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66 Valiant Drag project "Charlie's Angel" (Kris)
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11218		 Page 12 of 13
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:03 pm ]
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Any word on that misfire?
The original misfire was bad valve springs. Six of the springs had the end of the damper, sticking out between the main spring coils.
The slight misfire I had back at the Ga race, I think was a nitrous problem. I have been running on motor, only since then, as I have not found the problem with the front end.
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:39 am ]
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Quote:
. I have been running on motor, only since then, as I have not found the problem with the front end.
Plus just 1/8 mile.

Finally found the front end problem. I took the car to a frame shop, but they recommended a particular alignment shop, first. When I got there, the young fellow at the counter, is someone I know from "cruise ins", with a Dart, and I used to work with the alignment guy (who is very good). Get the car on the machine, and he does a visual check, says all the parts look good. Sets up the machine and it is WAY out of alignment. Found one upper cam bolt loose, and cam had turned. Even putting that cam back in place it was not correct.
John spent about 1 1/2 hours getting the alignment correct, and the car felt good in the parking lot. Charged me $40.00, a bargain. This was after 3 alignments by 2 other shops over a couple of years (it always pulled to the right).

Took the car up to Gainesville Raceway for the TNT night. Made one pass on the bottle, and turned 13.358 at 97.32 mph, Car went straight, with no shimmy. Turned the car over to Steve Adams, and let him practice on motor. Three runs.
14.967 at 86.49
14.923 at 86.90
14.918 at 86.67
Looks like it is race ready, again
Author:  wjajr [ Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:49 am ]
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John spent about 1 1/2 hours getting the alignment correct, and the car felt good in the parking lot. Charged me $40.00, a bargain. This was after 3 alignments by 2 other shops over a couple of years (it always pulled to the right).

Charrlie, I have found the same problem, most of today’s alignment jockeys are befuddled when faced with an A Body torsion bar suspension. I have handed them the FSM with alignment page open listing the three step procedure, and they still can’t figure it out. These guys can’t get past setting of correct factory ride height, and it is all downhill from there.

I don’t know if it is a result of not learning to read well enough to follow simple technical instructions, or a basic lack of understanding of front end geometry that yield’s this persistent poor result.

Eleven years ago at age 49, I went back to school studying electricity, two thirds of the kids in this class could not read well enough to decipher the National Electric Code, and their math skills were not much better.

My last alignment required a 180 mile round trip to a small backwoods Chevy dealership where a fellow Mopar Head works as a mechanic. In just under two hours he got everything spot on, and only charged the frontend alignment flat fee. It was worth the trip, the car is a pleasure to drive now.
Author:  Dart270 [ Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:59 am ]
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Great news, Charlie!!

Look forward to seeing you in May...

Lou
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:33 am ]
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Haven't posted to this thread for a while. We took the car to Mason-Dixon, in May 2012. Engine ran fine, and car went straight, but we ran into another problem. Steve said the car wouldn't hook up, and was spinning. Watched his burnout,and noticed only one wheel spinning. The suregrip in the 7 1/4 rear gave up. Had to run the meet on motor only. Car was running 14.6's.
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:45 am ]
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After M-D in May, we built a "A" body 8 3/4 for the car. All new brakes, bearings and seals. Installed a 4.89 SG pumpkin in Prep for going to the Knoxville 1/8 mile race, Aug 3-4 2012. Race was rained out. In September, we took the car to Gainesville raceway, for a TNT, to see how the 4.89 gears would work in the car.
Would you believe that *&%#@ misfire is back again, and we didn't touch anything except to change the rear.
Haven't had time to work on it. Maybe sometime this spring. That misfire is so frustrating
Author:  Dart270 [ Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:27 am ]
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It's cursed, Charlie... Best of luck with diagnosis. Maybe valve springs again?

Lou
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 4:49 am ]
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Took the car to Gainseville Raceway, yesterday. Didn't touch any thing, since the last time out, except for adding a "ping control". Steve made a pass and the misfire was still there. During the run he used the "Ping control" to retard the timing. It made no difference. Changed the plugs, cap and rotor. Made another pass. Misfire is gone.
The 4.88 gear is too much for the car, even for the 1/8 mile. Steve was shifting at 5,000, and them lifting to hold 4,500 for the rest of the track (1/4 mike). Last pass of the day, he went a 1.862 sixty ft time with a little spin. 1/8 mile 8.73 at 72.07 mph, 1/4 mile 14.96 at 72.03 mph Need to find a set of 3.91 or 4.11 gears for an 8 3/4 .
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:46 am ]
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Time to update again. Since the last post, built a new pumpkin for the 8 3/4 rear. 3.91 with a spool. Did another set of axles, with green bearings and long studs. Took the car to M-D in Oct 2013. On Sat had a problem with the nitrous solenoid during time trials (unbeknown to me). First round of eliminations it hung up and I didn't run the number. On Sun, I swapped nitrous solenoids, and wound up breaking out. But the car ran good.
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:51 am ]
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Went to the new 1/8 mile track in Green Cove Springs, Fl, on Sun. Nov 24th. At the present time they are just doing TnT on Sat and Sun. Took my Green 66 Valiant. Got in 8 runs (could have done more), best was a 8.21 at 81.3 mph. At the end of the day, as I was getting ready to load up they called me over the PA system. Asked me if I was up to a heads up match race with another car (older Olds), for cash money. I went for it. One run and done for the money. Cut a .006 light and put him away with a 8.49 . The 66 Valiant won it's first money ($1.00 Laughing)
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:54 am ]
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My nitrous system is an old Compucar "fixed" plate. I have upgraded to a new adjustable plate with rebuilt solenoids, compliments of Compucar. Still looking for 12's in the 1/4 mile.
Author:  hantayo13 [ Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:48 am ]
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hey charlie,
is that croc still in lake behind home????
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:38 am ]
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I don't think so. Think someone had him for dinner.
Author:  Dartman63 [ Tue Sep 08, 2015 2:17 pm ]
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Just read the entire thread, and was wondering if you've solved the mysterious misfire, and if you've found 12's yet with the car. Great build
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:03 am ]
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Quote:
Just read the entire thread, and was wondering if you've solved the mysterious misfire, and if you've found 12's yet with the car. Great build
Yes, I fixed the misfire. After trying everything, engine wise, including a complete different engine, I decided it had to be electrical, in the car. I removed all the original wiring, except for the tail light harness, and completely rewired the rest of the car. Pretty sure the problem was the bulkhead connector. Had many bad looking terminals. This is a common problem, and my bad for not checking that connector sooner.

Not in the 12's yet. Had the car to mason-dixon in May, with a new engine, with only cam break in time, and getting two flat tires, only ran on motor. It ran a best of 14.34
In June I went to Wilkesboro, which is 1/8 mile, and had a problem with the nitrous system ( I had installed the fogger from my other car). Ran a best of 8.02 on my only good nitrous pass, and 9.3's on motor.
Those are the only times I have had the car out this year.
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