Track Tac

Teching a motor

Team Mc Racing said:
The main question I have is do you think it would be inappropriate to ask the Tech Official if his equipment is calibrated?
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Sure, go ahead and ask right before he tecks the engine. He should be able to demonstrate to you by verbally informing you what he will do to calibrate if something is out during tech. As for him to take the time to show you all of his items he uses for tech before teching is not necessary. If a problem comes up, you have the right to request another guage be used or a method of certifying/calibrating the tool being used. You can't/shouldn't ask him to do all that before the tech begins.
 
What if the gage is a indicator to check lift. I had a engine the race I was at that the lift was to much, after checking and preloading my indicator several time I asked another tech person to check it with his indicator, both indicator read the same and this was after he (the driver) rotated the retainer. Took the indicator off the engine and ask if he wanted someone else to look at it. He said yes, I put indicator back on engine and let a engine builder that they selected set the indicator and preload the valve retainer and still came up with to much lift. I believe I was more than fair to the racer to determine the legality of the lift, but in the end he was dq'ed for to much lift.
 
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Team Mc Racing said:
The main question I have is do you think it would be inappropriate to ask the Tech Official if his equipment is calibrated?
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ill just go ahead and say that No, i dont think it would be inappropriate at all to as the tech official if his equipment is calibrated. Especially if you are being DQ by him when he is using $10 harbor freight calipers or other cheap equipment, i would at the very least ask for him to verify that his equipment is accurate. I doubt you will get them to produce certification, but it shouldnt be hard to get the tech to verify their tools are accurate by checking them against another set of tools. Just my opinion
 
I just want to say thank you to all that has given their opinions and advice. This post is not nor was in any way meant to point fingers or try to insult anyone. It was merely a general topic to get feed back from those who have been in this industry of racing a lot longer than I have. If I have offended anyone I do sincerely apologize. That was not my intent. It was merely a knowledge gaining opportunity. Thanks to all for your help.
 
Most people who are illegal usually aren't off just .0005 there is generally a lot more going on than that. Personally if I find someone .0005 off I will let it slide they didn't win a race because of .0005. I MAY in turn tell them not to bring that part back again. Here is an example: I have 2 sets of horizontal/vertical animal carb no go gauges. After a race I was checking the horizontal on a carb one no go passed through the other did not (there is less than .00025 difference in the gauges and both are legal) However after letting the carb cool down neither would pass. This is just an example of a carb being over the specified limits but being legal. This is called pushing the limits, legal but on the edge. I can sympathize with people who have passed tec at another track and THINK and expect they are legal but s--- happens and not necessarily intentional, so don't take it personal. No one likes to be put in that light and you do not necessarily have control over that or your engine builder especially if he is pushing the limits. I am more concerned with the ones where there is obvious intent.
 
If a H.F. indicator is used and it is demonstrated to be accurate by means of an official calibrating tool, there is no issue. If you are questioning a call, you have the right to request to see the calibration method. That method does not necessarily have to be a specific method. There are several ways to determine legitimacy of a gauge other than a piece of paper that says so. That paper was only good the day it left the business that certified it. I have different pin gauges that I had a machine shop verify. Small to big. I use them frequently. I check for calibration frequently. As for asking him to prove all that to you before the tech begins is not necessary. If a problem comes up, then you should ask the question.
 
All this concern about the precision and accuracy of measuring hardware...........yet no mention of the ability of the tech man to be able to read the devices correctly or clearly.
Has he had his eyes examined and calibrated recently?............Has his eyesight corrective lenses (if used) been updated recently?

Does the tech man have the ability to accurately view and read a precision instrument?
 
Duck is hitting on a side note that is very relevant in my opinion. As maligned as WKA and AKRA have been on this forum, their existence is necessary to our sport, if for no other reason but to properly train tech inspectors. Their "calibration stickers" should be just as up-to-date as those of their tech tools.
 
WKA strongly recommends that if a competitor is found illegal, and he disputes that........then another certified tech guy....in fact two guys....should check out the
part. If all agree it is illegal, then it is illegal.
 
PD Power said:
WKA strongly recommends that if a competitor is found illegal, and he disputes that........then another certified tech guy....in fact two guys....should check out the
part. If all agree it is illegal, then it is illegal.
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or the part is sent to WKA
 
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