"And it was going so well...."

Just taken a call from Sweller, on his mobile, stood at the side of
the road next to his 750 turbo, with a large puddle of oil under it.

Apparently, he was doing about 140 when "it started to rattle a bit".
He pulled the clutch in, the engine stopped, and he coasted to a halt.

In fact, he called me twice - in the first phone call, he asked what I
thought it might be, and I said if he'd fucked the turbo it was going
to be an expensive day out. "Did it sound like the big ends", I
asked?

His second phone contained more of a diagnosis : "I think I know what
the problem is - two of the conrods are visibile out the front of the
crankcases". So, he's thrown a rod. Perhaps two.

Ironically, as long as the turbo didn't get starved of oil, this
needn't be too dramatic - most of the engine parts for the turbo are
the same as the GPz750 (and the Z750, and even the Z650), so there's
quite a few available in breakers.

Expect a fuller report when the breakdown truck delivers him home.
--
Please add "imo" to above post.
Champ
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZX7RR Endurance Racer x 2
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 WG*#1 DFV#8
Team UKRM Racing : www.team-ukrm.com

 

Neal Champion wrote

Are we supposed to give a shit?

I dunno, call me old fashioned if you like but conrods getting caught
while escaping sounds dramatic enough to me.

 

Which road? I'd like to find one where it might
be empty enough during daylight hours to do that
sort of speed occasionally. /

Er, if it wasn't *highly* illegal, not to mention
irresponsible, of course.

 

most of the A414, or the A1(M) between the M25 and Hatfield, early on a
Sunday morning - miles of visibility, hardly any traffic.

HTH.

 

clumsy oaf - I wanted a go on that.

 

Oh bollocks. Not nice when that happens, especially at speed [1]

Buzby

[1] My Bonny engine spectaurlarly let go @ 90mph - bits of rods, crankcase,
metal the usual patina of oil all over the place. [2]
[2] Ok - not power ranger speeds but quick enough on that SOB

 

I'd have thought that anything owned by Sweller was automatically on
the list anyway.

 

Champ, you of all people should know by now that when it comes to SOB's only
a well screwed together Commando can sustain this sort of velocity.

 

Heh, dead heat.

 

You tit. I can probably find 10 different bit of road within 10 miles
of my house where one can easily pull 150, no problem.
--
Please add "imo" to above post.
Champ
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZX7RR Endurance Racer x 2
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 WG*#1 DFV#8
Team UKRM Racing : www.team-ukrm.com

 

I believe so - but he starts off with vehicles that only be described
as 'challenging'.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I think that may be a big part of my problem )

TBH, I've traditionally used the A41 Watford to
Aylesbury for "what'll it do mister" type runs.

 

heh.

I think the poor thing has had a bit of a sulk - Dr Will has tooted it
around without overstressng it (and, admittedly, without servicing it)
for the last couple of years. Sweller insists on riding it everywhere
either as fast as it will go, or as fast as the road allows, which
ever comes first.
--
Please add "imo" to above post.
Champ
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZX7RR Endurance Racer x 2
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 WG*#1 DFV#8
Team UKRM Racing : www.team-ukrm.com

 

Well, yeah, but you're out in the sticks.

My original post was intended to be slightly tongue
in cheek. And although I know of plenty of roads
within 10 miles of my place where one could potentially
get up to speed, they are invariably chock full when
I appear to be on them.

 

Heh - Timo starts off with good vehicles and causes them to become
challenging (usually in unique ways). He's a marvel really.

 

Neal Champion emerged from their own little world to say

Does he have Italian blood? They seem to operate on the "select the gear
that achieves the highest possible revs for the desired speed" principle.

 

"Shitty old kwackers - not as good as communism's finest"

 

He is a top chap, as a mere glance at him on his Guzzi, (or the turbo,
for that matter), invariably flat out, wearing open face helmet and
goggles, would immediately confirm.

--
Please add "imo" to above post.
Champ
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZX7RR Endurance Racer x 2
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 WG*#1 DFV#8
Team UKRM Racing : www.team-ukrm.com

 

Bear barfed:

And you think these two things are disconnected? <G>

Ditto BTW, Tring to Watford way, 175mph on the speedo. On a nice
extremely quiet bank holiday monday. Allegedly.

 

Oh what joy:
http://www.sweller.dynalias.org/turbobang/ [crappy phone camera]

Very straight road [1] decided to give the Turbo its head and whilst
going flat out past a load of cars it started rattling. I thought it was
the fairing vibrating (when I touched it the noise stopped) so just
whacked the throttle WFO and ducked down behind the fairing as my goggle
strap was starting to vibrate.

There was an almighty bang; lots of rattling; a touch down on power and I
hit the clutch. Ohh, warning light fandango; back end wobbled a bit and
engine shut down.

Coasted to a stand and disappeared in a cloud of oil smoke. Finished
with engines...

Ho hum.


[1] B2192 Halland to Ringmer
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=544601&y=112364&z=3&sv=ringmer&st=
3&tl=Ringmer,+East+Sussex+[Town]&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf