Hi all!
Again, just back from Hallett, and before I collapse for the evening
after a most EXCELLENT weekend, I have a transmission question to ask.
What would make a J-type single-rail O/D transmission with correct
amount of fluid and snug electrical connections drop out of 2nd O/D into
2nd in a hard left-hand turn? This happened a couple times this
weekend, and none of us could figure it out. Each time it happened I
had driven about 4 laps with no trouble (1.8-mile technical track with
lots of elevation changes). On about the 5th lap, I drive hard down the
straight after Turn 1 in 3rd O/D. I brake HARD and downshift to 2nd O/D
while off the gas to get set up for Turn 2, a HARD left-hander that
opens into a small ess curve before a short uphill straight. I modulate
the throttle through 2 and get back on the gas hard as I am
straightening out and heading into Turn 3 (the small ess). When I get
back onto the gas at this point it drops into straight 2nd gear and then
upshifts itself back to 2nd O/D. I have not changed driving style,
line or anything in this lap compared to my other laps.
2nd O/D did NOT ever do this going through the completion of The Bitch
(barrel over a blind hill in 3rd O/D, brake HARD and downshift to 2nd
O/D at the same time, then get back on the gas hard to get up the hill
onto the back straight).
Could this be some wierd combination of hard left cornering, fluid
pressure dynamics, and heat, or am I missing something? We were going
to try Larry's pressure gauge on the O/D, but the frame rail was in the
way and we only had one race left so we didn't worry about it and I just
straight-shifted through the corner. (We will pressure-check it before
our next event for sure.) This O/D box has not been modified for
racing, so I am thinking there is probably something we need to do to it
to optimize racing performance. There is no leakage from the box or
the tranny.
Hallett Report!
****************************
BTW, I had my best lap time at Hallett this weekend, a 1.39! Larry's
best time of the weekend was a 1.37, and he was thrilled as well (he may
have done even better, since we left before we could have heard times
from the last Group 4 race)! He gave a big Healey and a couple very
nice MGA's quite a run, and always stayed in the front! It was a joy to
watch him increase his lead lap after lap! The car and driver are
performing VERY well.
Dan Duryea came over from Colorado, and this guy has guts! He lost a
wheel due to an axle failure in one race, and had the axle replaced and
the car back on track for his very next race! Fortunately, there was
no real damage to the car except for flattening the bottom of his
exhaust tip, with no change to the inside diameter. Amazing. And Joe
Hovey was there with his green Spitfire, and did himself proud by
learning a difficult track and then proceeding to progressively decrease
his time with each run. Fun was had by all!
Thanks for any help on the O/D problem in advance!
Keep Triumphing,
Susan :)
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