Oil aeration can be a major problem in high-revving race engines. The presence of oil bubbles in significant quantities in an engine’s oil can lead to pressure loss and damaging cavitation in the oil pump. Controlling the issue is a multi-faceted task, requiring that all aspects of an engine’s oil system are optimised to combat it. The sump, oil pump, oil tank and even the oil itself can be engineered to minimise aeration, and thus improve both and engine’s performance and...
In its most basic form the piston pin is simply a piece of round bar. However, very few engines – other than very basic, low-budget units – are equipped with solid gudgeon pins as standard. Of course, in the rarified world of racing, there are some applications where conventional technology won’t suffice, and we can also find solid piston pins in some tractor pull engines. It is usual though for engines in production cars and motorcycles, and almost all race engines, to be...
Carburising and nitrocarburising are types of surface hardening processes that rely on diffusion to change the composition of the surface of metallic parts. The names suggest the elements involved in the diffusion process – in the carburising process, the percentage of carbon in the surface of the component is increased, and in nitrocarburising, both carbon and nitrogen are added to the surface. Both treatments are a very good way not only of hardening the surface of a component but...
No matter how good your engine dynamometer may be, it is all but useless without the necessary data logging equipment. There is a plethora of different data logging systems available to engine builders, providing all of the functionality they could wish for, but one key factor needs to be considered when choosing the right equipment, and that is the sample rate at which it can operate. Sample rate is the measure of the number of readings that can be taken in a set period of time, and is...
For many years, sequential transmissions using dog engagement have been the standard fitment for most serious racing machinery, thanks largely to their durability and short shifting time. However, Seat’s latest Leon Cup touring car features a dual-clutch, semi-automatic transmission as an option, similar to those found in many new roadcars. Beyond this latest manufacturer effort, there are also a number of racers at club level successfully running cars equipped with Porsche’s...