadow]

I usually retorque the head, but after loosening those studs tonight, I'm having second thoughts that I did it. They did not seem to require the same torque to loosen them as they usually do. That also could be a contributing factor.

I can only imagine that your right in thinking you didn't retorque, as I have Never seen the firing rings black between All the cyl's like that before?

[Pat]

I can only imagine that your right in thinking you didn't retorque, as I have Never seen the firing rings black between All the cyl's like that before?

Me neither....

[Force Fed Mopar]

Unless the deck or head isn't flat anymore.

[Tizz102]

Ok Sorry, Long Past due but better late then never!!







And some quick photo's if you would like...

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Enjoy!