Roulette Runner [FINAL RESULTS]

[BobLoblaw]

TEAM OUTRIDERS

Marc: We should not have eaten before this part.

Blake: The road is a bit rough isn’t it? Thank God the suspension is holding out.

Marc: Shit, sharp curve!

(Blake hits the brakes and turns the wheel over then stamps on the gas pedal. The ass end of the Enforcer swings flawlessly around the bend before straightening up on the next downhill section)

Blake: Told you I could drive.

Marc: Well please don’t do that any more!

Blake: This coming from the fastest cop in Tatum Heights?

Marc: One who’s three years away from retirement you ass!

Blake: Okay, okay, we’re almost through the switchbacks anyway.

(rumble, rumble, THUD!)

Blake: Uh oh.

Marc: Don’t give me any bad news.

Blake: Check engine light came on.

Marc: I said don’t give me any bad news!

Blake: I’m pulling over once we hit the flats.

(After a rough run through the switchbacks, the two men pull over. Worden hooks the XGV scanner to the Enforcers OBDII port and this time pulls two codes)

Blake: P0202 and P0208, injector circuit failure cylinders two and eight.

Marc: Bloody hell! So what now? We have a V6?

Blake: Let’s continue on, you drive, I want to call Luigi and see if he has any advice.

(As the Enforcer chugs along at a slower speed, Blake Worden gives a call to Luigi, his old associate who was most familiar with Enforcer Police cars.)

Blake: Hey Luigi, it’s Blake… Yeah, she’s fine… Jim’s getting married next Spring… That’s wonderful… That’s what, number five? What the hell? Are you starting another race or something? Anyway, I’ve got a bit of a problem. You still familiar with the old Enforcers? We’ve got a check engine light, the two codes are P0202, and P0208… That’s right, injector failures… I thought those damn things were good for at least 300,000 miles… Uh huh… Okay, we’ll take a shot… Yup…

Marc: Tell that prick I said “Hi”

Blake: Marc says “Hi”… No, I’m not calling him that… Because he’s driving and he also carries a gun… Anyway, thanks, we’ll check it out… And if it’s not that, then it’s likely the other? Okay, If we find a junkyard we should be square… Thanks again… See you soon, bye.

Marc: What did he say?

Blake: He says we should try swapping around the injectors and see if any new codes pop up. If they do, then it’s faulty injectors, if not, then we likely need an ECM.

Marc: An ECM? Where the hell would we find one of those?

Blake: About any junkyard should carry some. They made so many of these cars, finding spare parts should not be an issue.

Marc: All right, let’s pray that nothing gets worse before we hit our checkpoint.

(Later when the Enforcer reaches the end of the second leg, Blake Worden gets to work pulling out the injectors from the number one and number two cylinders and swapping them. He then does the same to numbers seven and eight.)

Blake: Okay, that should do it.

Marc: We’ll keep the scanner hooked up and see if any more pop up.

[VicVictory]

Day 1 Leg 3 Data

Canyon Rock to Fox Lake via FR 2725A

This side-spur climbs steeply at first, leveling out as it rises above the canyon via a notch created by Fox Creek. The road is fairly well maintained, though recently removed deadfalls and occasional exposed rocks create a bit of a hazard.

High clouds have moved in, making the skies generally overcast. However, a dark tendril extends over Blackjack Pass behind. The winds begin to pick up slightly, and the air cools by about 5 degrees.

Length 5; Avg Grade 8; Max Grade 17

@cpufreak101
LAE Exact; MRL +2; Notes: None

@Madrias
LAE Medium (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None

@Fayeding_Spray
LAE Medium (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None

@F17Francesco
LAE High (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None

@HighOctaneLove
LAE High (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None

@conan
LAE Low (fast); MRL 0; Notes: Car continues to smell of burning trans fluid. Fluid topped off at checkpoint.

@DeusExMackia
LAE High (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None

@szafirowy01
LAE Low (fast); MRL +0; Notes: White smoke billows out from under the hood just before pulling in at checkpoint. Quick inspection shows that the overflow tank probably released some coolant directly on the exhaust manifold.

@Mikonp7
LAE Extremely low (slow); MRL -1; Notes: Found a broken suspension mount at the K-member. Spent time jury-rigging with a wood block and duct tape. Doesn’t sound or feel terribly great, but doesn’t seem to have too much excess play either.

@JohnWaldock
LAE Medium (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None

@8bs
LAE High (slow); MRL +0; Notes: Vehicle seems slightly down on power at extreme grades.

@DoctorNarfy
LAE High (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None

@BobLoblaw
LAE Extremely low (slow); MRL -2; Though testing has revealed that swapping injectors side to side changes which bank shows the errors, the trouble has not gone away. Vehicle has made the climb, but it was extremely rough and disconcerting. . WARNING — TEAM MORALE LOW

@stm316
LAE High (slow); MRL +1; Notes: None

@Dorifto_Dorito
LAE - Medium (fast); MRL +1; Notes: None

@Leonardo9613
LAE - High (slow); MRL +1; Notes: Braking power seems a bit down.

