This is a picture taken by track photographer at HRP last Sunday night when I blew the rear freeze plug. It was sent to me by the Rumble Bee owner I was racing at the time it blew. Look very close under the truck. You can see the freeze plug just off the ground and water spewing out. Would have been a beautiful picture except for that.

 

Wow! What are the chances to actually catch the plug in the pic! Sorry for your troubles

 

It is one of a kind picture that's for sure. And the truck was back at the track tonight, so all's well again.

 

Thats an amazing picture!!

Quite impressive to say the least!

 

That is an awesome picture. Glad to hear you got it back running again. What were your times tonight?

 

WoW cool pic!!!

 

Well I am hard headed and started with the stack that I was running 12.7-12.8 with last week. New light system installed at HRP and the wind was blowing from behind. It was taking way to long to spool up and the SMOKE just rolled into the lights everytime I tried. Triggered the lights early and really screwed up readings. I have two time slips that read 8.9s @ 106 and 9.1 @ 105. The 8.9s slip brought a NHRA Official out of the slip shack to check my NHRA License and inspect the truck. Told me I was going to have to slow it down or get off the track . He said he did not watch me come down the track and it took a minute for him to come to his senses and look at the truck and the slip and listen to my story.

I finally gave in and loaded Smarty SW 4, TST 3/0, EZ 2 and ran 13.0s @ 103, but I needed to get home and gave up for the night.

 

Why did the freeze plug blow like that?

 

Well I have seen a few posts of the same freeze plug coming out. Most were with performance mods. I assume the higher fueling rpms created enough pressure from the water pump to blow it out.

 

Wow - what RPMs were you shifting at?

 

yeh the combination of the headgasket leaking slightly from increased cylinder pressures combined with the speed of the water pump cirulating water pressurizes the system enough till "POP".

 

Fuels hard and shifts in the 3300+ range to 3rd and OD I think, still trying to watch about 3 guages, tach, speedo, TST Remote, hold the TC lockup button down, keep it straight and answer the cell phone at the same time .

I keep saying well this run I am just going to take it easy and watch this gauge and nothing else. Then I get to the lights and the street racer in me takes over and I am not thinking about anything but best R/T and beat whatever is next to me to the lights.

 

I didn't think a water pump could generate so much pressure... I mean, it's not really a positive displacement type of pump, just an impeller.

 

That makes sense... how much cylinder pressure do you reckon is getting through the HG into the water jacket?

 

I think some of it may be that plug being so close to the back of #6 cylinder and the block expands a little due to the heat from that cylinder. In addition, the lip on the plug is very narrown not a lot of surface to grip. Thank goodness fro JB weld.