Project 66 Nova

Paul Merolla · 05-19-2016, 12:30 PM

Had my first on-track engine disaster last weekend at Topeka, so I thought I'd add a couple photos to this thread. It had a mysterious oil pressure issue going on, so it wasn't a huge surprise that it let go...still hard to swallow though, especially this early in the season. Big thanks to Larry Vierregger for the tow back to my pit, and also to everyone who expressed their condolences. And especially to John Hladky, who is loaning me a shortblock!

[IMG]

goinbroke2 · 05-19-2016, 09:59 PM

Damn, sorry for your loss. Is that a cap that is spread so wide? One rod bolt let go? Wondering if one loose bolt let oil pressure drop due to the leakage?

Cam and lifter laying there, damn that's too bad. Been there, sickening feeling.

Mark Yacavone · 05-19-2016, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goinbroke2

Damn, sorry for your loss. Is that a cap that is spread so wide? One rod bolt let go? Wondering if one loose bolt let oil pressure drop due to the leakage?

Cam and lifter laying there, damn that's too bad. Been there, sickening feeling.

Spun bearing , tried to weld rod to jourmal, until it flexed and broke.

Paul Merolla · 06-16-2016, 05:00 PM

I wanted to pass along "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say:
I got the borrowed shortblock together and in the car but didn't have time to test before heading to Marion for the Midwest Class Racers deal last weekend. So...after the burnout for Q1 I noticed the oil pressure gauge do a little "flutter." Launched the car, and halfway through 2nd gear the gauge dropped to zero. I immediately pushed in the clutch, and in a few seconds it came back up. The thing had 5 quarts of oil in it, which is 1 more than I normally run. I figured it must be the pump, so ran to Napa and then spent a lovely few hours laying underneath the thing in 97 degree heat and swamplike humidity. Went back up for a test and it did the same thing. At this point I was not in the best of moods to say the least. A few of us had a little powwow and made a list of things that were different in the engine versus previous years: Heads (no effect on oiling), Lifters (had been in the borrowed shortblock for a year or two), and different brand of oil filter. That's all.
I have only used Wix Racing filters since I started racing this car, but for some reason I decided to use K&N this year. Dave Weeks had a Wix in his trailer, so we swapped it in.
Next morning went up for Q1 and it was fine. Ran Q2, fine. Won 2 rounds and lost in E3, no more problems. All this was apparently caused by the wrong brand of oil filter. Just thought I'd share in case anyone else ends up in the same boat: Try the easy stuff first!!!!!!!!

Dan Fahey · 06-16-2016, 05:01 PM

ouch !

Ed Carpenter · 06-16-2016, 06:25 PM

Paul I. Saw that happen to Bob Utsler several years ago. He had a AC Delco oli filter. No oil pressure put a different one on and it fixed it. I have always used Wix 51069R filters with no problems. Ed

Glenn Hayes · 06-16-2016, 06:50 PM

Wix Filters for the Win

That is all I will use.

JRyan · 06-17-2016, 12:23 PM

Interesting Paul. We had the exact same problem with the K&N filter on the two Olds engines. We had never used them. Changed the oil in both cars one weekend then took them to our local car show. Mine lost oil pressure on the way back to the trailer at the end of the show. Thought we hurt something at Brainerd the week before. Couple days later dad started his car to move it and oil pressure came up right away. It sat there for a minute while he was doing some other things. Got back in and it had zero oil pressure. So dad had one of our usual filters sitting there. Put that in good oil pressure. Went and picked up another one for my car spun it on and boom good oil pressure. Needless to say that was our one and only experience with there filters.

Rick

05-19-2016, 12:30 PM	#1
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 612 Likes: 246 Liked 293 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova Had my first on-track engine disaster last weekend at Topeka, so I thought I'd add a couple photos to this thread. It had a mysterious oil pressure issue going on, so it wasn't a huge surprise that it let go...still hard to swallow though, especially this early in the season. Big thanks to Larry Vierregger for the tow back to my pit, and also to everyone who expressed their condolences. And especially to John Hladky, who is loaning me a shortblock! [IMG]

05-19-2016, 09:59 PM	#2
goinbroke2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: NS CANADA Posts: 902 Likes: 1,723 Liked 405 Times in 158 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova Damn, sorry for your loss. Is that a cap that is spread so wide? One rod bolt let go? Wondering if one loose bolt let oil pressure drop due to the leakage? Cam and lifter laying there, damn that's too bad. Been there, sickening feeling.

06-16-2016, 05:00 PM	#4
Paul Merolla Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Papillion, NE Posts: 612 Likes: 246 Liked 293 Times in 65 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova I wanted to pass along "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say: I got the borrowed shortblock together and in the car but didn't have time to test before heading to Marion for the Midwest Class Racers deal last weekend. So...after the burnout for Q1 I noticed the oil pressure gauge do a little "flutter." Launched the car, and halfway through 2nd gear the gauge dropped to zero. I immediately pushed in the clutch, and in a few seconds it came back up. The thing had 5 quarts of oil in it, which is 1 more than I normally run. I figured it must be the pump, so ran to Napa and then spent a lovely few hours laying underneath the thing in 97 degree heat and swamplike humidity. Went back up for a test and it did the same thing. At this point I was not in the best of moods to say the least. A few of us had a little powwow and made a list of things that were different in the engine versus previous years: Heads (no effect on oiling), Lifters (had been in the borrowed shortblock for a year or two), and different brand of oil filter. That's all. I have only used Wix Racing filters since I started racing this car, but for some reason I decided to use K&N this year. Dave Weeks had a Wix in his trailer, so we swapped it in. Next morning went up for Q1 and it was fine. Ran Q2, fine. Won 2 rounds and lost in E3, no more problems. All this was apparently caused by the wrong brand of oil filter. Just thought I'd share in case anyone else ends up in the same boat: Try the easy stuff first!!!!!!!!

06-16-2016, 05:01 PM	#5
Dan Fahey VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,128 Likes: 1,084 Liked 184 Times in 113 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova ouch !

06-16-2016, 06:25 PM	#6
Ed Carpenter Live Reporter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Dripping Springs, Tx Posts: 2,710 Likes: 187 Liked 520 Times in 132 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova Paul I. Saw that happen to Bob Utsler several years ago. He had a AC Delco oli filter. No oil pressure put a different one on and it fixed it. I have always used Wix 51069R filters with no problems. Ed __________________ Ed Carpenter 2005 Chevy Cobalt A/SM Race Engine Development

06-16-2016, 06:50 PM	#7
Glenn Hayes Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Weeki Wachee, Florida Posts: 348 Likes: 416 Liked 18 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova Wix Filters for the Win That is all I will use. __________________ "Real Race Cars Have Tailgates"

06-17-2016, 12:23 PM	#8
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Project 66 Nova Interesting Paul. We had the exact same problem with the K&N filter on the two Olds engines. We had never used them. Changed the oil in both cars one weekend then took them to our local car show. Mine lost oil pressure on the way back to the trailer at the end of the show. Thought we hurt something at Brainerd the week before. Couple days later dad started his car to move it and oil pressure came up right away. It sat there for a minute while he was doing some other things. Got back in and it had zero oil pressure. So dad had one of our usual filters sitting there. Put that in good oil pressure. Went and picked up another one for my car spun it on and boom good oil pressure. Needless to say that was our one and only experience with there filters. Rick