ENM 2019 Dragon Camp
- Thread starter dagrimey1
- Start date
We have arrived at cabin 4 with a Challenger RT, we will die on the tail because it sucks.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
I'm currently at 32 hours awake.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Still awake?
Apparently the Challenger brakes are sorely under powered for the land yacht. Ok the upside we had a magical unicorn who helped us.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Hey guys! Here is a dropbox link with some shots from this camp.. Didn't get to shoot as much as I wanted to, driving was way more fun. Maybe in the fall we can do better at setting up things to get everyone in one place or something, and maybe stage a drive by between some of the pull-offs past the bottom to get some epic driving shots. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6md1tbdtjfpdvpe/AADyaWhSJC7JimKUpW207rsda?dl=0
I wish... Sorry man, didn't think about it when we were parked at the bottom.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
We put a 129 sticker in the Challenger engine bay so it's been branded. Thankfully we didn't die in that land yacht.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Unfortunately it was white. The thing had suction cup marks on the windshield so someone already was thrashing it. We didn't do it any favors by taking it to the Dragon.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Thanks for posting these photos and my son and I had an absolute blast riding with you guys down the dragon. Unfortunately though, this weekend was not without incident for us. After my son and I left the group and started on our way I noticed the engine sounded a little different. The best way I can describe it is to say it was a little louder and sounded “throatier” if that is even a word. I initially thought that my exhaust had come a little loose somewhere and figured I’d deal with it when I got back home.
We stopped just outside of Pigeon Forge for lunch and got back on the road again. I kept listening to the car and felt like it was getting a little louder, however; everything still looked fine on my AP so I figured I’d press on and got on I-40 East. After several miles on I-40 and now noticed it was getting much louder and starting to feel vibration I exited off the highway. I popped the hood and could immediately tell the sound was a knocking sound from within the engine and I shut it off. After a couple of minutes to let the oil run back into the pan I checked the level and it wasn’t even registering on the dipstick! What’s worse is it was recently changed and at the right level before I left. There are no signs of a leak externally, there isn’t that much oil in my OCC from the PCV so I know that much oil passed through the combustion somehow.
I called AAA and the tow truck driver was nice enough to drive us 5 miles to a Pilot Truck Center where I bought a gallon of Rotella T6. When I returned I checked the dipstick one more time first since it had more time settle and it was by then just barely registering on the end of it. So I’m figuring I was about 1.5 quarts low. Furthermore, I never had an oil light come on the dash.
After adding enough oil to get it back where it should be I cranked it hoping that the sufficient amount of oil would settle it down but that was to no avail. It was still knocking and vibrating as hard as it was earlier so I shut it down and knew this wasn’t a roadside fix. Knowing that I didn’t want to stay a couple of more nights in a hotel and have an unknown local shop unfamiliar MZR platform rip my off I opted to have it towed 304 miles back to Fayetteville.
So my Mazdaspeed friends here is where I need your help. I haven’t actually gone ZZB yet here and would like to diagnose and repair this thing myself if possible. I know you guys will need to know my current list of mods thus far to help diagnose which I will follow up with. My first thoughts are, if it was oil starved perhaps a spun bearing. Maybe a bent rod? It had obviously just gong through some aggressive driving staying at mid to high rpms coming down the dragon. It kind of sounds like the noise is coming higher up in the engine like it’s below the valve cover so perhaps the issue is not int he bottom end of the engine at all but I know engine sounds can be deceiving.
I’m going to start by doing a compression test to see if a specific cylinder rears its ugly head as the culprit. All input is appreciated guys and again it was an amazing driving experience. I just wish it could have ended a little better. More to follow…..
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We stopped just outside of Pigeon Forge for lunch and got back on the road again. I kept listening to the car and felt like it was getting a little louder, however; everything still looked fine on my AP so I figured I’d press on and got on I-40 East. After several miles on I-40 and now noticed it was getting much louder and starting to feel vibration I exited off the highway. I popped the hood and could immediately tell the sound was a knocking sound from within the engine and I shut it off. After a couple of minutes to let the oil run back into the pan I checked the level and it wasn’t even registering on the dipstick! What’s worse is it was recently changed and at the right level before I left. There are no signs of a leak externally, there isn’t that much oil in my OCC from the PCV so I know that much oil passed through the combustion somehow.
I called AAA and the tow truck driver was nice enough to drive us 5 miles to a Pilot Truck Center where I bought a gallon of Rotella T6. When I returned I checked the dipstick one more time first since it had more time settle and it was by then just barely registering on the end of it. So I’m figuring I was about 1.5 quarts low. Furthermore, I never had an oil light come on the dash.
After adding enough oil to get it back where it should be I cranked it hoping that the sufficient amount of oil would settle it down but that was to no avail. It was still knocking and vibrating as hard as it was earlier so I shut it down and knew this wasn’t a roadside fix. Knowing that I didn’t want to stay a couple of more nights in a hotel and have an unknown local shop unfamiliar MZR platform rip my off I opted to have it towed 304 miles back to Fayetteville.
So my Mazdaspeed friends here is where I need your help. I haven’t actually gone ZZB yet here and would like to diagnose and repair this thing myself if possible. I know you guys will need to know my current list of mods thus far to help diagnose which I will follow up with. My first thoughts are, if it was oil starved perhaps a spun bearing. Maybe a bent rod? It had obviously just gong through some aggressive driving staying at mid to high rpms coming down the dragon. It kind of sounds like the noise is coming higher up in the engine like it’s below the valve cover so perhaps the issue is not int he bottom end of the engine at all but I know engine sounds can be deceiving.
I’m going to start by doing a compression test to see if a specific cylinder rears its ugly head as the culprit. All input is appreciated guys and again it was an amazing driving experience. I just wish it could have ended a little better. More to follow…..
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Damn dude, I’m sorry it ended like that for you. I’ll let the tech savvy people help you out with this, but I’m glad you and your son had a great time before that. Shoot us a message in GroupMe, we have a few guys in chat that can help if no one bites here.
Thanks! I'll cut and paste my horribly long monologue there [emoji23]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk