Sounds like everyone had a good time. Wish I'd been able to make it!

I made the mistake of attempting to install an oil distribution block the night before (Thursday). Got it done, but it was soooo late 3:00am that there was no way I was able to test to be certain it worked properly.

Anyway, got up at 6:45am to take the car for a quick alignment. As I'm tying the car down to the trailer I notice a trail of oil. CRAP! Figure I'd take it to the shop anyway and tighten things down when I get home. Get the car on the alignment rack by 7:20 am and it's now spewing oil.:rolleyes The guys at the alignment shop ask me if I knew the car was leaking oil. D'oh.

Alignment gets done and I'm back home by 9:30am (sheesh, already running behind). So, I think a quick tear down on the intak (6 throttle bodies) and I'll be able to move the large intake box out of the way to see what in the heck is wrong. Hmmm, it's leaking from the main bolt on the distribution block and it's TIGHT. What the crap??? Go to call BimmerWorld (crap it's 10 minutes 'til 10:00 am...not open yet!) Go back out and look carefully at how I had put it together. I'm certain it's correct, a crush washer at the head of the bolt and a crush washer on the threads where it connects to the oil block. Bolt it back up and reinstall the intake (6 intake tubes...freak'n 12 nuts). Start the car up...no leaking, yeah. Car sits for a few minutes while I start gathering tools to pack. Look under the car and it's freak'n leaking oil. Here we go again. 6 intake tubes (12 nuts) pull the intake out of the way and remove the oil block. What am I doing wrong???? Hmmm, BimmerWorld should be open now since it's like 10:30am. I get John, he confirms that I'm installing the block correctly and placing the crush washers properly.
So, I go back and reinstall everything, start the car...no oil leaking. I'm under the car looking for dripping...nothing. Whew, this is crazy. Stop the car and get back to packing tools. Check the car again...and I've got a freak'n pool of oil AGAIN. Now, I'm at my wits end. I'm downright pissed. Two nights in a row I was up 'til 3:00am working on getting this car to the race and now I've got a serious oil leak.
I pull the intake back off AGAIN, this time I'm looking very closely at the oil block itself. As I'm feeling around in the area, dang if I don't push on a SECOND crush washer. WHAT!!! You mean to tell me that at 3:00am the night before, I didn't remove that freak'n crush washer??? That's OK, at least I think I've found the problem. So, I bolt the dist. block back up and reinstall the intake (6 tubes, 12 nuts...can I even tell you how many freak'n times I dropped those pretty little chrome nuts down on the side of engine!!! Too many times, that's how many!), start the car...get under the car to look for any signs of oil leaks. You've got to be kidding...it's still leaking!!!! Now, it's close to 2pm...I was gonna leave no later than 11:00am.
Here we go again, I pulled the intake and the dist. block and found that the stock sensors crush washer must have been crushed too many times or something. I was fortunate and found another washer in my arsenal. Now I'm cursing under my breath as my daughter is telling me how sorry she is that I'm having soooo many problems. OK, 2:30pm it's back together and I start the car and NO LEAKS. Let it sit....NO LEAKS.

I'm totally worn out, it's like 100 degrees and I've not slept in 2 days. As I'm packing my tools and INSTALLING the side lexan windows...Todd Brown calls. He tells me that his car might not be ready. His engine hadn't even been dynoed yet!!! I finish getting packed and lexan installed at 4:30. Shower and am about ready to walk out the door and Todd calls again. His car is definitely not going to be ready. I'm supposed to be staying with Todd. I've also got more things to finish installing on the car before tech...and I'm TIRED. I'm litterally feeling dizzy trying to get it all done when I finally relent and told Todd that I was going to cancel. It's not worth killing myself or someone else trying to make a race weekend.
I hated missing the weekend, but I did catch up on my sleep.

The good news in all of this, the car is practically done now. I'll probably finish it up this week.

I really need to know where I can get some seat time ASAP. I need to shake the car out. Anyone know of any events in the southeast for me to get the car on the track?

Ken Arutunian

ps. the way I figure it, I was only about 6 hours off in being able to get it all done in a timely manner. Wow!

We were just discussing working on your car the night before an event... I'm going to be installing my coilovers on Friday before my Buttonwillow day Saturday. :rofl

Keep your fingers crossed for me...

We were just discussing working on your car the night before an event... I'm going to be installing my coilovers on Friday before my Buttonwillow day Saturday. :rofl

Keep your fingers crossed for me...

LOL, installing the coilovers is really easy. It's setting it up that's gonna require TIME.

Yeah, my friend Todd told me to have everything done with two days to spare:D

Ken

LOL, installing the coilovers is really easy. It's setting it up that's gonna require TIME.

Yeah, my friend Todd told me to have everything done with two days to spare:D

Ken
What do you mean, setting it up? I'm not going to be corner balancing... these are just replacing lowering springs/shocks, so I can get something a bit stiffer with adjustability. Car isn't a race car, just DE/auto-x, so I didn't want to spend TOO much $$$.

