1 (edited by DaveH 2011-04-11 05:21 PM)

Topic: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

*sigh*  Here goes...

So after the 4AG-ZE (supercharged) motor that we had in our 1st gen MR2 blew itself up for the third time at Summit Point last year, we decided to go for something a little less high-strung and a little more reliable.  After seeing some posts on the swap, we ended up settling on a 3VZ-FE out of a 92 Camry.  We started the build in January.  The donor car had a blown head gasket, which allowed us to buy it for cheap - we scrapped the body for the same price we bought the whole car for.  Free motor!  Winning!

The build took about 8 hours per day for the 8 weekends preceding the race.  Colossal amounts of work went in, but we finished everything on the car on the Sunday beforehand and still had time to pack everything that day.  The car was well sorted, and we had a small checklist of things to do on Friday.  Things were looking good.

We showed up on Friday and registered for the track day to get some shakedown time on the car.  Our first driver took the car out in the pouring rain, and on his third lap understeered off at T5 going about 35 mph.  The soaked grass had absolutely zero effect on the car's speed, and it hit the Armco, still going about 35 mph.

The car came back in on the wrecker and we surveyed the damage, which could have been a lot worse.  The front control arm and rear tie rod were bent, and the front corner was smashed in enough to give us negative castor on the driver's side.

Of course, the parts car didn't make it to the race, so Rob and I hopped in his truck and made the 1-1/2 hour drive back to his house.  The disassembly was surprisingly painless, but the whole trip cost us about four hours that day.  I have to give major props to Bill Strong, who came over and helped the rest of our team remove the smashed front fender and correct the castor angle with a bottle jack.  Without his help we would have been totally boned.  By the end of the day, we managed to get the car back together and into decent race shape.

At dinner on Friday, Rob mentioned that he had heard some clunking from the rear just before the wall incident.  I had been a little worried that we didn't get the motor aligned quite right and the driver side axle was binding.  We hadn't had any issues in the couple of short drives the car had taken up and down the street, but we decided to check on it in the morning.

Saturday dawned, and we took the car for a spin around the pits.  Sure enough, the axle was binding every rotation.  We scrambled to disassemble the suspension, remove the axle, and start cutting.  If you heard the cut-saw going during the beginning of the driver's meeting, that was us.

With the axle shortened and sleeved with roll-cage tubing, we took it for a second trip around the pits.  Everything worked, and we headed out on track.  The car was spectacular.  I cruised around in 4th gear for a couple of laps and then pinned my ears back and dropped the hammer.  Lap three, the car was blazing fast until the bridge - then disaster.  As I downshifted for the left-hander, the motor stalled.  A bump-start into third started it again, but the problem was obvious - spun rod bearing.  I limped back into the pits in 5th.

We dropped the oil pan and started exploring.  Turns out Toyota, for some idiotic reason, had tapped a hole into high pressure oil in one of the main journals (we think it was actually a fitting to pre-oil the crank and rod bearings during assembly).  The 10mm bolt that capped that hole was laying the oil pan and the bearings on each side of that journal were destroyed.

We had a set of .020 oversize bearings laying around, so we tried to throw them in.  Once the rod end was installed, the motor was locked.  Fail.  The next idea involved an angle grinder, an trailer fender, and a bunch of c-clamps.  Judge Phil got some good photos here.  Also a good shot of our sleeved axle there.

After working most of Saturday slowly grinding down the backside of the bearings, we finally got one that was thin enough to work.  Between the holy-shit-there's-nothing-left-ness of the backing plate and the heat damage, we decided to live to race another day.  The last thing we wanted was to put a rod through the block.  A set of bearings and the car will be set for Summit Point.

Total laps in the MR2 for the weekend - six.  And half of one lap was tied to the back of a wrecker.

On Sunday, the other STS car offered us rides in the Miata they brought, with the understanding that we would be very careful with it.  The car is slated for a race in that other series in two weeks - they only brought it to get some shakedown time on Friday.  That morning, our third driver went out and proceeded to t-bone Bill Strong's MR2 when they spun in front of us.  The damage was minor - some broken headlights and a tweaked bumper support.  The team understandably packed up the car after that though. 

