In a message dated 9/26/99 10:16:35 PM, SloMo IV writes:
<<
<< I just home from Road America and vintage racing my Alpine. Duringt his
mornings warm up session my water pump exploded........... >>
The water pump EXPLODED?
Tell us more. >>
For those of you who don't know Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, it
is a four mile road course with elevation changes and long straights.
I was driving in a warm up session and had just negotiated turn three the
last real corner before the long straight going down hil to the dreaded
corner 5. I shifted at 6500 and there was a thud and it felt as if I had ran
over something. I let off in 4th gear and coasted at half throttled down to
five and as I came through the apex I gave her the gas and WOW did I have
power. I drove the car all the way through the carousel with this new found
might. On the straight at the Kettle Bottoms I glanced down and saw my water
temp pegged, cylinder head temp pegged, oil temp at 250, and shut her off and
coasted safely off the track.
Upon raising the hood, I discovered the water pump housing had cracked at a
casting line and the fan literally flew itself into the radiator. One of the
blades had sheared off and departed the engine compartment via the bottom,
slicing the lower radiator hose on it's way out. NOT A HAPPY GUY at this
juncture.
So, I missed the USRRC Seniors Race, my Group race, and suffered the
humiliation of the flat tow.
While being flat towed I left the ignition off but put the car in 4th gear
and turned the engine over moving oil through it all the way back to the
paddock. I thought that was the best way to prevent a seizure and to cool the
damn thing off.
We fired her up after she had cooled and there were no "weird" noises. I
think she's "OK" though I have a repair to get completed by the next event in
just two weeks. I drove her in and out of the trailer with no problems.
My biggest problem is I NEED HORSEPOWER!!! I am an embarassment to all of the
Sunbeam owners past and present that stop and look the car over, giving well
wishes. Oh well there is a nice view from the back of the pack.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Sep 05 2000 - 08:35:49 CDT