@Darkshine5
LAE - Exact; MRL +2; Notes; The Elk seemed more like a mountain goat on this leg.

@Rk38
LAE Low (slow); MRL 0; Notes: Slowed down on this section due to tire compound. Scraped rear passenger door on a deadfall.

@EnryGT5
LAE Low (slow); MRL 0; Notes: Transmission kept popping out of gear.

@titleguy1 / @ramthecowy
LAE Medium (slow); MRL +1; Notes: Van performing well, team has high confidence.

[conan]

Team POD Day 1 Leg 3

For whatever reason. Even when trying to nurse the car without too many rigorous driving. Team POD still arrive at every end of of the leg waaaaay too fast. And the car still smell of burning transmission fluid, which aggravate everyone in the car.

At the end of the leg. Rory the engineer decided the best way to fix this is to top off the fluid. Burning smell can indicate that the ATF is overheating. Which in turns is cause by either low or terrible fluid condition. As the fluid was replaced before the race. He decided that it was the former that is causing the issue. That’s all they can do for now. So hopes and pray that the transmission is not going to explode on them.

This type of transmission. Bork-Warwick BW5 3 Speed was not known for terrible reliability, even if it’s not bulletproof. It was use in many British, American and even German cars. But 50 years later and in a car this terrible. It seems to be the only weak link on this Platts Special Siskin. Because somehow, there is no other issue to report.

This came to be a bit of a surprise to Rory the engineer. As he expected the car’s infamous British electronic to shorted circuit, smoking wires, and engulfed in flame by day end. But that doesn’t seem to be happening at all.

[HighOctaneLove]

Day One: Leg 3

Pierre
Leg three saw me again at the wheel of the Kitten and I was rearing to go! Having been embarrassed by Andrew’s excellent Leg 2 run, I decided to throw caution to the wind. The uphill section felt glacial, since the Kitten is NA and FWD so I was surprised when we caught air at the top of the hill! Thankfully nothing broke but I was hammering along, way over the pace, which resulted in our time being too quick. At least we arrived in one piece and, I’m glad to report, so did everyone else, although a couple of entrants limped home rather than arrive in style…

Andrew
Having taken up the navigators baton for leg three, I was concerned that ol’ Pierre would hold us back as despite the relatively decent road conditions, the initial part of the run was a steep ascent followed by a relatively flat section of road. To make matters worse it looked like we were going to have rain! I shouldn’t have concerned myself, however, as Pierre shot out of the gate like a bat out of hell, then proceeded to redline the Kitten all the way to the finish! I admired Pierre’s enthusiasm but if we went too fast then we’d fall outside of our target time. Oh, the one thing that wasn’t fun was the yump. We crested that rise and my stomach did a somersault as we were airborne! Pierre must have freaked himself out because he failed to slow down; at all! I’ve never been happier that the Kitten isn’t super fast as we didn’t lose too much time by being early…

Summary

Day 1.3

Car: No damage yet, car’s still blue, needs to be registered with the FAA!

Crew: So glad we found a NA, FWD rallycar instead of an AWD turbo one! MRL +1 (+5 in total!)

[DeusExMackia]

#Team ‘Southend Or Bust’
Original Post - Previous Post

The story so far: Three uni students in an Erin Berlose going where no Berlose has gone before. So far, the running has been good, though they’re beginning to feel that they might have been a bit cocky to begin with. Still, after the scare on the last leg with the whole ‘almost understeering into a tree’ thing, they’re taking it a little more carefully now.

“COME ON YOU OLD GIT” said James, his teeth gritted and his face visibly frustrated. The 2.7l i6 was giving all it had to get up this slope, but it wasn’t quite enough for him it seemed.
“Easy James” said Seb in his reassuring Spanish accent, “she’s not indestructable you know!”. He seemed to be growing in concern.
“Trust me mate, this ain’t no female car. I don’t call women gits” James responding, slamming the car down into 2nd gear.
“Ha, James, we all know how you treat your women” said Seb, feeling satisfied with his jibe. All this time, Martin stared straight ahead in a slight sense of fear, having been elected not to drive after what happened on the last leg. Nonetheless, he was surprised at James’s ‘enthusiasm’ behind the wheel.
“Oh, don’t start me now Seb” replied James, a hint of anger in his voice. He yanked the wheel to the left to get round a bend. “Just because you can pull by swishing your hair”
Seb cracked up laughing, falling back into his seat. “Don’t get too jealous, I know you find me attractive anyway”
“Seb, everyone finds you attractive, and yes, I am jealous” said James sarcastically.
“Especially after New Years a few years ago” - Seb was loving every minute of pissing James off, who now seemed to be translating his anger into his driving.
“GUYS” - Martin suddenly broke through. “Shut the f*ck up, for gods sake”. Silence rang through the car. “We’re at the top of the climb”. A sense of relief descened on the team, and James even slowed down a bit.

.

