Spent two days instructing PParaska in his 240Z

[Mikelly]

This past Monday/Tuesday I had the opportunity to instruct with Trackdaze.com, where I was fortunate enough to have one Peter Paraska as my stuDent. Pete's 73 240Z is a legend in the V8Zcar realm and after all this time, and all that money, it still is... Looks amazing... runs pretty well too...Pete had some ugly old hagg with him, NOT... His Gal Pal Olya is quite the looker, and was in attendance getting tons of attention... My lovely wife was around too, but work kept her in the hotel room slaved to a lap top on the first day.

 

I'd not driven or been in a running Zcar in a DECADE, other than a brief drive of Jim McNemar's Red 240Z that is currently sitting idle in my driveway. So being in Pete's car would serve two fold for me... instructing Pete on track at Summit Point Main circuit, and seeing if these old rust buckets are still something I should be interested in.

 

I brought out the Spec Miata because I'd heard rumor that the pavement had issues... Honestly the pavement was GREAT and as good as I've seen it in recent times... Conditions for the two day affair were Hot with a chance of rain both days. Shoulda brought out the black beast, but oh well... Last time I removed about $5K worth of damaged parts when a groundhog ran out in front of me at over 135MPH... But I digress...

 

Pete showed up in typical "I'm a mad scientest and my hair is on fire and I'm late for my appointments" fashion. Those who don't know Pete wont' get the joke. But Pete always is scrambling last minute for parts, directions, or other details/bits to get something or somewhere... It's who he is and will always be and we love him for it! True to fashion the parts gremlins started showing themselves in his driveway when an alternator siezed up on him, eating the belt and killing the unit... If it can happen, it will happen to Pete.

 

So We meet at the track Monday morning, get Pete teched, get him fitted in the passenger seat of the specmiata, and go out for a reconn session. I'm doing pretty good getting re-acclimated to the course, when I notice the temp gage creeping into semi-hot territory... So I keep an eye on it and keep the pace "moderate".

 

We get back to the pits and I check a few things... nothing noticed initially, I move on to whatever else is going on. Pete goes to class, then we head out... and get promtly black flagged... Smoking guns are a problem, depending on how they're used. Smoked pork is great. Smoking Zcars? Not so much. Pete's got an oil leak dripping onto a header/starter, and a coolant overflow issue. So we park it and de-bug it... And go back out... We get another 6-7 laps in before more concern over fueling and oil leaking drives us back to the pits... The oil leak turns out to be a minor distributor seal and or back of intake leak that is so minor we address it with a "top kill" plan with permatex. It works like a charm. The coolant issue is simply a burp of the system... The fueling issue... More on that later...

 

Then the rains came... and came... and it got wet... So we headed off to showers, a nap, a little rolling in the hay with spouses, and then meeting up for dinner at 6PM-ish. After good company, great food, and fine conversation, we called it a night and each couple headed back to their rooms.

 

Over the course of the first day the miata is growing hotter and hotter and I'm resigned to the fact that I've got a real issue... I adjust the timing back and that doesn't slow the rise in heat... So I buy a sensor for the fan, and a new thermostat, as well as some waterwetter. By Tuesday morning I'm hoping I have it resolved... Olya is ready for a morning run in a real race car... A bucket list check-off if you will, and I want to make it worth the price of admission. She has some misgivings about the mighty miata, but after 7 laps, all that is gone, and she's looking at the little race car with a new found respect... Not enough to allow Pete to buy one, but still... However, the run comes at a price. I notice the radiator is fairly low and the wife notices a section on the block that is wet... Yup, I've blown a headgasket... So we hook up the wench, and pull it in for the weekend... four sessions, I'll take it... A few 1:32s, and a slew of 1:33s-1:35s are shown on the data, so I'll have some stuff to pour thru later for some education on which lines worked and which didn't.

 

So now it's "focus on the Zcar" and let's see how much Pete can improve... His first session doesnt' happen because we take to long adjusting the carb for better fuel management, and someone stuffs a car into a gravel trap, cutting the session short by more than a few minutes. So we take the car out on the roads outside th track to confirm we have good fuel from the carb. All seems well.

 

The next three sessions we manage about 6 laps before the car starts bucking and surging. Doesnt' matter if it's on straight, in corners, whatever... At one point I pull the fuel cap and fill it up with fuel... and see bubbles... Fuel appears to be boiling in the lines! So we manage the issue by driving the car until the signs show up, and then park it... Welcome to debugging a V8Zcar project... Issues like this will only show up in situations like this... Welcome to building a car from scratch! Overall Pete's driving and line are good, and he's getting smooth on brake and gas pedal control, sync'ing them to steering input. He's also driving around issues with the shifter, and a few minor bugs, but braking deeper and deeper and really improving lap by lap.

