Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Mulry wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

Sure, but dead stock MR2s are plenty fast around a track. Fast enough to win most any Lemons race if they don't break.

But they all break. Eff this legendary Toyota reliability. It's a myth.

They do?  No one tell my car, okay?

Mod Squad Racing
http://twosrus.com

27 (edited by Mulry 2009-10-13 11:54 AM)

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Let's do a quick run down of the MR2 results at NL. We blew a motor and it wasn't the head gasket, it was something internal. Schumacher Taxi's MR2 blew up. The guys from Ft. Wayne in the silver MR2, they blew up and tried to weld the bearings, which blew up again. The MR2 that was parked next to the Camaro guys right across the lane from us, they blew up. The Canadian guys with the MR2, they kept killing alternators. Even you guys boiled your clutch fluid, but I think that was the least serious MR2 failure of the weekend.

So yeah, they do. The history of MR2's in the west coast races is pretty much equally as bad and is absolutely rife with blown head gaskets and coolant failures.

I don't mean to get crosswise with you, I'm still a MR2 homer, but the truth is the truth. I'm not hatin', I'm just representin'. Or something like that. Whatever the kids are saying these days. I'm 12 days away from inevitably blowing up another MR2 in the heat of battle, and I'm just trying to prepare for the heartbreak once again.

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Hey, I'm just standing up for my car.  If it starts to hear that I'm talking down about it, it might decide to join all you MKIs on the sidelines.

The only problems we've had with our car were our fault (running street/autox pads at CMP; doing a clutch change without replacing the God knows how old fluid; cutting down a tire in traffic).  The 5S is proving to be a great endurance engine, and I don't want to jinx our track record.

I think the problems that most of you are seeing come about more because you're buying cars/engines that have been sitting for no one knows how long and then running the piss out of them.  Even Toyota reliability goes out the window at some point.  I got lucky with mine - even though it hadn't been run on the street for a couple of years, the kid I got it from would regularly go fire it up and make racy noises as he sawed the wheel in his apartment parking lot.  Kept things lubed up.

Now TARP...moving the radiator into the frunk and asking it to breath through holes cut in the firewall is just inviting disaster!  smile

Mod Squad Racing
http://twosrus.com

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

MurileeMartin wrote:
Tiago_InternationOLVO wrote:

I sure hope you're right, and that your "Volvo 240" banner covers turbo volvo 240's as well haha. I certainly fear that our car will be the exception to that everlasting rule. It will be fast though, for all 2 or 3 laps!

Well, the Cant Am 242 Turbo is the only 240 I can think of that hasn't been very reliable. Fast, though.

Ah, encouraging then smile Anyone know what sealed their fate?

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

FJ40Jim wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

We have no problems with Camrys (Camries?). It's Miatas, E30s, RX-7s, Mustangs, Celicas, and Civics that are starting to bore us.

Good to know.  Will continue the search for a lancia Zagato...

2 Zagatos http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/1412893091.html

1 Zagato that'll put you slightly over budget http://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/1414260254.html

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

David Hawkins wrote:

Hey, I'm just standing up for my car.  If it starts to hear that I'm talking down about it, it might decide to join all you MKIs on the sidelines.

The only problems we've had with our car were our fault (running street/autox pads at CMP; doing a clutch change without replacing the God knows how old fluid; cutting down a tire in traffic).  The 5S is proving to be a great endurance engine, and I don't want to jinx our track record.

I think the problems that most of you are seeing come about more because you're buying cars/engines that have been sitting for no one knows how long and then running the piss out of them.  Even Toyota reliability goes out the window at some point.  I got lucky with mine - even though it hadn't been run on the street for a couple of years, the kid I got it from would regularly go fire it up and make racy noises as he sawed the wheel in his apartment parking lot.  Kept things lubed up.

Now TARP...moving the radiator into the frunk and asking it to breath through holes cut in the firewall is just inviting disaster!  smile

Fair enough. I don't want you to jinx yours either. I've already got plans to swap to the 5sfe if/when my smallport kicks the can. By the amount of blowby I'm getting right now, that may be sometime Saturday if we don't keep a close eye on oil consumption.

I totally agree with you on causation; motors with 6-figure odometers aren't meant for this kind of abuse. I guess that's part of what makes it so fun. smile Cheers David.

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Mulry wrote:

I'm 12 days away from inevitably blowing up another MR2 in the heat of battle, and I'm just trying to prepare for the heartbreak once again.

That's hilarious.

We're a few days away from blowing something up, just not sure what at this point.

See you at MSR.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

33 (edited by Jer 2009-10-14 07:23 AM)

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

David Hawkins wrote:

Hey, I'm just standing up for my car.  If it starts to hear that I'm talking down about it, it might decide to join all you MKIs on the sidelines.

The only problems we've had with our car were our fault (running street/autox pads at CMP; doing a clutch change without replacing the God knows how old fluid; cutting down a tire in traffic).  The 5S is proving to be a great endurance engine, and I don't want to jinx our track record.

2nd gen right?  The rest were 1st gens?

Our previously bulletproof Toyota FX16 blew a head gasket and susequently the head.  We will fix it and return it, but I no longer consider it bulletproof.  When you're talking about $500 cars, all you can do is prep as much as possible and hope.

