It seems kind of odd announcing new projects after spring break considering the amount of free time I have is significantly less, but since the events that inspired these projects occurred during spring break this is how it must be.
Inspiration:
Over spring break a few friends and I did some racing. We all had a good time, but I noticed a few things. My car despite having the heater on full bore still managed to gain some significant amount of heat even after we had stopped. We all know heat is the enemy of both engines and transmissions because the oil in both breaks down and causes parts to fail early. The following projects address this.
Project 1: Instrumentation
It's no secret that I like information and that new cars with very view gauges upset me because I like to know exactly what my car is doing. This is particularly important when driving the car hard. Hard cornering can cause a drop in oil pressure as the pump becomes starved. Cornering is one thing my car impressed the group with. Temperatures are obviously of concern as mentioned above. The car has a lot of vacuum operated and controlled systems maintain the correct level is important for peak performance levels. Fuel pressure must be maintained in order for the sustained performance. The following gauges are going to be added:
- Water temp
- Transmission temp
- Fuel pressure
- Oil pressure
- Boost/Vac
Project 2: Cooling
Heat is a tricky subject. Too little is bad, and too much is worse. Overheating various components reduces their lifespan dramatically. When excessive heat forms in the engine the head can warp leading to expensive machining and repair costs. Excessive heat in an automatic transmission leads to varnishes, hardened seals, and ultimately a slipping transmission also known as junk. I will be adding an auxiliary transmission cooler to augment the stock cooler which is built into the radiator. By adding the extra cooling capacity the reliance on the stock cooler and the temp of the engine is reduced. This will also allow for longer and harder runs. In addition to the temp gauge addition above an "idiot light" will be added to provide an early warning as to when the trans is getting hot. This light will be located in the stock instrument cluster.
Project 3: Filtration
Metal particulate is harmful to mechanical systems. If this weren't the case engine oil wouldn't be filtered. Most transmissions are filtered as is The Silver Bullet. The Chiseled Brick on the other hand doesn't have a filtration system. There is an internal filter that is non-serviceable, and with more than 210,000 miles I'm going to write that off. Along with the cooler a filter will be added to extend the life of the transmission.
Labels: General Information, Performance
