sgraber
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 07:47 PM |
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Starting Car - Driving 'round the block
Can it be? Two years after starting, I am within a few short hours of turning the key on La Bala. And I have the chassis actually ready to roll too.
Here's hoping the wheels don't fall off...  
Just a minor laundry list of items to finish up. Less than 5 hours worth.
So it's gonna be a big weekend for me. I have a lot of anxiety about forgetting to do something important before ignition.
Can some of you who have gotten farther than me give some thoughts on what you forgot to do, or what you think should be looked over twice before
firing?
Graber
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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JoelP
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 08:11 PM |
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no ideas here, but good look anyway!!
best advice is probably watch out for the law!!!!
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tadltd
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 08:15 PM |
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Make sure the engine has oil pressure before firing (if it's been sitting around for a while).
And make sure it's out of gear!
Best of luck...
Steve. 
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sgraber
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 08:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tadltd
Make sure the engine has oil pressure before firing ... Steve.
It's been sitting for 2 years. I am going to remove the plugs and crank till I get oil pressure. Then plugs go back in and crank till it fires,
or the battery dies...
Any better way to ensure proper lubrication? Squirt oil into cylinders? Remove cam covers and lube the cams and followers? Is that overkill?
Graber
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Alan B
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 08:55 PM |
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Steve, I'd hang on a bit if I were you....let me catch up a bit...
Seriously, turning it over with the plugs out until you see pressure should do it...
Well done...should be fun...
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JoelP
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 09:39 PM |
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int book it says putting oil in the cylinders will help seal the piston rings for good compression. Can only help really i guess, unless you get
carried away!!
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ProjectLMP
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| posted on 11/12/03 at 11:10 PM |
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And make sure you test the most important part, the brakes!! Good luck, look forward to hearing all about it.
Home of the Astronomicalcost Mid engined LMP project
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TheGecko
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 12:53 AM |
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Steve,
Congrats on reaching (almost) this important milestone.
I would echo what others have said about checking that the brakes are good and add another check. Make sure that the throttle linkage can't
stick or jam. That's the sort of thing that can really spoil your day.
It might also be worth having a fire extinguisher handy. I know it probably sounds a bit paranoid but when you're dealing with a complete fuel
system built from scratch, there's the possibility of leaks and in an EFI system those leaks will be at high pressure. I just keep remembering
the Discovery Channel program about the team that spent two years somewhere above the Artic circle rebuilding a downed WWII bomber (B27? B29?) so they
could fly it out. When they finally got it rolling, something broke loose from vibration and the whole thing burnt to the ground in 15 minutes.
I'd hate to see your car as a scorched wreck 200 yards from your driveway.
Anyway, paranoia aside, good luck and look forward to the update 
Dominic
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kb58
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 04:46 AM |
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I saw that show, truly heartbreaking.
----------
Ah yes, first drive. I was *nervous* as hell! I didn't trust anything!
Yes, fire extinguisher, good idea.
Have a tow vehicle ready, no kidding, and have a buddy follow you. I had a fuel starvation problem and stalled a block from home... at the bottom of
a hill, which you can see in my First Drive video on my site. Which reminds me, you had better record the event for historical value! Or at
least for us to see. Just hope the last frame isn't you getting put in the back of a cop car
All kidding aside, that was what I was most nervous about. I was breaking about 12 traffic laws... no registration, insurance, seatbelts, turn
signals, brake lights, wipers, failure to stop,... the cops could have had a field day. Never mind something breaking, a loose nut, a leaky
connection, gads, a million things... Just make sure you put on a quiet muffler so you don't tick off the neighbors.
Good luck and we all expect a video!!!
[Edited on 12/12/03 by kb58]
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pbura
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 05:20 AM |
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Hurray! 
Might want to idle until the fan kicks in...
Pretty obvious, but the devil's in the details, after all.
Good move going in the middle of the month, before the Boys in Blue are out to meet their ticket revenue goals. And I don't know about your
town, but you can't find a cop on a Sunday in mine!
[Edited on 12/12/03 by pbura]
Pete
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Sven
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 07:13 AM |
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Remember gas in the tank ...