Rob, who drove the Galaxie in its debut at CMP, talked to the Speedycop team in an attempt to get us some seat time.  Of our four drivers to this point, we had: Rob (2.5 laps, crash), Dave (2.5 laps, blown motor), Kurt (15ish laps, crash) and Mike (0 laps).  The Galaxie team decided they would allow us each 15 or so minutes in the car towards the end of Sunday.  A second major props of the weekend have to go out to that team.

Unfortunately, no one told them that we might actually be cursed.  About 15 minutes after they promised us rides, the Galaxie came in.  On fire.  The early diagnosis was a cracked block.

That's about when we gave up.  We turned in our wristbands and cracked open some beers.  The real kicker of the story is that the Galaxie turned out to not have a cracked block, just a loose oil filter and an amazingly concurrent power steering line failure.  When they came over to ask if we still wanted rides, we were already two beers in.

Needless to say, Mike (0 laps) went home with the "I Got Screwed" trophy.  Almost.  He would have if he didn't forget it while unpacking at Rob's house.

Dave Heinig - Schumacher Taxi Service
coROLLa - 2 time loser, RWB MR2 - 5 time loser
The Craptation - IOE WINNER! Lemons South Spring 2010
Crown Vic - Please God Don't Ever Make Me Go Through That Again

2 (edited by DC Doug 2011-04-11 05:32 PM)

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

I wanted you boys in the Galaxie!  But, you had to crack 'dem beers open at the mere sight of a little fire!  Oh well, see you at Summit!  Rob still gets a stint in the G-unit.... the rest of you fool Schumacher's are welcome to negotiate!

(edit: it's not lost on us that the G-unit caught fire after we generously offered you boys an hour of seat time on Sunday afternoon!!!!)

xo,
DC Doug

Speedycop/NSF Racing /Pinewood Dirtbags
'10 Summit, CMP3, Autobahn, '11 CMP1, NJMP, CMP2, Summit, G'man, Stafford, Charlotte, Autobahn, ECR '12 CMP1, NJMP, G'man, NHMS1, Summit, CMP2, NHMS2, ECR, '13 CMP1, ECR, Summit, NJMP, THill, CMP2, MSR, NHMS, Sears '14 Barber, Sears1, ECR, CMP1, NJMP1, BWillow, Sebring, CMP2, THill, Sears2, '15 Sears1, Barber, Ridge, THill, '16 Sears1

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

That sucks.  I knew you guys lost 1 car in the wall in the rain friday but i had no idea the extent of bad luck with your other cars.

-Killer B's (as in rally) '84 4000Q 4.2V8. Audis never win?

4 (edited by DaveH 2011-04-11 05:35 PM)

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

What I just realized I omitted in the first post is that my wife called me on Friday to tell me our sump pump was dead and there was three inches of water in our basement.  Shitty, shitty weekend.

I might negotiate for a short stint in the Galaxie at Summit Point.  I have a set of Star Specs on Mustang wheels to offer.  How much time would $400 worth of super-sticky tires buy me?

Dave Heinig - Schumacher Taxi Service
coROLLa - 2 time loser, RWB MR2 - 5 time loser
The Craptation - IOE WINNER! Lemons South Spring 2010
Crown Vic - Please God Don't Ever Make Me Go Through That Again

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

DaveH wrote:

What I just realized I omitted in the first post is that my wife called me on Friday to tell me our sump pump was dead and there was three inches of water in our basement.  Shitty, shitty weekend.

I might negotiate for a short stint in the Galaxie at Summit Point.  I have a set of Star Specs on Mustang wheels to offer...

You want a few laps at Summit, no prob.  If you've got some 5x4.5's let's figure that out... could use some new wheels/rubber.

Speedycop/NSF Racing /Pinewood Dirtbags
'10 Summit, CMP3, Autobahn, '11 CMP1, NJMP, CMP2, Summit, G'man, Stafford, Charlotte, Autobahn, ECR '12 CMP1, NJMP, G'man, NHMS1, Summit, CMP2, NHMS2, ECR, '13 CMP1, ECR, Summit, NJMP, THill, CMP2, MSR, NHMS, Sears '14 Barber, Sears1, ECR, CMP1, NJMP1, BWillow, Sebring, CMP2, THill, Sears2, '15 Sears1, Barber, Ridge, THill, '16 Sears1

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Yup, they're 5x4.5.  Just like every other Ford uses.  17's might not fit in with the theme so well though...

