13.2 @ 110mph

[ion] C2 · 10-22-2011, 03:25 AM

And now I'll tell you something that makes that time/MPH way more impressive. (Well, for one, guy next to me went 12.0 @ 110MPH but whatever)

What Happened
I got to the track when it opened. Decided to do my first run on the tires I drove in on, and not open the exhaust yet, just to see how it does. It spun off the line quite a bit, and then the head gasket blew 3 seconds after launching. I was stranded at the track for 5 hours until I was able to get someone with a tow dolly to take my car home. Shit sucked..

I didn't notice til I was most of the way down the track, and at that point I just kept my foot in it. It was a total fog behind me. They had to clean up the track for a while, woops. Car died once I got into the low RPMs. Two spark plugs (2 & 3) had their ground straps half gone, disintegrated. Those cylinders are the ones that filled up with coolant.

Here's a screen grab of the datalog, too. So much knock from the leakage..

Why it Happened
I never expected my head gasket fix from last time to work, but it did, for a pretty damn long time considering what its been through. The head had some severe scoring around the cylinder area, from where the old MLS gasket somehow etched into the metal. I neglected to machine the head, and simply hand cleaned stuff up, put a very light coat of copper spray on the new gasket, and put everything back together. Dumb, I know.

However, it held up strong. Seemingly perfect. Until last Friday, when I decided to be a total dumbass and only 30 seconds after starting the car from full cold, to do two short wide-open throttle bursts to show my co-worker what the exhaust sounded like. Shortly thereafter, my coolant temp was unnaturally high. I immediately thought I destroyed the headgasket. Apparently my initial assumption was correct. I made a small leak that formed into a huge one today. It wasn't just the water pump that was going.. I just filled it up on coolant after noticing it was low/empty and just drove lightly all week, observing some odd behavior of the coolant temperature though..

So it finally let loose. Car still pulled pretty damn good, I was highly impressed with how well it ran considering what the hell was going on with it down the track. The car was going down the track pretty rough but I just kept it floored.. and still hit 110MPH.

What's Next
No more racing for me until I obtain a second car. I am thoroughly satisfied with its obvious ability to go deep into the 12s assuming I don't destroy the head gasket during the run, lol.

I'll be using all-new ARP head studs this time, new Cometic gasket with a light-medium amount of copper spray, and the head will be machined to a mirror surface. I'll also be replacing the water pump.

This time I do it, it won't leak.

strtrydr · 10-22-2011, 09:10 AM

Not a bad run considering everything!

mmorello82 · 10-22-2011, 09:13 AM

Have you thought about getting a copper gasket for the head? I used to run them in my old Subaru I used to have down the track and never had a problem whereas OE gaskets were junk. Just be mindful of the Compression, if you still want to run pump gas...

cavaliers60 · 10-22-2011, 11:19 AM

and no video?

Oldsman · 10-22-2011, 01:26 PM

I would check block and see how clyinders are and also block surface. With the power your running Chris I would rebuild and maybe resurface block and everything.

There is one thing about an Oldsmobile, if u half Ass or go cheap it will break again. Just think about all you have gone thru. This is why mine isn't build yet. Can't afford to do it all.

I understand you need the car. So fix it to drive for work, but when u get another car then rebuild motor all again do everything and do it right. No short cuts or cheap. Then break motor in good for 2000 miles and she should hold together.

[ion] C2 · 10-22-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmorello82

Have you thought about getting a copper gasket for the head?

Screw that, you have to constantly retorque them. This gasket + copper spray is what holds cars with 25+ PSI together fine. There was installer error involved and operator error eventually which led to the failure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavaliers60

and no video?

No one ever wants to go with me dude. I was stuck there for 5 hours. If someone was there I wouldn't've been freezing my ass off calling everywhere trying to find someone with a trailer or ability to pull it.

It would've been an amazing video though, the smoke screen I left was massive. Heater core hose popped off so coolant was pouring externally as well as all through the exhaust.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldsman

I would check block and see how clyinders are and also block surface. With the power your running Chris I would rebuild and maybe resurface block and everything.