I'm only down the road ... I could bring a bottle and celebrate, but you know that is just tempting fate.
Good luck mate, I'm betting it'll all go well and you'll be grinning for a week.
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MrFluffy
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 05:35 PM |
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Finish the jobs on one day, and leave it till the next, and the next day just have a quick last minute blimp round making sure you remembered
everything, everything is visually right, levels havent fell overnight, the brakes still feel right etc.
It doesnt half help being fresh and sharp for the last minute checks, and its always good to catch them there.
This is the one thing I force myself to do nowadays when I finish a car/bike project. Pity its not my nova...
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kb58
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 05:49 PM |
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That's what I did, finished everything the day before. In the morning you're fresh, but more importantly, there's fewer people
about, but the biggest thing is that it gives you maximum daylight if you have a problem.
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Alan B
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 07:41 PM |
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Another idea.....split it into two jobs..
1) run and test the engine
2) first drive
At least then the drive should be less troublesome...
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JoelP
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 07:48 PM |
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it may be a bad sign that we havent heard from him all day...! he'll be starting a 5 year holiday!!
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sgraber
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 09:31 PM |
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Hi guys, just checking in.
Trying hard to make it through the day. Why do things always get busy when I have more important things to do? Like work on my car?! 
Haven't been able to touch the car... Maybe tonite...
Thanks for all the hints and tips.
I have the fire extinguisher at hand.
The spanner once-over tip is a good one.
Fresh start in the morning. Yup!
Seperate engine from drive. U-huh. Got it.
Idle till the fan kicks in. Good one.
Tow vehicle handy.... Pretty flat around here, and the neighborhood kids are all loyal fans. They can push!
Video camera. Roger that.
Dominic, you scare me... However, if la Bala burns to the ground, can I then buy a Coram or a Meerkat? Lighter anyone?
Brakes- working.
Still a list of small items to button up tomorrow. Possibly crank the engine over Saturday - Then maybe drive time on Sunday?! Keep the fingers
crossed....
Graber
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Tudor (Ted) Miron
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 10:22 PM |
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Best of Luck Steve!!! I'm sure everything is going to be fine. Some minor things - they can't spoil it. If you look at it the right way.
I think it's VERY exiting moment it's allmost like your sun making his first step. Steve DA MAN!
Ta-Da!!!
Ted
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MikeR
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| posted on 12/12/03 at 10:40 PM |
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One final bit of advice - their is no such thing as failure, only events that make the final success more enjoyable!!!!
if it doesn't happen this weekend, don't rush it, there is always next weekend!
Good luck, keep us posted and make sure you upload the video so we can all watch.
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kb58
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| posted on 13/12/03 at 02:58 AM |
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In my case, it was agreed many months earlier that if my car moved even 10 feet under it's own power, the project would be considered a complete
success! I think you'll make it!
Remember to turn on the video camera and remove the lens cover! As someone said above, this event is very much like a child taking their first step.
Don't want to miss it!
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gsand
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| posted on 13/12/03 at 12:24 PM |
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GO GRABER!!!!
Good luck! I wanna see the video.
PS, Just remember to give it a nice a good going over at the top end of the powerband
4st Insanity
Maybee i should start wearing a Welding mask.....
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 13/12/03 at 12:33 PM |
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Almost forgot, Sell tickets, its bound to be the event of the neighbourhood, u might even recover the build costs have fun.
Shug.
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sgraber
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| posted on 14/12/03 at 04:27 AM |
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Saturday Night Update: (This is long. Sorry)
Finished my list of to-do's on the car. There was more to do than I expected. (of course). Luckily my good friend Jim came over and assisted...
So....
You wanna know what happened?
Well, after all the prep work, which went without a hitch, we re-installed the plugs and I cranked the engine over... and over... and over... and
over... until the battery died. Checked the timing. Fixed the timing. Installed a spare battery. Cranked over and over and over.... Finally! It
started to make like it wanted to start. You know the sound; when the starter whine goes faster and then can barely keep up with the engine and there
are little poopy sounds coming out of the exhaust. But it's not quite running by itself... Couldn't get it to do more than that.
