Salsa!!!

The way his weekend has been going, don't hold your breath. Three sessions today, three trips back to the paddock on the end of a tow strap.
 
Unfortunately, JC spun off today, after which hit pitted with a badly over heating car. Ended up going home on a rope again. Hope the overheating didn't damage the engine. I've seen bigger steam clouds, so I don't think he warped anything.
 
Hopefully just from dirt, desbris and leaf material in radiator.

JC... IF you see this a word of serious advice... DO NOT push your luck... DO A LEAK DOWN TEST... then when you start it, listen closely for any 'unusual' sounds from the engine.

IF anything seems even a 'little off' send it back to IVEY before doing more damage.

Words of advice such as this, not taken by others have resulted in rods through blocks... very sad. But the good news is Ivey has the brand spanking new FORD blocks now :) :)
 
I finally was privvy to tasting some of this magical salsa of JC's. Now, I'll stop short of piling accolades on him, because then, well, he'd know that I was lying, but I will say this: Friday and Saturday really sucked for me and the Reaper. Way down on horsepower and qualified 16th out of 19 PRO3 cars. I don't remember the last time I saw that part of the grid! Everyone passed me...well, everyone but Steward Tom on his bike, and that was only because I had a good draft...

Then, Saturday evening, I had some of this "salsa" that everyone seemed to be so high about...

Sunday morning, I put the Reaper in P8 in the PRO3 grid, managed to grab another position by race's end for a P7 finish...and, that finish was a photo-finish at that, losing P6 to Chuck Hurley by half a dented fender (anyone familiar with the Reaper will recognize the significance of that description).

Not being a scientist by any stretch, but even I cannot avoid noticing the strange correlation here...you are free to draw your own conclusions.
 
mikeolsen said:
I finally was privvy to tasting some of this magical salsa of JC's. Now, I'll stop short of piling accolades on him, because then, well, he'd know that I was lying, but I will say this: Friday and Saturday really sucked for me and the Reaper. Way down on horsepower and qualified 16th out of 19 PRO3 cars. I don't remember the last time I saw that part of the grid! Everyone passed me...well, everyone but Steward Tom on his bike, and that was only because I had a good draft...

Then, Saturday evening, I had some of this "salsa" that everyone seemed to be so high about...

Sunday morning, I put the Reaper in P8 in the PRO3 grid, managed to grab another position by race's end for a P7 finish...and, that finish was a photo-finish at that, losing P6 to Chuck Hurley by half a dented fender (anyone familiar with the Reaper will recognize the significance of that description).

Not being a scientist by any stretch, but even I cannot avoid noticing the strange correlation here...you are free to draw your own conclusions.
Click to expand...

Mike:

Yes, my son ........................ my salsa has been known to have therapeutic properties. I know several middle age men that have stopped using Viagra because of .................... my salsa LOL

I am grateful to you for conveying your non scientific findings on this forum. I had no idea that my salsa helped making BMW's run better and self ordained salsa critics to drive faster (LOL) but ...................................... my salsa did not help my Van Diemen run better nor help me drive faster.

I decided that regardless how much salsa you eat it will not help plastic, ...................... yes PLASTIC, radiator vent hose couplers from disintegrating and burning my back. I am not sure if the spin at the hair pin was due to the shock of boiling water on my back or the "water wetter" getting on my rear tires or .................. maybe just bad driving.

When I got home I noticed a nasty burn blister on my left shoulder from hot boiling water hitting my 3 layer race suit at high pressure from the resulting geyser. Don't worry, it will feel better after treating it with ................................. salsa; .... of course.

It was great being in Spokane amongst all of you and the wonderful camaraderie that makes racing exciting and wonderful.

................... thank you for your nice comments.

J.C.
 
JC lost drive out of T12 in the race on Friday. He had previously been FT in his practice session, then again in qualifying, but THIS was the topper. We got him out of the car and over to the safety of the cutoff road. He came out of his helmet and was obviously upset, but maintaining a professional, and sportsman's manner (for the most part). I handed him a bottle of water, and we tucked his helmet and things into the back of Safety-Lite to avoid any possibility of throwing , or booting, or such. He looked like he need a little cheering up.

"When the chips are down. Make salsa."

He smiled. It's all good. And he finished the weekend with more successes. So you may have something there MOlsen.

Can't hurt. I know drivers that have pennies in their shoes.
 
Ken Killam said:
Can't hurt. I know drivers that have pennies in their shoes.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more, Ken! In fact, I considered stuffing some of the salsa into my pants. Or running it through my cool shirt...

Let it be known to those who were not present this weekend, that I spotted Safety Light getting more than its share of action throughout the weekend! Ken was kept very busy...
 
Rick:

Spokane is most definitely NOT my lucky track.

Here is a summary:

1. Throttle linkage disconnects on the third lap. No throttle, just idle. Flat tow to the paddock.

2. Drive shaft physically brakes in two pieces. Flat tow to the paddock. Replaced the shaft with a spare.

3. Another CV joint comes apart after the green flag. Spent the race visiting with Ken Killam at the cross road and welcomed another unlucky FC type with a hole on the side of the engine block. Not a very good day for the OW bunch. At that time I was seriously considering collecting stamps.