Having gone too fast earlier on, the team took a quick break by the side of the track.
“I’ve got Daim bars, Milka, uh” - Martin rummaged through the snacks they’d brought, his head in the boot of the car - “Oh, and some Yorkies. There’s a Boost bar too if anyone wants it”
“I’ll have the Yorkie” shouted James, having calmed down a lot. He was admiring the view, with the stunning mountain scenery reflecting off of his sunglasses.
The black Vole GTi of Team Cunning Stunts ran by. “How much beer did you give them again?” he said, turning to Seb.
Seb chuckled. “Only one. But I spiked it with some Anís”
“Wait, you’ve got a bottle of that stuff with you?” replied James, with a mix of surprise and joy.
“Yeah!” said Seb
“Dude! Why didn’t you say?” said James.
“I was saving it for the camp tonight.”

Seb had introduced Martin and James to Anís at the house party they all met at back in their first year at university. It’s an aniseed liquor, sometimes called anise or anisette, that is often used in cocktails. Of course, being students, they don’t really have the money to afford the other mixers for said cocktails, so the three of them ended up drinking it neat and getting shitfaced. And they’ve been best friends ever since.

.

Martin watched the darkening skies with intrepidation. “Storm’s comin’” said James.
“Jesus christ James, if I hear you say that in your poxy American accent one more goddman time I will duct tape you head to the front of this car and we’ll see how you like it when we’re doing 50 mph down a dirt track” - evidently, Martin had been waiting to let loose for a little while. And he had reason to do so; James had been saying that damn phrase for the past hour, after all…

[Madrias]

Team Twin-Snail

Day 1, Leg 2

---

Before Departing

The team worked quickly to pack up the little mess they’d made, before boarding the Snail-Boat. Unsurprisingly after the last leg, the spirits were a bit low, and not much conversation was made.

Scott was the first to say anything, and despite trying to sound brave, the other three could see he was worried. “Luke, out of curiosity, why did you pick the three of us?”

Luke closed the trunk lid, then replied, “I picked Amy because her general knowledge of engines will help us in the event this thing has trouble. Yes, it’s SOHC and she’s a DOHC expert, but… We don’t have any SOHC experts. I figured, better to have an engine expert in the wrong type of engines than to not have someone who knows engines at all. I picked Linda because she won that company navigation challenge, the one from Chicago to Vegas, no GPS, no smartphones, just a compass and a map. I figured, better to have a good navigator instead of relying on GPS, because if the GPS fails for some reason, we’ll still be able to make it by map. And I picked you, Scott, because you have off-roading experience. I don’t have any proof of it, but I took you at your word on that, and while it’s not rally racing, you clearly would have a sense of what not to do.”

Scott looked at his feet and kicked at one of the small rocks. “Luke, I have to be honest with you, but… I don’t really have off-road experience. I thought this was going to be easier, so I… I believed I’d be able to learn on the job, get some experience.”

“Ah. I thought as much, honestly. No, I’m not upset, nor disappointed with you. Remember, the Raceworks Division was created because a couple people, in this case John Storm and Brian Shade, entered the Dalnit-Bralka Rally of 1965. They had no rally experience, just some general experience racing cars.” Luke said. “So I took a chance. Anyone confident enough in themselves to look me in the cameras and lie to my face deserves a chance. You had that confidence, because otherwise, you’d have been calling one of your off-roading buddies to collect you, bring you back home.”

Scott nodded, then got into the back seat of the car. He wasn’t going to tell Luke that the only reason he hadn’t called was because his phone wasn’t getting a signal.

---

The Stage

With everyone in the car, Luke again took the wheel, then said, “It’s uphill this time. We’ve proven our car can climb, and any loss of power through elevation will be made up by the twin snails. We’ll make it, don’t you worry.”

The flag dropped, Luke rolled the car about 30 feet forward, then threw it in park. The officials stared at him as he got out of the car, then looked to Scott. “Trial by fire, pal. Get in the seat and drive.”

Scott climbed into the driver’s seat, pulled the lap belt on, waited for Luke to get into the back seat, closed the door, then pulled the car into drive. He applied just a touch of gas and the car responded instantly, the throttle-per-cylinder mechanically-driven fuel injection system spitting liquid fire into the engine.

“You’ll need to go faster, but you’ve got the general idea. It’s an automatic, and remember, it’s all uphill. You’ll do fine.” Luke said, as Scott slowly gained some confidence with the car.

Scott rolled into the power and felt the surge of boost, the stupidly-heavy land-barge accelerating faster than expected as it roared up the hill. Luke looked over Scott’s shoulder, then said, “Try to keep that gauge right around, oh, 6 or so. Don’t let it fall under.” He pointed to the boost gauge, which was currently hovering around 6 PSI.

It wasn’t that the car needed all that boost, but Luke figured with a small goal in mind, Scott would keep in the power.

As they leveled out, the high-power strategy caused them to accelerate toward the finishing line, Scott only letting up as he realized there were other cars in the parking lot already.

---

Day 1, Leg 3 Aftermath

Scott parked the Savage and everyone bailed out, not that Scott was a bad driver, but they all had things to do. As they noticed the darkening clouds, Amy and Linda asked Luke to try, at least one more time, to get the top put up.

