• Troy
  • Troy
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Topic: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

After the October race at MSRH, our motor was running but not happy.

The blown head gasket was a bit more involved than initially suspected. 

It appears detonation slowly took out the head gasket.  As the gasket slowly burned up/eroded, we started pressurizing the cooling system.  This led to the typical overheating issues from a blown head gasket.

We tried Blue Devil miracle head gasket juice at the track and the initial results seemed good. Ya, we should have changed the head gasket.

The stuff is heat activated like the Cash for Clunkers death serum.  It goes in with cold water as a liquid and congeals or whatever when it gets hot.  Somehow we ended up with gritty sandy crap in the crank case with milk shake oil after our Blue Devil treatment.

We had no coolant in the oil until we tried the Blue Devil.

Upon tear down, our bearings got a bit screwed, the rings got cooked due to over heating and we broke some ring landings on cylinder 6 with the Blue Devil evidence.

Yesterday, our newly refurbished motor went back into the car and came to life.  It ran great for about 3-5 minutes then just shut off.  It started right back up and died seconds later.  This happened a couple more times.  The ignition module died. 

Might have something to do with wiring it backwards at first.  I was surprised it had a slow intermittent death but it died.  Threw in a spare, correctly wired and we were back in action.

Our Z is back and ready to continue the Hopeless Z battle for victory at MSRH.  All MR2s and most SHOs should be trembling in fear... or just doing paddock engine swaps.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • trekkor
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

"Running with the Devil"?
"The Devil made me do it"
"The Devil's in the details"


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
Follow Filthy on Facebook: Flailing Lizard Motorsports
  • Mulry
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

Troy wrote:

Yesterday, our newly refurbished motor went back into the car and came to life.  It ran great for about 3-5 minutes then just shut off.  It started right back up and died seconds later.  This happened a couple more times.  The ignition module died. 

Might have something to do with wiring it backwards at first.

Was this yet another too-late-at-night wiring job?

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

Mandatory disclaimer: all opinions expressed are mine alone & not those of 24HOL, its mgmt, sponsors, etc.
  • Troy
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

Well, it was still daylight when this happened.

I keep meaing to put a harness I pulled from the junk yard on the ignition module instead of the two lose wires. 

Or paint the positive terminal red or double check it online or...

I thought I remembered correctly and I was wrong but the one that died is a lifetime warranty part! 

The distributor is wobbling too which is odd and needs to not be.  Unless it's loose, something funny is going on and needs to get fixed.  I don't recall it wobbling before.  It's always somethin.'

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • sergio
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

Get that Z running right and we'll play cat and mouse Sat. & Sun. at MSRH. smile

  • Troy
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

Sergio, the car seems to be running right, the question is for how long?

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • Troy
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

trekkor wrote:

"Running with the Devil"?
"The Devil made me do it"
"The Devil's in the details"


KT

To me when a broken car, especially a race car, fires back up. 

I get a huge mental image or Steve Tyler almost licking a mic as he shouts:

"I'M BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!!!"

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z

8 Reply by Buzz Killington (edited by Buzz Killington 2010-01-18 01:25 PM)

  • From: 5,280 ft.
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: We are back in action: the Z is alive.

Troy wrote:

our newly refurbished motor went back into the car and came to life.  It ran great for about 3-5 minutes then just shut off.  It started right back up and died seconds later.  This happened a couple more times.

that sounds about right for a Z car.  wink

trekkor wrote:

"Running with the Devil"?
"The Devil made me do it"
"The Devil's in the details"


KT

we thought of all of those while we tried to run with the Devil at CMP fall after our head gasket went (not surprisingly, no shops in rural south cackalacky have 4AG head gaskets in stock).

the Devil last about 80 minutes on track, which is probably a good 12 months of normal street driving.

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

Buzz Killington's Website