Slant Six Forum :: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"

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Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant" https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35632	Page 74 of 124

Author:	Dart270 [ Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:40 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Condition, but yes, of the union would be another possibility for some... Lou

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Thu May 10, 2018 10:08 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
I just had my M/T slicks mounted and balanced on Centerlines. One took 3.5 and the other 7.5! They rotated the tire on the wheel 180*, but it made no difference. I don’t have time to mess with it now, but I’ll let them know...

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
We all had a nice weekend of racing at Motor Mile last week. Great people to hang around with when it is 98 degrees and then you need to get into a race car! Anyway, the Valiant ran well all weekend except for the solder joint on my alternator main feed came loose. I didn't know it until Lou gave me another alternator to swap on and it didn't want to work right either. Then someone located the loose wire end. We fixed that with a big hammer and a bolt! Thanks Lou! And then we were off to the races. The car did it's job all weekend but the driver was the problem. On Sunday I decided to heed Brian Mimkens advice from a few years back. If you red light you ain't gonna win. So instead of cutting it too close I decided to just not red light, and it paid off with a win. I made 5 runs in the car and they were all really close: 9.085 / 9.066 / 9.051 / 9.067 / 9.067 74.47 / 75.01 / 75.58 / 75.09 / 75.41 I think that is all I can ask for the car, and the rest is up to me. Practice, practice, practice is the key. Doing the same things over and over until you are "staged" will help us all. I know I need it. Funnest race was against Rob as he said. Both identical lights down to the .0001th!! I had no idea who won and I think when we got back to the pits we both said, "No Way !!" How often does that happen. I ran 3.91 gears, left at 2800 RPM every run, shifted at 6100 RPM every run, ran wide open every run, and forgot to look at my A/F gauge on every run!! Looking forward to Wilkesboro in another month. You all need to try and get out there. That is a great little track also and they treat us superb! See you all there!

Author:	slantzilla [ Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
You can not ask for a more consistent car. Good deal Rick!

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Car ran fine at Wilkesboro, but the driver was having trouble finding the tree. When staging I seemed to be pushing into the lights and Kay Hamby noticed it and mentioned it to me. If I tried to bring the car up above 2600-2800 RPM I was on the edge of pushing in. So this week I installed all new brakes front and rear that were semi metallic. New front rotors also, because it needed them. Just in my garage without the brakes being cycled or anything I could go right up over 3000-3200 without any problem. Hopefully it will help me stage a little more consistent.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Went to the Mopar drags at Mason Dixon and tried for the 3rd time to get a race in. I am beginning to think Charlie and I are drinking the same cool aid. Beautiful sunny day, what could go wrong. I'm just here to try out the new brakes and make a couple passes. Go through tech and wait for them to cal Pro up and I head up to the staging lane. As I head up I noticed I forgot to flip my low oil pressure cut off switch on. When I did it killed the engine. A quick look at the gauge and it is reading zero!! Retried it just for a couple seconds and no pressure. So I arrive at 11:00, load up at 12:15, and head home. After checking the oil level, filter and switch (The obvious things) I realize the motor has to come out! Started at 2:15 and at @ 5:5:15 I had this. Attachment: IMG_5108.JPG [ 79.43 KiB \| Viewed 5113 times ] After I got the pan off I found the pick up had broke off in the block. I debated whether or not to install a brace on the pick up. Now I know the answer. Attachment: IMG_5113.JPG [ 53.08 KiB \| Viewed 5113 times ]

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Sun Aug 05, 2018 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Sorry to see that, Rick. You work fast! Good catch!

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:03 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
I have to pull the bearings yet. Hopefully they look OK. Should know tonight.

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:37 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
I wonder if the heat from that weld near the threads weakened it...(?) It's a bit more bulky and cumbersome, but adding standard pipe nipple and a joint to extend the tube may be a more sturdy method. Or consider welding the extension further from the threads on the next one.

Author:	DadTruck [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 8:31 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Quote: heat from that weld and see the posts at Greg O's low oil pressure thread about shimming the oil pick up, may be easier than fabricating a bracket.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
The bracket would likely be one of the easiest thing to do in my mind. I don't want my pick up tight on the floor. Any way I will likely go ahead and install the external pump on the motor if it is not damaged. If it is damaged then the back up motor will go in. RC

Author:	Ron Hamby [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 12:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
Hope it isn't damaged Rick. Go ahead and put the ext. pump on anyway you will be happy you did.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 2:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
I think you are right Ron. I have things sort of mocked up on my back up engine but there are a lot of things to move and change. Plus I don't like rushing things when I'm working on the race car. Unless it is pulling the engine then I try and go like gang busters!! I'm off to the garage to look at the bearings. Depending on what I find it may make my decision easier. Quote: adding standard pipe nipple That pick up extension was made from a 2" pipe nipple.

Author:	slantzilla [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:17 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"
IIRC, Mike cut the pickup further down and put the extension piece in to stay away from the cracking up top. Good luck Rick, hope it's not too bad.

Author:

Rick Covalt [ Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:49 pm ]

Post subject:

Re: Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"

Here are some pictures. The crank looks perfect. I pulled the center 2 mains since they are the easiest to get to and they feed 2 rods each. I pulled the # 1, 3,4, 6 rods and will go ahead and pull the other 2 . All the bearings look exactly the same. I think they just show the normal wear of a 6000 RPM race motor with 70+ runs on it. None of the places on the bearings that look like lines are able to be felt with a fingernail. They all feel smooth. I am thinking the shinier spots are the high load areas and normal wear?? At least I hope so. I was hoping not to pull 1 and 4 mains if everything else looked fine but maybe I should? Opinions on the bearings?

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