“You two do the fluids, I’ll try getting the old rag-top over our heads. I can guarantee it won’t be pretty, but if I can’t do that, I’ll make something work.” Luke said, before prodding around the cover, then jamming a screwdriver into one of the four latches.

Scott looked into the car, then asked Luke, “Why did you do that?”

“You needed a confidence booster. Now you can say truthfully that you do have some off-roading experience. And you can’t tell me that you’re not feeling better now than you were earlier.”

“True.” Scott said, before digging around in the trunk for something to eat. “Oh, good, someone packed some chips.”

“Yeah, figured some snacks wouldn’t be unappreciated. Took a bit of planning to put them somewhere not immediately obvious because otherwise the three of you would’ve eaten all of them in the first leg of the race.” Luke said.

With a final heavy thump, the last latch was released and Luke was able to open the top cover. He then got the top out, swung it forward, and locked it into position. “Well, I’ll be damned. It does look just as it did before I had to fight with it. Let’s just keep in mind that if we drop the top again, it’s going to get jammed in the down position, so try not to blow the butt-trumpet in the car again.” Luke said.

---

Car Condition

Seems fine after the abuse of the previous stages. Top finally back up, though may not stay that way for long, depending on weather conditions.

Team Condition

MRL +1 (total), Nervous, but mildly confident. Preparing for the other shoe to drop.

[8bs]

Team Hobo

Day One: Leg 3

After all that pot smoke disappeared from the van interior, Hobo noticed that the sun had disappeared behind the clouds too… That was not bad, because less temperature, less engine overheating… They begin to feel tired. The positive thing was that the following road was in good condition…but steep…

Hmm, i need booze. Reflected Hobo. Besides, one bottle less, less weight too… it’s a win-win.

Hobo girl was checking the engine, but nothing strange on it apart of some wiring missing… Yep, that destruction famine hobo dog, ripped the distributor wiring for pleasure… after finding the rest of it and fixing the wiring, she tied hobo dog with some tape to the van’s bonnet for punishment…at least just until they reach the canyon. He’s a happy dog!

Ready to go, they start climbing with slow and steady.

Hmm, the van’s lacking power…I bet that stinky fat dog has something to do with that!! Said Hobo.

Shut up and drive, pothead. I bet those carbs need some tuning. Said Hobo girl.

Heading to Fox Lake, slow, windy and cold.

[EnryGT5]

#Team Electric Space Wizards

Leg 2

“Shit! Who had the genius idea to make people go down this damn trail?” Joseph yelled, after receiving a lower back massage, courtesy of a large pothole.

“It’s supposed to be challenging, genius.” Aiden muttered. He rolled down his window and looked at the road ahead, to get a better view.

Lynn swiftly stomped on the brakes and whipped the steering wheel to the right, throwing the Seishido in a steep downhill corner.

“Lynn! Are you trying to kill us again?” A terrified Connor asked.

Lynn grinned, and with a gleam in her eyes replied : “Shut up and enjoy the ride.”

A few minutes later, before Leg 3

Aiden stepped out of the car, checking if the car had caught on fire, just in case. “This thing is holding up surprisingly well, it didn’t have the slightest of problems so far.”

“Next thing you know, it blows up in the next leg” Lynn sarcastically quipped.

“Who wants some beer? I think a little bit of booze would be nice now.” Connor popped out of nowhere, holding two cartons of beer as they were suitcases.

“Please don’t hand Lynn a bottle, she’ll actually kil-”
“Oh shut up! I’m a great driver! Finnish rally drivers are nothing compared to me!”

“What is this, piss? It’s weak.” Joseph said, disappointed in the beer’s alcohol content.

During Leg 3

Ironically, the Seishido started having issues with the steep climbs in FR2725A, and the grinding noise in the transmission became a more visible issue…

“Oh for fuck’s sake! Stop popping out of gear!” Lynn yelled, angrily shoving the gear stick back into 4th for the n-th time.

Aiden was biting his nails, as he usually does when in a sticky situation. “I knew this piece of shit gearbox would give us problems, even if it is unusual for a Seishido P5J2 unit.”

“Seishido P-5-what?” Connor asked.

“Don’t ask. Trust me, Aiden gets talkative when talking about that stuff.” Joseph replied.

The uphill section was now becoming less steep, going towards the canyon.

“Oh! Finally it stopped being a pain in the ass.” Lynn said with a sigh of relief, as the Seishido stopped popping out of gear.

“I think i can smell something bad.” Aiden said.

Lynn smirked, and replied “Man, did you just fart?”

“Oh come on, i was just trying to scare you.”

The team, after more joking around, managed to safely reach their destination.

