Totally reliable Sprint Westfields, are there any?

[Onliest Smeg David]

Ahhh!

Well mines only set at just over 7000rpm

But it's only standard internals zetec Silvertop 1.8, BLINK Motorsport Optimized fast cams ported head running 179 bhp.

So no race thoroughbred!

[Terryathome]

The ones that don't survive are the ones that aren't maintained in the proper fashion for sprints. The odd failure due to materials can't be helped. Me thinks you do a lot of maintanance Dave so survive.

I bet the above makes me popular, however most will have more excuses than an F1 driver.

Regards

Terry

[davidgh]

 more excuses than an F1 driver.

 

Ten years sprinting.

 

Three 4A-GE head gaskets.

One engine disintegration ('Busa big end bearing turned at 10500 rpm)

One blown through cylinder head web (intake air temperature sensor in too warm a place)

One CR synchro box completely de-synchroed  --  trying to shift too quickly

One removal of teeth from dog box fourth gear (yes, fourth)  --  unexplained

One success at getting Elite sequential into second and fourth simultaneously

Three broken type nine selector forks

Two broken drive shafts

One flailing BEC propshaft

Two coolant plumbing failures (repairable on day)

One lubricant plumbing failure (repaired on day without engine damage, but not popular at Ty Croes for a little while) 

 

Double driven  --  but, otherwise, no excuses apart from trying to be fast.

[Terry Everall]

Don't think its a lack of maintenance with sprint cars its just how hard they are driven and at big revs

[Scottish Bloke]

Don't think its a lack of maintenance with sprint cars its just how hard they are driven and at big revs

 

Agree T.E, I'd estimate my car got 15 - 20 hrs input between events this year. Most of our issues have been either development or simply pushing boundaries. Sierra diffs, driveshafts and CV joints for example were never designed for the power we're putting through them.

 

Broken plenum pipe or cracked plenum...which shelf can I buy that off...that's right, you can't! Power + Boundaries + Pioneering will inevitably lead to mechanical failures. The clever bit is overcoming these week spots through development, use and Excellent Sponsors  

 

My car in VX trim was exceptionally reliable, one head gasket in 5 years, sadly 260hp was not competitive enough hence the need for brave development, headbangingly frustrating development at times but my the rewards are satisfying when it all works!!

[stephenh]

My Duratec is probably so reliable because I never take it above 9,000 rpm.

[Terryathome]

F1. Told you so lol

[Ian Podmore]

When components are subjected to greater loads than they were designed to run at, their fatigue life is massively reduced.  If these components are not replaced at the correct intervals relative to the stresses they are under, they will fail sooner or later.

 

My kart engine had a new piston and full strip every 6 hours use, and that still didn't make it 100% reliable hence the top a of broken piston on my desk at work, and a conrod that was not recognizable it was in so many bits. I used to rev to 16,700 or so... In the top series in the UK they revved the same engine / components to 17,500rpm but had to fit new pistons and rods much more frequently to prevent failure.  The manufacturers recommended max rev's was 14,750. 

[Paul Morcom]

My Westfield has been 100% reliable this year.....

 

No engine issues

No gearbox issues (ex-Hussey Elite)

No drive train issues

No electrical issues

 

Revs to 8300 rpm.

 

But has only been driven 30 yards from my trailer to the MOT bay and back plus engine/gearbox turned over every 4 weeks 

 

Prior to 2012...... in 2 years = 2 engine failures, 2 gearbox failures, 1 alternator failure, 1 cycle wing failure, 1 water temp sensor failure and 1 gear knob failure.

2012 to 2014...... no issues, total reliability

 

But it has got an MSA 2016 compliant roll cage by Caged.

[woodman]

To answer 'Terryat home'

Driving a Westy on the road seems only fun for about 5 mins to me - so it only has to be reliable for about 10mile round trip!

If I needed reliability for road I would buy a proper car - boxter/s2000/mx5 etc

[Onliest Smeg David]

Terry - I don't do any maintainable apart from oil change once a year & casting an eye over nuts n bolts to check nothing loosening.

Looks it's like the difference between a Kart Horse and a Race Horse! I know which mine is