OK, back on topic:

I spent the afternoon playing at being a mechanic.

I took off the stock manis and put the NW manis back on with out the spacers. While I had the intake system torn down, I decided to test my theory about the spacers. So I set the spaces on top of the intake holes and screwed in some bolts to make sure they were lined up right. The spacers were a little off from the intake holes into the motor, but not as bad as I had expected.

That doesn't agree with what I suspected from looking at the spacers and gaskets after taking them off and from mating up the spacers with the NW manis. I assumed that the spacers wouldn't line up well with the motor either, but they were pretty close - less than a 1/32" (about 0.8 mm).

Remember that it was the bottom gaskets (between motor and spacer) not the upper gaskets (between mani and spacer) that blew out. So it wasn't the way the parts mated up.

Now I am regretting only torqueing those bolts to 10 ft/lbs. So in my book, that's the real culprit.

So, back to my reassembly of the motor:
I put the NW manis back on without the spacers, and with a single set to NW cork gaskets. Rather than use the adhesive and stick the gaskets to the manis, I stuck them to the motor. I know that they will be harder to get off next time I pull them, but I felt that it was better to stick them in place where I knew for sure they were lined up and let the adhesive set before I mounted the manis. I'll take my lumps when I take them off again and bust out a paint scraper.

When I torqued down the bolts, I first torqued them to 10 ft/lbs - no problems there. (Remember last time I did this, I broke 4 of the 12 bolts off while torquing them.) I figured I would work up to the 15 ft/lbs in steps. 10 then 12.5 then 15, just to see if anything breaks.

Sure enough, at 12.5 ft/lbs I broke two more bolts! Dammit! They were the front-most bolts - one on each side. So I stopped at 12.5 ft/lbs. I didn't have another set of short bolts to use even if I wanted to. So now I'm stuck.

Well, I was pretty annoyed at this point. So I hopped in my other car and drove over to the industrial supply store. I told the "bolt man" that I needed a set of high tensile strength bolts and gave him a sample bolt and the measurements of the others. He said "this is stainless, do you need stainless?" I told him that I didn't care if they were made out of Kryptonite, just so long as they could withstand 20 ft/lbs of torque (I went 20 to give myself a little breathing room over 15). He said he'd call me Monday with a quote. I'm ordering two sets. I don't care how much they are as long as they don't break.

 

Yes, what was I thinking? I had my camera, although I wouldn't have known whether to take a picture of her or the look on your face

On a serious note Tom, I know I tend to be on the cautious side, but make sure that the threads will hold up to the stronger bolts you are getting if you decide to really crank on them.

 

OMG ..another senior moment for me
Damn right and how did I forget?
Please accept my apology John (and Tom)

 

I enjoyed it...................now Tom, you realize if you run quicker times, you get to see the time slip girl sooner......this should be some positive motivation for you....keep pluggin' away, especially the leaks....

 

Well, time for a mini update. I haven't done anything to my car except drive it for about two months. I finally got a break and made it to the track. Only two runs so far: first 12.79 @ 110 with a 1.9 60' and a 12.58 @ 110 with a 1.8 60'.

I think if I can get that 60' to a low 1.7 I'll break my 12.50 record and be closing in on the 12.2's.

Cross your fingers. More later.

 

I think I will get to the 12.2's as well, now that I have slicks...LOL>>>>>my 12.5 was w/ my expensive street tires which I took about 5K miles off of ...but you know I hope you break the 11's....I will settle for a 12.2...

 

Same for me. I hoping to run 12.2s now that I'm pulling the trigger on some ET Streets. Should be fun, and I'm hoping to get in another couple months before the winter sets in.

 

Hey, Tom, still haven't found any short bolts...guess I may have to order the 15mm spacers for these slicks...unless you have another idea...I find bolts, but wrong for the wheels...

 

Just measure how much threads are on your stock bolts and cut the longer ones sold on ebay. Definately cheaper. I use those and run 15mm spacers. With 15mm and my offset of MB wheels used with my DR's, stock ones fit perfectly. I purchased a set of 10 on ebay for cheap and cut them with a grinder.

PS. Glad to hear you guys are tearing up the track.

 

Doc, for the bolts, buy the longer ones and have a buddy with a machine shop trim them down. You can grind them down, but it's inaccurate and you can mangle the treads. Any machinist worth his salt will trim them down precisely to length, chamfer the end and start the thread properly.

I had mine done, and I'm taking them back to have a little more taken off. I heat my brakes up so much burning out and stopping for the return road that the lugs are clicking badly on the way back to the staging lanes.

The ones I have now are 0.750" of threaded shank, so I'm gonna take 0.03 more off.

 

Tom,

I missed this thread unitl now. I am still puzzled to why your car is not running what it should! With your mods, it should be running 12.3's or better on a good day. Just reading over your timeslips, the car just doesn't look like its making the HP it should. As mentioned, your 60ft's are way off. 2 tenths off in the 60ft = 4 tenths off at the finish. So if you get your 60's down to a 1.7x-1.800, you're going to see those 12.7's turn into 12.3's if the car is right. That doesn't explain the low trap numbers so that may be why the slower 60's. Did you take everything off that you put on and installed it again just to make sure you have everything right and tight?

 

Well, I didn't take EVERYTHING off. Once I found the blown manifold gaskets, I stopped tearing it down. So, I removed the NW intake manis and gaskets, but not the Y-pipe. I didn't remove the Code3 pulley, and I also didn't remove the NW SuperCooler.

 

Tom,

What plugs and gap are you running in your car?? That could make a big difference!! It did for me.....

 

I don't know. They're stock plugs, and I haven't touched the gaps. I was thinking of putting in colder plugs and good wires, but I just stopped having the impetus to mod it anymore when its not doing what its supposed to now.

I should pull the plugs anyway to see if any of them are fowled.

 

plugs are something I am thinking about doing this week as well....which ones are best to go to at this point? 1 colder, best brand,??????

 

HowStuffWorks "Spark Plug"

 

Pull a couple of plugs and take a look at them and see what the gap is. I gapped my 1 step cold plugs to .040 and it loved it. I believe they were the NGK's but not sure about the part #. Worth a shot and it's not expensive.

 

Tom....did 12.3 @ 112.81 tonight...but my 60ft times were slower with the Hoosiers, than my streets...need to take some more time and learn to launch these slicks...your turn...see you Friday...I just had to tell you so you will bring the scotch....lol

 

what rpm were you launching at? i know we spoke about me launching at 2000 rpm with my nitto dr's. wondering if you can get that high rpm with your dr's. should bring the 0-60 times don

 

Doc: I hate you. :P

but it does make me feel better to know that I already hit the dragon once today and now I'm having a drink in the lodge!!