[Mikonp7]

Team Riot Uncontrol

Before Leg 3

Paul “So… What you think”
Aaron continues to wrap the K-member in Ducttape
Paul " Is it THAT bad"
Aaron " Well. It is still fucked. But now only less"
Paul “So the plan now is ?”
Aaron " Drive slow and see if it holds. We don’t want to make even a bigger mess"
Paul " But slow is booooring"
Aaron " Not being able to drive because we are missing a wheel is even more boring"
Paul throws up his hands
“Slow it is”

During Leg 3

Aaron “And how does is feel”
Paul " Not good, but it seeems okay"
Aaron “Lets first see if its hold up and then we will try to drive faster”

After Leg 3:
Paul “EY , We made it "
Aaron " Not so fast, let me first check the part”
Aaron get out the van and inspects the part
“Soooo” says Paul who also is now standen next to Aaron “Damage Report”
Aaron " Looks okay. We should check it after every leg though"
Paul “More Power”
Aaron "A bit more "
Paul giggels

[VicVictory]

Day 1 Leg 4 Data

Fox Lake to Carlson Lodge via FR 2725A, FR 2710, and State Route 22

Returning down the side-spur, the route flattens out and turns to pavement just a couple miles from SR22. The section to historic Carlson Lodge is on a 2-lane paved highway, mostly flat, except for the final 2 miles before the Lodge, which is a mountain pass.

The skies have darkened almost completely. The first droplets of rain splash onto your windshields. Temperature drops another 3 degrees. The weather is also obscuring some of the scenery, making for a rather “blah” drive this leg.

Length 39; Avg Grade 2; Max Grade 17 (downhill from Fox Lake)

@cpufreak101
LAE High (fast); MRL 0; Notes: None

@Madrias
LAE Medium (slow); MRL 0; Notes: None

@Fayeding_Spray
LAE Low (slow); MRL -1; Notes: A rather disconcerting rattling noise starts emanating from the engine compartment during the ascent to the pass.

@F17Francesco
LAE Medium (fast); MRL 0; Notes: Noise from the rear has neither diminished nor worsened. But as it happens on pavement, you’re reasonably sure it’s not the suspension.

@HighOctaneLove
LAE Medium (slow); MRL 0; Notes: None

@conan
LAE Low (fast); MRL -1; Notes: Car continues to smell of burning trans fluid. Also, after passing several cars at the “speed limit”, it has been determined that the car has a worn speedo cable, and the speedometer is reading too slow (explaining why you’ve been fast on every leg)

@DeusExMackia
LAE High (fast); MRL 0; Notes: None

@szafirowy01
LAE Medium (fast); MRL +0; Notes: Temp gauge has been fluctuating slightly during this section. Inspection under the hood shows nothing out of the ordinary.

@Mikonp7
LAE Medium (fast); MRL 0; Notes: The paved section allows for making up some of the lost time of the last leg. That’s the good news. The bad news is even on pavement, the temporary repair is rather jarring.

@JohnWaldock
LAE Medium (slow); MRL 0; Notes: None

@8bs
LAE DNF; MRL -3; Notes: CRITICAL FAILURE - brittle, corroded exhaust manifold has cracked in multiple places, beyond repair.

@DoctorNarfy
LAE High (slow); MRL 0; Notes: None

@BobLoblaw
LAE Extremely low (fast); MRL 0; With trial and error, it’s been found that the car can get up to speed, but sudden speed changes either way are out of the question. Still, a long open stretch has allowed the team to make up time. What’s this? Cell phone’s ringing. WARNING — TEAM MORALE LOW

@stm316
LAE Medium (fast); MRL +1; Notes: Long periods under light throttle has been a bit of a blessing; the throwout bearing isn’t being noisy under these conditions.

@Dorifto_Dorito
LAE - Medium (fast); MRL -1; Notes: The car is definitely bouncing more than it should be, even on pavement. Quick inspection at end of leg reveals nothing.

@Leonardo9613
LAE - Exact; MRL +1; Notes: After the past few stages, this is a cinch.

@Darkshine5
LAE - High (slow); MRL 0; Notes; None

@Rk38
LAE Low (fast); MRL -1; Notes: While taking advantage of the paved section to finish fast while you can, you pass a state trooper going the opposite direction as you whip around a corner in excess of 80 MPH. Unfortunately, he flips around, you are pulled over, detained for a few minutes, and given a hefty ticket. Still, you are confident that you are faster than the segment time, even with that.

@EnryGT5
LAE Very Low (fast); MRL +1; Notes: Just completely bombed up the highway. Why? Because you could, and it was fun.

@titleguy1 / @ramthecowy
LAE High (fast); MRL 0; Notes: Engine seemed to bog down a couple times during this section. Quick inspection reveals nothing out of place.

[BobLoblaw]

TEAM OUTRIDERS

Leg 3

Marc: Come on girl, you can do it.

(The Enforcer slows down considerably coming up the climb, thankfully the road begins to level out.)

Blake: Whew, that was frightening.

Marc: That scanner pop up with anything new?

Blake: Yeah, The codes moved with the injectors, so they are our culprit.

Marc: Too bad that doesn’t change the fact that we still have a problem.

Blake: Agreed, we should keep an eye out for an auto parts store or a junkyard. I’m willing to settle for either.

Marc: Here’s hoping they have an Enforcer with exactly what we need.

Blake: We’re not in as bad a shape as you think. The 301 TriForce was designed to be highly modular. Any Petoskey or Ventnor that has that engine will carry matching injectors.

