Fried Alternator Wire

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

OK Chas - while out for a leisurely ride through the country lanes this morning I hit 5000 in second gear - better? Keith builds a smooth reving motor - revs as smooth as a small block (not that I've ever owned a small block of anything except a late model Mustang).

Dan

ONLY ONCE???
KC builds a jewel of a motor-USE IT!
I know you want to work up to the car and that's fine. But wasn't that a great feeling going through 5K?
Get out and row through the gears using as much engine as possible with downshifts-stop coasting down to stops. You work up a rhythm much easier that way. And you will grin like a fool.
The car really pays you back that way.
This is not like your mid-year which was an excellent addition to your 401K but no match for this dynamically. This really wants to be driven-hard and skilfully.
You can do this with more peace of mind on track if you'll believe me and are street-worried.
I get the quiet country lanes but I have them here too; they are a thrill to get right at the upper limits. Except coming into my development, I drove it like track laps and avoided traffic.
If you 'get it', Cobras encourage you to be immature well into your 'sunset' years.

[DanEC]

[quote=ERA Chas;1314890]ONLY ONCE???
KC builds a jewel of a motor-USE IT!

Well, I didn't have much time - by the time we got back from our usual Saturday morning, senior citizen discount breakfast at IHOP it was already getting pretty warm and I was getting a little shaky from the meds for the crud I'm still taking.


Get out and row through the gears using as much engine as possible with downshifts-stop coasting down to stops. You work up a rhythm much easier that way. And you will grin like a fool.

Here in Sherwood, we have probably one of the highest cop densities in the US - if they see you grinning like a fool they figure you're up to something. I've even had the distinction of being ticketed in my own driveway a couple years ago which I did not take well.


You can do this with more peace of mind on track if you'll believe me and are street-worried.

Not much track access in Arkansas - I think way over at Memphis is probably the closest - about a 110 miles down the heaviest truck traffic corridor in the US. Few dragstrips about 80 to 90 miles away. But I would probably be thrown off for no roll bar. I pretty much have to get my kicks (such as it be) on county roads and if you know Arkansas, there aren't many that have a straight stretch for long. But keep it going Chas I'm slowly getting there.
QUOTE]

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I pretty much have to get my kicks (such as it be) on county roads and if you know Arkansas, there aren't many that have a straight stretch for long. But keep it going Chas I'm slowly getting there. [/i]
QUOTE]

That's the GOOD part..

-and yes, I will Dan.

[patrickt]

Well, you do need to experience what happens when you, for whatever reason, just happen to push the throttle pedal all the way to the floor. First, you need to find out if anything goes "BANG" and falls off your car. But, more importantly, you need to just see what happens, how the car breaks loose, how it comes around, etc. The stadium parking lot is the spot where I'd try that for the first time. With the car just "idling" across the parking lot in first gear, plant your right foot down as far as it will go. That's your first lesson -- there will be many more.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

The stadium parking lot is the spot where I'd try that for the first time. With the car just "idling" across the parking lot in first gear, plant your right foot down as far as it will go. That's your first lesson -- there will be many more.

Sage advice from the Master of the Oyster Bar Parking Lot ............

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Sage advice from the Master of the Oyster Bar Parking Lot ............

I never put sage on my oysters.

[patrickt]

In all seriousness, this thread today Intro, cautionary tale is the perfect example of why you need to take your car out to a nice, safe, large, flat, open area and thrash it around a bit where it can safely break without killing you.

[DanEC]

As a followup I ordered a alternator wire boot from Summit and it fits like it was designed for a Ford (I think it's listed for GM alternators). A little shot of WD40 and it slid over the large ring terminal fine and it clamps snugly over the red insulator ring on the alternator. No chance of an accidental short now.