First, Just in case anyone does not know this, I really appreciate and feel the support and good wishes the people give me. There was a light turn out and the Cross winds and rain were serious. I started not to post this here, but then again, what better place.
Maxton June 25 & 26.
I went there with possibly the best prepared bike I have ever had (Mistake #1)
First, we left home and were in Virginia near the Pentagon when Peggy Realized that I did not have my Leathers. On the way back home we also realized that I also did not have my Back Protector.
Now it is after 11 PM when we are on the road to Maxton 6 hours away. Somehow, we meet up with Randall at the Rest Stop in North Carolina. We get to The Hotel by 6 AM and wore out get up at 9:30 and head to the Air Base. I make my first run by Noon.
The run was slow to check things out but I feel the engine cutting off and on during the run while I avoid a "CONE" in the Middle of the course at about the 3/4 mile mark. I ran 182. I look over the bike and see that the fuel Pressure seems to be lower than I set it on the Bypass Fuel gauge but the gauge could be off so I reset it and make the second Run. This Run is a little better 184 but the bike actually dies a few times during the run. We check the bike over again and I again reset the fuel presure and make the next run. This time the bike is really accelerating well and then the engine noses over and I pull in the clutch and make the turn off the course then let the clutch out a few times but the bike is making funny sounds and will not start.
OH Oh have I really done it this time? I call for help and check the bike over and realize not only will it not start but I alco cannot hear the Fuel Pump. Now I really am sacred because I hit the NOS Button several times during the run to reset it because the engine seemed to be bogging down. Have I just sprayed an Fuel Starved engine and Killed it for GOOD??
Peggy and Randall show up with the van and We put the bike in it and go back to the Pitts. NO Pump noise what so ever. My first thought is, the New Muzzy fuel Pump is one of only 2 things I have changed and I have never had a pump failure in the past, is it the Muzzy Pump or something I did wrong when I installed it??
It now has started to rain so I push it under Snark Racing Tent. I turn on the key and the Pump works and the Bike is now running and I am breathing again. NO STRANGE NOISES NO Engine DAMAGE (As far as I can tell) We push and pull on all of the wires than the Bike continues to run well. I take it out for a spin and it still runs well. I ask Randall does he want to ride it but he says no because the Track is still wet and who knows about the Bike? I start down the taxi way to the start line and the bike stopps just before the cement ends. I tell people to let the starter know so that Peggy can come and get me but the bike starts again and I go to the start line where it dies again. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! NO MORE UNTIL I FIGURE THIS OUT>
The day is over and we go to eat with OldKawboy and his family and some other friends. All night long I go over the bike in my mind and heat out about 7 AM to fix this monster. We check the Wires from the Connector to the ECU. We check the Pump itself and everything is fine. We (Dan "OldKawboy" and I check the relays, fuses and everything works perfectly. San finds loose connector and the pump squirts fuel and we think he has found the answer but by the time I put the tank on, no fuel pump. FInally the person that is with his son that I sold some NOS to suggest to bypass and run a Jumper wire connected to a toggle Switch to see if we can get the pump to run. Well I have one other thiong to try first, I eun a bypass wire from the Pump connector to the ECU to see if there is a problem with the wire but the pump does not run. SO I now take the wire from my Heater Blanket and carefully cut into the Pump wire and connect this and flip the switch and the pump turns on!
"THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MUZZY FUEL PUMP PERIOD[/u]
I then hit the starter Button to see if I have damaged the ECU (I ALSO HAD DISCONNECTED THE PC3 to make sure it was no problem) The bike starts right up and I take it for a ride. Now it is about 11 AM but no one can go on the track because JOHN BECKETT has just crashed HARD In his 200+ Old Honda Land SPeed Car. AT about 200, the Chutes faied to deploy and the car went sideways and every other way before it left the course and hit a tree. We have all heard the souds of tires Heavy braking no engine sound and then the Sounds of the things being struck. Then the Siren came on and the Rescue equipment came and you know it is bad. John suffered no injuries and the car has the front end damaged. Not too bad (But this is not the Tragedy I was referring to in the Title.
SO finally Randall in suited up and rides down to the start line. We check over everything for his run and he states that he does not want to hit the NOS but I suggest that he use it a "little" so we can get a Base Line to set the timers. Geared 19 / 44 about enough gearing to run over 200 he starts his run. He runs close to 190 but then the stated tells me that Randall has a problem (Maybe a flat tire) but he did not fall and is OK.
SO I make sure that this is no Joke and we drive to the Pits and see Randall sitting on the bike with something Hanging off the right side (as you sit on the Bike) I get closer and see that it is the fairing ripped out and a closer look I see that the Exhaust pipes are "ALL" Flattened (SMASHED)! We then look over the bike some more and see that the front wheel has a large dent in the rim (Bent back about 1/2 Inch). Talking to Randall and the track officials, we find that just after the run at about 190, Randall is braking hard, so hard that he knocks out part of the concrete Patch which put a hole in the course and caused the rim to get dented and Randall to stand the bike on its nose. Then when the bike came down, he landed on the patch and drove over it kicking the back of the bike up in the air again and to the left. Randall saves it again and brings the bike under control and rides it back to the pits. Even the rear tire has cement marks on the right side. We went out on the course and took part of the patch home with us because Randall Paid for it and I did with the damage to my bike.
I am extremely upset at the problems I had with the Bike and more upset about the Course conditions that almost took out Randall Forget the Bike. We are home now and I have 3 months to
"FIND THAT DAMM Short in the Wiring!" and put on a new exhaust, New fairing and new exhaust. We all know racing by its nature can be dangerous, but this disturbed me because nothing we have any control over almost got Randall. Hard to believe myself, But I was not upset about the Bike's condition after finding out what happened.
This has to rank as one of the worst weekend I have ever been through! I will post some pictures later but right now, I am exhausted and need to clean up and go to bed and be at work tomorrow. People in their 60's need their rest !
