RIP Grey Ghost

Slysc

Registered User
After the shootout, I did a leakdown test and found 80% leakdown in cylinder #6. I pulled the heads off and was pleasantly surprised to find no visible damage other than a blown (MLS) headgasket.

The hood, fenders and doors are off. I sold the blower. The plan right now is that it will never be the same again. It's going back together with paint, roll bar and a different forced induction philosophy. We can rebuild it, we have the technology. Hopefully it won't take a million dollars.:D
 
Picture of the failed gasket? Curious how it failed.

it does go rough with things fail. Hopefully you are somewhere that you wouldn't be running it in the winter anyway, thus no big loss of up time at least.
 
Sorry to hear it Dan. You did call it though. You have me almost feel a little guilty about it too. :(

Ira
 
I predict that mext year Danwill have tthe fastest car at the shootout!! Any takers?
 
let it out???

What direction are you heading Dan? Turbo???? or a double secret half wink backflip handshake supercharger???
 
It's no secret, I've got a turbo that I'm building up for it.

The heads are at the machine shop right now getting checked for cracks, straighness, spring pressure, etc. Then I'll cut the quench pad grooves in them and recoat them. I have most of the turbo setup, it's just a matter of welding it all together and taking care of the details, polishing, etc.
It won't be together real soon. The car is coming apart to get painted and I've got to replace the clutch in my Jetta and build an engine for my daughter's bone stock class 90 SC auto before I can really spend time on the turbo.

The gasket was not visibly damaged, there was just witness mark on the head and block where combustion gasses were escaping through the ring on the gasket into the water jackets.
 
Hated to hear the engine let go, but on the other hand it allows you to head in the Turbo direction now.

My father-in-laws car is having some issues that are leaning torward a head gasket acting up. Just freshly built and having pressure in coolant system. Could have been a flaw in the gasket we didnt see....
 
Just curious?

The little bit of time I was at the Shootout, during track time I noticed your car was backfiring like every pass, was curious why? Hope the Turbo goes very well for ya!!!!

Tom
 
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I dont think Dan is aiming for the 11's....

Dan...With paint you better hope you can keep a hood on that thing...Call ya tonight if I get a chance o tomorrow.r
 
this was just before I pulled the engine apart
 

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Look at that big heavy bumper support blocking airflow to your intercooler.

*hint hint :D

I've thought about taking that bumper off. But I do a lot of crash testing and occupant safety anaysis at work and I realize that that big heavy hunk of steel has a purpose other than blocking airflow and holding my front wheels down. It's attached to the crumple zone on the frames and it ties the frames together so if you hit a pole the engine doesn't end up in your lap.
If there's too much intrusion in a frontal crash, the engine and trans hooks the rack and pinion and pushes it straight back. Then the steering column will start coming at you and the cowl attachements will make it swing upwards. So the steering wheel hits you just under your chin and takes your head off. Then the engine keeps coming back and squishes you and what's left of you ends up getting cooked on the exhaust manifolds. So when the cops and EMS get there you've got rookie parametics puking on the side of the road. And you don't want that. So I'm inclined to leave it there, or at least replace it with something.
 
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