Our 2nd Event In The Updated Rally Car.

[The Guru]

Taken from Jon's post on ESC with a bit of modification.

well, what a day...

A great result in the end, but it could have been much better.

On SS2 on the first lap round we lost all boost so we had to cruise round to get to the finish to avoid a stage maximum time. This added approximately a minute and 20 seconds to our overall time on that stage.

When we returned to service and checked over the car, we had blown off an intercooler hose. A quick fix and we were back out.

We clawed back the minute or so lost on the next 2 stages and were back to our original start position.

The stages were very rough and bumpy and lots of cars were suffering the heat, with many dropping out throughout the day.

Later on we started having problems with the steering, and closer inspection of the front roll bar showed the posible cause. The roll bar bush was melting away due to the heat from the headers!! The headers will need to be wrapped before the next event.

We need to check the remainder of the bushes on the front end now to investigate the steering issue fully.

Also to add to our problems , the exhaust manifold began to blow at one of the studs bolted up to the engine..it couldnt be fixed in the service area given the time we had before our next stage start time. This got worse and we noticed we were losing about 0.2 bar of boost. The oil temps were getting up in the 120 degrees area and the water temps rising to dangerous levels, upto the point where we had to run with the heater in the car on full blast on HOT to help out with the water temps. As you can imagine,with temps at 28 degrees plus outside, the heater on full blast on HOT, and us wearing 3 layer race suits, it became rather uncomfortable.

It all came good in the end, the car kept going and got us to the finish, with Arron driving it like we stole it. ( with a few tank slapper moments flat in 3rd and lots of drifting into corners it was all very entertaining)

If we hadnt had the intercooler problem, we would have finished at least 7th overall and second in class behind an S8 WRC car and fullhouse Group A prodrive car, but we were happy-ish with our result in the end.

11th overall and a trophy collecting 3rd in clas 1second behind a 6R4 Metro.

Lots of jobs to do before the next event, which im sure you guys would love to come and support us. More news to follow about that event in a couple of weeks!!

cheers

jon & Arron.

Big thanks to our sponsors and especially

Guy at OPIE OILS.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk

James at POWERFLEX

http://www.powerflex.co.uk

Edited July 29, 2008 by The Guru

[Nudge]

well done mate, great day... look forward to the next one.

[HairyDJ]

Doing well chaps!

I see you're on the list for RAF Marham in September too - see you at the startline

Cheers, David & Chrissy

[granby]

Well done Jon & Arron on a great result

[loonybin]

well done to you both. keep on like that your be taking solburg`s drive next year

[dunks]

Great result well done guys

[ROAR]

Well done guys, good write up to.............

[Nudge]

Is JK going to post up at stage vid.....?

[rodregos]

WELL DONE guys keep at it brilliant write up. When is your next 1 an d i'll try and make it.

[emoe]

Those bushes will get hot there!!

We use a alloy heatshield with some heatwrap on the front, mounted to the down pipe on the race car, that seems to keep heat off our left hand bush and the gearchange bushes.

[Jolly Green Monster]

well done guys

[The Guru]

Well!!!

After a bit of investigation into the steering issue I have found the whole steering rack was moving from side to side on it's fixed mounting plates.

Our kind sponsor POWERFLEX has sent me a new complete front end set of bushes to replace them, just need to find time to fit them, between rallying and instructing and work.

The issue with the header bolt needs to have a steel insert put in as the thread is totally gone!

Also after speaking with another sponsor the Motul oil we use is good for 150 degrees all day long and even stable upto and over 180 degrees, so the 120 degrees we were seeing was nothing to be worried about.

Water temps were hovering around the 100 degree mark through the very tight twisty bits called the nadgery section, when we got out into the open fast flowing sections the temps dropped to a more sensible level.

A few jobs to do then,

Fit new bushes.

oil change.

fit anti knock springs behind brake caliper pistons ( not looking forward to this job )

Steel insert for headers.

Arron.

[granby]

Have you uprated the radiator (do you think it will be OK) or is that another thing on the to do list

[The Guru]

  Granby said:

Have you uprated the radiator (do you think it will be OK) or is that another thing on the to do list

yes Ian, we have a motorsport oversized alloy rad.

[granby]

  The Guru said:

yes Ian, we have a motorsport oversized alloy rad.

OK , i've lost track of what you have and haven't changed

[Jolly Green Monster]

do you havew a 79 or 71deg thermostat? the zerosports 71 is very good

Simon

[The Guru]

  Jolly Green Monster said:

do you havew a 79 or 71deg thermostat? the zerosports 71 is very good

Simon

Hi Simon, Zak at Mocom sorted the car out and as far as Jon and I were told he has used a Zerosport 71 degree stat!!!!!!!!!!!

Arron.

Edited August 1, 2008 by The Guru

[Jolly Green Monster]

are you seeing water out of the overflow by the battery?

Simon

[The Guru]

No Simon, Don't think so!

[Jolly Green Monster]

cool.. just first signs of head gasket it water out overflow..

just got a we bit hot!

Simon

[The Guru]

Yes just a triffle.

[matthew_buckland]

Well done to the pair of you, brilliant result, Have to buy a bigger trophy cabinet soon.

[The Guru]

Gonna do a boot sale with them.

[Deano 666]

well done guys, that front roll bar bush looks like a chewed up opal fruit.