GCR "oppotunities"

[Art Smith]

some sick humor from an afternoon reading the GCR for a friend...................

2009 GCR - p.207

j. Connecting Rods
Any ferrous connecting rod may be used provided it meets a minimum weight of 630 grams and has a center to center length of 4.925 plus or minus 0.020 inches. (Note: Weights include cap, bolts, and small end bush; but not big end bearing shells).

how many competitors are running "ferrous" bushings?? I'm not!! does that make my factory 2737 Ford rods "non-compliant"?? before saying it's "obvious" that bronze/brass busings are allowed by the wording above, think carefully. there are people in the world who would very much like to employ non-ferrous coating(s) on their rods for all sorts of reasons............... the GCR's anti-coating provisions do NOT apply to non-Ford parts!! everyone's rods are non-compliant with the rule as written AND/OR the rule needs to "improved" .......!


k. Crankshaft
An alternate cast steel crankshaft meeting original Ford Kent and SCCA dimensions and weight is permitted.
Weight: 24 lbs. 8 oz. Minimum
Max Stroke (at piston) 3.056" plus or minus 0.004"
Crankshaft pulley: unrestricted

The crankshaft from the Cortina engine may be used.

The crankshaft from the Fiesta engine may be used.

The crankshaft may be shot peened.

given FF is a restricted class, where does it say a 711M factory Ford crankshaft can be used? crankshaft rules need to be put in front of authorized alternatives..........!


every competitor and/or club member has a right to be found compliant or non-conpliant with the rules as written. the heat and emotions of the moment being what they are, what's the chances of finding two "reasonable" competitors (the accused and accuser) and a steward experienced and knowledgeable in the nuances of everything wrong with FF rules? I for one do not want to be put in the postion of having to accept being "judged" compliant and have to deal with the little black stinky cloud that will follow the car with people wondering: "I wonder what really was going on". like everyone else, I work at being compliant with the rules as written (could care less about intent) and want to be found compliant or non-compliant. NO grey, no uncertainty, and NO politics thank you very much!! the rules need some careful work.....................


Art
artesmith@earthlink.net

[mike g.]

Art,

Like any legalese - you need to read the entire thing...... And make sure your terms are right - bushing? The GCR only says that the entire rod with bushing needs to be *weight* not ferrous.

2009 GCR page 208 (220 if you're reading in PDF version) specifically highlights connecting rod bearings and surfaces - take a look at this page-capture -
http://screencast.com/t/JLtBea9bpL

Just my interpretation - I destroy motors not build them...

-Mike

[R. Pare]

Implicit within the meaning of the phrase "alternative...... is permitted", is that this is an explanation of what is permitted as an alternative to the original Ford part - the rules already state that the Kent engine "as installed in the Cortina", and that it cannot be changed, modified, etc, except as authorized in D.1. That sentence in the crankshaft section of D.1 is that stated authorization.

The authroization is worded incorrectly, however - it authorizes only an alternative "cast steel" replacement. Since the available replacements are cast iron, NOT cast steel, this wording makes them illegal! (Unless, of course, I am misinformed about their being cast iron! )

One other question, though - if a particular engine being used originally came form a Pinto, is it truely the same as those "as installed in the Cortina"?

[Joefisherff]

It says not required but what if due to recent developments it is now required? Such as electronic ignition, data acquisition, etc.. Does not required mean not allowed or if you can show a requirement does it permit it?

[R. Pare]

"Not required" only denotes that the absence of that component is not a problem. Conversely, it means that its presence is legal.

[Brian]

Cast iron VS cast steel is a good question, one that I have wondered about for quite a while. I've not really been able to find a good definition of cast steel beyond the fact that it exists. However, today's googling effort found this. I really don't know what it means, or if our nice new crankshafts are this stuff:

According to this theory, an investigation of the various properties of nodular graphite hyper-eutectoid cast steel was carried out. The results obtained can be summarized as follows : (1) This cast steel does not call for so careful selection of materials, and is of higher value in mechanical properties than those of DCI, malleable iron and cast steel. (2) Since this metal has far better castability than cast steel and DCI, it is possible to manufacture castings of thin section and complicated shape. (3) Compared with gray cast iron and malleable cast iron, this cast steel is very useful for electric and magnetic material. (4) Wear resistivity of the pearlitic type of this metal is far superior to any of the ordinary cast iron, pearlitic cast iron and DCI. Wear resistivity of the ferrite type is the same as that of DCI, but it is far superior to the black heart malleable cast iron. (5) This cast steel is material that has excellent property for induction surface hardening, even in the case of ferrite type, and after heat.treatment it has the about 40〜50 R_c in the surface hardness. The Jominy hardness curves of nodular graphite cast steel were measured. Compared with the pearlite type, cast steel of ferrite type has low quench-hardness bccause of its carbon concentration in austenite.

Now, normally I'm a big fan of wear resistivity, but public mention of Jominy hardness curves makes me wonder if a forum censor is going to smite me...

[R. Pare]

It's been 30 years since my Materials classes, but the basic difference between steel and cast iron is the amount of carbon, which in turn determins the type of chrystaline structure. Once the chrystal structure changes form one to the other, you have one or the other "types" ( "steel" or "cast iron"). Any of the common "steel" alloys (as well as the more exotic alloys) can be cast - 4130, 4340, 8620, etc., etc. - there used to be a steel foundry only 3 mile from our shop where I regularly had 8620 cast for Ford 9" differential bodies.

Basicly, cast iron and cast steel are two different things.

The next question is: if you had a steel crank made that was made from bar stock, would they consider it to be "cast"? By rights, I would think so, since steel bars are actually a "cast" product, although by a different method than the traditional sand casting setup.

[Art Smith]

so where does one find a copy of the "original Ford Kend and SCCA dimensions" ?? the word "AND" is the one that troubles me.......... as written neither Ford NOR SCCA dimensions are sufficient!! wonder how many proud owners of "replica's" have a copy of the Ford and SCCA crankshaft drawings in their logbooks ??

Art
artesmith@earthlink.net



k. Crankshaft
An alternate cast steel crankshaft meeting original Ford Kent and SCCA dimensions and weight is permitted.
Weight: 24 lbs. 8 oz. Minimum
Max Stroke (at piston) 3.056" plus or minus 0.004"
Crankshaft pulley: unrestricted

The crankshaft from the Cortina engine may be used.

The crankshaft from the Fiesta engine may be used.

The crankshaft may be shot peened.

[Greg Mercurio]

Is there a point in all this? Or is it a full moon again and Art morphed. Art, since you seem to have boundless time and energy, why not rewrite the FF section of the FCS and submit it to the FSRAC for consideration? Hell, I'll pay $25 for the priveledge of reading it before you submit it!

[Dave Welsh]

mmm. the Ford Kend motor is a new on on me.



"so where does one find a copy of the "original Ford Kend and SCCA dimensions" ??"

[gord leach]

Art, since you seem to have boundless time and energy, why not rewrite the FF section of the FCS and submit it to the FSRAC for consideration? Hell, I'll pay $25 for the priveledge of reading it before you submit it!

X2...........a quick fifty, I'm sure it would be an interesting read

Gord(I love rules/interpretation of)Leach