RXRacing

Well I now have the explorer diff rebuilt with the Ford Racing carbon LSD clutch pack. Thanks Ryan. I’ve also manages to clean, repack and install one of the outer CV’s on the drive axle

The new oil coolers and thermostat are in place. I also have the new rad and intercooler in. I’m thinking about building some new supports for the bottom of the oil coolers as well.

Now I chopped the front off the frame rails. The plan is to V-mount the rad and intercooler.

Here is a pic of the car after I stripped the bodywork and then after the front end rework:

Managed to get a day in working on the car. We managed to get the housings ported and get the motor together. The new setup is basically S5 irons and housings and S6 (third gen) rotating assembly. We used the Rotary Aviation seals again and the solid corner seals so the motor should be as solid as the last one. Upgrades are a new Pineapple Racing oil pan and a new to me oil cooler to replace the old bent up one. When I put the new motor in I’ll likely re-think the front end ducting to the oil cooler, radiator and intercooler. We just need to see how my time works out before the Indy. Looks like I’ll be running the Cayman at another Time attack on Monday night.

Cheers,
-Trent

Well, it is official. What felt like a rear rotor bearing in the engine was exactly that. The rear rotor bearing in the engine was destroyed. The center and rear plates of the motor are junk, but the rest of the engine is in good shape.  Credit me feeling the car was “wrong” and trailering it before the damage spread.   I just have to figure out my plans and check availability of parts to figure out how to fix (and upgrade) it.  You just know it has to go together faster and better than before.

Here is the car in it’s current form.  I’ve gone to widebody fenders in the rear to fit the Enkei RPF1 18×10.5″ rims and the 280/650/18 slicks.  I kept the front 230/625/17′s up front, but that needs to change for next year, the car tends to plow a bit when pushed hard.  I also added sideskirts and  lifted the rear wing.  If you look close at the front of the car you can see the supports for the splitter are broken on the right side where Reg Sumaru and I got into each other.  I figured he was going to leave room and he figured otherwise.  I do feel bad about it though, as it destroyed his wheel and knocked him out of the running for a number of laps.

Here is the car as it ran the 2008 Indy event.  I’m running Yokohama slicks on all four corners.  The fronts are 17×8.5″ Enkei RPF1 rims with 230/625/17 Yokohama A005 Slicks in an S04 compound.  Rear is 17×9.5″ RPF1′s with 260/640/17 Slicks, also in the S04 compound.  The car was pretty quick with this setup, in fact too fast for the brakes. During qualifying a brake duct bent up, causing the 550 degree Willwood brake fluid to boil. The brakes completely failed and I pitched the car sideways through a corner, hitting another car.  The race ended with me losing 2nd place in a spin and finishing 4th in class.

Here you can see I’ve swapped on 17″ wheels out back so I can fit the 275/40/17 Toyo RA-1′s. They beat the hell out of the 225 50 15′s for rear grip, but as the boost came up the traction wasn’t enough

Here’s the engine minus the upper intake with the turbo on it. I changed my mind and went with the S5 rails which made for a neater installation. I’ve since replaced them with the Keith’s rails for the FC, I just had too many issues trying to keep the 1680 cc injectors sealed