Day 3
Enough with the paperwork, presentations, and scrutineering. It's time to go racing!
As we left off yesterday, the team needed a new ECU box. With the part vendor on site, they took a quick look at the uncommon failure and noticed a wiring oversight. Specifically, the coils were wired in parrallel, when they should have been in series, which in turn damaged the coil driver.
After this fix, and a free new coil driver from Performance Electronics (thanks a bunch!), the engine was finally making sounds familiar to the boys who spent so many hours in the UofM dyno lab. That means it started reliably. With this, the team breezed through the braking test, getting their third sticker, and lined up for the acceleration test.
First run, with the car's limited running time, the throttle stuck wide open, forcing a crawling car to return to its crew, the engine screaming at 11,000 RPM! The sticky throttle, due to an overly tight throttle actuator pivot, was fixed and the team then entered the skidpad event.
With the drivers' limited seat time, the team struggled through the event, posting average times, but times nonetheless. The key to a good finish is scoring in every event, and the team seem to be on track.
Two further acceleration tests were performed, but with less than average times, this because of a worn clutch. The 11,000 RPM crawl was suspected.
In the afternoon, 2 drivers had 2 runs each in the autocross event. The first driver set a slow time, after having spun and rejoined the track. His second run, however, was a dramatic improvement, and again the UofM was setting average, but completed times. But after swallowing a few cones with the radiator, the cooling fan destroyed itself on its bent mounting bracket.
After a quick service from the GM machine shop trailer, a new fan mount was slapped on the car, and the second driver got his 2 autocross runs. With drives that earned him the "cone-killer" nickname, the team had completed all their dynamic events up to that point, a UofM first. The 2005 UofM car's design is certainly on pace, and their drivers would look better were it not for the burnt clutch, which was not changed since this would require a 4-hour service in an action-filled day. The 63rd-fastest time set was among the mere 78 that set times, in a field of 144 registered participants.
Tomorrow, endurance. The track opens at 8:30 AM for the climactic 35% of all points single event. Twenty-two laps of high-performance driving. The car hasn't seen this much running in its entire life, but if it pulls through, it very well may bring home the UofM's best result, through the strength of having completed every single event. A fresh clutch will be in the car and the drivers are nervous and excited to add to the UMSAE legacy.
As we left off yesterday, the team needed a new ECU box. With the part vendor on site, they took a quick look at the uncommon failure and noticed a wiring oversight. Specifically, the coils were wired in parrallel, when they should have been in series, which in turn damaged the coil driver.
After this fix, and a free new coil driver from Performance Electronics (thanks a bunch!), the engine was finally making sounds familiar to the boys who spent so many hours in the UofM dyno lab. That means it started reliably. With this, the team breezed through the braking test, getting their third sticker, and lined up for the acceleration test.
First run, with the car's limited running time, the throttle stuck wide open, forcing a crawling car to return to its crew, the engine screaming at 11,000 RPM! The sticky throttle, due to an overly tight throttle actuator pivot, was fixed and the team then entered the skidpad event.
With the drivers' limited seat time, the team struggled through the event, posting average times, but times nonetheless. The key to a good finish is scoring in every event, and the team seem to be on track.
Two further acceleration tests were performed, but with less than average times, this because of a worn clutch. The 11,000 RPM crawl was suspected.
In the afternoon, 2 drivers had 2 runs each in the autocross event. The first driver set a slow time, after having spun and rejoined the track. His second run, however, was a dramatic improvement, and again the UofM was setting average, but completed times. But after swallowing a few cones with the radiator, the cooling fan destroyed itself on its bent mounting bracket.
After a quick service from the GM machine shop trailer, a new fan mount was slapped on the car, and the second driver got his 2 autocross runs. With drives that earned him the "cone-killer" nickname, the team had completed all their dynamic events up to that point, a UofM first. The 2005 UofM car's design is certainly on pace, and their drivers would look better were it not for the burnt clutch, which was not changed since this would require a 4-hour service in an action-filled day. The 63rd-fastest time set was among the mere 78 that set times, in a field of 144 registered participants.
Tomorrow, endurance. The track opens at 8:30 AM for the climactic 35% of all points single event. Twenty-two laps of high-performance driving. The car hasn't seen this much running in its entire life, but if it pulls through, it very well may bring home the UofM's best result, through the strength of having completed every single event. A fresh clutch will be in the car and the drivers are nervous and excited to add to the UMSAE legacy.
posted by Bob at 9:29 PM
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