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Since the teams are required to use a single engine for 2 races, what if any work, can be done on the engine between the first and second use?

Are the teams allowed to completely tear the engines down for inspection, cleaning, etc? What specifically is off limits?

Rubens had a (oil?) fire at the end of Spa yet the engine was deemened usable for Monza. - what was Brawn allowed to replace on the engine?

TA

Clean the carbs

All I know is that they have an "FIA seal" which can't be broken. I don't know what the seal is restricting but I'm guessing a re-build is off-limits? I mean, Rubens oil leak could have been anything...

It would seem reasonable if they are allowed to change fluids, wouldn't it?

change fluids bore-scope to check for broken things. Add a can of engine restore.

Jersey Tom wrote:Clean the carbs

remember Tom, they use EFI not carbs

flynfrog wrote:change fluids bore-scope to check for broken things. Add a can of engine restore.

I highly doubt that they use a can of engine restore, that's for high milage cars

Jersey Tom wrote:Clean the carbs

smart arse!

I would have thought that this was THE place for exact technical info/knowledge.

Seriously, does anyone know the specifics (been trying to sus this out for some time)?

flynfrog wrote:change fluids bore-scope to check for broken things. Add a can of engine restore.

You're completely off base here. They have to use the 8-cyl formula, not the 6-cylinder can!

Jersey Tom wrote:

flynfrog wrote:change fluids bore-scope to check for broken things. Add a can of engine restore.

You're completely off base here. They have to use the 8-cyl formula, not the 6-cylinder can!

doh

Would it be possible to get more serious answers about the OP's questions?

HBuberMOD wrote:Since the teams are required to use a single engine for 2 races, what if any work, can be done on the engine between the first and second use?

Are the teams allowed to completely tear the engines down for inspection, cleaning, etc? What specifically is off limits?

Rubens had a (oil?) fire at the end of Spa yet the engine was deemened usable for Monza. - what was Brawn allowed to replace on the engine?

TA

I was going to ask how long the engine oil lasts but then again some engines "sit" for months at a time while they circulate through the allowed eight.



Although I had a good laugh at the carb and engine restore can posts.

In order to fully understand the original question, we need to go to the regulations concerning engine use, and what measures are in place to control the use of engines. These areas are covered in the 2010 Technical Regulations
http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.ns ... 6-2010.pdf
(Article 5, specifically Article 5.18)

and the 2010 Sporting Regulations
http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.ns ... 6-2010.pdf
(Article 28.4).

Each car is rationed to 8 engines for the course of the season's 18 races, which is just slightly more than 2 races per engine.

28.4 c) After consultation with the relevant engine supplier the FIA will attach seals to each engine prior to it being used for the first time at an Event in order to ensure that no significant moving parts can be rebuilt or replaced.

My interpretation is that the basic long block is sealed against entry, and the use of blanking plates on the exhausts restricts the team's ability to run the engine either under it's own power or via an external source in order to determine engine characteristics such as wear.

So where does that leave us? Obviously all fluids are sampled continuously for such methods as spectroscopic oil analysis. Borescopes will definitely get a work-out, as well as any other form of strict visual inspection. The name of the game is to use any and all relevant forms of non-destructive testing available.

Additionally, each and every engine of this type has every bit of it's history recorded, and available as reference. That's a lot of data, when you include all the engines that died a horrible death on the dyno. And trust me, a lot did die, many parts failed, and the teams are aware of all indications of any mechanical issues.

Just as relevant and important is the tracking of engine use, and how hard it was worked. All of this data is examined back in the factory, and compared to engineering analysis of each part in order to understand what is really going on inside the engine.

All I know is they have a "seal FIA" that can not be broken. I do not know what the limits of the seal, but I guess a new version is out of bounds? "I think that leak Oil Rubens could have been something ...