Tech-Advice Info

The Technical Corner

( The following suggestions and recommendations are for the "do it your self mechanic" and may not be FACTORY APPROVED)

Specifications on Helmets & Seat belt?

There is a big confusion about Helmets! Here are some tips and information (the latest Snell approved Helmet is 2005):

Snell "SA" (Special Application) Helmets are for Auto racing. They are flame tested, smaller eye opening, roll bar impact tested. May not be legal for Motor cycle racing.

Snell "M" (Motor Cycle) Helmets are for Motor cycles. They are NOT flame tested, larger eye opening, NOT roll bar impact tested. Not legal for Auto racing.

Snell "K" Helmets are for Go-Karts. Similar to SA but flame testing does not apply.

DOT (Department Of Transportation) Street only. Considerable less stringent then Snell Std. Not legal for any type of racing.

SFI-31.1A (Open-Face) and SFI-31.2A (Full-Face) for Auto racing. Not as well known and may not be accepted by all US sanctioning bodies.

SFI-16.1 Is the certification for your Seat belt harness (Driver restraint system) allowed in SCCA events. Minimum is a 5 point (6 point recommended).

Furthermore: Open cockpit cars MUST ware Full-Face helmets with shield. Closed cockpit cars may ware either/or with shield or goggles. For more info. contact your sanctioning body or go on the SCCA link.

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Brake Pad seat-in or bedding

When installing new brake pads (and/or rotors) they have to be bedded- in. Typically a 8 to 10 stop-and-go to about 30-35 MPH with soft stopping and then 3 to 5 stop-and-go to about 40-45 MPH with hard stopping will do the trick. Usually when you smell the brake material, stop the car and let the brakes cool off for about 2 hours or more. If this is not done, the pads/rotors will not perform properly. Racers know this and often found out the hard way.

I read this a lot in comments on "The Tire Rack" website were people complain about stopping problems.

ALFA ROMEO

In case you did not know: A.L.F.A. Stands for "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili" and "ROMEO" is the last name of Senior Nicola ROMEO, the man how bought the company in 1918.

Strong valve clatter on 4 cylinder motors, It is very rare but it does happen. For no reason, after the car sat for a while or after an valve adjustment or "who knows?" one or two valves seem to make a lot of noise. Stop the engine immediately! There is a good chance the valve adjustment shim dislodged from the valve stem (under the cam follower). There is only one way to fix it, remove the cam and relocate the shim. It is also rare that any other damage was done, unless you drive it that way for a while. I have experienced this now 4 times ........in 30 years.

UP DATE: I have found the problem. After thoroughly inspecting the recent incident, I realized that the valve was somewhat sticky (carbon? in the valve guide bore) at higher RPM's the valve spring could not close fast enough. Solution, install a stronger competition valve spring 'til time comes for a valve job.

This is a picture of it: You see the fainted circular impression of the shim just below the valve stem.

Cam timing on 4 cylinder motors, When you ever tinker with the delicacy of "re -timing " the cam shafts, do not and I mean do not try to turn the engine over with the ignition key, always turn over by hand. Reason: If the timing is not correct (interference with the valves or piston) then you will feel the resistance, otherwise its BIG BUCKS VALVE JOB OR MORE.

Timing chain. After thousands of miles a strange noise may occur only when revving the engine or at acceleration. This may be do to a loose timing chain hitting the inside wall of the timing cover. Take the valve cover off and check its tension. It must be very tight, short of a guitar string. If in doubt, loosen the 14mm bolt on the front of the engine first, then using a strong gripping tool (best is the proper spanner), rotate the intake cam shaft clockwise (opposite of engine rotation) until the engine wants to turn, at that point retighten the 14mm bolt very snug. (DO NOT GO BY THE BOOK WHICH SAYS TO RUN THE ENGINE AND THEN LOOSEN AND TIGHTEN THE 14MM BOLT)

Believe or not, belts, If you ever hear a squealing noise and/or metallic sounds and you are convinced its something terribly wrong. Check the fan belt - YES, THE FAN BELT - and poor a glass of water on to it, if the noise momentarily goes away, replace the fan belt.

Water Pump replacement, When changing the water pump on 4 cylinder engines (after 1969), you have to remove the crank shaft pulley. The pump will not slide over the pulley. It is best to remove the radiator. Use of a impact wrench is needed since there is no easy way to hold the crank in place. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO IT ANY OTHER WAY, SOMETHING WILL BREAK.

Front Chain Cover leakage, Should you experience oil or water leakage coming from the chain cover, the only way to replace the 3 gaskets (one left, one right, paper gasket and one oil O-ring) is to remove the head, the large oil sump, the front crank pulley and the radiator and shroud and then replace all other gaskets as well. A job best left for the utmost experienced. Remember the distributor and oil pump are also attached to it.

Right front oil leakage, An often ugly dripping of oil is noticed at the right front oil sump area. This is due to a badly worn or hardened "O" ring around the distributor. Pull the distributor and replace that "O" ring. Insert the "O" ring into the upper groove of the engine (timing chain cover), lubricate the distributor housing lightly with grease and push the distributor 'home' rotating the rotor shaft back and forth until it seats gently into its slot (only one position possible).

Spark Plugs, When changing Spark plugs, it is important to use an anti seize compound or moly grease on the threads to prevent galling and damage to the threat. This applies to all aluminum type heads.

Tuning problem. After exhausting all obvious possibilities (Ignition distributor, coil, sparkplugs, plug wires, jet cleaning, fuel pump and pressure, fuel lines, fuel filter etc) the car would not accelerate after 3300 RPM. When a fuel pressure gage was added and mounted so it could be seen from the driver's seat, another test drive was performed (fuel presser OK). After a few hard accel runs a sudden change in sound and accel took place. A particle lodged in one of the carbs was freed and the car accelerated normal. One must be lucky once in a while. PROBLEM SOLVED.

FERRARI

If you have an older 12 cylinder Ferrari like the "330 GT" with dual ignition system and have to adjust the two(2) distributors to match the timing, make sure to do one at the time. When loosening the 3 nuts (14mm wrench) you most likely will loose ground and the engine runs on 6 cylinders. Retighten at least one screw. Reason: The thick plate the distributor sits on is PLASTIC, ground continuity is through the bolts.

Heat shield for the trunk, Most Ferrari's have the exhaust system in the rear under the trunk. Because of that, very high heat is transferred into the trunk area. Ferrari overcame this by putting a "sandwich" of heat resistant materials in the trunk bottom (alternating between 2or more 1/2" thick high heat resistant padding and 2to3x1/8" resin boards) This high heat resistant and low BTU transfer material (over 1800 deg F) is available from "Mc Master-Carr" Los Angeles based.

LAMBORGHINI

Distributor tuning, On the Espada and other 12 Cylinder Motors, the Distributor has a dual point rotor and 4 breaker points with 3 lobes on the shaft. To adjust and tune the Distributor (If no professional instrument is available) you must fabricate a degree template in 30 deg. increments (12 sections) with a large center hole that fits over distributor body, attach a pointer made from fine wire to the rotor. Then with an Multimeter adjust the point opening until it is within 1/2 degree ether side sweeping the pointer over the 30deg. template.