Very good point Odin's Wrath
And yes Chicago was having crazy cold temps at the time....

February 2007 still among Chicago’s coldest despite temp surge.
Temperatures soared to 50° Wednesday on Chicago’s lakefront and at Gary. The warmth sent metro area temps above 40° a third consecutive day—the first time that’s happened since early January. Despite the recent string of above normal readings, this month is averaging only 13.5° making it the 6th coldest February on record here since 1871 and the coldest February in nearly three decades.....
—By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
Posted by wgnweather on February 21, 2007 11:08 PM

I think the exact words I used on the phone when he said he was flying out and driving it home was, Your Crazy Dude but he said it was over $500.00 to ship it and only $80.00 to fly. To tell you the truth I was more concerned with snow they were having, I would have died if he wrecked it
: o ( The good news is the weather showed it warming up that Friday he came to pick it up, and it did, and he made it home trouble free

BUT I still spoke about the extreme temps we were having, thats when I went on to tell him that although the L is trouble free in NY there is simply no way of knowing what would happen when it got to Colder Chicago and started using their fuel and additives. This is when I also stressed to listen for any pinging when he got there and if he heard anything that resembles pinging "get off the pedal and re-adjust". I explained how he could mix in higher octane fuel to bring the Octane up, but I also made it clear if he heard anything weird call Sal and mail the xcal to him immediately.

13 degrees of timing is def a safe place to be, but lets face it who the hell knows what happens when you add wind chill to those 13 degree average temps Chicago is having this month. Plus remember that average was determained later in the month after the unusual hi temps, so it was being driving in even colder temps. It's safe to say the L was inhaling zub zero inlet air temps, jumping on it could have been equal to hitting it with a 200 shot for all we know ???
In those temps you dont want to throw that kind of power at anymotor

 

I had the Truck ..... a WHOLE 5 days.. 5 days... before this happened. There was snow, sleet, slush... street slicks on the truck. so the likeliness of me getting on it is slim to none, I had no traction what so ever, thats why I went to get new tires, to try and gain some kind of street traction. . I could not get on it at all.. so the theory of giving it a 200 shot, does not fly. Like I said, I have a VW GTI with close to 400 ponies in it..put over 60,000 miles on it in CHICAGO WEATHER.. with a BLOWER... using the SAME GAS STATION I ALWASYS use... and wowNEVER a problem! EVER! NO BAD GAS! go figure..
I am finding it hard to believe the the WEATHER and GAS are being blamed for the problems, in a daily driver. Maybe daily driver in the summer then.... should have been advertised WARM Weather driver.. only.

 

so much for not pointing fingers huh? I love how people say that it's nobody's fault, but then your ruffle their feathers and the hate and discontent begin to ooze.

I agree Ray.

The truck ran fine, all in the sudden, it's driven 800 miles back to Chicago and now it broke. Guess you have crappy luck man. I don't know what the rules and laws are , but I hope Rob sold it as is to cover his ***.

This is EXACTLY why I would NEVER sell my Lightning. It's just a stock block bolt on truck. Not even if the new owner did something purposely, but with performance vehicles, you never know.

I'd trade it in and take the hit rather than risk selling it and getting a call that the truck I sold them is dead on the highway with a blown motor. Built or not.

This post ought to get locked down soon. It's been a while since we had a goody on here. I can smell it brewin.

 

Reading this thread, it seems as Ole Rob just can't keep his mouth(fingers) shut. He just keeps pounding it home. The more he does this, the more it looks like he is feeling guilty about something. Typical internet forum $h!t...but funny as all get out.... .

 

I like this quote...........


I have a new sig.....

 

I have run my 01 L three winters in Edmonton i.e. lots of -20 to -30 degree days with no problems except frequent stops at the gas station. While 2 winters were with the stock pulley, the last winter I had a 6# lower with 14 degrees timing (well that was WOT in warmer conditions with A/F of 11.9). There is no way to go WOT when it is -20 C as poor traction (even on dry roads) and common sense dictate. I think there are many L's that get driven in the winter in Canada and the more northern States in very cold conditions and they do not vent the block, lift head gaskets, or bend rods. Further, I think a built engine should have less risk of this happening with stronger internals than stock and a conservative tune.

However, parts failure can happen at any time, although usually not when parked. Unfortunately, the probability of failure increases with increases in TP.

I hope you find the problem and not just the result.

