Failure analysis

[Casey_SS]

I've been logging my various track-side issues since I started racing and was just looking at it to see what else I should prep for Hallett. Thought I'd share and see if anyone wants to add to the list.

Some of the issues were just me being lazy but others were pretty random and unexpected. In any case, these are the things I've had pop up over 2 years of racing a 4th gen. It's either worth sharing and helps somebody out or just proves I suck at car prep.

Event	Problem	Why?	Fix
TWS 2012	PS fluid spraying engine bay	?	Replace PS pump & hose
TWS 2012	Exhaust rattle	New mount broke	Design a better mount
TWS 2012	Low voltage readings	Dead cell in battery	Replace battery
Cresson 2012	Camera didn't record R4	Can't see the light	Remote light for camera
Cresson 2012	AIR tube on left header broke	Thermal fatigue + vibration	Welded patch over hole
Houston 2012	Exhaust rattle	Tweaked mount hopping curb	Replace mount & don't hop curbs
Houston 2012	Opti rotor let go	Shitty design - plastic rivets	Replaced w/ MSD - uses screws
TWS Nov. 2011	Lower radiator hose popped off	Clamp loosened up	Tightened clamp
TWS Nov. 2011	Exhaust mount broke	Shitty weld on bracket	Replace w/ steel mount / good weld
ECR 2011	Torque arm mount flew off	Upper bolt loosened up	More loctite / inspect more often
ECR 2011	Rear diff puked fluid	?	Long looped hose on diff vent
Hallett 2011	Right side hub sheared off	Too much play / cheap O'Reilly's hub	Replace more often w/ Timkin hubs
Hallett 2011	Fuel pump cutting out	Bad ground in factory harness?	Direct-wired pump to disti block
Hallett 2011	Water temp too hot	Stock radiator on a hot day	Radiator upgrade
TWS Apr. 2011	Posi case broke	Axle hop	Rebuild rearend, stiffer rear springs
Houston 2011	Alternator	Reman alternator + 6300 rpm	4" pulley
ECR 2010	Rough shifting tranny	Clutch fluid low	Check more often
TWS 2010	PS pump blew up	Heat + 6500 rpm	Turn One pump, PS cooler, drop shift point

[rleng1]

Thanks Casey. have replaced alternator, but will replace battery as well.

[Al Fernandez]

Nut, bolt, and fluid check is regular maintenance if you want to avoid breaking. Put together a list of things to check, each car is different.

[Casey_SS]

Umm...yeah. You should see the spreadsheet of doom I use to inspect and prep the car for every race. This is all the crap that was perfectly fine at the house and then failed at the track. Usually on Sunday.

[TJ Bain]

It's an AI car, they love to break stuff.

Wait until you break a 9" center section, alternator fans fly apart then the case cracks in 5 pieces while you're leading, trans cross member bolts fall out while you're running 3rd at Nationals, your master cylinder starts leaking from the reservoir gaskets 30 minutes before the National Championship race, you lose a K-member bolt, water pump bolts back out, your freshly re-valved Konis break the adjusters off after one weekend, your 4-piston calipers wear the bores funny at the end of travel and you have to jam in another half used set of pads because you don't have a new set, and that's just the stuff I can remember off the top of my head in the last two years!

[wastntim]

I refuse to put together a list like this as it would be far too depressing. I think if I saw all the stuff that has failed in the last three years, I would have to face how much money and time I've spent keeping my car together. Seeing it in writing would be just too overwhelming.

[David Love AI27]

I refuse to put together a list like this as it would be far too depressing. I think if I saw all the stuff that has failed in the last three years, I would have to face how much money and time I've spent keeping my car together. Seeing it in writing would be just too overwhelming.

Ditto... not enough time in the day to make that list, especially since I was running both a race car and track car for a year and then ran two race cars for a year...

[cobra132]

No oil pump failures, cracked blocks, trashed heads, come on, what kind of list is that??? FMR

[Casey_SS]

Don't jinx me Frank...with all the catastrophic failures in AI this year, I already feel like that guy in Dead Man Walking.