If it weren't for bad luck...

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RockinRobin

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The last year has been very unlucky for me and my 1970 Duster bracket car.
No racing at all in 2019. Here is why:
Dec 2018-in an effort to become more consistent and to have accurate data after every pass, I converted from my Holley dominator to Holley Sniper EFI (Christmas present)
Jan 2019-1st test n tune with EFI. Tuning problems. Gave up after 4 passes. While at a red light on the way home, a texter rear ended my trailer at about 50mph. Trailer was totaled, car had lots of body damage.
April 2019- Found the trailer I wanted but they wouldn't have one until July. I was certain I would be back on the track very soon so I drove hours away and bought the same trailer for $1,000 more.
May 2019- I get the car back from the body shop and take it to a tuner to get the EFI tuned. In my shop afterward I'm letting it idle and it just quits and won't start. The dowel pin on the cam sheared off and the cam turned 90 degrees. Took out every valve in the process.
June 2019- I have the block at the machine shop to have new cam bearings installed since I don't trust myself to do it. He notices a crack in the block in a place that cannot be repaired. 2 hours later I'm at the local pick and pull finding/pulling a motor and getting it down to just the block in 100 degree weather.
August 2019-Block is finished (had to be clearanced for stroker crank, new valves, etc) and I reassemble. Put it back in car, start it up, rear main bearing seal leaking. Pull tranny back and install new seal.
Sept 2019- Finally make it to the track for test n tune. Does okay for 2 passes then won't run.
October 2019- After a month of diagnosis attempts I pull the motor plate and front cover to discover that the crank sprocket on the brand new Cloyes timing set has broken and the timing chain has spun once again. Inspection reveals a bad casting of the metal.
November 2019-Replaced timing set with Mopar (which they were out of stock on back in August) and a new oil pump just in case. Runs fine. Pull heads to reveal no valve damage this time! Maybe my luck is changing? Put it back together and now it runs rough. More diagnosis.
December 2019- Decide to try replacing sensors. New cam sensor makes it run very smooth! Look under the car after idling for 10 minutes and see a significant puddle of oil at the back of the oil pan. It would seem that when I replaced the rear main seal in August I boogered up the pan gasket somehow!
January 2020-Pulled the motor and tranny, installed new rear main seal which was when I found the gasket issue. It had curled up a little between the seal housing and the block causing a small gap between the two. Seal is fine, but I put in a new one anyway and 2 new pan gaskets (there is a windage tray between them).
Feb 2020-Motor/tranny are back together and ready to go back in the car. If it is warm enough the local track will have test n tune in Feb. I think I've used up my share of bad luck and I'm ready to enjoy bracket racing again!
Get a bracket car they said. It'll be fun they said!
 
Geeez. That’s almost enough to make a man switch to Chevy....almost.
Good luck to you this year!
 
