lol I saw that too!!! Some how the paint just isn't so important when removing blowed up engines!!:shock:
Doug you sure know how to blow one up. This wasn't block failure, this was a moving part failure. I don't think an aluminum block would have stopped this. Block bearings appear to be in the right spot.
Doug I have a question, when you go thur the lights do you snap off the throttle and shut the engine down or do you roll out of the throttle and thru the shute. Isn't the thrust bearing next to three or is it 4?
I don't think this thing saw anything over 7100 rpm. BTW, when I asked for a block, I don't mean another station wagon block. I've got one already at Scotty's and I've got another one that was offered to me for free this morning. I meant I want an aftermarket block. It's not just a lifter bore issue or a weak cylinder issue. The whole thing flexes and twists and the oiling is for ****. The bearings were fine. The rods were fine. Everything was fine. Until it wasn't fine anymore. I can answer the question of why so many motors. I'm using inferior junk to start with, that's why! How many guys are pushing 850 HP out of a Buick block? Five? Ten? It aint many, that's for sure! If there was someone out there making a lot of laps with this kind of power, I'd ask him what he's doing that works so well and I'd copy his findings. Problem is, there just aren't a lot of people to ask. Any of the guys who are doing what I'm doing and actually taking their cars out to the track and running them have the same problems as me, some more than others. Meanwhile, I wind up putting $1100 rods and $800 pistons onto a $2500 crankshaft and stick it all into a $50 station wagon block. Sounds like mental illness to me.
As for you Fender cover guys, I took them off for the pictures !!:Smarty: Also if the motor was to hit the fenders they would just break off the car...Fiberglass!! I told my helper to grab that ratchet!! Now the problem with Doug's # 3 Rod is an oil starvation problem. The Rod stuck itself to the crank, and just got ripped apart. I think he had about 30 runs on this engine!!o No: The piston was on top of the bore, smacking the head!! Even the wrist pin was ripped from the piston skirt!!:blast: I think the last time Doug was at the track, Atco NJ, he blew the trans!! That sent the engine to the rev limiter 8000 plus!! NO LOAD !! That may have helped this happen!! o No: But there needs to be a better oil system to keep that # 3 rod from burning. I think Dave Mongeon may have a good idea with his oil system mods.ray: I know Doug takes every precaution to keep his engine in 1 piece. The block does flex, and the cylinders do not stay round, but oil presure to that # 3 rod is what killed this engine!! :spank:
you guys are running 800+ horsepower and you're NOT on a dry sump system? ou: please say it ain't so.
It's so. Scotty Guadagno had a dry sump on his. ya know what happened to his? It blew up. Every time. Sometimes after a couple of passes, sometimes after several passes. We're running external, belt driven oil pumps. Niether that nor a dry sump is going to oil that rod enough to keep it from burning. maybe Dave's on to something there to feed it better.
I do know that my motor guy who built my 525, (who also built Paul Pirnats 898 hp 525 Motor) completely changes the way the motor oils, I know he didnt use it near as much as you Doug or alot of the other guys but Pauls 525 Always held up great. His name is Michael of Michaels racing engines in Macedoina Oh, His phone # is 330-467-1661. Maybe he can help you.
Maybe I shoulda forcefully encouraged you and Alan to buy my dad's red ride before he sold it :rant: :laugh: Michael with Michael's Race Engines is a nice guy and am sure he'd take some time to talk with you if you're interested. I'm always all for any free advise but everyone is different....... Sorry your motor blew up, I know how much crap you've gone thru and it's gotta suck.......
way back when, i had trouble w 7,8 rod bearings that prob long but gone but why trouble w #3 rod,I dont have that prob but i'm shifting at 6000 rpm
Doug, sorry to learn you lost another one. I love the way you'll run fast and beat your stuff. I keep wanting to build an engine to do that, but it don't make sense for me to run that hard just racing an index class. I make a lot of passes every year and to be racing a series like I do I have to keep it together. I spend so much money on gas and travel, I can't be putting an engine in the car every few races. The last engine I had from Charlie Evans, ran for 5 years and had over 680 runs before it broke a lifter boss. That was in a 10.50 @127 mph 3400# car. It ran a best of 10.31@128.54mph. the engine I have in the car now is still a stock rod, no girdle engine that has over 2 years and will run 10.20s @ 130mph in a 3320# car. I'm very careful to not lean on it very hard so I can race as much as I like. I shift it a 6000 and run it across the line at 63-6400. It has no special oiling and I don't run very high pressure. I fully realize it is not in the class with Doug and Henderson and others, but I also realize that until I can get some good parts, this is about as fast as I will run, unless I build a 2300# 89 Regal chassis car I have horded for some time now. Doug I hope you get your block soon and can make some real hp and keep it together. These Chrysler guys I race with that maybe run .5 seconds faster than me, just call up Indy Cylinder Head, and order them in 500+ cube engines and bolt them together and fly, thinking they have done something. I so want to build a Buick to out run them (I run as fast some ) but just can't afford to suffer the lost of engines like I know would happen if I step it up to 9.50s. Jim N.
Doug, Sorry to here about your engine. But I was just thinking about your heads did you hurt that head on the no 3 cylinder? Maybe this is a sign to up grade to the newer heads that you been thinking about going to. Just a thought. Looking at the picture it looks like there could have been some damage to your oil pan was it damaged also.
Amen. I can't afford (time wise or money wise) to be fixing stuff. I think I ran the same spark plugs all year... On a related note, are your indexes on .5 second increments? That's a big jump. Ours are .25, so you can move up or down fairly easily. K
I feel your pain! We need a new block with better oiling. It doesn't matter what kind of high dollar parts you're putting into your motor, the way the block flexes and gives and moves around, everyone's lucky not to have issues. And it's not just a high HP issue, it's a reliability one as well. Just because a high HP motor blows itself up in 30 passes doesn't mean the lower horsepower versions aren't have the same issues - it just takes longer for the them to appear. I want to make reliable HP. Doug, what the heck is wrong with a station wagon block???:Brow:
Keith, yes we run on .5 indexs with the NMCA in NSS, the NMC run on .25. Yes you have to know what you are going to do when you tech in. I was able to run 10.50 at every race this season, even in the 100+ degree heat. Oh, Keith, it's still unoffical, but I won the NSS World Championship with NMCA Sunday. Later JIM
