|
For those racers in the Northern Hemisphere, now is
the time for putting the racecar to bed and begin overhauling. If you're
fortunate enough to live in warmer climates, the off-season is probably
just a short break in the action. Those living south of the equator may
want to ignore all this for the next 6 months.
Racecars are semi-perishable and if just left in the
garage or trailer, they will need TLC to bring them back to life. An
ounce of preventable maintenance goes a long way here. Here's some
pointers to keep your racecar happy:
1) Drain Fuel System.
This is especially important if methanol is your choice of
fuel. Blow out all the lines, tank and components with air. A few
squirts of Marvel Mystery Oil (mixed 50/50 with gas) into the barrel
valve, fuel pump and 3-way shutoff valve on fuel injection engines will
keep them from corroding. Also keeps the
seals and o-rings from drying out. It doesn't hurt to have your
mechanical fuel pump flowed every couple of years to ensure that it
still flowing the number and is not cavitating (which creates air
bubbles in your fuel system - not a good thing.)
2) Unpack That
Parachute. The
pilot chute
spring has a tendency to weaken if compressed for long periods. It
won't hurt to wash the parachute and sprinkle it with some baby powder
to help absorb moisture. (This also makes it smell good when you take it
out of the box next spring!) Be sure to check for holes or rips in the
fabric. Damaged canopies can be repaired by the manufacturer or by a
local upholstery shop.
3) Lube Those
Cylinders. If you're not tearing down the engine this winter,
you might want to pull the spark plugs and squirt some of that Marvel
into each cylinder. (You did mix some Marvel with gas, didn't ya?). Also
backing off the rockers will ensure your valve springs are still stiff
next year.
4) How's the Bottoms End?
May want to take a look at the
rods &
main bearings. Pistons rings can easily be checked externally with a
leakdown tester. A leakdown will
also detect poor head gaskets or a crack in the cylinder.
5)
Remove Thee Fire Bottles.
If you' garage drops below freezing, Coldfire 302 (and other liquid
systems) will freeze, expand, and crack the seal. Upon thawing out, the
liquid will slowly leak out, the gauge will regress to 0 and you'll be
contacting DJ Safety for further instructions. Prevent all that by
storing the bottles inside where it's warm and toasty.
6) Service the Magneto.
It's crucial the that the magneto is removed from the car if any welding
is done. Doesn't hurt to set a schedule to replace the
points, cap, rotor, capacitor and
wires. This you can do on your own. Eventually the magnets will have
to be recharged by a pro.
7) Check Safety Equipment
Dates. The clock continues to run on those expensive
SFI-approved items. It's ideal if the renewal period falls during the
winter months when all of the equipment can be recertified at the same
time. This is also the slow time for manufacturers so turn-around is
usually more prompt. Here is a
SFI
Recertification Chart showing time frames for the more popular
items.
8) Read Some Books!
Now that the season is behind ya' and next year is still a dream,
lets fill the brain with some fresh knowledge. The Good Vibrations
Motorsports catalog is on top of our list though that's being a little
bias. Good Vibrations also offer over a dozen of
hard-core racing books ranging from
Supercharging to Building Engines. Did we mentioned
DVD's for those that need a better visual &
audio fix??
Have a great off-season. If you need advice or have
questions, Good Vibrations Motorsports has compiled a vast
technical library online. They also offer a
toll-free line: 800/576-7661 |
Some Must-Do's
for Preparing Your Racecar for the Off-Season...
