Towing Eye, and Track day Hell!!!!!
Discussion
Well, before Winter officially sinks in I wanted one last trackday to remind me of why I actually bought this red fuel guzzling monster that I can hardly afford to run at the moment.
Off I set at 7.30am to try and beat the early morning mayhem on the Newcastle City Bypass (fail), on my way down to Croft Circuit in Darlington. Arrived in time for the last of the safety briefing, and straight out for my sighting laps. Considering that it is now December, the track had very few greasy patches, the worst being on the exit of the chicane, (not the best of places as it is a good time to build speed quickly and pass on the straight before the next corner).
What a great time I was having, eating M3's , 911's ( well, a few of each anyway) and an AMG 6 + litre C class. The car felt amazing,with both suspension and brakes working brilliantly till......... without warning...... I heard a loud thump from the front of my car, saw an array of warning lights, and the steering went solid. I managed to pull her in just off the circuit, and eventually the session was stopped to recover my car.
When I lifted the bonnet I was not ready for what came next. There were strings of belt everywhere, and the crank pulley was resting in the void behind my front bumper with the bolt and washer. The bolt was bent, and the centre of the pulley badly deformed. I have never heard of this happening before.
To add insult to injury, when the track recovery vehicle arrived, I was embarrassed by the fact that I hadn't got a clue where the towing Eye was. Luckily the car was still drivable and I crawled back to the pits around 200 metres away.
I rang the recovery company, and then A.A.S. in Newcastle, who have looked after my car since I bought it 18 months ago. They were totally flummoxed as to why the crank pulley bolt should come undone at all, especially so quickly and without warning, as they were the last ones to refit the pulley.
I had the car recovered there and received a call around an hour later informing me that the water pump had seized solid, and that the speed of the bolt unscrewing was most likely due to that fact it siezed with the engine at high revs. I am still in shock, and find this reasoning astonishing!!!!
Questions
1, Has anyone ever encountered anything like this before, and 2. Does anyone make a fixed or detachable Towing Eye for these cars as it was just bloody embarrasing.
Off I set at 7.30am to try and beat the early morning mayhem on the Newcastle City Bypass (fail), on my way down to Croft Circuit in Darlington. Arrived in time for the last of the safety briefing, and straight out for my sighting laps. Considering that it is now December, the track had very few greasy patches, the worst being on the exit of the chicane, (not the best of places as it is a good time to build speed quickly and pass on the straight before the next corner).
What a great time I was having, eating M3's , 911's ( well, a few of each anyway) and an AMG 6 + litre C class. The car felt amazing,with both suspension and brakes working brilliantly till......... without warning...... I heard a loud thump from the front of my car, saw an array of warning lights, and the steering went solid. I managed to pull her in just off the circuit, and eventually the session was stopped to recover my car.
When I lifted the bonnet I was not ready for what came next. There were strings of belt everywhere, and the crank pulley was resting in the void behind my front bumper with the bolt and washer. The bolt was bent, and the centre of the pulley badly deformed. I have never heard of this happening before.
To add insult to injury, when the track recovery vehicle arrived, I was embarrassed by the fact that I hadn't got a clue where the towing Eye was. Luckily the car was still drivable and I crawled back to the pits around 200 metres away.
I rang the recovery company, and then A.A.S. in Newcastle, who have looked after my car since I bought it 18 months ago. They were totally flummoxed as to why the crank pulley bolt should come undone at all, especially so quickly and without warning, as they were the last ones to refit the pulley.
I had the car recovered there and received a call around an hour later informing me that the water pump had seized solid, and that the speed of the bolt unscrewing was most likely due to that fact it siezed with the engine at high revs. I am still in shock, and find this reasoning astonishing!!!!
Questions
1, Has anyone ever encountered anything like this before, and 2. Does anyone make a fixed or detachable Towing Eye for these cars as it was just bloody embarrasing.
Edited by Jonny7 on Monday 1st December 22:21
Edited by Jonny7 on Monday 1st December 22:22
Sorry to hear. I guess the pump seizing could have started the bolt undoing, if the engine span the right way. The pulleys do come undone sometimes. They could really do with a keyway - though it has been reported on here that a tuna in the past decided that a tack weld did the same job and was quicker. 
As for a towing eye, I've yet to see one on a VXR8. I was tempted to put a strap, hidden behind the front number plate, attached to the aluminium bumper cross member.
As for a towing eye, I've yet to see one on a VXR8. I was tempted to put a strap, hidden behind the front number plate, attached to the aluminium bumper cross member.
Sorry to hear that. I'm sure AAS will keep you right.
As for towing eye, someone on here has fabricated a front towing eye for a Monaro VXR- looks a neat job
Eta- a quick google......
http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
As for towing eye, someone on here has fabricated a front towing eye for a Monaro VXR- looks a neat job
Eta- a quick google......
http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
fingers crossed I never have a need for one. What a brill Job. I will ask Stuart what he would charge to fab an eye for me
mikeyb1987 said:
Sorry to hear that. I'm sure AAS will keep you right.
As for towing eye, someone on here has fabricated a front towing eye for a Monaro VXR- looks a neat job
Eta- a quick google......
http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
As for towing eye, someone on here has fabricated a front towing eye for a Monaro VXR- looks a neat job
Eta- a quick google......
http://www.pistonheads.com/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
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