Get this

[Big Poppa]

So here at SVSU we went to the shop at 8 yesterday morning and there was a not posted on the door that said do not enter. Someone spilled mercury in a lab and the entire building was being shut down until it was completely cleaned up. They said it would be 4 hrs or so...So about 2 o'clock rolls around and they tell us we have about 1 hr to get everything out of the shop that we need for the next 3 days cause the building is going to be completely shut down for that time frame...Anyone else been having days where your luck is just as good as a fried ECU

[Big Poppa]

So here at SVSU we went to the shop at 8 yesterday morning and there was a not posted on the door that said do not enter. Someone spilled mercury in a lab and the entire building was being shut down until it was completely cleaned up. They said it would be 4 hrs or so...So about 2 o'clock rolls around and they tell us we have about 1 hr to get everything out of the shop that we need for the next 3 days cause the building is going to be completely shut down for that time frame...Anyone else been having days where your luck is just as good as a fried ECU

[Bowtie Man]

Ouch! We've had a couple visits from the police while testing. Angry neighbors don't like noise. The dumbest part is the guy who called the cops came over and asked "how would you like it if you lived here" my answer was "well I'd like it a lot actually, I wouldn't have to drive so far to get here" (our shop is off campus this year)

[Ryan Boysen]

EVEN WORSE!!!

Yesterday morning our advisor gets an email from the dean which states that we can no longer be working in the automotive lab without an advisor monitering us at all times. i.e. watching every action. So in turn, we get kicked out of the labs, and now we are my off campus garage.

We are a first year team, the last thing we needed was to have to move everything and have no tools air and power. Shitty eh?

[Homemade WRX]

well, our front spindle broke off last night during our last drive (about 2:30 in the morning). This failing then ripped brake line, ruined a keizer shell, ruined an upright, a caliper mount and possibly a front rotor...not to mention ate away a nice chunk of our undertray...
luckily our driver is ok and he managed to get the car stopped literally 2 inches from a curb.

[KevinD]

see http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif now imagine if that happened in the endourance event in detroit. on the bright side you still have 4 days to repair it.

[magicweed]

$100 ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle on the road (seriously, is a parking lot a road?) because some old witches were complaing about the noise. They didn't complain about the Harleys though. We also caught the car on fire for a sec with a short to ground. Nothing else very serious, othen than a previously mentioned destroyed differential.

[MikeDutsa]

we had the left side of our car explode the first time we started our engine and attempted to do some initial tuneing. our filler neck melted and began spraying presureized gas fuems out witch ignited when the tail pipe spit a little fire. it was an interesting experience to be standing on the table next to it.

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

we still havent driven the car, its cold and rainy (must mean competition is close) and oh ya, we found out wednesday of this week we only have $400 left for us and baja to fund there trips to competition, apparently some parts we bought end of last year assuming they would be taken out of last years alocated funds didnt get charged until this year and we just found out about it this week when someone tried to make a purchase...guess we will be selling some parts at competition..anyone need a 2001 R6 or some 10" Keisers with tires????

[Homemade WRX]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KevinD:
see http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif now imagine if that happened in the endourance event in detroit. on the bright side you still have 4 days to repair it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
yeah, I'm very glad it has happened but its the second time now http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[absolutepressure]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by magicweed:
$100 ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle on the road (seriously, is a parking lot a road?) because some old witches were complaing about the noise. They didn't complain about the Harleys though. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

WTF!? People like that need to slap themselves in the face and rethink the meaning of their lives. I'd challenge that ticket. Get someone on the city's road work team to testify that a parking lot is not a road. Semantics is everything these days, so use it.

[Blake]

wow i thought us at lsu were having some rough days because of broken c-clips, although it has cost us two tripod bearings, but nothing that bad, awesome, see everyone one in detroit! I'm pumped for the 20 hour drive!

[RiNaZ]

we still couldnt get the engine tuned with the damn haltech eventhough we got the car done a month early. So as of right now ... we're probably just gonna be there w/out actually competing in the endurance.

And we're just afraid to paint the chassis coz the car is so sensitive and if you disassemble the car, it'll just get worse.

Anyways, good luck to everybody, and see you guys in detroit!!!

[SpdRcr]

this is the thread none of our advisors or dean's want to see

haha

[Erich Ohlde]

I would post some positive things about our car but I don't want to let the evil mechanical gremlin's know where we live. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Superfast Matt McCoy]

so far our car has:

bent 1 A-arm
caught fire
broken 1 stub shaft
blown a pressure regulator seal causing
1 broken solenoid and
1 cracked shift drum
1 exploded intake
1 collapsed restrictor
1 fried ECU
1 broken gas pedal

also this semester, our 2005 car blew 2 motors, our cheif engineer's car bounced around between the highway barriers, our frame guy introduced the curb to his ElCo's suspension, and my truck caught fire.

past experience tells me that this competition is less about making a reliable car, and more about breeaking everything that's going to break, and fixing it, before competition.

if that is the case, we got this thing in the bag

[72_chev_truck]

I dont think we have had any major failures besides blowing and engine several months ago on the dyno and re-reading the rules and finding the things that dont comply....

[Marshall Grice]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">re-reading the rules and finding the things that dont comply.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

yeah those damn front bulkhead support rules...

[D-Train]

I don't know if the RMIT team is affected by this, but there's been a whole bunch of stuff on the radio about two floors being closed off (indefinitely) due to a high incidence of a certain type of tumor in staff over the last seven years...

