I think I’m done for the year….

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flyfish

flyfish

C8H18+N2O = :-D
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I was in round 3 and my motor let go about 5 feet before the finish line Sunday. I won the race, but lost the motor. There was a sudden loss of power followed instantly by a huge vibration. I still had oil pressure…I kinda thought I broke a u-joint or something at first. I rounded the corner to get off the track, the vibration died down….I gave it a little gas to get to the time slip booth and felt a HUGE vibration again, so I killed the motor and rolled. I parked it just past the time slip booth, got out and looked under the car. A little oil was leaking down the side of the oil pan, so I immediately told the time slip guy to radio up to the starting line and have them check the track, but there was nothing on the track though, thank goodness. I checked over the motor, nothing sticking out….so I restarted it just to see…it started fine, idled “normal” for a second or so, I gave it a little gas in neutral (1500 RPM) and the huge vibration came right back…..obviously something is broken in the bottom end.

I drove the Cuda to the track that day (of course), so I had to have my wife drive me home to get my truck and trailer. Thank the good Lord for my racing friends that stuck around for an hour after I broke to help push my heap up onto my trailer.

I’ll have to pull the motor to see what happened, but I’m not motivated to do it right now…..I’m probably going to let it sit for a week….or 2. I know whatever broke in the bottom end is not going to be cheap to fix. What really stinks is I JUST had the motor out a couple months ago when I had to replace the oil pan…at the time I checked the bearings and they all looked good, so who knows.

I'll update this thread with pics when I decide to dive in and see what happened, it might be a while though....zero motivation right now.
 
I am hoping it is the fly wheel and not the engine flyfish.. One day at a time as we say here bud, I hope it is something that you can handle .So sorry to see this ..
 
If you have good oil pressure and it idles fine, could be something in the converter..., and that would explain the loss of power...
 
318willrun said:
If you have good oil pressure and it idles fine, could be something in the converter..., and that would explain the loss of power...
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That would be nice, but that doesn't explain the oil leak (my engine didn't leak prior)...I hope it something simple like the converter/flex plate....I have spares of those.
 
flyfish said:
That would be nice, but that doesn't explain the oil leak (my engine didn't leak prior)...I hope it something simple like the converter/flex plate....I have spares of those.
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Well that's a drag for sure, perhaps when you changed the pan something didn't seal properly hence the leak.
 
Hate to read that. Hope it's something simple and easy to correct.
 
Well stuff happens. Hope that it's less rather than "more."

I once scattered a 440 -6 all over I-5 somewhere around Stockton CA late at night. A long walk to a "lucky" gas station resulted in a ride in a tow truck after closing, with the two pretty much drunk operators, into Stockton, where, on a street corner of a whoretell, we were contemplating our next move, when a motorcop rides up, and I hailed him.

"Hey, can you tell us how to get out of town to San Diego?"

"Have ya tried hitch hikin?"

"No, officer you don't understand, we have some money, we are looking for a boat, train, plane........"

"Have ya tried HITCH HIKIN?"

LOL

THAT was a LONG weekend.

Short sleep in Stockton, hung all day waiting for bus to SF

Taxi from SF to Oakland airport

Flight to San Diego.

Taxi to Gary's house in National City, got his truck

Drove all the way N to Miramar, retrieved my 64, and rented a U haul tow bar.

Drove ALL the way BACK up to Stockton, to the same service station hooked up the dead '70 and towed it ALL the way back to San Diego.

Monday, NAS Miramar, the RADAR site. Had to put up with "Chief CPO Columbo" "Say, I just have one question..........are ya sposed to be able to look THROUGH the engine and see the GROUND?"
 
Sorry to hear Flyfish.Do you feel motivated enough to pull the Trans. pan? I just replaced my converter and oil pan gasket (go figure:D)It would drive me nuts not knowing what happened.Hope it's an inexpensive fix and you can finish out the season.Best of luck.
 
Sorry to read this.....yours is one of my favorite cars here. It will be back.
 
That sucks sideways, hope its something simple.
 

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don't feel bad,my motor let go 2 races into the year in march,doesnt look like ill have the funds to get mine going
 
When ours let go it left no doubt..... may better luck be with you!
 
Could be worse. My buddy years ago had a 499 let go at about the 1000' mark. He tripped the timers sliding backwards along the wall... Part of the block with the mount ear took the right front tire off the wheel at 120.
 
Hate hearing this but it's race,repair,repeat isn't it.What the old drag racers told me anyway.Time to go faster if it's hurt right? Good luck with it.
 
moper said:
Could be worse. My buddy years ago had a 499 let go at about the 1000' mark. He tripped the timers sliding backwards along the wall... Part of the block with the mount ear took the right front tire off the wheel at 120.
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That would be a big pucker factor.lol
 
Sorry to hear that, personally im just getting back to the streets; but, be positive: its time to go faster!
 
Could be worse. My buddy years ago had a 499 let go at about the 1000' mark. He tripped the timers sliding backwards along the wall... Part of the block with the mount ear took the right front tire off the wheel at 120.
Click to expand...

daredevil said:
That would be a big pucker factor.lol
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...might have to drag out the seat cover with a tow truck after that.

I take it no desire to find out yet? :(
 
For certainly one of my fav cars here! Major bummer reading this.
When the desire to find out what is what under the hood, let's us know what you find.
 
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