Jer / Schumacher Taxi Service
2010 Spring CMP I.O.E. winner
2010 Sebring overall winner
1996 Miata, 1991 BMW E30, 1987 coROLLa (retired), 1984 Citation (retired), 1993 Miata (retired)

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Jer wrote:

Our previously bulletproof Toyota FX16 blew a head gasket and susequently the head.  We will fix it and return it, but I no longer consider it bulletproof.  When you're talking about $500 cars, all you can do is prep as much as possible and hope.

to be fair, a 22-year-old engine blowing up during its fourth?  fifth? Lemons race is hardly "unreliable."  if it gets fixed correctly, there is no reason it shouldn't go another 4 or 5 races.

mike - Schumacher Taxi Service
12+-time loser
"Winner" - We Got Screwed, NJMP '11

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Mulry wrote:

Let's do a quick run down of the MR2 results at NL. We blew a motor and it wasn't the head gasket, it was something internal.

Maybe it's just the mechanics work...

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Ours was that we were losing oil pressure around turns.  I'm planning on welding some baffling in our oil pan to prevent this in the future.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Mulry wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

Sure, but dead stock MR2s are plenty fast around a track. Fast enough to win most any Lemons race if they don't break.

But they all break. Eff this legendary Toyota reliability. It's a myth.

Toyotas that aren't MR2s or FWD Celicas have been quite reliable at Lemons.

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

The lack of oil pressure at high G has led to the demise of quite a few Toyotas.
Other cars as well, but if I was running a Toyota pickup (since I have one as a street car) I would windage tray the crap out of it.

Luckily, Chevrolet anticipated Lemons racing- the 60* V6 has a very deep sump, and the Cav has never lacked oil pressure...

Volvo PV544 (RIP) - now with Chevy 3.9 power!
2007/2012/2013 Driver's Championship (what was I thinking!?) 142 races and counting.
2/25/24

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

High G's? Please explain your definition of "HIGH"...

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Or maybe the body roll is so severe that the oil tilts away from the pickup

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

jimeditorial wrote:

Or maybe the body roll is so severe that the oil tilts away from the pickup

Sounds more like it....

Just add more oil to the engine... so the crank will be splashing in oil when she is in the pits... worse things could happen.

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

4AGE motor in the MR2 and FX have baffled pan with a crank scraper too... roll is probably the likely theory.... our FX didn't have any oiling problems, and I've been racing a (RWD) Corolla with the 4AGE for decades with about twice the gee loading with no issues too.....

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Riktor wrote:
Mulry wrote:

Let's do a quick run down of the MR2 results at NL. We blew a motor and it wasn't the head gasket, it was something internal.

Maybe it's just the mechanics work...

Or lack thereof.

At least those guys in the Alfa Romeo with the "machine-shop-fresh" head (and 50 lap penalty) raced their car all weekend and had a blast.  Might be something to that plan...

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Stevo wrote:
Riktor wrote:
Mulry wrote:

Let's do a quick run down of the MR2 results at NL. We blew a motor and it wasn't the head gasket, it was something internal.

Maybe it's just the mechanics work...

Or lack thereof.

At least those guys in the Alfa Romeo with the "machine-shop-fresh" head (and 50 lap penalty) raced their car all weekend and had a blast.  Might be something to that plan...

Yep... We would LIKE to get the nickels but ultimately we just want to race all weekend without getting 2,000,000 penalty laps.

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

Tiago_InternationOLVO wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:
Tiago_InternationOLVO wrote:

I sure hope you're right, and that your "Volvo 240" banner covers turbo volvo 240's as well haha. I certainly fear that our car will be the exception to that everlasting rule. It will be fast though, for all 2 or 3 laps!

Well, the Cant Am 242 Turbo is the only 240 I can think of that hasn't been very reliable. Fast, though.

Ah, encouraging then smile Anyone know what part sealed their fate?

The turbo part.

Jim C.
If God meant for us to race, we'd all have baggy Nomex skin.
08TMS.09NL.10GM, SP, NL.11SP, NL.12SP, VIR, NL.13GM, NJ.14NJ, VIR, WGI.15AB.16GM.17NCM.18GM.19...

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

FJ40Jim wrote:
Tiago_InternationOLVO wrote:
MurileeMartin wrote:

Well, the Cant Am 242 Turbo is the only 240 I can think of that hasn't been very reliable. Fast, though.

Ah, encouraging then smile Anyone know what part sealed their fate?

The turbo part.

Turbocharged cars have not been very reliable at Lemons, although they were the stars of the high-altitude Reno-Fernley race.

47 (edited by Tiago_InternationOLVO 2009-10-16 11:55 AM)

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

hehe.. Previous owners did rebuild the turbo a couple years ago, right before they parked it and left it to rust.. So we hope the turbo will handle it, but still so many things that could go wrong.

Might as well do 2 lap stints just in case lol

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

So z/zx's suck?  What about 240SX's?  How do those fair?

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

rcoy wrote:

So z/zx's suck?  What about 240SX's?  How do those fair?

Better not have a track with long right handers, they lose oil pressure like crazy or at least the one in my driveway does smile

Fall South 09- 23rd place
Southern Discomfort '10 Magnum PU- 5th place
Spring South '10- 1st...... LOSER!

Re: The most reliable Lemons cars

i have a diesel chevette i've been trying to get to the ohio races for two years, just can't get the team together.  talk about cheap and reliable (as long as i can keep the screwdriver away from the injection pump)  gonna shoot for one of the detroit races

Carbon footprint diesel chevette: IOE Gingerman '11, ClassC winner Autobahn, 13
Isuzu iMark diesel: IOE Gingerman'13
Chrysler Cordoba: Organizers Choice Barber '14