FlatCad Racing's Quest for 200 MPH-a Cadillac Flathead Story!

Can't wait to hear the next version......

 

I'm a little late in posting this but the ol flatcad engine is on it's way to don at d&d engineering where he and buddy will be tearing her down for inspection and some minor repair and tweaking here is a pic of it loaded on the freight truck ready for safe travel to California




Chrome don't get ya home

 

The engine was delivered to Don in Turlock this afternoon. I'll be flying in Friday, so that we can take it a part, assess the damage, and get it repaired.

 

Hi Buddy used the Lock and Stitch stuff on my lakester block all went well with the install After the block underwent three more hard runs I found the crack was now along the edge of the pins so it continued to open up. Hope you have better luck on the Caddy block.
Ronnieroadster

 

Ronnie, that doesn't sound good!

Lo0king back, do you think there is a better option?

 

Buddy sending a PM
Ron

 

I knew that you guys are famous, but just found a small, but very nice video Look closely to the end of this;
http://blogs.hotrod.com/roadkill-episode-20-speed-week-at-bonneville-82381.html#axzz2fSl80bem

K

..................................
Taildragger&fenderless

 

Thanks Kjell!

Ronnie, I'll give you a holler in a couple of days, when things settle down!

Well, we had been worried we were stressing the block too much, and that the exhaust port crack was a 'stress' crack.

It was, but not because we were hammering the engine too hard! When we switched from head bolts to studs, it seemed like a great idea-still does. However, the studs were just a tad too long, and were tightened into the port, cracking it! So, the damage is self-induced!

We thought maybe this happened on the salt, but now know better-we never touched the drivers side studs, yet they are showing the same symptoms. this from Don:

I removed the heads and took a good look at area we cracked and you can see by
the picks we are lucky we did not do this to all the ports. These pics are from
the opposite side of the block we cracked look close you can see where the
studs jammed against the back side of the runners

So, we'll write this down as a learning experience, and get the studs trimmed!. We also scored one cylinder. We won't know until we tear it all the way down if there was a ring issue, or if the water leakage possibly washed the oil away, causing the damage.

The roller lifter setup worked great, and looks great, but I'll let Don post that up!

 

Buddy bet me I could not wait to open up the motor and check out my lifter system -- Well he was right , I could not wait - I was nerves of course ,, but after I opened it up and checked it out It was like brand new .. all the valve lashes were right on and the surfaces are perfect. We will change out the rollers every year as a maintenance routine just to be safe

 

I had some spare time on my hands waiting for the motor to show up so I built a portable hoist setup that we can take apart and take with us to BV. or where ever there is a motor to pull . it is all alum , the legs slip in to sockets and it can be assembled in about 10 min or less, It will lift 1000lb.

 

Good news about the port damage a simple fix you guys lead a charmed life for sure. Wish the fix was that easy with the Ford blocks! Great looking A frame lift assembly might need to borrow that one day on the salt. Seeing all the detail put into the roller assemblys I knew that would be fine good stuff for sure.

 

Damn don I wish I had time to waste building kool useful spectacular tools like that. Thats some damn Fine work there


Chrome don't get ya home

 

Don, the roller setup is sweet-very nice job!

The engine hoist is great, but I hope we don't need it! I guess we better get the backup engine together just in case though!

 

post 699 shows the cam lobes...it looks like flat spots and chips along the edge of the lobe (bottom image), or is it an optical illusion, not enough coffee, oil or did you float the valves trying to make a 4 speed a 6 speed?

 

What you are seeing is there is still allot of oil on everything distorting your look , there is no flat spots or chipping at all,, after we remove the cam and lifters and clean them I will post some better pics ..

 

So, what will be the final fix for the cracks? I'm very curious.

 

we wont know until we finish tearing down the motor -- we should know at the end of October

 

Probably a stupid idea, but could you use epoxy?


K

.................................
Taildragger&fenderless

 

That cam looks beautiful Don! great job.....
hope you guys can salvage the block...

 

Carl, no worries about salvaging the block! We have a couple of different ways we can go to fix it, and will make a decision in 2 weeks when I get to Don's place.

 

I have an up dated as I do the dirty work.... Cleaning up all the parts,, I split the heads and cleaned the chambers to check the coating if there was any damage like last year had. I was pleased to see they held up a lot better . here is a few areas with minor issues but I think we can run them without re coating




Last year we had between the 2 half's of the head allot of heat indicators that told us we were running lean at Ohio this year they look good

 

SO ---- As I was cleaning the heads I made a decision to take some parts to Valley Balancing to run through there cleaning tank,, I decided to remove the oil pan and go ahead and have it cleaned also------------WELL BIG SURPRISE AWAITED !!!!!!!

This is what I found in the bottom of the pan






now --- where did a 1/8" roll pin come from ??????? the Mag ? NO all good ,, So I dug in a little further and removed the distributor mounting block and the front cover !!!!!

 

warning _____ these images can be disturbing !!!!!!

 

Buddy was upset we could not make an attempt to backup our 186 MPH run but the flatcad gods were looking down on us that morning ..... this is what I found


This is the timing gears, or what is left of it !







If we did go out it would have let go !!!!

 

Well, it's apparent we weren't going to be successful on the backup run, even if we had not had the port issue!

Don reports the dizzy housing is scored, so it's apparent we lost at least part of the gear pin from either the dizzy or mag, causing the timing gear issue!

 

Man Buddy you guys must live right, Could have been a major boomer,, Tim Jones

 

WOW, close call, could have been a lot more carnage under the timing cover!

Do you suppose the cylinder scoring was caused by small chips of the coating on the head getting trapped beside the piston?

 

Bob, anything is possible. It's also possible a water leaked 'wiped' the oil from the sopt, a ring is broke, etc.

We'll know more in a couple of weeks when we do the tear down, and we'll post the results here.

 

Well looks like the flatgods were shining, think what might have been, it hurts to even think of it!..............
200+ in 14!!!!

 

I've found the damndest crap in oil pans myself. Broken main cap bolt heads, a dime one time, little bits of broken this & that. Amazing what the innards of your engine will do behind your back.

Bob