AF DSM Meet 2008 - North

[david-b]

Tim your car better not be falling apart. Hopefully it's nothing.
I'll be calling you tonight so expect a call.

So seriously though, I think next year we should have a Chicago meet since I am the ONLY person going to both meets. So 1 out of 6 people went to both lol.

[steviek]

yea if it was like in grand rapids or something the drive wouldn't be that bad for me at all. Like 7 hours I could probably handle that one.

[david-b]

Originally Posted by steviek

yea if it was like in grand rapids or something the drive wouldn't be that bad for me at all. Like 7 hours I could probably handle that one.

How about Chicago?

[Thor06]

God DAMN dude! I'd be breathing fuckin fire if I were you. Let us know yo!

I'd be game for a Chicago meet next year, since I am the only MN guy going to the MN meet. Granted I more than likely wont be driving the Talon next year, but I'll have the Cavy.

[steviek]

Originally Posted by david-b

How about Chicago?

Well I try and avoid the big cities as much as possible but if it was there its there. What can I do. But as for campgrounds and stuff what would we do?

[tfoti]

Originally Posted by david-b

Tim your car better not be falling apart. Hopefully it's nothing.
I'll be calling you tonight so expect a call.

So seriously though, I think next year we should have a Chicago meet since I am the ONLY person going to both meets. So 1 out of 6 people went to both lol.

I'll be out working on the car. I picked up a new water pump. It sounds like the impellar is hitting the housing. I will be taking the Alternator belt off, run the car and see if it makes the noise. The whole pulley looks wobbley when I hit the throttle. Wish I had a new timing belt to throw on it too. We'll see....

[Thor06]

Yeah, we'd probably want to get a ways out of the down town area wouldnt we? It is a good year away though, lets not get ahead of ourselves.

[david-b]

Well ya it wouldn't be right in the downtown area. I don't live in the downtown area There's camp grounds in different locations and shit but it's a long way away. I was actually coming up with some good ideas at work today but it would require people to actually show up. Anywho...

[david-b]

I'm home!!!!!!!!!!!

Trip was awesome! Let me say, AF people are best, nicest group of people around.

So Thursday, Tim drove up to Chicago... was supposed to be here around 7, but didn't get her until after 11. Had some mix ups or whatever on the route here. So we didn't get to see the city and have some fun. Just hit Dennys.

Friday, we left my place around 10 and drove to MN. Tim followed while I led.

Rained once on the way but wasn't bad. Got to the grounds around 5:30 and got all setup. Camp site was huge. We got the biggest group site (although didn't need it) but it was away from everyone else, nice and quiet, and big. No trees, but just a huge grass area cut out of the field or whatever.

When pulling into the place, I almost hit a Turkey! Thing gobbled across the street while trying to find where to go and made me slam on the brakes. Crazy.

Looking up from the parking lot.


Camp site where we setup the tents


Dustin showed up a little later and we all got acquainted and talking about the cars.






We went to Cubs and the liquor store and then BBQed around the fire. Was perfect outside, except for some bugs and then got colder during the night.


Saturday we woke up

The site had showers and some pretty decent utilities. Very nice people there, fire wood, "welcome comity", and more. We went to IHOP for breakfast and Mall of America.


Then checked out the rest of the grounds, like the homemade swimming lake and the fishing pier.
Dustin on the pier.


Afterward, we went for dinner, but Dustins car ended up overheating. We worked on it and rewired the fans. Then his battery died. Then while I was jumping, mine started over heating. Blah. Then headed to Porkys... however, there was a car show or something going on and no place to park. Ended up going to another restaurant. Then went back to the grounds (after getting lost), fired it up and made Smores.

Sunday, Tim left really early, and then me and Dustin left at like 10ish. Dustin had some issues which I'm sure he'll talk about soon. I had a small overheating issue, so picking up another slimline fan this week.

[steviek]

sounds like a good trip wish I could be there but I can pretty much gurantee next year I can make

[gthompson97]

Yeah sounds like you guys had a blast, next year I'll def. make it, I just had alot of things turn up the same weekend this year and it had to be this weekend. Good news though, I sold the RS on saturday so that's a plus, now I can get started on the Talon and have it done for next years meet.

[tfoti]

I think we all learned that our cars get hot and need another fan!

Highlights include:

1)stranded on the side of the road rewiring Dustin's fan to work with an under-hood switch while a crack head peddles us for cash

2)the old man asking if we had alcohol (Buffalo Buttlicker Bob)

3)hot 15 year olds at the Mall of America!

4)grillin' hot dogs with some of the coolest people i met in awhile

Good times! Is it next year yet?

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by david-b

Afterward, we went for dinner, but Dustins car ended up overheating. We worked on it and rewired the fans. Then his battery died. Then while I was jumping, mine started over heating. Blah. Then headed to Porkys... however, there was a car show or something going on and no place to park. Ended up going to another restaurant. Then went back to the grounds (after getting lost), fired it up and made Smores.

