Crate motor tech the right way.

FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING KARNAC's FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING
1

Leave the bolts alone. GM put them in to stay.

Compression: Compression gauge. Everyone has one a monkey can use it.

Compression ratio: Use a whistler, if you don’t have one buy one. It works
If the heads are cut or angle cut, if the block has been decked, or if the configuration of the piston has been changed, this tool will tell you.

Cubic Inch: Use a P&G tube. If you don’t have one buy one. Learn how to use it.

Valve Springs: Valve spring pressure tester. Simple tool, anybody can use it.

Rocker Arms: Rocker arm gauge. So simple a caveman can do it.

Vacuum Gauge: Simple little tool, if my dog had thumbs he could do it.

Camshaft: Dial indicator - Cam doctor (if you can afford it) A must have in the tech area. Learn how to use it.

Bore Scope: This is a camera, the same kind a doctor uses to do unmentionable things, that can go into areas large and small to check from the engine bottom, crank shaft, rods, and will look at the bottom of the piston. Through the spark plug hole, you can check tops of pistons, the combustion chamber and valves.

So far, we’ve checked just about everything that counts in a crate motor. We have removed the valve covers, two rocker arms, spark plugs, and the oil plug. If it passed all these tests, it probably didn’t have an advantage.

If it fails any of the tests, then tear it down to the ground

Now then with that said, if a tech man doesn’t have the knowledge, capacity or tools for these procedures, then there is no need to remove the first bolt from a motor. It’s all for show after that and at the racers expense.

I have asked the same questions that everyone else asks and these are the answers I got. They seem to make alot of sense to me. Hope this helps.

2

Thank You

Exactly what I have been saying. Lighter components give a little advatage but with those test you WILL find if anything has been touched.

3

[QUOTE=Tim;7394]
Now then with that said, if a tech man doesn’t have the knowledge, capacity or tools for these procedures, then there is no need to remove the first bolt from a motor. It’s all for show after that and at the racers expense.[/QUOTE]

I agree whole heartedly about your post. And not just the crate engine part of it. Do this for all divisions.

About the quote about techmen. Unfortunately 99.5% of the short tracks across the south east I have been to, the tech men are underqualified wanna be mechanics. Usually someone who cant hack it in the racing world or in the automotive repair field and work at midas doing brakes.

4

I am not sure about your percentages but for the most part you are correct. I took a job teching at a local track last year,to say the least it was a pain in the a$$ job that nobody else wants. I thought I could make a difference boy was I wrong !!!

Oh well I better get back to this brake job, this Midas store sure is busy.

lol
Kidding

5

NASCAR’s next college curriculum…

Hmmmm…

Maybe you could fund a scholarship program for all the young boys and girls who spend their teenage years yearning to be future, local short track tech inspectors. It’s one of those highly sought after positions that earns the respect and admiration of a group of always friendly, willing to help out, oh-so-happy-to-be-there-in-tech, racers who know INFINITELY more about every aspect of racing than they do. There must be thousands of kids just waiting to live that elusive dream.

I’m sure that they’ll name the scholarship after you.

Give these guys a break, already. I’m pretty sure these guys aren’t padding their retirement accounts with the gobs of money the track owners pay them. I’ll bet they can hardly focus on their 8 to 5, full time jobs during the long week between those glorious Friday or Saturday nights when they get to stay down in the tech shed all night long instead of enjoying the races like most other folks. Ooooh…and those special nights when somebody wants to protest the top three cars right after the last feature of a ten class night…I bet they just live for those moments.

Tim: right on, man. Something so simple could solve this monstrous problem that has become the “great crate debate”

6

Crate motors will continue to be tore down because of (bolt kits) something that could have been good has been raped and pillaged for $$$$. Now guys are cheating up crate motors. But. as mentioned on this thread…there is no need for all that wrenching if you have the proper tools and ability to use them. I thought someday that might be my shot at a latemodel (crate) until i saw the chassis dyno sheet on one that was WELL over 500hp at the rear wheels. but it was supposedly only tuned…mmmmmm.

7

GREAT post I will pass this on it MAKES SENSE.

8

Bulls Gap Speedway: Busted a racer with acid ported heads that had runners and valve unschrouding that was ONLY visable after the engine was disassembled.
East Alabama Motor Speedway: Busted Jack Pennington running a 602 that had an altered camshaft in it. They found it with a cam doctor, Lift and duration were correct but in the wrong location.
East Bay Raceway/Storm Pay: Busted David Gentry with valve angles altered and head work behind the valve.
The ONLY one of these that would have been caught as you noted would have been the cam IF they used a cam doctor.
We raced all over the southern USA running a dirt crate motor late model and I can tell you that cheating is NOT as prevalent in the traveling series as some would leave you to believe. 500hp at the rear wheels would be around 600 at the crank. This engine would need SEVIER head work, different cam, more compression and the rods will come apart at about 450 so the rods would have to have been replaced and crank work done. ANY of these would get you busted at ANY of the dirt tracks we have been to. If that car is being called legal Stevie wonder needs to replace the tech man because he could catch it. Another thing to remember is if you change a couple of settings a dyno will tell you what ever you want to. I watched a dyno session where the engine gained well over 150hp and there was never a single thing done to the engine between runs, only adjustments to the dyno. Another set of runs took a mild rebuild 2.3, stock crank, rods and pistons, followers and cam sprocket with an esslinger cam and intake and a stock Holley 4412, and had almost 400hp at the crank. This engine ran on the DYNO on 87 octane pump gas.

9

Good post. Despite what a lot of people are saying, I think the crate engines are a great idea. Unfortunately, I think the track owners thought sealed engines would be an easy (lazy) way to put cars through tech.
There are 3 groups of people who don’t like crate engines: parts suppliers, engine builders and racers who need a big, expensive engine to offset weaknesses in their driving talent.

10

Crate engines make some drivers mad for one BIG reason. How many times have you heard someone say, I could catch him but he had a, Big motor, A bunch of Horse Power, Out powered me, had to much power, etc… It makes them face the reality of the fact they got out driven and out smarted on the setup. But as we all know that never Happens!!!

11

[QUOTE=SeminoleWind;7425]Good post. Despite what a lot of people are saying, I think the crate engines are a great idea. Unfortunately, I think the track owners thought sealed engines would be an easy (lazy) way to put cars through tech.
There are 3 groups of people who don’t like crate engines: parts suppliers, engine builders and racers who need a big, expensive engine to offset weaknesses in their driving talent.[/QUOTE]

There is at least one other group. Fans that hate to see one car walk away from the field with a crate. And then all they do in tech in check their weight.