[elky] Re: Oh, hell! (transmission questions, too)

  • From: Ray Buck <rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: elky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:17:08 -0600

What's next? Well, the next weakest component, I spose. After talking things over with a friend, I've come to conclusion that the water was probably condensation/accretion, since there's a low spot where the exhaust got smashed by the driveshaft and we've had some hellacious rain storms in the last month.


The computer simulation I ran when I started building the motor said that it should make 550 hp. That was with a conventionally-measured 750 cfm carb. The carb on it now equates to a conventionally measured capacity of 950 cfm. I make the distinction because AED (carb tuner/vendor) does. In any case, it's a bigger carb than the Demon 750 I was originally gonna run on it. I use the figure of 500 because it's actually less than what the simulation and the larger carb would indicate. I think it's probably a little more realistic than the 550 or 600 than the simulation came up with using the 950 carb.

When I originally built the car and the engine, it was done with what's now called "Pro-Touring" as a goal. I wanted a car that could go fast in a straight line and carve corners nicely. I think that car will still do it, once it's "correct", that is, the proper rear end, transmission, wheels, tires, etc. Yes, I was shooting for the 130 Club, but when I decided that I wanted to race it on the salt, I'd prepare for the 150 Club as well. This isn't all that unusual. Many racers have either built a 130, then converted it to 150-legal or built a car that can run in either class. A 150 Club car can run up to 160 mph (for all intents an purposes) and that was the overall goal...well, at this stage at least. 200 is the eventual goal, but I'm not sure this car will make it to that speed. If I'd had the time and money, I would have installed a roll cage, racing seats and 5-point harnesses to make it legal in both classes. Some folks have said that the car kinda makes a mockery of the 130 Club rules and I spose it does, since it isn't street legal around here (no way for it to pass emission testing) but again, I'm not the only one who's done this.

Chris was originally gonna drive this car. That's why he came out to the salt, since he so kindly sponsored it and provided some much-needed parts. When it broke, Jim was kind enough to offer the use of his Colorado pickup in the same class. So the answer is, "yes." :) I still feel like I owe Chris a ride in a car that could get him into either club. I mean, without his help, the car never would have made it to the salt, period.

Now. I'm looking at manual transmissions. As I wrote in another post, I didn't like the feel of driving a race car with an automatic...even one I was shifting manually. It just felt mushy with the 3500 rpm converter...and I only got about 3/4 mile to try to get a feel for it at WOT. Anyway, this brings up the question of "which transmission?" I need an overdrive if I'm gonna use a GN or T-Type 8.5" rear end...iirc, they have as stock, 3.42 gears. If I go with a Ford 9", then the overdrive thing won't matter. Anyway, the transmissions I've considered with that 8.5" are the Tremec 3550 and the GM T-56...I guess it's technically at Tremec, too.

I've been searching the web to see if a World Class T-5 would handle 500+ hp and while I haven't found any chart or hard numbers, I get the impression that 400 is about as much as they can handle. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway, if I DO go to a manual transmission (I have a used TH200-4R sitting on the floor of my garage, I spose I could slap that in...I really don't know what kinda shape it's in, tho) I'd like to have something that I could do some road racing with as well as racing on the salt...and if for some reason I were to put a blower on the motor, I'd like to have a safety margin to allow that...although right now it's not real likely to happen...but ya never know what might happen. I spose NOS could be possible after the 150 Club (it's not legal in the 130 or 150.)

So any feedback/ideas/suggestions would be welcome.

r


On 10/30/2011 7:06 AM, Brian M wrote:

Wow you're right, what next? Do you think what you thought looked like oil in the exhaust was just buildup? That engine making 500 HP?? I don't know much about land speed stuff, but weren't you trying to run 130(maybe I don't remember, maybe that was Chris)

On Oct 29, 2011 11:57 PM, "Ray Buck" <rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rbuck@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:

    Race Car.  What else?

    Yesterday I got the driveshaft in it, and I was gonna unload it
    from the trailer.



But the battery was dead, even though it had been disconnected. Maybe a current leak was discovered when Marlo and his posse
    loaded it on the trailer and they disconnected the battery after
    it was close to flat.

    So after charging the battery, Jim came over and we were ready to
    unload.  First thing that happened when I fired up the motor was
    the ejection of a buncha water and possibly oil from the exhaust:



    This wasn't all that encouraging, except that a check of the
    radiator didn't show any oil and the oil (on the dipstick) didn't
    show any water.  This one remains a mystery.



    Then the long-awaited cleaning of the whiteboard.  We started a
    whole new list.

    The trailer ramps had to be modified slightly so we could fix 'em
    in place on the trailer...this took a little time, but we "got 'er
    done."

    We decided that the best place to unload the race car would be
    with the rear axle of the trailer in the gutter:



This worked fine...until I put the transmission into reverse. Nothing. No drive to the wheels at all. Shit.

    We ended up pushing the car off the trailer (the ramps worked out
    fine) and then using a floor jack to get the rear end off the
    ground, we dragged the rear end of the car around so that we could
    use our high-tech push truck arrangement:



    Poor folks has poor ways, it seems.  I tried firing the motor up
    and testing all gear positions, but there's nothing there but a
    box of neutrals.  Damn!, said he.  That transmission had less that
    10 miles on it.  The park pawl still works, so it isn't a broken
    output shaft and it's not hemorrhaging ATF, so I don't really know
    what the problem is.

    But for the moment, the race car is back in the garage and the
    licensed cars (Burb and Camaro) are outside in the driveway while
    I try to figger out what's wrong.  Here's some of my dilemma:  I'm
    gonna have to replace the rear end.  Robert, is that 8.5" peg-leg
still available? It may be the ticket to solve that problem. Then there's the transmission thing. I'll pull the pan and see
    what I find, but my head is screaming, "T-56!  I know a T-5 won't
    handle 500+ hp, (I guess a World Class T-5 might be close) so that
    leaves a Tremec 5-speed, the T-56 or a built-up TH200-4R or
    TH700R4.  I spose if the rear gear was low (numerically) enough I
    could use a Muncie or T-10.

    I really don't know what I'll do at this time.  But I'll think of
    something (to mis-quote Arthur C. Clarke in "A Space Odyssey.")

    r


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