bobs77vet
Well-known member
I always thought those funny circular spring clips for the linkages were a weak link, i am actually surprised they didnt fall off more often
Plastic Fantastic 2
- Thread starter SuperBuickGuy
- Start date
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
put them on 180* wrong (so they don't spring against the lever) and they do fall off.
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
thankfully, the parts arrived today - and I quickly got to painting them....edited
then toss in the pushrods - finally, even a blind squirrel finds a nut
I was a bit concerned after the fiasco of the other rockers not fitting that it would be chinesium measurements... nope, fits just fine
thick cork gaskets
and they don't fit
thankfully I have hammer and fire
and epoxy - I could attempt to weld them but with the paint there and unknown metallurgy, epoxy is the best option
tomorrow, noise
then toss in the pushrods - finally, even a blind squirrel finds a nut
I was a bit concerned after the fiasco of the other rockers not fitting that it would be chinesium measurements... nope, fits just fine
thick cork gaskets
and they don't fit
thankfully I have hammer and fire
and epoxy - I could attempt to weld them but with the paint there and unknown metallurgy, epoxy is the best option
tomorrow, noise
bobs77vet
Well-known member
i like the valve stud girdle, how does the attachment work?
does it bind down on the jamb nut or does it have its own valve adjusting system as part of it?
does it bind down on the jamb nut or does it have its own valve adjusting system as part of it?
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
there are 'special' poly locks that come with the girdle. basically, they're just a taller poly lock.
it works by interference .... I probably should have shown that step - the girdle floats on the poly locks - because the rocker studs are at different degrees to each other, there's a float point which then mechanically holds the girdle in place (imagine a V with a bar across the legs - there is a point where the bar would naturally stay).
Why I should have video'd it.... the driver's side basically slipped into place, but two studs on the passenger side, rear, were slightly askew.... not much but enough that it made it a challenge to get it in the right spot.... I won't say I used a slide hammer to move it to where the clearances were right, but you wouldn't be wrong to assume I did.... on that side, it is interference fit.... but optimally it'd be like the driver's side where it floats just at the right spot....
the other issue was the valve covers were only tall enough with the cork gaskets and some quality hammer time.... I swear they should say "will 'fit' rather then fits"
bobs77vet
Well-known member
thanks for the explanation, thats interesting letting the studs creating the binding point. What do they get torqued down to 40-50 ft lbs?
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
the rocker studs? I dunno, to 'that'll hold' or 'good enough'? I suspect that's fairly low number because it's a 3/8" bolt in the aluminum head... 25lbsish?
the poly locks get adjusted to whatever the spec is for the cam, my case, .016 cold lash, then tighten the allen bolt then tighten the bolts that through bolt the girdle.... to be honest, I'm not sure why they need to clamp. Side benefit is the poly locks can loosen under use so the clamping adds a layer of protection against that....
bobs77vet
Well-known member
yeah thats good point, i guess it is just acting as another jamb nut
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
Tonight's story... don't cheap out, or avoid Speedmaster... sorry Aussie friends, this stuff is junk.
for a complete score: Number of parts from Speedmaster (rockers, guides, intake, valve covers, pan)... number of those parts that didn't work.... all of them, in tonight's update
Rockers
I got the car back together but the rockers got noisy just after I started it.edited The Speedmaster valve covers were leaking too...edited
but first, rockers
see the machined point in the trunion?
now look at the poly lock - see how it's worn - the hole is interference fit (including for the poly locks sent by Speedmaster).... turned them over and hopefully there's enough thread to hold them in place for the weekend - but when the weekend is done, I'm replacing the rockers maybe even screw in stud
a nice picture of it apart for posterity - I had to turn the trunions over to the 'wrong' side
in other news, chinese heads.... I still think the casting is worth it, but next time I send them for a quality build.... this hole (of course the rearmost, wasn't fully tapped)
they are cheap valve covers.edited They fit, but they used tubes to inset the bolts.... not exactly sure why but the problem is due to the tube's thinness, the head of the allen bolt deforms the tube (thus loosening the cover over time - 3 ugga duggas for the win)
this wasn't Speedway's fault, but there was a major amount of clearancing that happened
it really seems like the Chinese companies have given up - it used to be you could carefully pick but now? I haven't gotten a part from a Chinese company which didn't require work to make it even work....edited
for a complete score: Number of parts from Speedmaster (rockers, guides, intake, valve covers, pan)... number of those parts that didn't work.... all of them, in tonight's update
Rockers
I got the car back together but the rockers got noisy just after I started it.edited The Speedmaster valve covers were leaking too...edited
but first, rockers
see the machined point in the trunion?
now look at the poly lock - see how it's worn - the hole is interference fit (including for the poly locks sent by Speedmaster).... turned them over and hopefully there's enough thread to hold them in place for the weekend - but when the weekend is done, I'm replacing the rockers maybe even screw in stud
a nice picture of it apart for posterity - I had to turn the trunions over to the 'wrong' side
in other news, chinese heads.... I still think the casting is worth it, but next time I send them for a quality build.... this hole (of course the rearmost, wasn't fully tapped)
they are cheap valve covers.edited They fit, but they used tubes to inset the bolts.... not exactly sure why but the problem is due to the tube's thinness, the head of the allen bolt deforms the tube (thus loosening the cover over time - 3 ugga duggas for the win)
this wasn't Speedway's fault, but there was a major amount of clearancing that happened
it really seems like the Chinese companies have given up - it used to be you could carefully pick but now? I haven't gotten a part from a Chinese company which didn't require work to make it even work....edited
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
done enough.... off for a weekend of autocross.... :goodnight:
mfain
Well-known member
Went to the Optima Challenge at Las Vegas and checked out your GTV competition. Camaros with LS7s pretty much ruled. As a side note, Chris Ramey who had dominated GTV with his C-4 switched to GTL (less than 3200#). He had to remove his wing since it did not fit the GTL rules, and he pretty much got his lunch handed to him. Not sure it was the wing, but he didn't fare well against cars he used to beat when he ran GTV. How did you autocross sessions go?
