Tech with respect to rules

"Its like having access to another set of rules no one gets to see...."
Steve Vermeer

"The idea of putting actual measurements (and tolerances) on parts is so that we can eliminate some of the "personal interpretation" that goes on in the tech barn. If you have definitive numbers to go by, there is no gray area, it's either right or it's wrong."
Brian Carlson
 
Rules that are not enforceable such as taking a part to max or minimum spec are simply scare tactics. All parts have a measurement tolerance and when you couple that with human assembly/machining, you will have engines be closer or further from the rules. I’ve seen engines exactly at .0035” pop up and even excessive ignition timing and valve lift right out of the box. If I didn’t “blueprint” the engine you would’ve disqualified the engine had it made it to your tech room. Should I have simply taken the engine out of the box and set the float height and raced it as suggested? If you’d say I’m allowed to decrease the timing on one engine slightly to pass tech can I not increase another slightly when it isn’t close? I love playing devil’s advocate 😀

.....hence the term “Race Prepped” was born.
 
Lets not forget the main jets and needles that don't pass out of the box, either... Half of my time spent on "race prepped" engines for my customers is checking B&S's work and making sure everything is legal.

Back to the original question... Anything that is manufactured is going to have tolerances. You can only tech within those tolerances. Anytime you have tolerances, racers are going to want the correct side of that tolerance on everything. If customers want it, "builders" are going to do it. The best thing you can do is lobby B&S to keep tolerances (both spec and quality) as tight as possible so that there is as little of wiggle room as possible.
 
I agree that to tech it needs a measurement!

As a racer you are required to keep your engine within the tolerance of the rules (weather you do this yourself or rely on an engine builder).
The only information you have is what is in the rule book.
How are you to verify your own compliance if you don't have access to the information?
Not to mention if whoever at Briggs is entering the information to the database fat fingers a few numbers?

Also how about 2 old seals and 2 new seals go into tech shed? all 4 measure .003 pop up.
The 2 old seals pass because there is no barcode and database and its within tolerance.
Both of the new seals get bumped because barcode says factory wasn't that measurement, But we don't know what that measurement is.

Seems like a Giant can of worms that cant be policed uniformly
 
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Is the APP really not working for other people?
I'm no cell phone junkie, but I'm blessed with two teenage kids who have downloaded it on their phones, and they can tell me build specs / pop-up for each engine that comes through our shop.
I have heard of people having trouble with the APP, but I figured it was people like me that are just "technology challenged." :)
Like Gary and others have said though, I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in the measurements because normal wear and tear show variance from those numbers, AND you aren't going to determine who has done what to that engine. You might determine a range of time when something was machined, but who knows who was inside of it before it got to you (shop or tech barn.)
I just tore down an engine that a customer purchased used at his track -- come to find out it has all sorts of cheated up shenanigans going on with it - including milling the head all the way down to the combustion chamber.
You don't need measurements when the cheating is this obvious!
 
Is the APP really not working for other people?
I'm no cell phone junkie, but I'm blessed with two teenage kids who have downloaded it on their phones, and they can tell me build specs / pop-up for each engine that comes through our shop.
I have heard of people having trouble with the APP, but I figured it was people like me that are just "technology challenged." :)
Like Gary and others have said though, I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in the measurements because normal wear and tear show variance from those numbers, AND you aren't going to determine who has done what to that engine. You might determine a range of time when something was machined, but who knows who was inside of it before it got to you (shop or tech barn.)
I just tore down an engine that a customer purchased used at his track -- come to find out it has all sorts of cheated up shenanigans going on with it - including milling the head all the way down to the combustion chamber.
You don't need measurements when the cheating is this obvious!
Not many have access to the "app". I don't.
 
Wow, I'm feeling "special" now - even more than normal...LOL
I don't think it's an "app" per sea. Seth just looks it up on his phone.
You have to sign up for the service on the Briggs website.
I'll ask him when I see him later today and give everyone an update.

From what he's been able to tell me, the pop-ups have been spot on, but I still don't consider this part of the official tech simply because I know how things change over time and heat cycles.
 
Scratch that, i missed the pop up measurement.

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Deck gasket surface finish is not a tech item. Piston pop up can be .0035” maximum. Piston pop-up to be checked with flat bar in center of piston parallel to piston pin and then again checked 90 degrees to piston pin. Push piston down to take up rod play. Tech Tool A25.
 
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Deck gasket surface finish is not a tech item. Piston pop up can be .0035” maximum. Piston pop-up to be checked with flat bar in center of piston parallel to piston pin and then again checked 90 degrees to piston pin. Push piston down to take up rod play. Tech Tool A25.

Yes, we all know that, but the "app" seems to already be out of date. Fun times...
 
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