 

Pete did very well. It had been several years since being on track, and he got back up to pace reasonably well. If not for the issues with the car, I'd have recommended him to move up during the event. Instead, we'll get him into the next group later this year... It was great hanging out with Pete, working on his car, and remembering why these cars are so much fun. It's truly given me a bit of inspiration to finish up my own project Zcar.

 

Yea, I can hear it now... Where's the video, how about pics? Where's the proof?

 

After my Specmiata puked the head gasket we should have put all the data and video junk in Pete's car. Oh well... Maybe next time!

 

Mike

Edited July 16, 2010 by Mikelly

[qwik240z]

Nice write Up Mike. Sorry I could not be there. I so badly need a tack day.

 

Pete does seem to always have issues with his car. Every time I have been with him, he has been tinkering, fixing, replacing, etc. The first time I ever came to your place, Pete picked me up and the whole time he was trying to adjust the megasquirt system. Then before the 2007 Zcon, we were at his house the night before we were supposed to leave and he was still re-installing the 406 for the __?__ time.

 

He needs to listen to the "Chuck Engine Light" and replace it with a LSx engine. Mine has proved to be super reliable. My only issue in 5 years was the one time on my way to your place for a shindig, when the drive belt blew out and we fixed it outside the auto parts store. Pete's car would be so bad ass with a 505HP LS7.

 

Let me know the next time there is an event like this at SP. I would love to get you in my car and instruct me so I too can improve my skills.

[jt1]

Sounds like you had a good time, even with a few mechanical glitches. Nothing like a V8 Zcar on a wet track!!!! Throttle modulation comes into a whole new meaning.

 

How about some pics???

 

jt

[EvilC]

I hope to one day run that track. Sounds like a great time. Mike the local PCA is running Watkins in Spet, you think you might be able to make that? I just love how laid back their events are!

[Drax240z]

Good stuff Mike! Glad to hear you old schoolers are still playing with fast Z cars from time to time.

[qwik240z]

I hope to one day run that track. Sounds like a great time. Mike the local PCA is running Watkins in Spet, you think you might be able to make that? I just love how laid back their events are!

 

Clive,

 

When you are ready to come down and run SP, let me know. Maybe we can go together.

[Mikelly]

Clive, I'm booked for the rest of the year instructing at either the NCCAR, Summit Point or VIR. Between the days I've agreed to do, and work, I'm not gonna be able to squeeze another one in this season. Actually had to cancel this weekend (PCA Potomac) and several in August due to proposals for new potential.

 

Mike

[pparaska]

This past Monday/Tuesday I had the opportunity to instruct with Trackdaze.com, where I was fortunate enough to have one Peter Paraska as my stuDent. Pete's 73 240Z is a legend in the V8Zcar realm and after all this time, and all that money, it still is... Looks amazing... runs pretty well too...Pete had some ugly old hagg with him, NOT... His Gal Pal Olya is quite the looker, and was in attendance getting tons of attention... My lovely wife was around too, but work kept her in the hotel room slaved to a lap top on the first day.

 

I'd not driven or been in a running Zcar in a DECADE, other than a brief drive of Jim McNemar's Red 240Z that is currently sitting idle in my driveway. So being in Pete's car would serve two fold for me... instructing Pete on track at Summit Point Main circuit, and seeing if these old rust buckets are still something I should be interested in.

 

I brought out the Spec Miata because I'd heard rumor that the pavement had issues... Honestly the pavement was GREAT and as good as I've seen it in recent times... Conditions for the two day affair were Hot with a chance of rain both days. Shoulda brought out the black beast, but oh well... Last time I removed about $5K worth of damaged parts when a groundhog ran out in front of me at over 135MPH... But I digress...

 

Pete showed up in typical "I'm a mad scientest and my hair is on fire and I'm late for my appointments" fashion. Those who don't know Pete wont' get the joke. But Pete always is scrambling last minute for parts, directions, or other details/bits to get something or somewhere... It's who he is and will always be and we love him for it! True to fashion the parts gremlins started showing themselves in his driveway when an alternator siezed up on him, eating the belt and killing the unit... If it can happen, it will happen to Pete.

