Powder coated!
The Unicorn
- Thread starter White95
- Start date
Powder coated!
I had considered other shades but bright red just felt right.
@White95 Did your Kenny Brown sway bar provide more tire clearance at full lock?
The design looks like it would.
Also did Kenny Brown give you an idea of how the different settings correlate to stock sway bars that are available?
I ask because I have a full MM setup on my car and MM told me to run a 96-98 GT bar which I am. I don't want to spend that kind of money and not be able to get what I need out of it.
I hope that makes sense.
The design looks like it would.
Also did Kenny Brown give you an idea of how the different settings correlate to stock sway bars that are available?
I ask because I have a full MM setup on my car and MM told me to run a 96-98 GT bar which I am. I don't want to spend that kind of money and not be able to get what I need out of it.
I hope that makes sense.
That's a SWEET car man, looks like a ton of fun!
Yes. I don’t have any contact with the 18x11’s and plenty of space with the 18x9’s! You can always do some rack limiters if you have an issue.
No, I never researched the bar rates compared to stock.
Thank you! It’s a pure blast to drive and it very “raw” compared to newer vehicles.
Some of you might’ve read me mentiong a fire this past Saturday at an autocross event. I have learned a huge lesson and likely won’t be afford a third chance to get this right. Here is a copy/paste of a text message I sent a friend on Sunday:
So, on the last big sweeping curve leading to the fast course exit, the car sputtered and the lights flashed. That was my first clue. Holley EFI reset and I noted the PS pump also cycled power. Corner workers reported sparks from what they thought were brakes. Since I’ve been known to thrown sparks from my brakes due to aggressive pads, that didn’t concern me at the moment. Exiting the course there was a lot of fuel vapor but I chalked that up to fuel sloshing and my abbreviated vent line. Parked the car back in the grid and we swapped drivers.
(This part is on video but I haven’t reviewed the actual sequence of events so I’ll take it from memory)
Another car pulled up after a run and I commented on the smell from his brakes. Few moments after that I made the comment the smell wasn’t disappearing and I got curious. Noticed a haze in the car and said we are on fire. Worth noting the car was still running at this point. Popped the trunk, more haze and I noticed flames through a hole in the floor pan. ****! Grid workers scrambled for an extinguisher, which seemed like an eternity, and I put the flame out. Turned the car off.
Initially, I thought the grounded battery superheated the fuel pump leads and they were on fire. It was tough to tell looking through the wheel arch and subframe. Disconnected the battery to prevent a reoccurrence and started checking things out. After much discussion, and poking around, I determined that the pump wiring was intact. If you’ve ever grounded a wire you know that the entire cable gets hot, fast, and the insulation fails rather fast. This was not the case. The conclusion was that the grounded battery superheated the hold down stud and floor pan surrounding it. This likely served as a point of ignition, melted the rubber fuel vent line and the proceeded to burn vapors off the fuel tank just like a flare in a refinery or chemical plant. The smell was burning NVH material, grime and fuel vapors.
We decided to reconnect the battery and fire the car up. Car started without any issues and I drove it around to be loaded on the trailer. Once we got back to Prairieville, I asked Chris to unload me at Walmart and I drove to Taco Bell.
Fast forward to today:
Alright. I spent a few hours this morning tearing into the car and here is what I’ve found.
1) The rollover vent valve was indeed on fire. There isn’t much left of it and it makes me sick to see how close it came to totally failing. It appears the vent hose was pinched between the tank and the spare tire well. The nipple for the vent valve had either broken off or melted off. It’s hard to say for sure but that’s why the fire was localized.
So, on the last big sweeping curve leading to the fast course exit, the car sputtered and the lights flashed. That was my first clue. Holley EFI reset and I noted the PS pump also cycled power. Corner workers reported sparks from what they thought were brakes. Since I’ve been known to thrown sparks from my brakes due to aggressive pads, that didn’t concern me at the moment. Exiting the course there was a lot of fuel vapor but I chalked that up to fuel sloshing and my abbreviated vent line. Parked the car back in the grid and we swapped drivers.
(This part is on video but I haven’t reviewed the actual sequence of events so I’ll take it from memory)
Another car pulled up after a run and I commented on the smell from his brakes. Few moments after that I made the comment the smell wasn’t disappearing and I got curious. Noticed a haze in the car and said we are on fire. Worth noting the car was still running at this point. Popped the trunk, more haze and I noticed flames through a hole in the floor pan. ****! Grid workers scrambled for an extinguisher, which seemed like an eternity, and I put the flame out. Turned the car off.