Sunday, Tim left really early, and then me and Dustin left at like 10ish. Dustin had some issues which I'm sure he'll talk about soon. I had a small overheating issue, so picking up another slimline fan this week.

Talon got angry and poopied on Thor.

It all started when we were going to dinner, as Dave alluded to. We were cruising on the highway and it started to get hot. We pulled over and started looking at shit, and noticed the fan wasnt working. We figured it was the sensor on the bottom of the radiator, so we used a switch I had and some o Dave's wire to hardwire the fan. That did the trick... until I was heading home. I was like an hour and a half from home and the 219* coolant light came on, with the fan on. I picked up the speed and nothing happened so I shut it down shortly thereafter and let it cool down. I started grabbing hoses and shit and the upper radiator hose was hot as hell, but the lower was significantly cooler. Then I set my hands on the radiator and leaned on it to think, then I realized the radiator was maybe like 80*. T-stat must have gotten stuck shut, fucking great. So I waited another 20 minutes or so and got ready to take off again.

Flash back to Friday afternoon. I got down to the campground and noticed the inner parts of my front tires were worn like hell, down to the cords. I tried to switch front and back, but for whatever dumb ass reason I had lockers on the back wheels and left the key at home. Flash back to me sitting on the side of the road after it cooled down.

So I fire 'er up and take off, and I made it like 20 miles or so with no over heating issues. I was thinking I was in the clear to make it up to the next town to rip the T-stat housing open and take the stuck T-stat so it will stay cool... then I smell burning rubber. FUCK. Pulled over and sure enough the shit wore through the tire and she was toast. Dad came and got it with the flatbed.

I was pretty furious during all of this and was about damn ready to part it. Dave is right though, both of the things that went wrong are pretty routine maintenance... a bad T-stat and a misalignment. I think the hard starting and studdering under boost has something to do with the bad plugs, which I think has something to do with the switch to E85. I think I am going to change the plugs, T-stat, change the front tires (luckily I have four spare tires in the exact same size as I am running now), and have it aligned and see where I am.

Note: I just did some reading/searching on E85 stuff and I found this:

Originally Posted by E85 Writeup

Fuel Filter
This is something that needs to be changed after running 500 miles or so on E85. The ethanol will actually clean any sludge and particles in your gas tank and fuel lines and can clog your fuel filter decreasing fuel economy and cause hard starts , hesitation on acceleration and bad idle. So I am now at 800 Miles running E85 and this is something that is being changed.

It makes perfect sense. The 1000's took a couple cranks more to get started, but its been to the point of hardly getting started when I was leaving Minneapolis. The milage took a huge shit as time has gone on too, I estimated I was getting about 25 mpg highway halfway to Minneapolis and I figured I was getting more like 21 mpg on the return trip. This also explains the hesitation under boost.

Anyway, my JAW should have been here today or maybe tomorrow or Wednesday, and I am going to use the money from the clutch for a WBo2 sensor and GM MAP sensor. I already have a good fuel filter from my buddies car, he replaced it when his car died, but it never got running again... then I got the car. Once I get paid on Thursday I will go to the store and get oil, filter, and a thermostat, and sometime this week I will have the front wheels off to switch the tires. Hopefully I will get all the new fluids and shit in on Thursday and Friday night, get the new tires on somewhere in there, and get the wheels balanced and aligned on Saturday. Hopefully my MAP and WBo2 sensors will be at NAPA at the end of the week too, so I should be all sorts of hooked up by Sunday... HOPEFULLY!!

EDIT: I definately had a great time as well. You guys were great people to hang out with for the weekend, I really hope we can get together again!

[david-b]

Originally Posted by tfoti

I think we all learned that our cars get hot and need another fan!

Highlights include:

1)stranded on the side of the road rewiring Dustin's fan to work with an under-hood switch while a crack head peddles us for cash

2)the old man asking if we had alcohol (Buffalo Buttlicker Bob)

3)hot 15 year olds at the Mall of America!

4)grillin' hot dogs with some of the coolest people i met in awhile

5)ketchup bottles fart

Good times! Is it next year yet?

LMFAO!! I kept trying to remember what you called him and now I'm seriously laughing hard. haha.

You shoulda went for a 15yr old.

Also added in #5

[Thor06]

Originally Posted by Dave and Tim

Highlights include:

1)stranded on the side of the road rewiring Dustin's fan to work with an under-hood switch while a crack head peddles us for cash

2)the old man asking if we had alcohol (Buffalo Buttlicker Bob)

3)hot 15 year olds at the Mall of America!

4)grillin' hot dogs with some of the coolest people i met in awhile

5)ketchup bottles fart

LOL!! YES! All good memories of the weekend. I should take a picture of our handy work on the side of the road too, I bet you guys would get a kick out of that. It managed to keep what little water flowing through the block as I had cool though, so I am not complaining!

EDIT: I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed the oodles of jail bait at the mall! It looked more like a setup by Dateline NBC to catch child predators than a normal day at the mall.