Topic: Thinking of getting into it...

[Squidd]

Got the motor together last night, too late to test, will put it in and fire it up tonight...

Had a fight on my hands with the new springs... old ones were 5 coils of 1/8" wire...these are 4 coils of 3/16" wire and they bent my compressor, one I borrowed and finally went in with an extra set of hands, a screw driver and a diesel motor spring compressor...

I don't think they'll float...

[FlatheadPuller]

Make sure you have a good oil in there. The springs are hard on the lifters and cam. Did you polish the lifter face. When I got mine from chuck he told me to polish them. I am running his double prostock springs. I just had the machine shop put them on. They were a bear on my spring compressor.

[cubcadet70]

Got the new cam in today.. just looking at it looks faster...



Will install tonight with new wide base lifters and HD springs...

What cam grind is that? Or it's a secret? Lol

[Squidd]

No secret, It's a Vogel Grind.

I had looked at Hackman and Lakota and think this is right in there and maybe a tad stronger.

[Squidd]

I'm finding there is a lot more to this pulling game than meets the eye..

You would think it's all about the tractor, whoever dumps the most money into the biggest motor will win, but there is a whole nother parcel of things to screw up on in the driving side as well...

I still get as nervous and "fidgety" lining up to go 200' and I did to go 20 laps...but here you only get one shot at it... on a circle track, if you screw up a tad, you still have 10-12 laps to make it up, but here if you don't get off the line right it's tuff to make it up down the track...

Went down to Gleason to pull with the Central Wisconsin ATV Pullers, (80% ATV, 10% mini rod and a few Garden tractors) a little nervous with the new cam in the motor, get to the line and get the green flag, stomp on the gas and I look down to watch rpm rise for launch and realize I didn't turn the Digitron on yet...

That throws me for a second, but I quick hit reset and launch "by ear"...I must have bad ears cause I didn't have but maybe 6000rpm when I slipped the clutch and let 'er go... new clutch works and feels good..I go down the track and see rpm is "climbing" as I go but I have an occasional "pop" in the exhaust, so of course I worry about that...I get it up to 6,900 down the track befor weight transfers, so I guess the motor is making some power, I just lost ifull potential on the launch...little bit of smoke at the end, but thats just burning off the "outside" of the block from the rebuilding...



I get 275' for 4th out of 4 with 289' being the winning pull..You can hear the "pop" on the video, now I know what it is but then I wasn't sure if it was a lean pop or a too rich pop...If it's lean and I go leaner I can damage the motor, so I go 1/4 turn richer to be safe...Come to find it's the wrong way...

I had tuned it up in the garage with the airfilter off and then didn't "readjust" after I put it on so it went rich at the track...I go for second pull (tach on this time) and it bubbles and gurgles won't rev past 6000...

 Should have aborted the pull and reset, but I'm new so I launch hoping it'll clear up down track...it didn't, so half way down I reach over and twist the carb adjuster 1/2 turn "lean" and it clears up and really starts pulling (again too late) ...another 4 of 4 but this time I was within 2' or so of being in the money.. (didn't get video of second run)...

I'm pretty confident the motor has much more in it than I let it show, now that I got it tuned in, I just have to tweak the nut behind the wheel to get get the launch sequence right and give 'er a fair shot...

[Burton for Certain]

I still get andy before every pull. If u watch my video on youtube under the post name drewbur10, everything I do before I launch settles me. I like to drive out to the track to warm the clutch and loosen my legs up. Then I like to look under the seat to make ute I know what gear im in. Then I pull the weight bar out. Then I check to make sure the fuel is on in both places. At this point I turn the tach on lock in gear and go. Im calm then. Its all in finding your own little routine that makes you the most comfortable. Oh and I always carry a Buckeye in my left pocket.

[Squidd]

I watched the video, and it seems you spend more time on the "routine" than the actual pull.. lol

I have to keep in mind it's just me against the machine (sled) when the green flag drops... I'm so used to circle track lemanns starts that when the flag drops everything in my body screams out "get this machine moving" rather than pulling out on my time when all is ready..

I also have to remember the 75' break out cones, if things aren't where I want them on the start (like a too rich motor or wrong gear choice) I can abort the hook and try again...

[Burton for Certain]

I do spend a lot of time on the routine, that's the o lt thing I've found that put me in my comfort zone before I pull. Every person has their little things they like to do to focus. Most of my nerves come from knowing I paid $70 per hook.

You're doing a lot better from the first video I've seen to the latest. Keep up the good work.

[jasonsmoot49]

Don't know if you put a cooling fan on your tractor or not but you can get the same one that midwest sells at walmart for 20 dollars. If you get it at midwest it will cost you 23 plus 13 shipping. Just trying to help ya out.Forgot to mention its an Attwood turbo 3000 inline blower

[Squidd]

Thanks for the tip, don't have a fan yet, not sure if I need one, seems to be plenty of time to cool between runs up here...

[Burton for Certain]

The only time the really get used is when they re-set the sled or if you turn your first hook down. I have one if u want to pay shipping ill give it to you.

[jasonsmoot49]

Just thought it would help

[Squidd]

Thought I'd try something different this week... Put 'er in high gear, reved 'er up good and launched 'er to see what she'd do...

I got two second place finishes...

I had been pulling in 2nd which with underdrive is about a 19 tooth...and coming in mid pack...

I slid 'er into 3rd (which is about a 21) and gave it a shot.. Launched at about 7000 and climbed to 7,200 for most of the run felt and sounded stronger than it had all season...2nd in the 950#

Then I thought what the heck try it in the 1050 as well...reved well good launch and still held high 6's down the track till the tires spun out...another 2nd with 3 and 4 only a foot or two behind, 1st was a good step ahead of us all in both classes...

I don't have video , but 1st place drivers wife got a shot of my run, so as soon as she sends it to me I'll post it here...Fastest I've been down the track since I've started..

Ohh...and I got paid..

[gtpuller]

thats awesome congratulations Randy.

[Squidd]

Now I'm thinking it might pull a higher gear yet...at least in the lighter class...If I pull my 20% underdrive, I would have a 21 and 23 tooth to play with...but I wouldn't have a 19 to fall back on...