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View Full Version : Rick and SuzieQ's not-so-excellant Adventure



maveRick
12-07-2003, 04:16 PM
So, we get in the coupe and hook it towards the CCB yesterday.
As I'm waiting at the corner of our subdivision and Barker Cypress, I notice the car's idle is way high (higher than normal for cold weather). I also notice the converter trying to lock up. "Hmmm.." I thought. Must be that darn-heck TV cable (ever since I changed intakes, I can't seem to get any reception).

I figured it'd be okay once we got up to highway speed so I headed on out.

We pulled into Jack-n-the-Crack's drive-thru to order some grub. I noticed the car's temp getting a little higher than norm (just above the horizontal 'normal' mark). So, I decide to come back to the house and switch to the Beemer - afterall the work I did on replacing the starter, I figured it deserved to have the poo-poo run out of it.

So, we pull on to I-10 West from Barker Cypress, go a bout a mile and the car dies. :mad: I pull it over, pop the hood and see fuel everywhere - including the manifold! :eek:

The fuel rail was missing a retaining screw but I didn't think it needed it - mainly because when I changed out the injectors a while back, I lost that darn-heck thing. Also, I dont' think even that would've helped. I think the rail was bent when I had to replace the (many) starters.

I asked Susan to crank the engine over and sure enough, fuel was spraying outta the injector on one end (6-cyl).

BTW, the DPS dropped by to see if I needed any help. I threw myself between my expired registration sticker and his Foster Grant Pilot's shades before he could say "Can I see your license and registration, please?". I told him I had a cell phone to call a wrecker if I needed one ('move along occifer, nothing to see here').

Back to the problem of the fuel rail raising off the injector:
I thought and thought and thunk and thunk on how I could keep a downward holding force on the fuel rail. The one thing that worked, only a PoMoFo could think of.

I took a spark-plug wrench from the tool box in the trunk that the Beemers come with and stood it up on the fuel rail and lowered the (reverse-lifting) hood on top of it. The hood latch is a foot-operated mechanical device using springs to accomodate a range of operation.

So, the spring force of the hood latch held the spark-plug wrench tightly between the hood and the injector rail, imposing a constant downward force on the fuel rail. :D

Bwahahahahaha! Try to get ME to call a tow-truck will ya!

I rode the shoulder to Fry road where I headed back home. Along the way, and without telling Susan what I was doing, I stopped in at the first Auto Parts store and bought a fire extinguisher - just in case. I knew that this thing could catch fire any minute. I told Susan that if she saw smoke to spray me with the extinguisher first, then herself and not to waist any on the BMW. She understood.

Anyway, I've got to bend the fuel rail back, and retain it properly.

We get back to Susan's 'truck' and head out to Sealy, FINALLY!

Ron Merx was running his 'toy' truck (not 'Big Bird') for the first time (1999ish Dakota Sort) with aftermarket stuph. The first time outta the shoot he runs a 7.78! Way cool. I think the best he got was a 7.70 - not bad the first time out!

'Saw Guffinator and Shane there. Shot the chit with them some. I remember seeing both running deep into the race, but don't know the end result just yet.

'Headed back home, got chit-faced at Ron and Lynda's.

We're all hurting today.

The fuel rail can wait till tomorrow. Today is my day off.



That is all,


Rick

Guffinator
12-07-2003, 04:25 PM
We were wondering where you 2 ran off to. Sounds like a purty shitty day there pRick

untchbl
12-07-2003, 04:59 PM
thats some luck rick. the halon bottle was a good idea.

HoustonLX
12-07-2003, 06:14 PM
pRick..

The event did not get completed. They had a problem with the photo-cell thingys that clock your MPH. The computer was showing some people with MPH's of like 584 mph and such.

As it stands, I am still in the event. I made the first race of the 4th round and beat a Lightning. Immediately after that, the phto-thingy's started screwing up and were unable to be repaired (we sat around for 1 hour while they tried to fix them). The remaining cars still need to run the 4th round while I am already in the 5th round. Last I heard, there were something like 12 cars going into the 4th round. That should make me 1 of 6 remaining going into the 5th round. Not a bad night for me huh?! The rest of the event has been scheduled for Jan 2.

I also easily ran a new best. Previous best was in the low 8.8's at 77 mph. I ran steady high 8.5's with a best of 8.56 at 80 mph. That works out to low 13's in the 1/4. Not bad for an almost bone stock motor. I would like to think the new elect fan I installed last week had something to fo with it...but DAMN we had some great weather. Temps in the high 40's to low 30's with low humidity and high barometric preasure.


Me trying to get some heat in the tires on a coooolllldddd night..

http://www.westsidemustangs.com/site/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=27&pos=60

Is that air I see under Guff's tire?

http://www.westsidemustangs.com/site/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=27&pos=73

maveRick
12-07-2003, 07:58 PM
Who pays $1,400 for a Mustang, $39 for a coil and is able to lift the tire at their local car club race?


Nobody right? :confused:

Guffinator
12-07-2003, 08:00 PM
Originally posted by maveRick
Who pays $1,400 for a Mustang, $39 for a coil and is able to lift the tire at their local car club race?


Nobody right? :confused:

Nope :D

White90GT
12-08-2003, 06:52 AM
Photochoppers!

Guffinator
12-08-2003, 07:18 AM
Originally posted by White90GT
Photochoppers!

LOL...fraid not

Saleen91
12-08-2003, 08:14 AM
pics?

Dougstang
12-08-2003, 08:51 AM
Cool pic!



Originally posted by White90GT
Photochoppers!
That would be me! (See Sig):D


Doug

maveRick
12-08-2003, 10:24 AM
I actually saw the 'raw' photo on the camera. "Photoshopped" is what I said it was too - but then I realized that amost all the camera's nowadays don't come with PS. ;)

Now Doug, on the other hand, is going to be asked by me to add some h.p. to my coupe using PS. :D


http://www.westsidemustangs.com/site/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10035/DSC00998.JPG

AGirlWithACoupe
12-08-2003, 11:58 AM
Hehehehe. You can barely see the top of Guffster's head. :p

Sorry to hear about the bad luck, Rick. Stuff seems to be going around lately!

White90GT
12-08-2003, 12:00 PM
In that case, thats awesome dude! You sneak some mods onto that thing or what?

HoustonLX
12-08-2003, 06:32 PM
Originally posted by White90GT
In that case, thats awesome dude! You sneak some mods onto that thing or what?

Its amazing what one can do with a 5 speed, traction, and a hard launch. Thats even on my old BFG DR's.

Guffinator
12-08-2003, 08:03 PM
Originally posted by White90GT
In that case, thats awesome dude! You sneak some mods onto that thing or what?

Nope. It only ran a best of 8.57 with a 1.84 60'. The car isn't that fast...it just got some really drastic weight transfer.