Marc: Let’s hope we’ll make it, she’s running really rough now.

Blake: I’m not too thrilled about those clouds either, looks like we’re in for some nasty weather.

Leg 4

Marc: It’s a good thing you have a light foot.

Blake: Just so long as we don’t need sudden acceleration, we can get up to speed. It’s not liking when the transmission downshifts, it wants to stall out.

Marc: According to the map we should be looking forward to a long open stretch.

Blake: That should help us make up some time, we’re falling behind schedule.

(Phone rings)

Blake: That’s mine, get that will you?

Marc: Hello? No it’s not Blake you stupid w**, it’s Marc… Uh huh… Yeah, the problem moved with the two injectors… We might as well have gotten a 4 banger then… You sure it will work? Okay, if it helps, I’ll tell him… Yeah, if this works then you’ve saved our asses… Yeah, that’s what we’re planning on… Okay… Thanks… Bye.

Blake: Judging by that Italian-based racial slur I’m guessing that was Luigi.

Marc: He rips on me for being Jewish, I’ll rip on him for being Italian.

Blake: So what did he say?

Marc: He says that we should disconnect two of the injectors, and leave four running in a staggered pattern.

Blake: As in no two adjacent cylinders active? Ugh, of course! She’ll run like a pig but will be much smoother.

Marc: Luigi also suggested that we try to find an ECM as well as replacement injectors along the way.

Blake: I was thinking on that.

Marc: Won’t it need to be flash-programmed? I doubt this trip will make provisions for stopping at a mechanic.

Blake: Not to worry, the Petoskey XGV Scan Tool has a feature to do a rapid flash.

Marc: That’s an unusual feature.

Blake: The idea was to make the cars easier to service when it comes to municipal fleets. Even if the engine isn’t from a cop car, the ECM still has the same software.

Marc: Great, it’s starting to rain.

Blake: Looks like we’re coming up on a mountain pass, that means were not far from the next stop. I’ll switch around the injectors and unplug the other two. We need to look for any auto parts store or junkyard along the way. First one we come across we stop. Priority is two injectors, preferably more in case we need spares. Secondary is an ECM, just in case.

Marc: You think we may need more injectors?

Blake: Two went dead, and we have six more with the same mileage, same wear and tear, I don’t want to take any chances.

(At the end of leg 4 Blake Worden sets out to rearrange the fuel injectors along a staggered pattern on the engine. Two injectors are unplugged to leave four running injectors on a staggered pattern along the fuel rails.)

Marc: Did you see those guys get pulled over?

Blake: Good thing we were running rough, I’d have been tempted to take that road at speed.

Marc: Maybe if I flashed my badge we could’ve gotten out of it.

Blake: Or he’d be a bigger hardass since we are way the hell out of your jurisdiction.

Marc: Would’ve been worth a try.

[HighOctaneLove]

Day 1, Leg 4

Andrew
As punishment for my really good run on Leg two, I have been tasked with driving a short geared buzzbox on a fast section of B grade highway. There is some hairpins at the end of the run that’ll be fun, but the highway is going to be torture! After a few minutes of excruciating engine and road noise I decide that running the section at a fast cruise is better for our ears and our wallets. The rain is threatening to bucket down and the roads are getting wet which aids our progress as I’m able to slide the tail around on the hairpins, which saved some time, but overall this wasn’t Team Mountain Pass’s finest hour…

Pierre
After the excitement of the last couple of legs, leg four is rather tame consisting mainly of 50’s highway and a small series of switchbacks to liven up the final dash for the flag. The one thing we overlooked when we selected the Kitten is that it’s geared quite short which means highways either kill your ears or kill your elapsed time. Thankfully Andrew chose the latter! The impending rainstorm managed to cast a pall over the countryside so there wasn’t much to see from the passenger seat. Hopefully my next drive provides some more excitement…

Summary

Day 1.4

Car: No damage, no pace, needs a 6 speed gearbox stat!

Crew: Weather’s bumming us out, wish we had the AWD turbo now… MRL +0 (+5 in total)

[conan]

Previously.

Team POD, Day 1 Leg 4.

After quite a long drive on many sort of terrains. The Special Siskin still smell of burning transmission fluid. It seems that topping up the fluid isn’t going to help matter much.

Yet, it turns out the car is going fast at every single leg. And on this relatively fast historical highway, the Special Siskin is passing every single thing on the road. It doesn’t matter if it’s a modern hatchback or a sports car. Or even fellow racer. This prompted Rory to ask Trevor, who is driving on this particular leg.

“Mate, how fast are you going?”
“Indicating 50, time should be exact this leg if we’re going at this speed. And not faster than the speed limit.”

This makes Rory really curious. As Trevor replied, he just went pass a brand new Bavaria type car that’s clearly not going slow.

“If you’re really doing 50. Why are we passing every single machine that is currently driving on this particular road? Does this feel 50 to you? I know this car is terrible, it shakes and rattle at speed. The real question is, should it be rattling this much at 50?”

[Madrias]

##Team Twin-Snail

Day 1, Leg 3

---

Before Departing

“Luke, I’m glad you got the top up, because this rain would’ve ruined our day.” Scott said.

