Towy's new race car

[Towmaster]

I can't believe I am getting so many like for a Commodore on a Cobra site.........

Actually come to think of it..... most of the likes are from the guys that have Commodore engines in their Cobras....... ha ha

[Towmaster]

Ok so another bit of an update. I have got most of the bits I need to screw this thing together now and have taken a few pictures along the way.

This is with the manifold removed and showing the complicated AFM valley cover


Removing the rockers. I will be installing an upgraded trunion kit before I put these back in. They have a habit of dropping needle rollers in the oil pan..


All of the rockers removed. Check the different shaped rockers....


Showing the oil galleries to feed the AFM or DOD system.


This is the difference between the AFM and non AFM lifters.


Heads valley cover and water pump removed


Old timing gear and chain etc.


Sump and pump and some lines from the bottom.


I will break it up a bit.... not sure how much it can take....

[Towmaster]

Next lot coming up....

New double row timing chain, new crank sprocket and cam in place.


New ARP rod bolts in place, also shows Reluctor wheel


I had to block off this hole with a piece of aluminium I turned down in the lathe. This is where the regular oil pump feeds oiil into the engine. Mine is now fed in where the oil filter would have originally been. I also made a 4mm aluminium plate to cover the hole, it is secured by the original oil pump locating holes. Sorry forgot to get a photo.


A bit of clearancing required for double row chain. It's the bit near the sensor.....


Timing cover back in place.


Sat the heads and pipes on ....... mmmmmm




And last but not least I bought a heat exchanger from a guy called Gene Felton.... Wikipedia him...


And that's about it for now. Gotta put the heads back on and a bit more fabrication work to do to mount the thremo fans and the heat exchanger etc.

[Towmaster]

And now time for a little pipe porn......











I have also been doing a bit of research on what yo uneed to do to a 6 litre commodore engine to successfully race it. i.e. to keep it alive for more than a few sprint laps. They make good horsepower but are a bit suspect over longer distances unless you do a few (relatively inexpensive) things to them.

Except of course the dry sump system..... that will set you back 'around' the $4k mark with all plumbing etc..... And that is for a 3 stage system.

If anyone is interested in finding out what I found out just let me know. I might just put it on here if there is enough interest. Didn't want to put it up and annoy the Ford (ahem) fans.

[Modena]

This is a thread about a Chev powered race car, so let's have the Chev details!

[Towmaster]

Ok well I guess one request is one request so here goes.
I'm not saying this is the gospel on bullet proofing a gen 3/4 Chev, it's just what I have found out from scouring the net.

Obviously if it's just a road car then this stuff doesn't need to be addressed.
This is the stuff I found out when researching race LS engines.

Fitting an underdrive crank pulley is a good idea, slows down everything especially if you are going to rev it hard all day.

Standard water pumps cavitate at high rpm (above 6,000) so if you're intending to keep it at those revs then you will need to fit either an electric water pump (Meziere about $900) or an aftermarket Evans or Edelbrock. A standard pump just won't keep the engine cool at higher rpms.

An engine builder (Spencer Race Engines) told me that they found with the standard LS engines that the piston gaps were never even enough, some tight and some loose so the increased heat on the tight ones causes the piston to seize and therefore destroying the engine so make sure you run the engine a little rich at WOT.

If you are running power steering then you need to run a cooler..... otherwise it will cook the fluid.

You need to replace the spring loaded serpentine tensioner with a solid tensioner, available everywhere. The solid tensioner will stop your belt from getting thrown at high rpms.

Comp cams make a trunion bearing upgrade kit for the rockers, this kit is about $130 and will stop the standard needle rollers from ending up in your sump. Apparently the weak point in the rockers was the needle roller bearings, the rockers themselves are ok.

Also, something I haven't done yet but will do is fit a Crank pin drill fixture...
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...8993/overview/
Basically the LS engines have a keyway for the oil pump drive but not for the zero balanced balancer / pulley and at high rpm's the balancer can slip..... causing problems....

And last but not least there is reports of engines holding too much oil in the drivers side tappet cover.... Mostly this is because the Americans only turn left....

And lastly a lot of talk with earlier LS3 engines not having a good enough baffled / trap doored sump. Best fix is fit either an Accusump or a dry sump. Accusump will cost you around $500 in parts and a drysump will start around $4000..... Unless you buy a racecar that already some of the dry sump stuff in it and then it only costs you $2500....

I think that is about all I can think of for now, if there is any more I will let you know.

[spookypt]

Towy, great updates and detail. I'm astounded at your progress and how you find the time to advance so quickly.

I've a mate that every time he goes away surfing with me OS his wife makes him buy her something from Tiffany's... I'm assuming your time in the shed is equally offset with suitable pressies for Mel. Or do we need to let her know this is how it is supposed to work??

Good onya mate. Keep the detail coming.

[byroncobra]

Really enjoying the posts Ash......a great insight into the complications of keeping race engines racing!

wish i had the talent to take on a rebuild like yours........there's quite a few clever buggers on here

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by byroncobra

Really enjoying the posts Ash......a great insight into the complications of keeping race engines racing!

wish i had the talent to take on a rebuild like yours........there's quite a few clever buggers on here

Greg,

It's all smoke and mirrors.... It's amazing how google and youtube can make the illegitimate seem legitimate......

Ash.

[byroncobra]

ha....whatever did we do before the internet

[Towmaster]

Sorry it has been a while since my last confession....... Well it is Easter after all!

Making good progress and hoping to have the car at the Queensland track day at Morgan Park on the Saturday of the Queens birthday long weekend....

A youtube video of the car starting and running.


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA2HWLHNNi4[/ame]

[stiffy]

Hey Towey,

It sounds like a Daytona.



Stiffy

[750hp]

Towey,

Brocky raced a Daytona and a Commodore. All things considered, stick with the Commodore...

[Chook]

I like what you done there Craig!

[Towmaster]

Just another quick update. The clutch master cylinder that a Holinger requires is 13/16 and I can tell you from experience that a 13/16 master cylinder does move enough fluid for a Tremec TR6060. If fact a 15/16 master cylinder doesn't move enough. I sourced a new AP Racing 1 inch master and all good. Lurch works great & I have moved it backward & forward in the shed....
Another box ticked.

[Towmaster]

Stupid bloody iPhone auto correct!!!!!!!

[LJ47]

Ash when do you get to use it in anger couldn't be to far away now.

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by LJ47

Ash when do you get to use it in anger couldn't be to far away now.

Mate hopefully the club track day the first weekend in June. 2 days of thunder will be my first actual race and hopefully will be racing at Easter at Bathurst in a sports sedan race....

[Towmaster]

Got an LSX R 102mm inlet manifold & a 102mm throttle body from BBK. You just unbolt the fly by wire control & bolt it on to the larger throttle body. Good idea if you want to retain your factory fly by wire.

[Modena]

Towy where did you get the two into one filter pipe?