Over the weekend I was able to get replacement Monroe strut cartridges up front changed out. That one shock was indeed blown, you aren’t supposed to hear little pieces rattling around inside. Next, seeing that all the goodness had escaped out of the rally FX’s airconditioning, I spent the earlier part of the week removing the A/C components. I was planning to transfer it over to the daily FX anyway and lightening the load goes with this being the race FX. Got the condenser, accumulator and the plumbing out, figure that should be good for more than a few pounds. The compressor and evaporator are still in there as those two take some work.
Then on Friday night, day before the race, I got the bug into my butt that as long as I was going that far, I might as well swap radiators. The radiator that was in the daily FX was a plastic tanked, aluminum cored unit. Doing the scientific soda A soda B comparison by lifting in left and right hand, it’s’ noticeably lighter than the all brass one. Easy swap.
The result? The race yesterday was fun, even though it turned into a dust bowl since the water truck broke down midday. I posted some fast times, among the top, unfortunately I was also the cone killer of the day. I blame that on Cory, who posted posted the fastest acculmulated time last month in the FX. So now I knew the FX could be fast, and I was trying too hard. So after all those cones and the one off course from not being able to see amidst the dust cloud, I’m pretty sure I’ll be near the bottom of times.
And now there’s the race aftermath. The shocks felt ok, and installing bottom out bumpers prevented more potential damage. I’ll have to do the rear some day. The cone intake stayed together this time. The battery shifted mid event, I need to figure a little more secure fastening than stock since the Diehard Platinum is slighter smaller than stock, while being a fair amount hevier. Yes I know, if this is race I should be going with a lighter battery, but I like the fact that even with a dead alternator I was able to drive home from Barber’s Point/Kapolei to Hawaii Kai. The exhaust flex pipe seemed to be okay, but the nuts and studs connecting the flex to the exhaust manifold came loose at the end of the day. After my last run the car died upon crossing the finish and when I restarted it started stumbling and making rude noises. I saw that the exhaust was loose, figured the O2 sensor must be getting bad readings since it’s right at that joint. The drive home was once again noisy and stinky. And the final body count after this event is I need a new set of rims. I discovered as I was switching back to street tires that the rim that a few events ago debeaded a tire, aside from being scuffed, was actually cracked. Ah, cast aluminum. These rims were slightly too wide for the tires anyway.
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