[KevinOyler]

TD,

Don't skip pre-teardown preparation in a rush to find out what's inside. Spend this time by reading and re-reading the Clark's information and the factory manual. You can not study this too much. Also, do not discount the advantage of a fresh engine in a spec class. Blue printing an engine is the first step in any performance enhancement attempt. Sometimes (as in spec) it is the only thing and does make a difference. Even small differences are an advantage when cars are very even to begin with. And as Tony has repeated, cleanliness is primary to everything you do.

Finally, when you do finally take that look in side, be sure to have a good pair of heavy gloves available and ON. Sometimes those squirrels don't like being disturbed during the winter. Something about hybernation that makes them crazy to bite.

[TD in DC]

hmmmm Kevin, your comment raises a great point. Several people have mentioned blueprinting and porting heads as ways to improve the performance of the 944s. What is permissible in 944 Cup/PCA Stock clases/SCCA ITS without bumping you up into a higher class? I realize all of the rules are different, but they don't specifically address my questions. For example, in Stock PCA classes, the rules say that that the engine cannot be modded from the intake to the exhaust. What counts as a mod? Does blueprinting count as a mod? Does porting the heads count as a mod? Does cross/perpendicular drilling the crankshaft count as a mod even though it does not increase HP?

Thanks.

[KevinOyler]

Sorry, TD, can't answer your questions. Best to go to the tech contact for each organization with those specific questions (and get it in writing if possible) before beginning any change that could possibly be termed modification. Blueprinting is taking an engine to spec's, so not modification in my book. But prior to starting I would ask for clarification on anything you may consider doing.

[TD in DC]

Wow . . . I just read the 944 factory manual. It is exactly what the doctor ordered. It answered many of the questions I had in mind. What a resource . . .

[}{arlequin]

TD, i'm not renowned for tracking the straight and narrow and it seems like you are asking all the wrong questions...................... out loud.

If it was up to me to interpret the intake-to-exhaust rule... would it be: intake starting at the filter and exhaust ending at the exhaust tip or would it be intake valves to the exhaust ports? Who knows....

What does "mod" mean? Can you swirl/polish valves? Cut valve seats? Polish the ports? Porting may be too much, but where does the line between polishing and "oops-i-removed-too-much-material" end and becomes porting?

BTW, if you turned out to be a phenom, and started out w/ your season losing but w/ a shady-grey engine, but towards the end of the season would happen to finish in the points or even a podium, would anyone question it? After all, rookie season is going to be ripe w/ improvements in race craft. Who could tell that it's the motor, not the driver, making the difference???


(i think you should put me in as your "chief" mechanic )

[Noah]

Originally Posted by }{arlequin

(i think you should put me in as your "chief" mechanic )

...or chief counsel/rules spinner. I can just see Dave appealing to the rules board: "If the exhaust ports don't fit, you must acquit!"

[TD in DC]

Originally Posted by }{arlequin

(i think you should put me in as your "chief" mechanic )

Done. If I lose, it's all your fault. Forgive me for having an overly active sense of morals and ethics. It causes me problems all the time (no joke). It's also why I try to avoid playing poker. I suck at lying, unfortunately.

[}{arlequin]

F1 seasons have been won with such creative rules interpetations. Who remembers the '94 season when Ver Stappen's Benetton caught on fire in the pit lane? After the inquiry it turned out that the cause of the fire was a missing filter from the refueling hose. Remove the filter, have fuel flow quicker, easy. Who knows how long they ran it that way.... could've been entire season, saving them literally minutes over the course of all the races.... I believe this was Shumacher's first Championship too..... hmmmmmm

[realroadrage]

Originally Posted by TD in DC

I suck at lying, unfortunately.

Todd, aren't you in the "legal" profession? How do you make a living then?

[TD in DC]

Originally Posted by mscheidt

Todd, aren't you in the "legal" profession? How do you make a living then?

Precisely why life is difficult