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High Speed Fail !

drags lh 355 trimatic lockup linkages

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#1 _Busabug_

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 03:44 PM

G'day to all,Took my car to the drags for the first time yesterday.Bought it already set up and had only done six passes, best of which was 10.7 @ 129mph.My plan is to get it on the road .Obviously some changes and sacrifices have to be made but I'm ok with that as its too much for the street anyway imo.Its an LH with 355 stroker,toughened tri-matic, 9 inch ,full spool, 3.77 gears etc.I've had car re-wired,installed interior including dash,heater,wipers and made some adjustments ,timimg,valve clearances etc...thats all so far .Going slow on purpose cause I was waiting for a chance to take her to the drags.

 

I was very happy at my first pass.Took it easy, medium burnout , launched at 2800ish , ( 2800 stally) ,and took her to about 5800 (limiter @ 7000) for a result of 11.26 @ 125mph.At the end of that run i stopped to speak to a marshall about where the finish line actually is as its hard to spot at Heathcote.I put my car in neutral ,spoke to him for 30 seconds and then could not select a gear to drive away.Fiddled with it a little and realized that it was actually in reverse which is strange because you have to go back to drive and lift shifter (B&M Quicksiver) to select reverse or park.I switched car off and moved linkages underneath it with my hands and all seemed to be fine again.Second run I launched a little harder and took her out further but backed off early looking for that damned finish line for an 11.24@ 110mph.But that's only the least of the bad news.....

 

DISASTER !!!!

 

As i went over the what i thought was the finish line I backed off the pedal and this time I decided to flick car into neutral.I know there is much debate about whether this should be done and i learnt the hard way.I will never do it again.I had instant full lock up of the rear ,got fully sideways with the car even beginning to bounce sideways.At this stage i was positive I was going for a roll but she somehow settled and aimed for the opposite wall which I managed to steer away from and just graze  on drivers side ( I was in left lane).Damage is ,slight panel damage to guard and both doors, broken flares, 3 damaged rims, 4 flat spotted tires (front wore right through and popped).Couldn't have asked for a better result from a near 200kph spill.Car has no cage.I could be dead.Scared me a little afterwards.At the end of all this shifter was again not working like after first run so i again moved linkages back and forth and ended up backing car off the trailer and all seems to work , not even a leak.

 

Gonna leave this one to a pro.I will be taking car to an auto specialist as he wants to check out the gates on shifter and auto etc. but am interested in the thoughts of some of you knowledgeable  ones.

If it went into reverse wouldn't it have self destructed?Wouldn't something at least break with decent sticky slicks on the back? Is it something else?Someone yesterday suggested rear brakes being to tight and heat from burnout causes seizing so once you let off the pedal you get lock up?Car was rolling no problem though.

 

Thanks in anticipation of your thoughts.Feeling lucky to be alive :)) Three weeks ago I hit a Buffallo at 110kph in Kakadu Nat. Park. Someone must be looking after me but this car thing must be sorted asap.

 



#2 ls2lxhatch

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 05:17 PM

The most likely explanation is that the transmission went into reverse.

 

The locals used to do this for entertainment on a quite country road between two salt lakes in Carnamah in the 80s.

 

The weight will transfer forward reducing rear traction.



#3 LXCHEV

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 05:30 PM

Sounds like a wild ride, glad you didn't come to grief and the damage to the car could be so much worse too.

Got any pics of your car to share? It sounds like a very tough combo.

#4 _Busabug_

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 05:34 PM

You're right it is the most likely explanation but I would have thought that at that speed it wouldn't go in at all, even if you tried to select it.And also wouldn"t it shatter internals?



#5 _Busabug_

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 05:38 PM

G'day LX Chev.I have trouble putting pics here for some reason.Have them in my garage if you can see that.Also have video of yesterday , just missed gettin the spill on tho. .Will try to put that up.And yep wild ride alright.



#6 _Busabug_

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 05:51 PM

http://www.gmh-toran...lden-lh-torana/



#7 N/A-PWR

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 06:43 PM

Hello Paul,

 

Just for Info,

 

I was Angel Driving in an Auto once,

 

going from neutral to drive, down a 13km mountain,

 

until, I thought I was in drive (neutral really), and put it into reverse at 70km/h,

 

and bang goes the gearbox, engine stalled, stopped the car, looked around underneath,

 

no oil nothing, so started it up and drove on.

 

Didn't do Angel Driving again Hey, phew.  :furious:



#8 IMORAL

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 07:12 PM

Silly question. Has the tranny got a full manual valve body? Allot are reverse pattern when they are so maybe what you thought was natural may have been first?
Just a thought anyway. And why did you want it in neutral anyway? If it's to read the plugs you would want it switched off as well and then get towed back to the pits? A Mate has done both ways and to be honest I haven't seen a huge difference in reading the plugs. That said it wasn't a sub 10 second deal or anything.

And love to hear what combo your car is. Sounds a real weapon!

#9 EunUCh

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 07:18 PM

Hit reverse by accident on wet road doing 60 kph , that was bad enough let alone at 200 ,that would be scary shit.

 

Tried to drive an SS Camaro with one of those shifters ....biggest piece of shit to get into gear..complicated garbage that belongs 

in the green storage facility on the sidewalk...with the glimmer drive system.



#10 _Busabug_

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 07:41 PM

G'days guys .Yep scary shit alright.Happens so fast you haven't got time to be scared but the thought of it now is a bit scary,I'm nearly 49 but still to young to die I rkn :))And Paul , coz I'm an idiot.Wont be doin it again.I've had a few quickish cars but nothing like this and havent raced in 20 years.Was told that shifting to N relieves stress on engine components on deceleration .I think this is a linkage problem but even so I wont be attempting N in the future.I've put up a post titled "New Drag Car " if you want to read about combo.



#11 IMORAL

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Posted 06 July 2015 - 07:48 PM

lol that would have been an oh shit moment for sure.
I have never knocked mine into natural at the track. Just back off and get on the brakes.
It sounds like an adjustment issue. I have the same silly shifter but have never had that trouble.





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