Am I missing something? :dunno

We ALWAYS end up staying up late working on the cars the night before an event, no matter how far in advance we try to get stuff done. I'm not going to get my suspension delivered in San Diego until Tuesday (was trying to get it by this last weekend, didn't happen), so I got my strut hats in, waiting for my spring hats... that should all be brought up to LA on Thursday night, and Friday we'll attempt the install.

It's inevitable, don't worry. :rofl

All I can say is wow! I guess that Oil Distribution block can be a bitch.

LOL, installing the coilovers is really easy. It's setting it up that's gonna require TIME.

Yeah, my friend Todd told me to have everything done with two days to spare:D

Ken

I have been there and done that before. At least you have the biggest problems out of they way. LOL! If you want some help getting the beast setup give me a call. I can help you out with it since you are close to me.

I have been there and done that before. At least you have the biggest problems out of they way. LOL! If you want some help getting the beast setup give me a call. I can help you out with it since you are close to me.

Seth, you're on brother! When can I get it down your way?

Hey, I don't have your number any more. Shoot me a pm with your number and I'll call ya. Or, feel free to shoot me an email: kenarutunian@hotmail.com

Ken

All I can say is wow! I guess that Oil Distribution block can be a bitch.

ONLY if you don't remove the crush washer and double up on your crush washers!

Actually, it's very simple. The issue is trying to do too much in too little time and at too late in the day...'er evening...'er morning.

K

ONLY if you don't remove the crush washer and double up on your crush washers!

Actually, it's very simple. The issue is trying to do too much in too little time and at too late in the day...'er evening...'er morning.

K
Still no holes in your fuel tank. ;)

Still no holes in your fuel tank. ;)

LOL.

Nope no holes in my fuel tank.
Just to vent a little...I did terrorize my neighborhood on Sunday when I finally had enough energy to get the car off the trailer. Man, does it feel GOOD. I can't wait to get it out on the track.

K

see u at the track sometime Ken...

see u at the track sometime Ken...

Sunir,

I just read about your weekend. I'm sorry that you're having to go through that. We're all destined to have to deal with it sooner or later. I remember losing my first engine at Putnam Park. Towed all night to get there and got in a good day of test n tune and then the engine let go during morning qualifying. It's sickening.

Keep your head and spirits up. You'll come back stronger and with more confidence in your powerplant.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Ken

Ken there is NASA race this weekend at Road Atlanta. You couldn't ask for a better place to get some track time. See you there

Damn, take your time ken :) Things always go bad when rushed like this. An extra weekend now can save you 1-2+ weekends down the road if you screw up one bolt and it causes an incident. Do bolt checks before, after, during, always make sure everything is tight and to spec, and proper washers, and fasteners are used. Most of the failures at the track are from improper installs or maintenance. If something is used how its designed to be used, most likely it won't fail within a full season. It does not encassarily take money to make thing work reliably, just takes patience and preparation (and in this case your time is not really money, however in many cases thats where it gets expensive lol).

And stay hydrated and get some sleep :) Way too many people are not taking hydration seriously enough lately. In this heat, even sitting outside doing nothing you should be drinking a couple dozen bottles of water haha

Goodluck.

Ken there is NASA race this weekend at Road Atlanta. You couldn't ask for a better place to get some track time. See you there

This weekend huh!

Who do I contact to see about getting licensed with NASA?

Ken

Damn, take your time ken :) Things always go bad when rushed like this. An extra weekend now can save you 1-2+ weekends down the road if you screw up one bolt and it causes an incident. Do bolt checks before, after, during, always make sure everything is tight and to spec, and proper washers, and fasteners are used. Most of the failures at the track are from improper installs or maintenance. If something is used how its designed to be used, most likely it won't fail within a full season. It does not encassarily take money to make thing work reliably, just takes patience and preparation (and in this case your time is not really money, however in many cases thats where it gets expensive lol).

And stay hydrated and get some sleep :) Way too many people are not taking hydration seriously enough lately. In this heat, even sitting outside doing nothing you should be drinking a couple dozen bottles of water haha

Goodluck.

Steve, hydration in this heat is definitley an issue. Even though I'd been drinking plenty of water and reduced my caffeine intake...I was dealing with muscle spasms on Friday evening. It's truly best that I didn't attempt to make the race this past weekend.

K

heh I feel for you, on wed I decided to install my fuel cell and side exhaust and didnt finish till 3pm friday and then we packed up and I had to finish a firends car up before we could leave it realy is frustraiting when you keep finding stuff to get done last min.

[QUOTE=vodomagoo]heh I feel for you, on wed I decided to install my fuel cell and side exhaust and didnt finish till 3pm friday and then we packed up and I had to finish a firends car up before we could leave it realy is frustraiting when you keep finding stuff to get done last min.[/QUOTE


Funny. The big stuff was all done. It was simply a case of the detail work. However, the detail work can be quite time consuming, especially if something goes wrong like it did in my case.

K