Introducing "Dirty Penny" - Former $2010[$2012] GRM Project, Running. Driving. Boosting. FUN! Options

[Dave_Darling]

For (very) slightly more support, remove the lower seat cushion. Or, for a little more work and a little better appearance, remove the cover from the lower cushion and cut the foam down, then re-install the cover.

It doesn't do anything for your upper body, but it can help keep your hips from sliding around too much. Especially if you've got a big butt...

--DD

[jpnovak]

Great suggestion. I had already started to take the seat bottom apart so that I could shave the foam down. I tried to remove it but it was just not going to be comfortable enough.

I have alternative plans for seats that will be comfortable, supportive, use a 5 pt and not so bad to look at.

[jpnovak]

last night I was trying to get the car ready for the trip. It fought me all the way.

The car is running but needs to be tuned. At least it will take throttle now. And then it started... The outside nut fell off the transmission cable. I no longer had access to 1-2 shift plane. Of course, its a 12-24 nut that I did not have a spare. I was half way around the block with this happened. I limped home in third gear and put the car away.

After work I stopped and picked up parts and made repairs. I think taped up the wiring harness and closed up the ECU. then the car would not start. It was not firing. I took off the ECU cover and connected the laptop. Everything was working fine from an electronics point of view. After trouble shooting for an hour or so I took a break and ate dinner. Came back out and found the car was out of gas. A trip to the store brought home 2 gallons and the car fired up. Now the car would not idle at all. I adjusted the idle and then all of a sudden the idle jumped to 2200 rpm. HMM Does not idle when cold. Idles high when hot. I think the Idle control valve is wired backwards. No time to fix let's put it on the trailer. Its after 10 and I have a loud car idling in the street.

Trailer was already hooked up and ready to go. I lined up the ramps and started up the trailer. halfway up the left ramp gives way and the car veers right. I ran over the right fender (yes the one that is very broken) and almost put the car off the trailer sideways. I manageed to stop it and drive it off backwards. What saved me was that the left rear dropped down and the right front was in the air. The car was crooked but still on the trailer. it was like one of those movie scenes where the car is teetering on the edge of a cliff. All I could think of was the car high-sided on the trailer with a big hole in the floor and me having no way to get it off.

Once the car was off I found the problem. A weld broke on the hing point of the ramp. The cross bar broke free on one side. I propped it up with a stack of 2x10s and easily drove the car up onto the trailer. At that point I hooked up a front and rear strap and backed the trailer into the driveway. It was parked and I was done for the moment.

I then spent an hour packing up tools and getting as many spares as I could think of.

Then I fired up the TIG and welded the ramp. The cross bar on the hinge had a cold weld. One side popped off completely and the other side was about 70% cracked. Let's just say I fixed it.

So... The car is sitting on the trailer, strapped down ready to go. the ramps slid easily between the wheelbase under the car. I just bought some more straps this morning to lash down the trailer ramps and have a spare set in case there is a problem on the road. These will just go into the tow bag.

All that is left is to load up the car and check the tire pressure on the trailer. We are planning to leave about 1pm this afternoon. I am hoping I can get through Houston by 3 in hopes that the traffic will be less. If we are late leaving I will leave about 330 from Austin.

And so... The trip begins.

[mojorisen914]

May the force be with you.

[jpnovak]

Managed to get almost 8 hours on the road before it was time to stop for the night. My 5YO son was getting quite silly in the backseat. He is a great traveler but after a full day at school he reached the limit.

Tow is going very well. I am about 100 miles past where I had planned to be.

[jpnovak]

Made it Gainesville. Almost 1100 mile tow. A few highlights of the trip. There is really nothing to show or describe except interstate and monotony.

The Sun will rise
The Sun will set
Am I out of TX yet?

Thankfully, we cleared the state line right at Sunset. I kept driving and eventually needed gas. Gas stop somewhere late in Louisiana.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-10736-1317952081.1.jpg)

One of the interesting things about the Gulf Coast. There is a tunnel under the main channel of the Port of Mobile. Pretty cool to think that ships are probably going right overhead.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-10736-1317952082.2.jpg)

Mobile has a growing shipbuilding industry. Anchoring the effort is the near-shore Stealth Military boat built by Austel. Its cool and there was one parked at the dock the last time I was here.

Eventually I made it to Registration. I handed in my build packet and then started the process of setting up the car.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-10736-1317952082.3.jpg)


In the parking lot the car generated a lot of interest. There is a lot of creative builds here. I will put up more documentation of the cars tomorrow. I think I already found my favorite. Lots of great people as well.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/forums.pelicanparts.com-10736-1317952083.4.jpg)

The car is ready for its track debut. I was given #14 - Fitting for the car.

Tomorrow is tech inspection and the AX. Should be fun.

[rick 918-S]

Do us proud man! Lots of photos! Is that your wife with you? Hand her the camera.

[jpnovak]

Disappointment. What can I say but... Disappointment.

The morning started off great. Car started right up. I was able to solve my idle problems by reversing two wires and generally the car was running well.

I went through the Concours section early and there was the rest of the day to put down a good AX time. However, before I took a run I had to plug the laptop into the car and actually drive it some. I had an unknown EFI map and the last thing I wanted to do was blow the motor by running lean on boost. Bad things happen when lean on boost..

So I plugged in the computer and went for a drive down the backroad that leads to the entrance to the raceway. I was just driving back and forth easily working my way up through the revs making sure everything was going well. Once I was satisfied that the AFRs were safe I turned on the camera and fillmed a few passes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o2Q7XKKoCg


The car was running great. Pulling hard and its definitely quick. I was starting to think of how fast an AX run I could get and then the shifter cable broke. I can fix that. However, upon rev down, the motor knocked right before It reached idle. It was not a good knocking sound but it was quick and then gone.

I shut the car off since i had to manually put the car in gear. It fired right away and I started driving back into the paddock area. As I was coming through the last set of gates the car knocked again and then shut off. the starter would not turn the motor. I decided to let it cool down before doing anything else. Besides, I had to fix the shifter before making a run.

I located a team with a welder and a generator and quickly had the car shifting. the motor would still not turn over. Not good.

Once it was cool enough I pulled the plugs. No sign of water. This means its not a blown headgasket. The oil looks clean but I have not pulled the filter. The motor is still locked.

It is so locked that I broke a 22mm socket trying to free it.

Done.

Kaput.

Finsihed.

Not to DNF was the only goal I set for the event. I did not even meet that one. And so... tonight I will have a good time and tomorrow I will start the long drive home.

Many thanks to all the teams that offer help. many thanks to Brad(?) from DIY Autotune that lent me his sun canopy so I could lay under the car and try to revive her. Many thanks to the GRM staffers who put on a great event.

I will be back. And I have a full year to sort Penny. She will return and she will pissed next year. Watch out! I really learned how things work at the Challenge.

[Eric_Shea]

Fixed your link. Sorry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Cairo94507]

Sorry to hear that.

[dlee6204]

Wow this sucks... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Sorry.

[rick 918-S]

Wow That blows! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Can you fix the engine and run it again next year? Will you have too much money in it then? How does that work? Maybe you can score a used engine cheap. Too bad, the video was nice. You were really gettting it dialed in.

[trojanhorsepower]

Bummer.

You will show'em next year.

[bfrymire]

Wow. sorry to hear...

Did you pull the pan? Seems like you should be able to see something amiss. Did something go wrong with tranny?

Hope a miracle happens!

-- brett

[strawman]

Arrrgh, that sux!

I have an EJ20 shortblock that you can have for shipping from 95618. I paid $50 for the disassembled longblock so that I could grab the heads and various other stuff, so you can use that for your cost calcs if you need to. It turns over easily by hand, but I don't know the condition of the bottom end...

[jpnovak]

Thanks for the condolences. I had 1100 miles to reflect on the event. I will certainly be back next year. Right now I am looking to source a new crank and rods for a rebuild. Over the next week or so I will pull the oil pan and cut open the filter to see what the problem is. The long trip home has freed the engine enough to turn with the starter but there is a horrible clunking sound associated with it. Either way, its terminal but at least I will be able to split the case.

At least the rebuild parts are CHEAP!

[Mike Bellis]

You should call Strawman!

[RonW]

jamie,
just followed your link to this thread after our emails. dude i was so cheering for you then to find out of the motor issues. spun bearing and from cracked oil pump pickup? those stupid picks ups I've read are notorious. gonna swap mine for piece of mind before i button everything up. can't wait to see it after the rebuild!

ron

[jpnovak]

Update...

I started investigating the engine failure last night. Oil drained clean but the filter was full of copper shavings. Definitely a spun bearing.

I pulled the oil pan and it was mostly clean. A few shavings in the bottom but nothing excessive. It must have all pumped through the filter.

The oil pickup has a slight crack in the upper mounting flange. This is at the brazed intersection. it does not look large enough to have caused a complete oil pressure drop. The crack is certainly not as large as some of the other reported failures on the EJ25 series motors.

Either way, I will probably put an aftermarket pick-up tube in place for peace of mind.

I have several feelers out for replacement parts. I hope to have this motor built back up by the end of the year. Spring track season starts early in TX.

[SLITS]

Make a list of the parts you will need and post it here. Maybe we can help.