ianbru
Midfielder
Surprisingly, Ian Bru is not my real name! (it's Greg)
Posts: 96
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Post by ianbru on Mar 21, 2010 16:26:06 GMT
Good to meet all you fellow racers and marshals today Well, not a great end to todays test. This was my very first time out with the XR2 after a few months of getting it ready. Although I've done hundreds of Knockhill trackday laps, I couldn't believe how nervy I was feeling prior to heading out for my first session. So, here's a quick summary - 1st lap - Onto the circuit and kept it steady to warm up the brakes and tyres, happy that I avoided the white XR2 spinning in front of me. 2nd lap - actually started to feel quite at ease with the car as it was doing everything quite nicely. Having never driven anything but rear drivers on track, I was quite pleased with the feel of the car, even correcting a nice gentle slide through Carlube. 3rd lap, heading down to the hairpin, changed up from 3rd to 4th, missed the cog and that was that Trailered the car back home before lunchtime and whipped the head off to find a headfull of bent valves. I've looked for every excuse possible, but depressingly can't avoid the fact it was probably just driver error I've heard before that it's quite easy to "buzz" the CVH engine..... and today I discovered just how easy it is Anyway, I kind of expected that the engine would need a rebuild at some point this season...... but not quite so soon! Any recommendations...... ICR etc? Of if anyone has a spare one in good nick, I'd be happy to hear from you. Ach well.... happy days eh!
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Post by aland on Mar 21, 2010 16:45:36 GMT
unlucky mate, was wondering where you had gone as we hung about and watched some of the testing. good to say g'day anyway
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ianbru
Midfielder
Surprisingly, Ian Bru is not my real name! (it's Greg)
Posts: 96
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Post by ianbru on Mar 21, 2010 17:11:42 GMT
Cheers Alan, good to meet you too. My daughter Hayley really enjoyed the Marshals training too and is looking forward to her first day out in orange!
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Post by aland on Mar 21, 2010 18:37:10 GMT
nice one mate, thought the training today was pretty good both the classroom stuff and the scenarios we did down in paddock 2. Glad your DD enjoyed it, the real stuff happens out on track but if she listens and learns from the track marshals and IO's she will do well
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Post by emicen on Mar 21, 2010 22:07:02 GMT
Good day out here. First time out on track pretty much ever (at least since I quit karting 15years ago, aged 12!)
Was also good to meet you Alan, everyone was really friendly and chatty, made the day a lot more relaxed.
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Post by Mike Strong on Mar 21, 2010 22:36:50 GMT
Sadly another XR2 has gone to race on the big racetrack in the sky... www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeNMgsYHREQ(Youtube is playing silly buggers tonight and is taking forever to refresh the video details / descriptions / searches etc.)
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Post by Blair on Mar 21, 2010 22:58:16 GMT
Nasty looking that Mike, not the way anyone would want to start a season. Did you have the new Yokohama tyres on ?
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Post by XR2 Baz on Mar 22, 2010 10:01:52 GMT
Jeez, normally we wait till nearer the end of the season before we hit the self destruct button!
That's a shame though, not how you want to start the season. Buzzed engines are sometimes save-able unless the valves have mashed up the pistons and head big time. Sorry wish I had a spare myself.
What was the result of the roll. is it bad? From Mike's video there's nowt could have been done to save it.
How did everyone else get on? Any more interesting times set on the Yoko's?
Baz
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Post by emicen on Mar 22, 2010 10:26:08 GMT
The XR2 is finished, doesn't even bare thinking about the outcome were it not for the cage. As it was, cuts and bruises were about the sum of it.
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ianbru
Midfielder
Surprisingly, Ian Bru is not my real name! (it's Greg)
Posts: 96
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Post by ianbru on Mar 22, 2010 10:45:41 GMT
thought my luck was bad after buzzing the engine, but it's nothing compared to the above! Can't remember the blokes name but I think it was his first time out in the car. Absolutely gutted for him!!
Baz, the pistons and valves are hardly marked, although they've connected enough to lose compression on all 4 pots. On inspection of the bores there is a bit of wear and tear so it's probably time to bite the bullet and get a full engine job. It might mean missing the first race weekend, but the budget is getting pretty stretched now.
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Post by Blair on Mar 22, 2010 11:13:03 GMT
Greg - I buzzed my engine before and it actually bent the exhaust valves, the stalk part of the valve (sorry, not sure if thats the right term..) was where the kink was. That was at the first meeting of 2008 during qualifying and I thought that was the end of my day but the ICR boys had them all replaced in about 1.5 hrs!
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Post by Mike Strong on Mar 22, 2010 11:47:54 GMT
thought my luck was bad after buzzing the engine, but it's nothing compared to the above! Can't remember the blokes name but I think it was his first time out in the car. Absolutely gutted for him!! Baz, the pistons and valves are hardly marked, although they've connected enough to lose compression on all 4 pots. On inspection of the bores there is a bit of wear and tear so it's probably time to bite the bullet and get a full engine job. It might mean missing the first race weekend, but the budget is getting pretty stretched now. If it were me I'd hold off on a full engine rebuild for now - from memory your car seemed to pull fine when Ian last had it out. Plus an engine rebuild is well over a grand and you may find that money could be best spent elsewhere (or maybe even not at all).
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ianbru
Midfielder
Surprisingly, Ian Bru is not my real name! (it's Greg)
Posts: 96
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Post by ianbru on Mar 22, 2010 12:06:20 GMT
Hi Blair, if it's just a head job I can do that myself, maybe not in 1.5 hours mind you, but I've refurbished a few CVH heads in the past so I've a bit of familiarity with them.
Blair, thanks for that. It's still an option just to do the head work, but the bores are clearly marked, although not yet scored. There was also a good bit of breather smoke and pressure, so although it was going ok, I'd have to refresh the engine at some point. I spoke to Ian Cowie after it happened (good bloke too!) and he reckoned the sump or head hadn't been off the car for at least a couple of seasons. If I only did the head then threw a rod out of the block mid season I'd just kick myself!
My latest thinking is to maybe do the head myself and get the block and bottom end done elsewhere. Happy to receive any PM's with recommendations (ICR or any others?)
Mr Santanders free money services might have to be called upon again methinks
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Post by emicen on Mar 22, 2010 12:48:59 GMT
Agra build good engines. John Fyda was up in his Lotus on Sunday too, runs in the blood up there.
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Post by XR2 Baz on Mar 22, 2010 15:00:13 GMT
The XR2 is finished, doesn't even bare thinking about the outcome were it not for the cage. As it was, cuts and bruises were about the sum of it. Sad to hear about the car, pleased to hear the cage did it's job and you're OK. Having tested a few roll cages myself, I like them. Baz
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