[forensicsteve]

Went visit Lance today. Had a chance to see the pistons after little trouble we had three weeks.



The new MMR pistons are being shipped monday. Bunch of other stuff already delivered (headers, head gaskets, bearings, motor studs, Brisk plugs, GT500 throttle body), just waiting to be installed. JPC intake manifold expected in two weeks. Custom meth jets and new intercooler due in next week. Holiday season delayed most of the shipping.



Then let tuners TPS do their magic and then back to the track. We're staying at 22 lbs of boost. Should comfortably be in the high 9s (the two 10.0s were with car misfiring and fouled plugs) and that's about it for this car. Stay around 9.7-9.8 and race more.

[ROUSH STAGE II]

Sorry about the misfortune steve, I'm sure it'll happen to me sooner or later too. Which headers did you go with for the rebuild?

[stanglifemike]

Ouch!!!

[forensicsteve]

Think they are Pypes?

You're right about the bound to happen part. It's unnatural stresses we're placing even on the built parts and we expect failures. That's why we had a little team meeting recently and decided that staying at consistent high 9s would be less hassle, a lot less expensive, theoretically a lot less down time, and just generally more fun.

[ROUSH STAGE II]

Sounds like a good plan. I'm budgeting around the low 11's myself.
Do the Pypes look like they are made well?

[forensicsteve]

Only gave them a glance. Actually I could have stared at them for an hour and still couldn't answer your question. They were nice and shiny though. Lance was happy with them.

[ROUSH STAGE II]

Okay, thanks.

[qwik48r]

hmmm.. what was the ring gap set at? what oil did you use to break in (and how did you break it in?) what ring set?

thats definitly piston failure.

sorry about that.. hope the blocks not scared up to bad.

[2006greyGT]

WOW !!! things that make you say huh? that is not the way pistons break very often... I can't even guess how that happened...

[qwik48r]

almost looks like a lot of negative crank case pressure grey... but I know thats not possible..

they look like 2 piece pistons (wtf???)..... with those fancy "anti friction" skirts... and it looks like the head seperated from the skirt. Probably due too huge cylinder temps.

[2006greyGT]

yea but there doesn't seem to be any melting... could you see through the hole to the inside? I have told myself that I am going to stop at 10 sec.. then try to get it to run low 11's all day without killing it knowing I have more.. at least for this year

[forensicsteve]

I haven't a clue (just me...not the others) how all this stuff works. Think it's likely that the boooom was simply the end result of developing issues that started many months ago. It just all came to a head at 27 lbs of boost. The oil pump had failed a couple of weeks prior at the track. Before that one of the GT500 pumps failed at least twice during dyno runs and air/fuel was seriously disturbed. It's possible that our little excursion into nitrous land didn't help.

We're taking measures to reduce chances of repeating this experience. Firstly, stay at 22 lbs. Instead of measuring air/fuel based upon an average of 4 or even all 8 cylinders (we suspect that although AFR was showing safe, 2 or more cylinders were rich, and others running quite lean), each cylinder will be measured independently. The JCP intake manifold is designed to support this effort.

Even so, it's a gamble. We speak to a lot of different heavy-duty racers and builders and nobody it seems escapes such mishaps. Fortunately it's a team effort now and there's a lot of expertise to draw from....no egos....just a bunch of different folk on the same page and sharing a passion for dragracing and S197 mustangs.

[TheUNZippee!]

So much pressure, so little time.

[psycho bob]

well steven....it looks like you got your new paper weight for the office. NICE, but it is quite the expensive paper weight

[2006greyGT]

Well I don't have people,or a team,so you are in quite a different situation there...I already did the "rod bearing spin/build a stroker" routine and will be finished paying for it by the time the strip opens in mid March....Hell, I threw my clubs in the trunk and played a round of golf this morning then dropped the top on the way home and was ready to kill anyone who tried me.. no one did.. I guess driving to the course wearing the drag radials was a little over prepared but without them I can't race any one...

[psycho bob]

next set of tires for those 20's need to be some nitto's grey. that way you'll look a little more inconspicuous

[kenneth]

Hey Steven, pinks is coming up next month. If car is ready are you'll planning on racing in it.

Track opens Wednesday for test-n-tune I'll try to be out there to see the difference the supershaker made.

Is the ford GT in your avatar your new daily driver.

[2006greyGT]

Yes... I am already looking for a shop to put them on... the Toyo's are just plain wore out I am going to smoke the rest of them before I trash them... I'll get some good video out of them...

You LA. guys can kiss my A** .... J/K I hate you and your warm weather and your freaking track opening in January... I wonder how much it would cost me to trailer my car down there????

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by 2006greyGT You LA. guys can kiss my A** .... J/K I hate you and your warm weather and your freaking track opening in January... I wonder how much it would cost me to trailer my car down there????

How about a road trip, by time you get here your old tires should be shot.

[2006greyGT]

I don't know if I can trust it to go that far... and I would need to bring a spare set of tires.. I have a truck that can make the trip... the only problem is that is has a snow plow on it that has to be used here if and when it snows...