[Elarson]

Our next track outing will be in Arnie's backyard.

Engine is getting freshened after Norwalk. Top end of engine is perfect but we hurt some bearings and some crank journals. The overall conclusion is that the oiling system plumbing mods done over the winter were aesthetically better but we're a step backwards for the bearing life. If you've followed our saga, you already know that flooding the bearings with tons of oil is the only way to keep a nitro engine intact. The winter mods drastically shortened the hoses which was better for minimizing pressure loss. Unfortunately the hoses on top of engine appear to have been trapping air pockets that weren't fully purged out at idle. Then stepping on it and getting the big slug of oil shoved the air into the bearings and ran them dry just long enough to hurt them.

We're going back to last year's plumbing and adding air bleeds to the 2 high points. Next test.....Cordova!

On a separate note, we had broken an upper ring land at Kil Kare and had the top ring sticking out. In the old days of the iron block, that would have scored the cylinder. But the Darton sleeves that we're using now were untouched....back in service with no honing or anything. Those things are tough!!

Eric