[brakedisc]

Why no checks on engines post race in RMC? Used to be all the mechanics gather around and everything out in the open.What happened? I would sure like to see inside of the winners engine if i'm racing.

[Gary80]

that is why the engines are sealed

[RocK]

I would sure like to see inside of the winners engine if i'm racing.

if its open, only official get to see. racer dont. what to see anyway in rotax max..

[Alex Ritchie]

The "new" system actually started in 2007 and it is much improved from the previous one.

Previously engines would not be checked but would be sealed on the Saturday of a RMC race, which I found rather odd - why seal an engine if it has not been checked? We were told that Scrutineering was only for safety checks and it did not imply that the engines were technically legal.

Then after the finals the organisers had the right to open any engine they chose - sometimes they opened a few and at other times they only checked the carbs. To ensure the engine that you want to see is opened you had to wait for the results to be posted, send in a protest and then the organisers would open that particular engine.

The onus was mainly on the organisers to police the technical regs, since most competitors were reluctant to protest. After all, this is a SPORT.

What used to happen after the races was a lot of nasty gossip..why wasn't so and so's engine stripped, ABC was using an illegal engine, etc, etc...but very little concrete action.

And in the rare case when a protest was filed we had to sit around for hours, waiting for the protested engine to be stripped, the revised results posted plus an additional 30 minutes wait for the revised results to become final. A protest in one class resulted in the prize giving for all classes being delayed - a massive problem if you were rushing to pack and make it to the airport for your flight home.

In the current system we send our engine for sealing a couple of weeks before the race. Since all the parts are going to be checked our mechanic actually brings the engine in bits and pieces to Kartmore. The Kartmore technical chappie [I am sure there is a term for him.] measures whatever he wants and our mechanic then builds the engine in front of him. Technical chappie then seals the engine.

At Saturday Scrutineering the seal is checked and we go racing. At any time during the race meeting the Club has the right to check the engines. Since the engines are sealed these checks are mainly on the carbs, which lightens the workload and hence can happen more frequently, e.g. after qualifying or heats and finals.

Of course a competitor who really wants to see another's engine still has the right to protest and that particular engine will be pulled apart.

In this system the onus is on the integrity of the Kartmore technical chappie. He is the one that makes it work. If he is the "close one eye" type then the whole thing falls apart.

Looking purely at the Junior final in Kota Bharu, I must say that the system worked as planned. Four drivers from 3 different teams, using four different chassis clocked 49.9 sec. And after 20 laps of racing the gap between 1st and 4th was 1.1 sec!

[brakedisc]

What about Kartmore's team engines, who checks them if they are legal or not? Since they are the official importer and also participate in the races. And they seal their own engines. I'm not saying they cheat or can cheat without anyone knowing but if they can seal their own engines then it will surely lead to fingers being pointed if any of the competitors are not happy with the results. What do you guys think? I know currently time is saved with this process and also it is done more for convenience sake but surely it can still be improved, right? Maybe we all open our engines together with 1 mechanic from each team to come for the sealing before the race and then the seal numbers be published on the notice board and anyone caught with a different seal number be disqualified. Everybody will be much happier right? No?

[accelerate]

To ensure the engine that you want to see is opened you had to wait for the results to be posted, send in a protest and then the organisers would open that particular engine.

From the supp regulation

28. Protests
Any protest must be made in accordance with the NCR 191-193 and shall be addressed to the Clerk of the Course for immediate transmission to the StewardS.

Protest Fee RM 250.00
Protest Against Eligibility RM 250.00 plus
RM 250.00 deposit for dismantling
Appeal Fee RM 2,500.00 plus deposit of RM 250.00 for dismantling

I would sure like to see inside of the winners engine if i'm racing.

If you are racing?

[Alex Ritchie]

What about Kartmore's team engines, who checks them if they are legal or not? Since they are the official importer and also participate in the races. And they seal their own engines. I'm not saying they cheat or can cheat without anyone knowing but if they can seal their own engines then it will surely lead to fingers being pointed if any of the competitors are not happy with the results. What do you guys think? I know currently time is saved with this process and also it is done more for convenience sake but surely it can still be improved, right? Maybe we all open our engines together with 1 mechanic from each team to come for the sealing before the race and then the seal numbers be published on the notice board and anyone caught with a different seal number be disqualified. Everybody will be much happier right? No?

As I posted above, the current system hangs on the integrity of the Kartmore engine sealer. So your suggestion that the sealing process be open to all interested parties is a good one. It would certainly get rid of much of the moaning and groaning.

Another way would be to make all the engines available for sale after the race for a fixed price. Then if anyone is unhappy with the Kartmore [or someone else's] engines they could buy them outright.

Our engines are available for sale after every race...so far no takers!

[brakedisc]

Mikko, Let's run a poll on engine sealing open to all. Invite 1 mechanic from each race entrant to come for engine sealing day and also sealed engine numbers posted for all to see. Number not posted, disqualified!

[RocK]

sealing pre-race is not the problem. just make sure to open the top 6-8 on race day after the finals. that will make people happy.

i think this practice is done world wide..

[brakedisc]

sealing pre-race is not the problem. just make sure to open the top 6-8 on race day after the finals. that will make people happy.

i think this practice is done world wide..

Yes Include this process in the poll too and see which one karters prefers.
It is practiced worldwide but somehow in Malaysia it is tak boleh!

[drewcrombie]

Our engines are available for sale after every race...so far no takers!

What team are you? We may be interested in near new complete engines.

Drew

[Alex Ritchie]

sealing pre-race is not the problem. just make sure to open the top 6-8 on race day after the finals. that will make people happy.

i think this practice is done world wide..

6 engines x 5 classes = 30 engines to be opened. We'll be at the tracks long after night falls...

The Rotax system of sealing engines prior to the race is practiced worldwide. In fact for our foreign competitors in RMC Malaysia their engines can be sealed by their national Rotax distributor.

[Alex Ritchie]

What team are you? We may be interested in near new complete engines.

Drew

Ryan Ritchie, Junior #48. We're privateers. Our engines are two to three years old, not near new.

We are not in the business of selling engines but there's been moaning and groaning from some quarters so we thought this would be a good way of shutting up the doubters....evidently it has not worked.

[accelerate]

O..O... Political Campaign...

Got Poll some more...

[speed18]

Interesting topic and one that concerns motor racing in many countries. Systems and procedures are good and through time competitors have been trying to find ways to beat the system. Some successfully,some not!

In your country, it seems like there are questions to the system. It does not mean that current system is wrong but there seems to be people questioning it. In many countries, when there is doubt, then there is post race scruteneering, It just gives integrity to the whole system, to the competitors, and organizers alike.

You put a lot of time into participating in the sport, Will you not want to spend a little bit more time after the race to ensure that the race was run in a sporting manner.without any doubts.

Offering to sell your engine is good to show you are honest man but you seem to miss the point that some people try to make.