Initially, I thought the grounded battery superheated the fuel pump leads and they were on fire. It was tough to tell looking through the wheel arch and subframe. Disconnected the battery to prevent a reoccurrence and started checking things out. After much discussion, and poking around, I determined that the pump wiring was intact. If you’ve ever grounded a wire you know that the entire cable gets hot, fast, and the insulation fails rather fast. This was not the case. The conclusion was that the grounded battery superheated the hold down stud and floor pan surrounding it. This likely served as a point of ignition, melted the rubber fuel vent line and the proceeded to burn vapors off the fuel tank just like a flare in a refinery or chemical plant. The smell was burning NVH material, grime and fuel vapors.
We decided to reconnect the battery and fire the car up. Car started without any issues and I drove it around to be loaded on the trailer. Once we got back to Prairieville, I asked Chris to unload me at Walmart and I drove to Taco Bell.
Fast forward to today:
Alright. I spent a few hours this morning tearing into the car and here is what I’ve found.
1) The rollover vent valve was indeed on fire. There isn’t much left of it and it makes me sick to see how close it came to totally failing. It appears the vent hose was pinched between the tank and the spare tire well. The nipple for the vent valve had either broken off or melted off. It’s hard to say for sure but that’s why the fire was localized.
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2) The electrical connection for the fuel pump hanger started to melt and ignite as well.
3) The fuel lines themselves took a beating and, given the fact they’re PTFE lines, I can no longer trust them.
4) There wasn’t much structural damage so I will just sand and paint the affected area.
3) The fuel lines themselves took a beating and, given the fact they’re PTFE lines, I can no longer trust them.
4) There wasn’t much structural damage so I will just sand and paint the affected area.
Moving forward I will have my own onboard extinguisher and I will be installing a Cartek GT battery iso kit. Another takeaway is that my so called race prep totally neglected the electrical aspect of the car and, as an electrician, I hang my head in total shame.
Life doesn’t give you many second chances and I dodged a total loss event. I am humbled by this and will implement changes to how I approach things.
Life doesn’t give you many second chances and I dodged a total loss event. I am humbled by this and will implement changes to how I approach things.
Spent the rest of the morning pressure washing the undercarriage and brain storming the path forward.
At the least I have to replace:
1. Pump hanger
2. Fuel lines
3. Battery box
4. Vapor vent valve
I’ve been planning to revamp the fuel system with a larger feed line and, as I always like to say, never miss an opportunity upgrade. For this round, I’ll increase said feed line from 6AN to 8AN up to the filter. I’ll leave the rest 6AN until I buy a new fuel pressure regulator and finish the job.
At the least I have to replace:
1. Pump hanger
2. Fuel lines
3. Battery box
4. Vapor vent valve
I’ve been planning to revamp the fuel system with a larger feed line and, as I always like to say, never miss an opportunity upgrade. For this round, I’ll increase said feed line from 6AN to 8AN up to the filter. I’ll leave the rest 6AN until I buy a new fuel pressure regulator and finish the job.
@White95 Holly shit you got lucky!
I am not 100% fallowing you as to where your battery was actually grounded?
Was it just the floor pan?
I am not 100% fallowing you as to where your battery was actually grounded?
Was it just the floor pan?
By proxy, yes. The battery shifted and the hold down, which was secured to the floor, contacted the positive terminal. Arcing/sparks below the floor was the ignition source and that led to fuel vapors catching fire.
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Considering an Optima hold down setup similar to this one but I will have terminal covers. Note the Cartek battery isolation setup adjacent to it.
Wow man, you got lucky for sure! I will absolutely have an extinguisher in my car when its finished too. Also, looking at your pics is your jamb-nut on your PHB loose?
Yes, good eye. I was in the process of trying to make an adjustment. It seems to be stuck and need to remove the bar to do so.
I need to catch this up and I will do so tomorrow.
At work.
Because working while at work is grossly overrated.
At work.
Because working while at work is grossly overrated.
Catch up post #1
Pics first and I’ll fill in the details later.
Pics first and I’ll fill in the details later.
Catch up post #2
Pics first and I’ll fill in the details later.
Pics first and I’ll fill in the details later.
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