4. On the second race, lost air on my right rear tire. I couldn't figure out why the car was not turning left very efficiently and as a result, I had one of those "memorable" off track "excursion" right in front of the start/finish line. Finished the race with a shredded right rear tire. Thanks to Mark Keller's generosity, I was able to race in the next two sessions. Mark gave me a tire and as most racers, Mark is a class act.

5. On the last race, the radiator vent line coupler broke and the resultant gush of boiling water hit me on the left shoulder, lost concentration and spun on the hairpin. I could have possibly spun due to the wet stuff hitting my rear tires, .............. who knows? End result; ......... a burn blister on my left shoulder and another DNF.

6. Two DNF's and one second place finish.


>>Hopefully just from dirt, desbris and leaf material in radiator.<<

Right before the race and because of my off track "excursion", I checked the radiator inlets and straightened all the radiator fins.

>>JC... IF you see this a word of serious advice... DO NOT push your luck... DO A LEAK DOWN TEST... then when you start it, listen closely for any 'unusual' sounds from the engine.<<

Thank you for your concern. I do appreciate your advice.

I am not going to "push my luck".

In my professional life, those who "push their luck" do not live very long. I am not about to gamble with my very old and tired Cuban butt at this stage of my life.

We are going to replace the vent line coupler with a metal one instead of plastic. We are going to pressurize the cooling system and check for additional leaks. We are also planning on doing a leak down test just to make sure there was no damage to the engine.

>>IF anything seems even a 'little off' send it back to IVEY before doing more damage.<<

Jay Ivey actually witnessed the instant the water gushed out of the radiator.

Jay checked the block for discoloration. My only concern is the aluminum head. The leak down test should provide us with enough clues as to what to do next.

>>Words of advice such as this, not taken by others have resulted in rods through blocks... very sad. But the good news is Ivey has the brand spanking new FORD blocks now <<

I hope that I do not have to replace an engine after less than two hours of racing. Racing this year has become very expensive.

J.C.
 
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>>I think you will like the shirt. I am jazzed about the new engine. Go kick some Spokanistan butt JC!! <<

Kyle:

I loved the shirt. Thank you for thinking of me.

The new engine is amazing. Lots of power and it sounds wonderful. I had drive train troubles and cooling issues not related to the new engine.

Regardless of all the troubles I had, Spokane was fun.

Did you find a car?

J.C.
 
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>>If there was a shortage of salsa, it was probably due to JC payig off his flat towing bills. <<

................... YES, and it should pay for more salsa than you can eat in a lifetime.
 
>>Can you bring some to the Doernbecher Dash again? <<

I will try my best.

Not sure if I will be at the Dash this year. I really want to but there are scheduling conflicts at work.

................. again, I will try to be there with salsa.

J.C.
 
>>Unfortunately, JC spun off today, after which hit pitted with a badly over heating car. Ended up going home on a rope again. Hope the overheating didn't damage the engine. I've seen bigger steam clouds, so I don't think he warped anything. <<

Rob:

I spun AFTER the radiator vent coupler broke and the hot water burnt my back. The coupler broke because it was old and .......... PLASTIC!!! I am hoping that I did not warp the aluminum head.

BTW, ....................... thank you for all the tows.

J.C.
 
jc_cuevas said:
.......I spun AFTER the radiator vent coupler broke....J.C.
Click to expand...


Okay, I gotta ask... LOL WHAT THE HECK is a radiator 'vent' coupler?????? Small minds need to know this.

I know there's a hose attached to the over pressure relief tube on the radiator 'fill' neck but it only sees water when the temp exceeds the boiling point set by your pressure cap. But a vent coupler?
 
Richard Broadhead said:
Okay, I gotta ask... LOL WHAT THE HECK is a radiator 'vent' coupler?????? Small minds need to know this.

I know there's a hose attached to the over pressure relief tube on the radiator 'fill' neck but it only sees water when the temp exceeds the boiling point set by your pressure cap. But a vent coupler?
Click to expand...

Rick:

................ remember, English is my third language. English is such an ambiguous language. Nouns are often confused with verbs and vice-versa.

You engineers are all alike!! LOL

>>I know there's a hose attached to the over pressure relief tube on the radiator 'fill' neck but it only sees water when the temp exceeds the boiling point set by your pressure cap<<


.................. initially we thought the pressure cap went TANGO-UNIFORM until we discovered the broken plastic fitting on the radiator neck.

Yes, you are correct my technical friend.

There is a fitting or "do-hicky" that connects the "over pressure relief tube on the radiator 'fill' neck". That little bastard was plastic and it broke and it burned the caca of my left shoulder when the boiling water came out of there at high pressure. When we replace the fitting, it will be metal, ................... as it should be.

In my non technical immigrant mind, I see it as a coupler because it couples the "over pressure relief tube"from the radiator.. Again, you are correct it is not a vent line. It is officially and technically an over pressure line.

I STAND CORRECTED!!. I will never, never call it a "radiator vent coupler"again.

....................... NEVER AGAIN!!!! LOL

All the best;

Jesus
 
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