Well, after putting it off for years - honestly since we put the 3.2 engine in - Huey is finally getting a refreshed engine. To be honest, we're surprised the engine has lasted this long. When we bought it, the seller knew nothing about it, and it took a lot to get it started (not to mention having to move out the mice that had taken up shop under the shroud)

- The leaks are getting much worse
- the rattles in the engine are getting much worse
- there are more 'odd sounds' than there used to be
- there are exhaust gas leaks in multiple places
- we have no idea what the condition of the head studs are
- we have no idea what the condition of the valve guides are
etc
etc
etc....

so, time for a good engine refresh. Probably no upgrades...but hey, never know...'while we're in there'...

got a lot of other little things to clean up too, like wiring, cables, bits here and there, etc. Probably check out and repack the rear CV's, most likely need new axles since I KNOW these are too short (John Forbes put big spacers in there!!) Steering needs to be addressed as there is too much slop in it right now. I think fuel pump is dying..

When done, he'll be good as new!

Good luck with it. My 3.6 is getting tired as well and I'm puttin' it off. Way too much going on to attack it right now because it's still strong... enough.

Just a refresh or improving a bit while you're in there?

Fun project!

THAT's the real question, isn't it??

Actually...probably strengthening up some things - springs and such - to increase the RPM redline a tad. Plus upgrade the chip. Tired of constantly hitting the low rev limiter in autocrosses...

I am not doing the build. I'll do the cleaning, sorting, and check writing. Lou at Exclusive Motowerks is doing all the engine work, Dave Brown formerly of Speedwerks & Renngruppe will do the head work. This is who works on all our cars...

We'll know more when it's apart....

So, here we are over a month later and waiting on the crankshaft to come back from Pauter. There must be something with me and crankshafts lately (looooooong story concerning Papa Smurf)....vendors seem to have NO sense of urgency. All that was being done was to have it check out to see if anything was wrong - we didn't have a spun bearing at all, but with the fiasco we're dealing with regarding Papa Smurfs crank, we didn't want to take any chances. I'm told this crank is perfect...so why taking so long to get back? Who knows....

Very frustrated. Missing an autocross this weekned

First world problems.

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/12/f...ildren.html?m=1

So, basically you won't be driving all summer?

Yeah, I know...woe is me.... but no matter what, it pisses me off when you hire someone to do something based on the information they give, then they don't do what they promised and it causes you an inconvenience...but in the end you have ZERO recourse.

We have been waiting on the crankshaft for Papa Smurf since DECEMBER...seriously, December. The first vendor lied every day I talked to him ("I'm working on it right now, will ship today or tomorrow")....5 months later, we found he did NOTHING....

So I had a friend go to his place, get it, and we shipped it to Pauter - reputable place, I've bought rods and stuff from them, my mechanic does a lot of work with them, etc....said Papa's would take a month to finish, and Huey's would be a week - just a check out to make sure it's OK. Both cranks got there the end of April... 2 weeks ago, I was told (by Pauter directly) that Huey's crank was fine and would be shipped that day...I asked what took so long being that when we shipped they said they would look at it immediately because of the timetable. I was told that they got busy and can't expect things to happen quickly (um...but that was why we sent it to you in the first place...) Yesterday I was told they hadn't shipped it back yet, and "should get around to shipping it back this week..." WTF???

Papa's is another story...turns out the first guy DID do something...that was to screw it up...so, two weeks ago when Huey's was supposedly shipping, they said they could fix it up pretty quick. Two weeks later...not much has been done.... no ETA given...

I don't think its unreasonable to expect that when people say their going to do something, they do it, or if they can't, they own up to it, be honest, and stop lying about it...ESPECIALLY when they're being PAID for it!!!

Yes, I'm pissed off. and Rich..who knows. Most likely not Papa Smurf... as far as Huey...., we've now screwed our autocross season so our next event is probably the hill climb in September..assuming we have the car back together by then.

Sorry man, but how do you really feel


Would you like to borrow a type 4 motor to get you through the season

Rich

Right as I hit send I had a thought...

You need a spare motor....seriously.

Get in touch with SLITS and find one.
Find a used motor, put it in a car....then you have a spare, unmodified motor read to go if /when needed.

Rich

for which car? Papa?
Problem is...nothing would work with the ECU set up.

Huey? Would need to be a 3.2...and I really don't have the cash for a full 3.2 engine to just be sitting around. I can't even afford to just replace the crank...which would have been the easiest option.

At this point, we have so much money in Papa's engine trying to solve the oil starvation issues that quite honestly, I can't afford to even use it!!

Rich is right. If a lot of your enjoyment centers around driving and racing these 2 cars, You need a spare motor.

spare 3.2 for Huey. Sorry, cant help you withe the money part

Honestly, Huey is not a problem. This is an inconvenience brought on by misinformation...just frustrating. That engine has been (fairly) bulletproof since we got it and extremely reliable. The refresh was WAY overdue. I don't foresee any issues in the future...just timing....Had Pauter said they would not have it back in time, I would have waited until after this weekend...but they guaranteed it would be quick, assuming nothing was wrong with the crank...which there isn't.