[Kyle Walther]

you forgot the broken clutch basket. luckily Dr. Woods was there to help us put it back together.....so embarrassing =/

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SoonerMatt:
so far our car has:

bent 1 A-arm
caught fire
broken 1 stub shaft
blown a pressure regulator seal causing
1 broken solenoid and
1 cracked shift drum
1 exploded intake
1 collapsed restrictor
1 fried ECU
1 broken gas pedal

also this semester, our 2005 car blew 2 motors, our cheif engineer's car bounced around between the highway barriers, our frame guy introduced the curb to his ElCo's suspension, and my truck caught fire.

past experience tells me that this competition is less about making a reliable car, and more about breeaking everything that's going to break, and fixing it, before competition.

if that is the case, we got this thing in the bag </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Erich Ohlde]

The gremlins found us today. Nick ran straight over a cone with the car and the bolted connection between the bell crank and pullrod ripped right out of the bell crank. Now we have to fix both (moron's can't do hand calcs). This was designed by the same guy who designed our anti-roll system without driver weight in the equations.

[MikeDutsa]

Add us to the list of fried ECUs, twice. We had our PE go out somewhere between now and the time we tore down for powder coat and paint. Also we toasted a Haltech some time last semester, but that thing never worked right.

[Paul Gibson]

Ran our car the first time today, and we are a first year team. Its a blast. We had some gremlins too, mainly rear axle stuff and getting them spaced right. NO broken parts, our car is a tank...lol.

Few tweaks on engine tuning tomorrow, work out the axle bugs, and rebleed the brakes.

[Ryan Boysen]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Paul Gibson:
Ran our car the first time today, and we are a first year team. Its a blast. We had some gremlins too, mainly rear axle stuff and getting them spaced right. NO broken parts, our car is a tank...lol.

Few tweaks on engine tuning tomorrow, work out the axle bugs, and rebleed the brakes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Paul, When I was first reading your post, I thought you were someone from our team. We are a first year team as well, and got our baby running today. haha, our rear drivetrain is locking out of nowhere and jumping, we have no idea why, oh and now the car won't go into gear without stalling.. yumm.. Long night tonight.

Oh, and I bet our tank is WAY bigger than your tank. lol.

Seeya Wednesday!

[Paul Gibson]

LOL Ryan! Ok, whoever has the biggest tank buys the beer! LOL

Hope you guys get it sorted out. Good luck.

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

ours is running, weather permitting first drive later today (its 4am right now, just got back from the shop)

[Kyle Walther]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jayhawk_electrical:
The gremlins found us today. Nick ran straight over a cone with the car and the bolted connection between the bell crank and pullrod ripped right out of the bell crank. Now we have to fix both (moron's can't do hand calcs). This was designed by the same guy who designed our anti-roll system without driver weight in the equations. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Say it ain't so Ohlde..say it ain't so..=[

[mark zhai]

yeah its been raining alot in madison, wisconsin. almost every thurs, fri, sat, & sun for the past month we have been driving in rain. but hey - lucky for us it looks like we just had alot of rain practice just in time for romeo, mi. lol

[Erich Ohlde]

Don't you worry kyle. we fixed the BC's last night. We are ready to run today.

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

!@#$ ya boys, We have about an hour of drive time in, all wet pavement. The engine runs strong, we have a wideband on the way to finalize the tune and a diff seal to fix thats leaking, some loose ends, oh ya and a body..durr
anyhew, I had it up to 4th gear, and its tits and a half, all 4 wheels lock up for braking and nothing broke, the megasquirt seems to be working fine, some noise in the crank sensor or something that needs to be looked into, but it idles and revs good.
pack up our crap, put a body on it, and hit the road
anyone have a set of snow chains for some 13" wheels, might need em ????

[Big Poppa]

Gear box gears broke and locked up the car...Shattered the transmision gears in the motor, We just got the motor back together and fired up...Final drive before the big event is tomorrow anyone else ready to get rocked after this thing is over.

[Smeagle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dwayne:
I don't know if the RMIT team is affected by this, but there's been a whole bunch of stuff on the radio about two floors being closed off (indefinitely) due to a high incidence of a certain type of tumor in staff over the last seven years... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, its the second time its been investigated in the last couple of years but they're getting serious about it now. I think its the Business Campus though so noone in the team has been affected. Thanks for caring though.

PS. Best of luck to the RMIT boys in Detroit. Wish I was there.

[MikeDutsa]

so tonight at skidpad pratice we sheered a hub off. oh well, we'll have some parts made tomorrow while our guys are at work and we'll be driving in no time. i'm just glad it happened now and not 3 weeks from now.

[fsae_alum]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MikeDutsa:
so tonight at skidpad pratice we sheered a hub off. oh well, we'll have some parts made tomorrow while our guys are at work and we'll be driving in no time. i'm just glad it happened now and not 3 weeks from now. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What was the root cause of the failure?

Oh yeah....looking forward to meeting you when Adrian and Hector and I (D Money) make the drive up to Fontana to support you guys.

[MikeDutsa]

It was a spindle bolt that kept coming lose. Eventually it just fatigued and broke off; it was hanging by the bolt.

Tonight was rough too though, both rear lower control arms were bent so we made new ones (30% stronger and 15% lighter). The front pull rod tabs were tearing off so we fixed those. And we fixed the hub.

Yeah, Ben told me about you guys. It'll defiantly be a crazy good time. I'm looking forward to meeting yall. See you in a few weeks.

[fsae_alum]

Mike D....you have a PM!