Dave Heinig - Schumacher Taxi Service
coROLLa - 2 time loser, RWB MR2 - 5 time loser
The Craptation - IOE WINNER! Lemons South Spring 2010
Crown Vic - Please God Don't Ever Make Me Go Through That Again

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

let's not ever win that award again.

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

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Why didn't you guys just go to a junkyard and yank some used camry bearings?
-Mr. Hindsight

The Charnal House Geo MetSHO: Turning less laps than a regular Metro, the hard way!

1969 Subaru 360

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

anything we could find with a V6 Camry or ES300 closed about 30 minutes before we decided our "fix" wouldn't work (including a yard in Millville with a Camry engine listed for $450).  And no auto parts stores carry any stock these days; plenty of them could have a set for us "on Monday."

Last Monday night while falling asleep I wondered if we should order a spare set of bearings, "just in case."  d'oh.

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

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

And said engine, was still in the car.

--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 Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

DaveH forgot to mention that the other half of the Schumacher Taxi team also blew the head gasket on the coROLLa after 6.5 hours (while running in 4th place).  I was pretty sure something was not right when the poor little crapcan was considerably slower at the end of the main straight (into turn 1) than I was running in the pouring rain. 

Of course, nothing like the grief RobL and company endured.  :-)

We'll be back for Summit Point!

-- John Robertson / Schumacher Taxi Service

Know more about a Craptation, coROLLa and BMW than I ever wanted to!
Stafford 08, CMP Spring/Fall 09, Stafford 09, Nelson Ledges 09, CMP Winter 10, VIR Chump 10, IOE Winning Craptation CMP Spring 2010, and lots more

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Sorry for your loss (es).  Hopefully, Summit will be full of success for your team.

I think we have some work for Rob, it involves a super rusted out 510 in need of cage work.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Damn.  Not the best taxi weekend, by far.  Well, I know you will bounce back.  Good luck!

Bloomington, IN
We'll bring Beer!  Motorsports
Team Fiery Death! #0 2009 Lamest Day(65th), 2010 American Irony(24th), 2010 Detroit Bull(4th),2012 Capitol Offense (8th) 2012 American Irony (11 th), 2013 Capitol Offense (3rd) 2013 Chubba Chedder (4th, Judge Choice!) Now sadly part of a scrap pile. 
Toothless Racing Deadbeats #110 2011 Summit Point (61st) Currently being rebuilt into the new car!

14

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

The coROLLa has had plenty of worse weekends haha.  We're taking apart the rolla motor but already found the pulley driving the water pump and alternator was broken and not turning, hence the overheating and the blown head gasket or worse, along with the dead battery.  We'll know the rest of the story soon.

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 Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Better check the bearings.

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

16

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

We've got two + months, we'll have it sorted in plenty of time for Capital Offense.  smile

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 Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

Jer wrote:

The coROLLa has had plenty of worse weekends haha.  We're taking apart the rolla motor but already found the pulley driving the water pump and alternator was broken and not turning, hence the overheating and the blown head gasket or worse, along with the dead battery.  We'll know the rest of the story soon.

Stupid effing cast iron 4AGE crank pulley. My sympathies. TTT makes a good replacement.

Pat Mulry, TARP Racing #67

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

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

at least it wasn't a long drive home after the race...

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

The spun bearings in question:

http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/nj11/img_5392_std.jpg
http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/nj11/img_5393_std.jpg
http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/nj11/img_5394_std.jpg

Official photographer/Team Police Brutality|Speedycop & the Gang
Lackey-mechanic-whatever/NSF Racing
Sycophant/Judge Phil, Jay Lamm, Kim Harmon
Galaxie Driver/not Parnelli Jones

Re: The Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

eljefe17 wrote:

at least it wasn't a long drive home after the race...

Oh, it was long.  and quiet.

--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 Sad Tale of Schumacher Taxi Service's First "I Got Screwed" Trophy

I would like to say thanks to the little people, and to the guy that tested my welding skills on my cage. I did not like that door anyways! smile

Bill Strong
Racing Strong Motorsports
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