 

Exactly, if you want stock reliability buy new or buy stock and I love it when these pocket rocket guys claim 400, 500+ hp by adding up all the inflated claims on their Mickey Mouse looking so called performance parts.

If you already have a fwd car, why are you driving a pick-up with slicks during the coldest month of the year?

 

Well this is probably my last post to this thread. I know that all of you don't believe me and what happened, but I guess that is a mute point right now.I am not a 18 year old punk kid, driving it like a bat out of hell. I am a 45 year old man who drives it like it should be, with respect. I have always respected what I have, and always will continue to do so. I work hard for what I have and don't abuse what I have. I KNOW what I did and didn't do to the truck. So I will not post back here until I get my results..... if that even matters anymore.

And as far as you flaming me about my GTI.. and what you consider a "pocket rocket" .. you know nothing about my car or what I have done to it. I dont have a " fart can, crappy paint job, whale tail VW.

For an education on it go to http://vfengineering.com and learn a few things before you talk about it. Go to the supercharger section and look under VW Superchargers.. MK4.. my Dub is in there for a reason.. Its the Black one.
I dont sit here and flame on your truck or any others... Nuff said. Im out.

 

Nice car. Looks like an interesting site too.

I'm a long time VW lover. Air cooled sandrails however..... Still quiality stands out. You have a nice rides ChiTown.

I'm just watching the california Nascar dishtub 500 or whatever it is. They been talking about the cars and unleaded gas and blowing engines on cool weather tunes.
Seems the california area they get more power and the difference in the weather from yesturdays runs and todays cooler weather is creating problems for some of them.

My truck is basicaly stock so I don't know squat but I have had some fun toys in my day. We tuned carbs and flew by the seat of our pants. We also never got max performance from our wrecks. Seems like with all this electronic stuff now days. Tunes can make or break a ride. You can't always hear detonation and we have such lousy gas and I think it will only get worse.

That's one of the reasons I don't tweak my ride to something I can't detune easily. Someday I fear anything over 87 octane will be considered as race fuel and not be sold at your average fuel stop.

My twin cam harley is over 9 to 1 with a carb. My V-strom Susy has 11 to 1 and runs best on 87 octane?????

Course I am in Denver too. That makes a big difference. (altitude sickness)

This thread has definitley had its ups and downs. It's to bad you didn't have more of chance to get to know us under different circumstances.

Then again, your first impressions would probably remain the same??????

God Bless Us All

 

Why run from these guys? Most people here really DO want to know why your motor failed...Also for what's it's worth I live in the same area as you and I would never drive a built Lightning in the winter here...front drive beaters are a dime a dozen....but that's just me I guess...

 

 

I've been running a Long Island tuned, 16 degree timing, 93 octane tune at Midwest elevations in the winter for a long time - in cold temps. We aren't talking a WOT 140mph run here where the engine gave up the ghost. While bad gas is a valid idea, I think the timing theory is way off for normal driving conditions I don't care what the temp is.

-Mark

 

I will make just one post without pointing fingers to offer some advice from experience.
1.Empty the fuel tank of that load before the new motor gets started, put it in your lawnmower or snowblower.
2.I have seem similar issues with aluminum heads on steel blocked engines that were started cold, ran for a short period of time and shut off and restarted after sitting for a few minutes in very cold weather. Gasket's, o'rings, aluminum and steel all expand and contract at different rates. Could have been just unlucky temp exchange rates. It was a fair mix of antifreeze?
3.Examine the thermostat. last week i was out driving in subfreezing temps and my ses light pops on so i pull out the predator and get a code that says coolant temp too low for closed loop driving. temp was 152F after 45 minutes of driving and my heads were semi cold to the touch.
4. If i remember right they said it was built a few years ago? Even if it was driven by a little old lady from pasadena it could just have been its time.
5.I have never used Sal's shop or bought anything from him but from what i have read from him here and other places his words carries some weight with me.

Finally I was bummed out when Superfords sold his truck after we helped him too. but sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do.
Let us know what they find and good luck.

 

you gotta have real thick skin to last around here. too many dopes chiming in with phrases like "well you bought a race truck,,,watcha expect" "live and learn" "live with it"

i say "***** you" to you bounch of azzholes,,,

the poor guy got a bum deal,,,,,i for one dont believe all this delecate motor talk. i think there was something wrong with the truck. i think its been covered up

does that make you feel any better chitown?

 

Rick always gotta flame it up.... LOL