Papa is another matter...it's a full blow race engine pushing out 350+ hp which honestly is a bit underpowered as it is for my class. But the engine has NOT been the problem...problems have been centered around the oil delivery system. We've had about every bad luck scenario you can imagine, from collapsed lines, to bad rods to some self inflicted issues.... so a spare engine would not have worked there either...and again, it would never work with the ECU...

but I bet you could justify a spare motor to your wife this week

I am still kicking myself for dumping my spare motor for way too cheap a few years ago! I have a fully race-prepped 7R case sitting here that I may do something with eventually.

I feel your frustration. I was planning on driving my car

LAST MONTH.

I Almost sold my spare Franz Blam 2.5 Twin Plug for Cheap, then I came to my senses. It needs to be refreshed, but it's not going anywhere

What I really need is a spare complete car. and I know of a GREAT one that I could run HSR racing with. Just a 2.0/4, but very well prepped for racing - and it's street legal!

But....

No room to keep it, and no money to buy it at the moment. The contract work I've been doing finished months ago so I've been looking for more work. Right now, we're all on Nadine's income (which is quite good, but still)

OK, I'm going to vent again with some of my 1st world problems...and a spare motor would NOT have helped here so you can just hold your tongue Mr. Towle....

The last event we did with Huey before the engine work was an autocross, at which I hit a cone and cracked the front splitter (and I always say you can't hurt your car in an autocross!!)

Anyway, a buddy of mine (and 914 owner) convinced me to use the body shop his good friend owns. Now, this is no small little fly-by-night shop, they are an Audi, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes etc authorized body shop, one of the big boys here in Charlotte. I have a somewhat negative history with them (long story), but I was convinced to let them make it up to me and give them a second chance.... All they were doing was to fix and paint the splitter/valence, front bumper (because it was getting too stone chipped, figured why not get it done) and the engine tins that I sand blasted.... all the same color, all the color that the bumper and splitter currently was.

so...I gave them all the parts that were THE CORRECT COLOR, handed them an old paint can WITH THE CORRECT COLOR (and said to keep it, do not throw it away), and off handed said 'oh, the color is called Sunoco Yellow, but just match it to what it currently is'...

This is what I got:
Click to view attachment


Notice the excellent color matching??? (it's worse than it looks in the picture)

so...I called and said the color match wasn't even close, then had to listen to a 15 minute dissertation about how hard Sunoco Yellow was to find, that nobody makes it, and was made to feel that is was MY FAULT that the color doesn't match because I told them to make it Sunoco Yellow, which is exactly what he said they (supposedly) did.... I actually cut him off and said "But you had the f'ing parts in the correct color already!! All you had to do was match what you already HAD!!!"

Oh, and the front grill that I asked paint yellow...they painted black...and they chucked the paint can I told them to keep....

So...we're on to round two. We'll see how that goes. I'm not holding my breath...

I give up...somewhere along the lines I must have pissed someone off and am paying for it now.....

Do we have a surrender flag I can wave??

I am sorry you are having a hard time at the moment.
I will keep all my sarcasm to myself until you are weaker....


Pm me and tell me what type of contract work you do....might know someone.

OMG I almost spit out my coffee!!!

Perfect!!

Spoken like a true friend! We've never met, but I can feel the love!!


You ARE coming to Okteenerfest, right?

engine going back together!!

Hope to be driving Huey next weekend.
New bearings, new cams, replaced a few 'questionable' rods, ported the heads a little, new valve guides, rockers, springs, etc. Not big changes, just some much needed sealing, gasketing, and replacing of old worn out parts.

got the painted stuff back again...it's closer, but not perfect. Will hold judgement until the parts are on the car and the entire car is buffed out to match the shine of the bumper/splitter.

And Andy...you need to put that smiley in the list, label is "surrender"

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

Got Huey back last week, been putting miles on the new engine before this weekends PCA autocross.
got the bumper and splitter repainted. It's very close, close enough I guess...
Runs GREAT!! Engine feels much stronger, tighter, more responsive.

Can't wait for the autocross!!

Click to view attachment

Man, does that thing ever look good.

Looks sharp !

Good Luck at your AutoX, if it drives like it looks, you should have a good day.

-Don

thanks guys.
with the older, tired engine, I could usually get in the top 5 or so fastest Porsches (there are a couple SCCA Champion ringers that come with fully prepped purpose built cars, so they don't count). I've had 1 FTD. I'm hoping with the new build, I can compete for FTD or come close....that usually goes to the event chair husband and wife in the fully race prepped GT3RS. What really helps that car is the high rev limiter - you can wind it all the way to 8200 rpm. I get caught hitting the 2nd gear rev limit many times just a second or so before hitting the brakes for a turn. gotta work on that

Our autocrosses are FAST and LONG...last one measured just at a mile, FTD was 1:04 If I remember to bring the GoPro, I'll post video.

Bob. Now that my son is attending Davidson college, I will try to catch up some time and watch you put Huey through his paces. Mark

Absolutely! Davidson is a great school in a great little town.
Anytime you're in the area, give me a shout. I'm only 15-20 minutes from there.
You're coming to Okteenerfest...right??

Get a smaller 3rd gear, short shift and stomp on the go pedal..

Stop being a wimp.

Ha! Easier to increase the rev limiter. Just need a new chip.
Unfotunately, it pouring rain, so no autocrossing today. . Really wanted to try out the new engine!!

Hey...so you coming to Okteenerfest??