Engine itself is perfectly fine, it's a gasket/head surface issue. Like I said, I didn't expect the previous fix to last, and was severely surprised when it did for so long. I'm going to have the head surfaced and am using all new components; it won't leak this time. As said above, I caused the leak from

ignoring the scoring marks on the head right at the sealing lip of the gasket
doing wide open throttle pulls at full cold last week

The car was running PERFECT until I did those full cold pulls.. I mean I've been beating on it and giving people rides and such for the past month and a half. Once I did that shit at cold I knew I messed something up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldsman

I understand you need the car. So fix it to drive for work, but when u get another car then rebuild motor all again do everything and do it right. No short cuts or cheap. Then break motor in good for 2000 miles and she should hold together.

My parents have a spare vehicle they let me use usually, I'm just going to do the head gasket/water pump properly. That's all it needs and I'm sure of it. I will simply ensure prep is to perfection this time. Last time I also did a half ass prep.

[ion] C2 · 10-22-2011, 03:02 PM

Also here's the scoring I was talking about, and why I was surprised it lasted so long:

xXManwhoreXx · 10-23-2011, 02:30 AM

That head is ate up...

dude you should just move to indianapolis... Me and sleepy would go with you to the track and tons of people have trailers out here.

Papa Rad17 · 10-23-2011, 10:17 PM

That sucks. Your 2nd car your talking about going to be an alero?

[ion] C2 · 10-23-2011, 10:38 PM

no it'll be whatever i can get

sleepyalero · 10-23-2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXManwhoreXx

That head is ate up...

dude you should just move to indianapolis... Me and sleepy would go with you to the track and tons of people have trailers out here.

haha yeah i would be down.

Black_Mamba · 11-17-2011, 08:49 AM

I give you props for running a 13.2 in an alero, my only question is was the 110mph @the governed speed or it just happened to be at 110?

billytheman1188 · 11-17-2011, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black_Mamba

I give you props for running a 13.2 in an alero, my only question is was the 110mph @the governed speed or it just happened to be at 110?

You think he still has the speed limiter with all that work he's done? Thats like the first thing people change when they tune their car. Noob! :P

03glgold · 11-17-2011, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billytheman1188

You think he still has the speed limiter with all that work he's done? Thats like the first thing people change when they tune their car. Noob! :P

That and the fact that the factory speed limiter is 108

Black_Mamba · 11-17-2011, 09:37 AM

Then my speedometer is broken cause I can hit 110mph. & you call me a noob? You act like I should know what his car has like I built it? Stfu

[ion] C2 · 11-17-2011, 09:45 AM

Speedometer isn't exactly accurate.. and stock Aleros are limited to 106-108 depending on the exact year/model combo and where you look in the tune (spark ramp out at 106, fuel ramp out at 108, that kind of thing).

This car has been at 155 and is physically limited somewhere around 185-190 I think..

And 13.2 is nothing to be happy about, until considered with the speed and significant problems. It will run at least 12.2 (and maybe even 11.9) in the spring. Taking forever to get this thing apart and back together, but hopefully in the next few weeks it'll be running and I can break it in again and then take some neat videos in and out of the car with the exhaust opened up and monstrous.

Shiwnath · 11-17-2011, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [ion] C2

And 13.2 is nothing to be happy about, until considered with the speed and significant problems. It will run at least 12.2 (and maybe even 11.9) in the spring. Taking forever to get this thing apart and back together, but hopefully in the next few weeks it'll be running and I can break it in again and then take some neat videos in and out of the car with the exhaust opened up and monstrous.

True but atleast you know your car can do better. Running 13.2 with all the crap that was going on is still pretty decent. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what you run in the spring.

JLw7123 · 11-17-2011, 12:30 PM

well good luck. home you break into the low 12s in the spring.

kwhauck · 11-17-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [ion] C2

It will run at least 12.2 (and maybe even 11.9) in the spring. Taking forever to get this thing apart and back together, but hopefully in the next few weeks it'll be running and I can break it in again and then take some neat videos in and out of the car with the exhaust opened up and monstrous.

We both sound like broken record players. Everytime you go to the track you say NEXT time 12s no problem and its always 13s.

I say every winter that the car will be running by spring, and there it still sits in the garage.

We will both get our goals eventually, but I lol'd pretty hard at ourselves.

[ion] C2 · 11-17-2011, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwhauck

We both sound like broken record players. Everytime you go to the track you say NEXT time 12s no problem and its always 13s.

I say every winter that the car will be running by spring, and there it still sits in the garage.

I know right, it's frustrating. I've had enough experience to confidently say what I think it's capable of running by now. I just need to prove it.. I must have hard data. It's like the only goal I have here is to get that timeslip and then I will be satisfied and simply maintain the car and only do minor tweaks..