mikelbeck

I went out to the local track yesterday for some test & tune. On the way there I had a bad feeling about the day and thought about turning around and going home. But of course, I didn't.

I changed a rocker, pushrod & adjusting nut the night before, but didn't get a chance to start the motor (it was too late) to make sure nothing was making noise. When I got to the track, I fired it up and found that it was making noise on the side I had changed. So off come the valve covers to adjust everything. One rocker was loose and was making the noise. I also found that one of the spark plugs had worked itself loose!

1st run: .132 RT, 1.861 60', 12.716 @ 104.19. 78 degrees, 37% humidity, 1836 DA.

At the finish line, the gas pedal went to the floor. I shut the motor off, coasted around and pulled the hood off. I found the throttle cable broke. I fired the motor back up and idled back to the pits. Took 15 minutes. I pulled the throttle cable apart and pieced it back together so I could make another run.

2nd run: .126 RT, 1.929 60', 12.819 @ 106.69. 75 degrees, 42% humidity, 1683 DA. The car was slipping and sliding out of the hole. It was kinda cool, I felt the back of the car rise up, then drop down, then get up again and slid all over the place.

After this run, the valves were making noise again, so off come the valve covers for another adjustment.

3rd run. .139 RT, 1.914 60', 12.826 @ 106.37. 76 degrees, 39% humidity, 1706 DA. Somebody before me had put some oil down in my lane, I guess they didn't clean it up good enough. I hit something about 100 feet out and the car slid to the left. Not good, kinda scary. But I kept my foot in it and ran it out.

I have an big air bell thing on the carb, I took it off before the last run to see if it would make a difference. Going through the traps, I usually just take my foot off the gas and let the car slow down on it's own. This time it didn't. So I got on the brake hard, it wouldn't slow down. So I shut it off, coast around. I thought maybe my rigged throttle cable got stuck or something. But no, the gasket that sits under the air bell had come off (I forgot to pull that off with the air bell) and was stuck in the carb... Holding the butterflies open!

Not a good day.

mikelbeck

They seem to be better. I didn't check them after the run, but they weren't making any noise.

Do you (or anybody else) know if there are locknuts for the Crane roller rockers on a Mopar? I know ARP makes some, but I think they're only for Chevy-type rockers.

mikelbeck

Yeah, I think that's the regular nuts, not locking ones.

mikelbeck

Yeah, I can get some, but I'm looking for ones that lock. ARP makes some for non-Mopar heads that lock and won't come loose. I'm looking for the same type for my heads.

Yep. Haven't had a chance to respond to it yet.

mikelbeck

I got the new Lokar throttle cable & bracket installed. Looks really nice, seems to work pretty good. It was a pain in the butt to get it adjusted correctly, though.

Here's a pic:

https://www.northeastbracketracing.c....php?pic_id=24

mikelbeck

That goes to a port on the intake... Kinda acting like a PCV valve.

mikelbeck

Yep. All braided line, really nice. Easy to install, too. Took about 20 minutes.

I'm sure it was easier to do since the old one was broken, but not much. And I like the return spring setup on the bracket that holds the cable, it looks real clean.