“Just remember, no gas inside the car. We can’t roll the windows down in this, and the top sticks when it’s retracted, so try not to pollute the interior.” Luke mentioned, before preparing for the long drive.

“Looks like it’s all highway, short of two, maybe three miles before our destination. That’ll be the steep downhill bit we’re all worried about.” Linda said, looking over the maps.

“Well, we know it’s a highway cruiser. Pedal down and make up time?” Amy asked.

“No. Overall, we’re ahead. Take it easy, preserve the car, give us a bit better of a chance later.” Luke said, before putting it in gear and taking it to the starting line.

---

Day 1, Leg 4

Luke left the Sinistra in drive, turned the headlights on and made a pre-emptive apology for anyone caught in the blinding high-beams, but the only way they had to run lights at all was to wire 'em all together. The windshield wipers squeaked softly as they brushed away the first few drops of rain, and the soft click of the relays and timers again showed the car’s purely mechanical nature.

“This place would look a lot better without this crapola weather.” Linda commented from the back seat. “Can you turn on the heat, it’s getting cold in here.”

Luke turned on the heat and a couple notches worth of blower fan, though it showed true that the Sinistra was a highway cruiser. He settled in just a touch over the speed limit, the old car rumbling as it found overdrive and stayed in it.

“It’s a shame we have to drive slow to preserve the car.” Amy said. “This weather may be dreary and awful for us, but the engine loves it. Cold air, ice cold boost, no cooling problems.”

“Well, there’s that big downhill we have to worry about, plus that was a state trooper behind one of our competitors back there. Needless to say, I’m driving careful to preserve the car, and our past couple runs have been way-too-fast because I burned up the brakes trying to drive a mountain too quick, and Scott bombed the car uphill because the call of the big engine got the better of him.” Luke said.

“You told me to keep the boost pressure at 6. I kept it at 6. You could’ve told me to drag anchors.”

“Yeah, but I needed you to have a confidence boost.”

“Aw, crap. That’s the downhill bit.” Amy said. Luke responded by slowing down well in advance and dropping the Sinistra into Low, minimizing their maximum speed by using maximum revs. Surprisingly, the trick worked, although it made them very slow going down the hill.

---

Day 1, Leg 4 Aftermath

“God, this weather sucks.” Scott said as they parked the car. “Even if I was supposed to feel excited today, I can’t, not in this mess of gray skies and rain.”

“Hell, even I can’t appreciate the weather. Much as I love the cold air, I don’t like the thought of working on the car with water pouring down. Thankfully, if you look in the doors next time they’re opened, there’s a compartment. It was meant to hold something else, I’m not sure what it was yet, but I’ve filled it with umbrellas.” Luke said.

“Well, let’s top up what we have to, then get something to eat, get a bit of rest in the car, and maybe try listening to some of that music I put on the MP3 Player.” Linda said. Amy gave a light grunt of agreement and again Team Twin-Snail went into a small flurry of activity, standing beneath umbrellas. Luke wasn’t as concerned about getting wet himself, but was actively trying to keep water out of the car’s fluids.

---

Car Condition:

Mostly unchanged. Top is up and latched, so it’s not going anywhere without a fight.

Team Condition:

MRL: +1 overall. Waiting for the inevitable breakdown, bummed out by the weather.

[8bs]

Hobo Team

Day 1, Leg 4

Driving carefully through all those obstacles, they finally reach the smooth pavement.

The van was still losing power, the weather colder, and they were so concerned about the strange noise that they were hearing from the engine and under the van, that they forgot completely about hobo dog tied to the bonnet…

As the noise got louder, Hobo turned up the radio even louder…

As they turn down the radio, the van gets noisier, lacking on power, so they decide to pull over.

• “Ahh you poor bastard stinky dog, you must be cold, here some liquor to warm you up”, said Hobo after taking the dog inside the van.

As Hobo girl lifted the hood, she noticed imediatly that the only thing left good on the exahust manifold was the first repairment she did. All the rest of it was spreaded in multiple pieces along the roads they had crossed…

• Well, nothing to see here. How the hell am i gonna do this?? She thought.
• Hobo, do something!!! she ordered.

And Hobo did!! He lightned up a joint, and opened a tuna can. She joined them.

[stm316]

Previous Post — Next Post

-----Leg 3-----
Wookiee: Just around this bend, there’s a spot we can stop.
Toni: Good. I’ll try to find out what it’s fouling on. This is bullshit!

Toni pulls the van over and leaps out of the driver’s seat. Crawling under the front of the van, she looks behind the front right wheel. She wrestles something for a minute, then wriggles out, something in her hand.
Toni: A piece of wood. Must have come off that branch. It was caught between the lower arm and the tie rod.
Bill: I told you not to run over it. So, now we can get going?
Toni: Patience, you must learn…Yeah, but the steering won’t get any better. Looks like the rod’s a little bent.
Bill: You broke my van! (Laughs).
Wookiee: I smell fuel.
Bill: Good for you…
Wookiee: No, seriously. Looks under the van Time for more tape!