 

Olya and I had a great time. The teething problems with the car are due to me not really doing much with it and waiting until the last minute to prepare it. But having the alternator go bad (an alternator with just a few hundred miles on it!!!) when I was about to put it on the trailer to head to the track was pretty much my luck. I would have been on schedule but for that.

 

... Pete goes to class, then we head out... and get promtly black flagged... Smoking guns are a problem, depending on how they're used. Smoked pork is great. Smoking Zcars? Not so much. Pete's got an oil leak dripping onto a header/starter, and a coolant overflow issue. So we park it and de-bug it... And go back out... We get another 6-7 laps in before more concern over fueling and oil leaking drives us back to the pits... The oil leak turns out to be a minor distributor seal and or back of intake leak that is so minor we address it with a "top kill" plan with permatex. It works like a charm. The coolant issue is simply a burp of the system... The fueling issue... More on that later...

 

I had the oil leak issue at VIR 2 years ago, and got convinced it was a valve cover gasket. No, the intake was leaking at the back on the passenger side. Only happens at the track. Luckily, Mike and I were able to get it sealed enough that it was barely leaking - no more smoke. I need to pull the intake and reseal it. The coolant leak was due to me overfilling the system cold and overfilling the overflow bottle. My bad. We added water wetter and things were fine after that. The fueling issue - Not sure what that is at this point. Could be hot exhaust near the fuel lines, a failing pump, fuel pickup issues or all of them.

 

Then the rains came... and came... and it got wet... So we headed off to showers, a nap, a little rolling in the hay with spouses, and then meeting up for dinner at 6PM-ish. After good company, great food, and fine conversation, we called it a night and each couple headed back to their rooms.

Umm... I don't have a spouse! LoL!

I had a great excuse to not go out on the track after putting the sealer on the intake/block - had to let it cure .

I had a nice dinner with Olya, Mike and Donna at a nice little Italian place in Winchester.

 

Over the course of the first day the miata is growing hotter and hotter and I'm resigned to the fact that I've got a real issue... I adjust the timing back and that doesn't slow the rise in heat... So I buy a sensor for the fan, and a new thermostat, as well as some waterwetter. By Tuesday morning I'm hoping I have it resolved... Olya is ready for a morning run in a real race car... A bucket list check-off if you will, and I want to make it worth the price of admission. She has some misgivings about the mighty miata, but after 7 laps, all that is gone, and she's looking at the little race car with a new found respect... Not enough to allow Pete to buy one, but still... However, the run comes at a price. I notice the radiator is fairly low and the wife notices a section on the block that is wet... Yup, I've blown a headgasket... So we hook up the wench, and pull it in for the weekend... four sessions, I'll take it... A few 1:32s, and a slew of 1:33s-1:35s are shown on the data, so I'll have some stuff to pour thru later for some education on which lines worked and which didn't.

 

Olya enjoyed the ride in the Miata!

 

 

So now it's "focus on the Zcar" and let's see how much Pete can improve... His first session doesnt' happen because we take to long adjusting the carb for better fuel management, and someone stuffs a car into a gravel trap, cutting the session short by more than a few minutes. So we take the car out on the roads outside th track to confirm we have good fuel from the carb. All seems well.

 

The next three sessions we manage about 6 laps before the car starts bucking and surging. Doesnt' matter if it's on straight, in corners, whatever... At one point I pull the fuel cap and fill it up with fuel... and see bubbles... Fuel appears to be boiling in the lines! So we manage the issue by driving the car until the signs show up, and then park it... Welcome to debugging a V8Zcar project... Issues like this will only show up in situations like this... Welcome to building a car from scratch! Overall Pete's driving and line are good, and he's getting smooth on brake and gas pedal control, sync'ing them to steering input. He's also driving around issues with the shifter, and a few minor bugs, but braking deeper and deeper and really improving lap by lap.

 

Yes, the fuel delivery issue needs some serious attention. The tank is coming out, I will install the intank pump into the sump that is installed into the tank, and I will be insulating the lines anywhere they get close to the exhaust. I have some weber power plates to install into the carb and will work on making sure the fuel gets into the circuits and not slosh away from the jets, etc.

 

Pete did very well. It had been several years since being on track, and he got back up to pace reasonably well. If not for the issues with the car, I'd have recommended him to move up during the event. Instead, we'll get him into the next group later this year... It was great hanging out with Pete, working on his car, and remembering why these cars are so much fun. It's truly given me a bit of inspiration to finish up my own project Zcar.

 

Thanks for everything, Mike. We had a blast! Hope to do it again this year, not sure where, maybe VIR.