The last year has been very unlucky for me and my 1970 Duster bracket car.
No racing at all in 2019. Here is why:
Dec 2018-in an effort to become more consistent and to have accurate data after every pass, I converted from my Holley dominator to Holley Sniper EFI (Christmas present)
Jan 2019-1st test n tune with EFI. Tuning problems. Gave up after 4 passes. While at a red light on the way home, a texter rear ended my trailer at about 50mph. Trailer was totaled, car had lots of body damage.
April 2019- Found the trailer I wanted but they wouldn't have one until July. I was certain I would be back on the track very soon so I drove hours away and bought the same trailer for $1,000 more.
May 2019- I get the car back from the body shop and take it to a tuner to get the EFI tuned. In my shop afterward I'm letting it idle and it just quits and won't start. The dowel pin on the cam sheared off and the cam turned 90 degrees. Took out every valve in the process.
June 2019- I have the block at the machine shop to have new cam bearings installed since I don't trust myself to do it. He notices a crack in the block in a place that cannot be repaired. 2 hours later I'm at the local pick and pull finding/pulling a motor and getting it down to just the block in 100 degree weather.
August 2019-Block is finished (had to be clearanced for stroker crank, new valves, etc) and I reassemble. Put it back in car, start it up, rear main bearing seal leaking. Pull tranny back and install new seal.
Sept 2019- Finally make it to the track for test n tune. Does okay for 2 passes then won't run.
October 2019- After a month of diagnosis attempts I pull the motor plate and front cover to discover that the crank sprocket on the brand new Cloyes timing set has broken and the timing chain has spun once again. Inspection reveals a bad casting of the metal.
November 2019-Replaced timing set with Mopar (which they were out of stock on back in August) and a new oil pump just in case. Runs fine. Pull heads to reveal no valve damage this time! Maybe my luck is changing? Put it back together and now it runs rough. More diagnosis.
December 2019- Decide to try replacing sensors. New cam sensor makes it run very smooth! Look under the car after idling for 10 minutes and see a significant puddle of oil at the back of the oil pan. It would seem that when I replaced the rear main seal in August I boogered up the pan gasket somehow!
January 2020-Pulled the motor and tranny, installed new rear main seal which was when I found the gasket issue. It had curled up a little between the seal housing and the block causing a small gap between the two. Seal is fine, but I put in a new one anyway and 2 new pan gaskets (there is a windage tray between them).
Feb 2020-Motor/tranny are back together and ready to go back in the car. If it is warm enough the local track will have test n tune in Feb. I think I've used up my share of bad luck and I'm ready to enjoy bracket racing again!
Get a bracket car they said. It'll be fun they said! don't give up,it will be fun.but nothing easy about bracket racing.if anyone tells you it's easy,they have never did it
 
Don't give up,it will be fun.but nothing easy about bracket racing.if anyone says it's easy they have never did it
 
I feel your pain. Sometimes, if it weren't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all!
 
Damn, sounds like an expensive season without many runs! Mopars are expensive regardless, this is going to be you're season! Best of luck 65'
 
WOW better man than me !!! I'd be looking for meds... One reason I don't golf...:BangHead:
 
The last year has been very unlucky f
No racing at all in 2019. Here is why:

Dec 2018 dominator to Holley Sniper EFI (Christmas present)

Jan 2019-1st , a texter rear ended my trailer at about 50mph.

May 2019- The dowel pin on the cam sheared off Took out every valve in the process.

June 2019- notices a crack in the block in a place that cannot be repaired.

August 2019- rear main bearing seal leaking.

Sept 2019- r test n tune. Does okay for 2 passes then won't run.

October 2019- crank sprocket on the brand new Cloyes timing set has broken and the timing chain has spun once again.

November 2019-Replaced timing set with Mopar (which they were out of stock on back in August) and a new oil pump just in case. Runs fine. Pull heads to reveal no valve damage this time! Maybe my luck is changing? Put it back together and now it runs rough. More diagnosis.

December 2019- puddle of oil at the back of the oil pan.

January 2020- I found the gasket issue.

Feb 2020-Motor/tranny are back together and ready to go back in the car. If it is warm enough the local track will have test n tune in Feb. I think I've used up my share of bad luck and I'm ready to enjoy bracket racing again!

Get a bracket car they said. It'll be fun they said!

Well look at it this way. You had the money to do all this, good and / or bad. I don't have the money to have done ANY of this.
 
Good grief...here is wishing you a kick *** 2020 season
What track do you run at?
 
UPDATE: Started it up for the 1st time today after putting it all back together.
All is well, sounds good, good oil pressure, water temp ok, etc. and NO LEAKS!!!
Only problem is it won't shift out of park, so I need to look at the shifter cable tomorrow and see what's up.
B&M megashifter(old school) in case you were wondering.
 
20190621_184224.jpg
UPDATE #2:
Shifter cable is adjusted correctly and the car is loaded in the trailer ready to go to the track. Also had to install a new seat harness. The old one expired in December which sucks because I didn't race it at all last year. We may have TNT here in Central Texas this weekend IF the temperature is high enough. I don't like to take it to the track when it's below 60. When the sun goes down and the humidity climbs it's too slippery to get a decent pass. Fingers crossed!
 
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