JD Scion tC Team Hits Hard Speedbump With Engine Failure

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07-13-2007, 11:04 PM

adg016

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JD Scion tC Team Hits Hard Speedbump With Engine Failure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 13, 2007

Jackson-Dawson Scion tC Team Hits Hard Speedbump With Engine Failure at Willow Springs

Motor Lets Go During 120-Degree Test Day, But Team to Come Back Stronger Than Ever

TORRANCE, Calif. — Exactly one week ago, Jackson-Dawson and their Scion-supported tC suffered a catastrophic engine failure at Willow Springs. It was hotter than the team had ever experienced, with some handheld thermometers registering in excess of 120 degrees.

The team was testing the Friday before NASA’s race weekend, and would never even start the race on Saturday or Sunday, costing the team valuable development time as well as a few regional points.

Driver Dan Gardner was carefully monitoring his gauges all during the lapping sessions, feathering back the throttle and coming into the pits when things seemed to get too hot. The team was testing their new AEM standalone engine management system tuned by Crawford Performance/I-Speed.

The extra revs the team was ready to run with the new system proved futile, as Gardner needed to short shift and get the car quickly into fifth gear to avoid overheating the water. Even still, oil temps shot as high as 300 degrees, though Gardner was able to keep the water under 230. Still not ideal, but it didn’t seem like a failure was imminent.

And nothing happened all at once. Late in the afternoon Gardner came off track and noticed the car had a noticeably different tone to it, plus he smelled and saw smoke out of the exhaust.

"Something didn’t seem quite right a couple of times going down the front straight, and then in the paddock, I knew something was really up," said Gardner. "I had no idea what I’d find, but I knew it was time to take off the driving suit, and get the overalls on."

Gardner pulled the fuel pump harness, and then the spark plugs, preparing for a compression test. Cylinder number one’s plug looked fine, but number two’s was coated with a healthy amount of oil, and the plug gap was closed up. Three and four seemed normal too.

A healthy motor specs out at around 185 psi per cylinder. And cylinders one, three, and four all were right there. But number two yielded just 70 psi. Something definitely had let go. Adding a bit of oil into the cylinder caused the compression to jump to 100 psi, suggesting something likely wrong with the piston and or rings.

At that point, Gardner knew the weekend was over. It was time to get the car back to Los Angeles and start planning next steps, including a full tear-down and analysis.

Though the team received no points, they still manage to lead the regional class standings. Still, the team knows they can’t afford any additional catastrophic failures, especially with Nationals now just around the corner.

To help give a massive jolt of reliability and durability, the team is furiously working on a series of countermeasures. Currently being implemented are:

• Custom racing radiator

• Oil cooler

• Custom shrouding and belly pan

• TRD colder thermostat

• Colder plugs

• 100-octane fuel

• Removal of balance shafts and plugging gallies

In addition to the mechanical steps, the team will be investigating everything on the electronics side to make sure nothing there could contribute to a failure as well.

Beyond that, the team has some tricks up their sleeve to hopefully make the car faster before the next event.

The next NASA race is back at Willow Springs on August 11 and 12.

The JD Scion tC is currently fitted with

• Scion-supplied OE and TRD parts

• Nitto 225/45R17 NT-01 tires

• Enkei RPF1 17x8 wheels

• Recaro Pole Position Seats

• Progress Technology coilovers, rear swaybar, and camber bolts

• Dezod-supplied AEM standalone engine management, plug and play harness and stainless clutch line

• Kaminari carbon fiber roof

• Centerforce clutch and lightweight aluminum flywheel

• NST underdrive pulleys and shifter bushings

• AIT carbon fiber hood

• Wild Pony Motorsports-supplied camber/caster plates

• Goodridge stainless brake lines

• Carbotech XP10 and XP8 brake pads

• G-Force 5-point harnesses, racing suit, gloves, and helmet

• TRD cold air intake and limited slip differential

• DC Sports Header

• Energy Suspension bushings and motor mounts

• HoseTechniques silicone hoses

• Motul brake fluid, engine oil, transmission fluid, and super coolant

• RobiSpec brake ducting

In addition, tire mounting, balancing, and repair are performed by America's Tire Co., tuning is done by i-Speed, alignment is performed by M-Workz, car care products are supplied by Mothers Polish, body work is done by Royalty Auto Body, team clothing is supplied by turn3, and dyno testing services are done by Harman Motive.

Jackson-Dawson Communications (JD) is a 25-year-old privately held company that provides creative and strategic services to a range of national clients. Core competencies include retail training, event marketing, marketing services, business theater, video and media production services, meeting planning, print graphic and design services, staging service and vehicle management.

With corporate offices in Detroit, MI, Jackson-Dawson also maintains offices in Torrance and Irvine, CA, Manhattan, NY, and Spring Hill, TN. Jackson-Dawson owns and operates several divisions: Peloton Creative Group, BenMar Communications, Drivers Talk Radio and Drivers Talk Testing.

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