Originally Posted by openwheel44:
Just from 2-3 conversations today, I think most are on the same page about this motor issue. Stock.....bone stock. Fuel conversions only. Gas or Alky. Weight needs to be resolved. The biggest issue I see is how to tech all the components and not scare everyone off thinking they are going to have a hell of bill with the motor man after a "tech procedure" has been performed on their unit. Another issue....gas versus alky. Same arguments.........costs of alky conversions, safety of alky compared to gas and testing of both.
I have a question.........I have been told that "some" electronics on these motors are set up that they can only run at 80% of throttle in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear. The ECU needs to be reflashed so these motor can run at 100% throttle all the time no matter what gear you are in. I think most of us use either 2nd or 3th gear 95% of the time. Is this fact or fiction? If it's fact, is there going to be issues with BONE STOCK ECU's? And........how do you tech an ECU at the race track?
Another question.......availability of stock rods for certain motors. One of our locals is saying he was having trouble with finding stock rods for his R-1 and on top of that.......aftermarket ones were cheaper. ????? Again.....fact or fiction? Is this guys blowing smoke up our a$$es??? Someone in the know please respond.
STOCK can be a pain in the a$$ but it seems that is the only thing that is going to keep this class going in the right direction. We all just need to determine ways to keep the honest more honest.
I am excited about the possibilities of having some sort of "meeting" to establish a common set of rules for this class. A set that all associations can agree with. Me.....I don't expect a bona fide National Organization at this time because no one wants to dedicate that much time to the situation at this point. I just think a "gentlemen's agreement" to a rules package that is ENFORCED would be sufficient to begin with. Baby steps............
First thing off the bat, there are very few people out there as honest as me, and even fewer more full of smoke except maybe old Bob.
1. FALSE The ecm is programed to be able to tell which gear the bike is in. They do this with a different resister for each gear selected and they measure the voltage return to the computer. There are a bunch of people out there that sell a device to make the computer think it is always in 5th gear ($50.00 for a resistor and a pig tale. What the bike builders did is to try to prevent non riders from having too much power in the lower gears and throwing the guy off the back. It is done by retarding the timing and slowing down the opening of the secondary throttle plate up to about 6500 rpm's. We never get that slow so it don't effect us. Nothing wrong with re flashed ecm, power comanders etc. Stock flashing is a bit lean in some places with headers even with legal gasoline, illegal gas likes it a little richer .
2. False You can find rods on EBAY all day long Dealers should have nuts bolts and inserts. Kawasaki sells racing rods but they are expensive. If the used rod is straight, not out of round and hasn't turned blue, it should be OK.
3. For all you Kawasaki lovers out there and there aren't too many, the 2011 and up motor is going to be a bear to get in a car and I suspect other bike makers will head in the same direction, so this is what we will be finding. They are building the motors up and not out, stacking the motor on top of the clutch and tranny. The oil pan is about 10 inches deep and has the oil filter as well as a lot of the plumbing for the oil system built right into the pan itself. The pickup is inside a big deep v shaped portion in the pan. Great for motorcycles but not worth a damn for a race car. To use the engine stock the driver will probably need a periscope to see over the top of the motor. And the pick up is in the wrong place unless we can figure out how to make the car lean over in the turns.
It is probably going to demand a dry sump and I bet the Bmw is the same way.
I can't think of a dumber bunch of people than stock BS Kart racers when we were racing Karts. They held old worn out Briggs motors to specs that Briggs did not hold themselves. A good tec on a BS motor could take over an hour or more after they started asking one another questions. You don't want to go there. If it looks stock mikes to a few thousands of an inch of stock it must be stock.
I keep saying it "motor inspection", is kinda of like trying to control "drugs and ***", ain't nobody going to get on top of it.
Stretching the truth is in the human DNA. All you do when trying to enforce these rules is to make it more expensive for the rest of us, and don't accomplish anything. Kinda of the new American way. Ask your self what do both sides of American Government agree on, ( drug enforcement) probably money there.
The secret is in the weight of car and driver, get that inline to where the heavy closer to Grown up American can compete right out of the box and you will have something . If a driver is too fast or wins too much let them carry a little more weight. The only people to say nay will be the skinny little guy who has been out running that big old boy day in and day out.
Honest Dad himself