After a few hours of fiddling and futzing, we took a 20 minute break. Then at it again. This time the engine kicked over and ran for about 3 seconds.
progress! But after the 3 seconds it would simply crank with no combustion... I discovered that if I let it rest for few seconds and tried again
then it would run for 3 seconds and die. I could repeat this effect.
At this point I am thinking definitely fuel. Sounds like the cold start injector is providing fuel for the initial 3 seconds, but the main injectors
are not doing anything. I then notice a very large pool of fuel forming under the #4 injector that appears to be coming from the upper fuel rail area.
DAMN!
So close, yet so far.
I now have the injectors out and the upper o-rings are all brittle and cracked. The #4 upper o-ring is disintegrated. This was causing the fuel
leak.
My theory is that this is probably causing the rail to not provide enough pressure to the injectors.... I would also have to assume that the injectors
are clogged and need cleaning.
Even though it's very unlikely the car will leave the garage this weekend, I'm still in high spirits!
Steve
PS- during those 3 seconds runs, the car sounded good. I ran it with the exhaust and without and the Hayabusa Cans are going to sound so F-ing
goooooood!
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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Rorty
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| posted on 14/12/03 at 04:30 AM |
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Well? Come on Steve, how did it all go? OK I hope. Very exciting times, and I'm highly envious! I remember that buzz from the first drive of
many self-built vehicles, both four-wheeled and two. It's hard to beat.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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Hugh Paterson
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| posted on 14/12/03 at 02:55 PM |
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Steve
Sounds good at least it coughed we await for the next thrilling instalment of your adventure.
Shug.
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sgraber
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| posted on 15/12/03 at 02:52 AM |
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IT LIVES!!! And it sounds awesome!
YAHOOO YIPPEEE!!!
So here's the full story. another long one.
I had a hell of a time finding the injector rebuild kits on a Sunday. The dealership parts desk is of course, closed on Sundays. Four seperate stores,
each one with one injector kit. Lotsa time used up driving around town. So finally I get all 4 little boxes and head home. Each rebuild kit
comes with a rubber replacement set for one injector, Top o-ring and rubber seal, bottom a rubber gasket. $2.99 each box. About $15.00 for all 4 with
tax (VAT). The original ones were absolutely shot.
But I digress. Safe to assume that the injectors were clogged due to having sat for over 2 years. I bodged an injector cleaning circuit out of a 12v
cordless drill battery, a brake lightbulb (as a dropping resistor), some wire and a mity-vac handheld vacuum pump.
As a baseline, I applied 40psi suction to one end of the injector and energized the circuit. The pressure barely dropped indicating that there was
virtually no air passing through them. I aborted this test because I didn't want to burn out the injectors. I did this to all 4 injectors. They
were definitely clogged.
Now placing mineral spirits in a small glass container I applied suction to one end of the injector with the other end in the glass. Then I cycled the
injector on and off until all the spirits had been sucked throught the injector. Do not do this with gasoline! Touching the wires together causes a
spark. Had it been fuel, there would have been a real risk of combustion. Repeat for other 3 injectors. I then did the open air suction test. In each
case the injector pulled 40psi down to 0psi in less than 7 seconds! Fixed.
Put everything back together on the car. Cross fingers, turn the key...
3-4 seconds of cranking and vrooooom!!!! vroooom, vroooooom!!!!!!!! wohooooooo
I have a video. I will digitize it tomorrow at work and post it up on my site.
You will be amazed at how awesome the Hayabusa exhaust sounds. It is so sweet. It sounds like a huge, agressive inline 4 motorcycle. Not too loud at
idle, but building a raspy, bright but deep sound as the revs go up to 5,000. The redline is over 7,400 on this engine and I can't WAIT to hear
that! But the engine really should be under load for that type of revving.
Status - The car is now off the jackstands and sitting on 4 wheels. Due to massive workload I won't be able to get to it again until next
weekend.
Later,
a very tired Graber
Steve Graber
http://www.grabercars.com/
"Quickness through lightness"
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