-----Leg 4-----

Castle Greenskull rolls away from the starting line, Wookiee behind the wheel.
Toni: Aside from those guys, who actually carries a can of sealing spray?
Wookiee: We’re lucky they had it.
Bill: True, true. But maybe next time you could ASK. This habit of yours could bring us a lot of trouble.

To be continued… I’m tired.

[Dorifto_Dorito]

#Team Cunning Stunts: Day 1 Leg 3 and Leg 4

---

S: Stephanie
L: Lawrence
A: Alex

---

Start of Leg 3
S: Alex you sober enough?
A: I think…
L: Steph, looks like you’re driving again…
S: Great…Alex get in.
A: Sure…
L: He’s going to have a a fun hangover when we get to the next stop.
S: Oh yes he is, oh yes he is…

End of Leg 3
A: FOR GODS SAKE! I could barely sleep in the back. How fast were you driving?!
S: Top speed of course, this was designed to be rally car after all.
L: Your fault for drinking on the job.
A: Man, my back is aching.
L: Here, have a drink. Its water. You’re navigating again.
A: Sure lemme get more rest

---

Start of Leg 4*
A: Alright. I’ve given the car a look over and topped up the water.
L: Lets get going then. Its going to be a long drive
S: Wait a second! I need to pack the rest of the water.
A: Alright I’ll help…

End Of Leg 4
A: Are you sure you werent pushing it?
L: Definitely not. I was driving it slower than earlier to let the engine cool.
S: Alex check the suspension again. The car shouldnt be that bumpy on paved road.
A: Sure…

Car Condition Leg 3 and 4
Alex
After leg 3, there wasnt much in the way of problems with the car. Just a small top up of the water in the cooler. The tyres and suspension was doing just fine, but during leg 4, something must have happened. The car was jumping a lot more. Even on paved roads. Ive gone over the suspension but nothing appears to be wrong. Ive tightened the suspension just in case, but I’ll keep an eye on it just in case. In other news, Ive heard the Hobo Team were forced to quit. Shame really. Ive had a chat with them and tried to help them get their car back in somewhat working condition so they can go home in it.

[F17Francesco]

I’m a bit busy this days, i have several job interviews. I will recover all in the weekend.

[DeusExMackia]

#Team ‘Southend Or Bust’
Original Post - Previous Post

Seb tapped his fingers on his map. He had little else to do now they were on the highway. James, meanwhile, was in the back, making some lunch. He was so adept at sandwich making that he could do it even with a chopping board on his lap while the car was moving.
But there was no denying the two of them were bored.

Martin, meanwhile, was far from it. He was back behind the wheel, as this was a safe stretch of road, and was concentrating like hell. He kept adjust the revs minutely, his head turned slightly to the side as he tried to ascertain when the inexplicable blowing of the the exhaust occurred.
“Not 3300 then” he muttered to himself, slowly depressing the pedal a little. “Not 3200” he continued.
“Dude, you’re driving me crazy” Seb said. “Is it really this impor-”
“Hang on hang on” Martin interupted. The sound suddenly started again. “Bingo!” he exclaimed “It’s below 3100 rpm, when the outside temperature is mild or below. Right”
“And what does that actually mean?” said James, looking up from his sandwiches.
Martin paused. “I’m not sure yet” he responded.
Seb rolled his eyes and turned to look out of the window.

.

“Hang on” Martin said after a long while of quiet “Who’s that up ahead?”
Seb and James turned to focus on the road ahead. “It’s that Kingvans team” said James.
Martin turned to Seb with a smirk on his face, and then to James. They all knew what he was thinking.

Martin dropped a gear, flawed the throttle and the black van began to draw closer. “Let’s see what remains of those 160 horses!” shouted Martin, switching back into third, only going much faster now.
“They don’t seem to be doing so well” said Seb, having perked up. “They’re barely moving!”
As they came closer, the sound of Autograph grew, as well as the distinctive sound of a dying engine.
“Let’s go for the overtake!” said Martin in an almost war-cry like manner. As they passed the troubled van, the combination of 80s power rock and struggling engine sound made for an oddly beautiful juxtaposition. James caught site of the frustrated Hobo and Hobo Girl, and burst out laughing.
“Haha! They’re absolutely gone!” he said, waving to them as the Berlose flew by.

“Poor bastards” said Seb, smiling proudly. The weather was gradually getting worse and it had been an incredibly dull drive, but even this little overtake had managed to be quite enjoyable. And it was evident that there was one less rival to worry about.

[cpufreak101]

#Team Arstotska

Sorry for not having one yesterday, it was my birthday and i was out celebrating

Mike: Whew, that was fun, i definitely do think i was going a little too fast on the blacktop though

Josh: i think you were doing 70 in a 55 at one point

Mike: well at least there were no cops to pursue us, except for that one swat van behind us a bit

Josh: yeah man, and speaking of vans, notice one of them was missing?

Mike: yeah, the one that was a Hearse?

Josh: i think so man, looked like one.

Mike: Well, at least we are still chugging along nicely