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
I'll debrief later... hopefully this link will work. Just mark me 'done'.... up at 5:30, Ax in the morning, shag cones for group B.... drive 5 hours home through a 65 mph dust storm then snow in the mountains.
my Corvette is not waterproof... heck, I'm not even sure water resistant... I guess I got 2nd in novices....I'll post that up later too :zzz:
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AFlIYrV45G0Nt4g&v=photos&cid=CC18730F4D55AA7B&id=CC18730F4D55AA7B%2182050&parId=CC18730F4D55AA7B%2182049&o=OneUp
my Corvette is not waterproof... heck, I'm not even sure water resistant... I guess I got 2nd in novices....I'll post that up later too :zzz:
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AFlIYrV45G0Nt4g&v=photos&cid=CC18730F4D55AA7B&id=CC18730F4D55AA7B%2182050&parId=CC18730F4D55AA7B%2182049&o=OneUp
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
To Do - while I remember
1) fix the sticking clutch
2) connect the speedo sender
3) firmly attach overflow
4) better throttle cable (sticking)
5) fuel leak out the top of the gas tank
6) better gears.... 3.42 or 3.73.....
7) trailer ramps
8) tire rub front.... thinking much stiff springs all the way around
9) front signals
10) fix oil coming out on hard left handers
11) figure out if someone let the air pressure out of my tire... right rear was flat when I got to the track... filled it, it's remained up ever since....
1) fix the sticking clutch
2) connect the speedo sender
3) firmly attach overflow
4) better throttle cable (sticking)
5) fuel leak out the top of the gas tank
6) better gears.... 3.42 or 3.73.....
7) trailer ramps
8) tire rub front.... thinking much stiff springs all the way around
9) front signals
10) fix oil coming out on hard left handers
11) figure out if someone let the air pressure out of my tire... right rear was flat when I got to the track... filled it, it's remained up ever since....
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SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
mfain
Well-known member
That looks pretty good - you were smooth! Body roll appears to be well contained and there isn't too much dive under hard braking. I am impressed with the way the rear suspension appears to be working. I did see a little fender rub on the right front. Did you feel any tendency to understeer/oversteer? Next step needs to be some higher speed stuff on a road course.
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
Oversteer when I started pushing it.... but I'm mostly certain that was 90% steering/throttle meat-sack 10% car.
yep, it rubbed on both sides when turning - not a lot, but a bit... I need to check the spring rates - I may have put a higher rate on the back... I'll upload the video from inside the car where it got a bit wild (my last run)
now live
https://youtu.be/fNEQn1CE75I
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bobs77vet
Well-known member
nice ....was the smoke the tires rubbing or the oil burning off?
i need to do that with my adult kids that looks like a blast
i need to do that with my adult kids that looks like a blast
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
I can correct my earlier statement... brake fluid was the culprit (and it 'should' be sealed now)
Buy a Miata, put them in it, they'll never get back out. I love my Corvettes, but if I was only doing autocross.... Miata or even better, Honda2000 - but they're a lot more money to get into (2k v 10k in comparable condition).
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
you know that list.... well, there's 14 items on it after completing 2..... ah well, ordered more bits to knock the list down
first things.... all 4 springs are 12" 400 lb springs.edited So the hope of changing springs... nope, even my spare springs are 350 lb... ah well, 4- 500# springs on their way
where is the tire hitting... on the right... here (between the tape marks)
on the left... just a light rub where the tape is - this is the wheel I had to fix the opening....
the worst of the bunch
clearly I don't have control over the rear tires.... but I do have the poly bushing so this will be ended...
there is a clank problem as well - but I'm beginning to think it's just a noisy limited slip
the other issue is spring bind is stopped the tire... there needs to be a progressive stop installed... so that's a new item to the list
where the bump stop needs to be....edited
I'll take the springs out completely when I set the bumps in place so no more rubbing.... and travel.editededited
hmm... fuel leak
I'm starting to suspect the leak is the fuel pump seal.... that's a lot of money and work to replace something that should never have this issue... not 100% sure, but ...hmm
maybe you folks see something I'm missing
first things.... all 4 springs are 12" 400 lb springs.edited So the hope of changing springs... nope, even my spare springs are 350 lb... ah well, 4- 500# springs on their way
where is the tire hitting... on the right... here (between the tape marks)
on the left... just a light rub where the tape is - this is the wheel I had to fix the opening....
the worst of the bunch
clearly I don't have control over the rear tires.... but I do have the poly bushing so this will be ended...
there is a clank problem as well - but I'm beginning to think it's just a noisy limited slip
the other issue is spring bind is stopped the tire... there needs to be a progressive stop installed... so that's a new item to the list
where the bump stop needs to be....edited
I'll take the springs out completely when I set the bumps in place so no more rubbing.... and travel.editededited
hmm... fuel leak
I'm starting to suspect the leak is the fuel pump seal.... that's a lot of money and work to replace something that should never have this issue... not 100% sure, but ...hmm
maybe you folks see something I'm missing
mfain
Well-known member
You need to get on a road course at some point. The downforce (and spring loads) will be higher at 130 mph than at autocross speeds, but you will turn the front wheels a lot less - unless you are already in big trouble LOL. If you add any aero, that will also change things and require higher spring rates.
