Why didn't you finish endurance?

[Flexicoker]

I'm from UTA... the OEM gear speed sensor on the top of the case cracked and started leaking oil out of it. A little plastic part we don't even screw with knocked us out of endurance. We were gaining on Cornell too.

[The Dudeness]

I'm brand new to FSAE, I went to Detroit this year to see the comp. I couldn't believe how many teams got pulled from the enduro by the tech inspectors. Are their reasons for pulling teams out legitimate?

[Garlic]

How/where did it crack? I can't imagine how that sensor could crack, so it would be interesting if you had some pictures.

We left the o-ring off that sensor one time, but that's the only time we've seen issues with it.

[Jon Huddleston]

I don't believe it cracked. I haven't look at it, but I'm pretty sure the bolts hadn't been checked since we replaced the engine 3 weeks before comp. It was poor preperation that cost us the endurance, if those two bolts had been checked/tightened we would have made it. Too bad, so sad...

[UTA racer rikki]

Jon didn't get to see the part after it came off the engine. The bolts had backed off and the part was cracked right next to the brass insert for the bolt sleeve.

I agree with Jon though, a quick engine change, despite the fact that we did a full endurance run on it, was all it took knock us out. Be sure the nut and bolt checks are insanely thorough guys and gals!

[95M3Racer]

We (RPI) actually finished endurance, somehow only barely made the fuel economy, 15th overall, not too bad, we're very happy.

Sorry to hear about all the weird failures that dropped a lot of bigwig teams out, but thats racing. I think someonme should investigate all these rod end failures though, i think everyone used aurora...

Congrats to everyone, it was a great event, and everyone had a quick car, simply amazing how these cars flew around the endurance course.

[Handles]

bad luck to UTA, ive had troubles with that same sensor in the past, cant remember what problem it was causing, but yeah be careful not to overtighten it cause it can crack fairly easily, especially if the engine has ever been overheated i guess!!

[Cheers!]

Queen's University Car #42

We made a mushroom cloud of smoke 3 stories high. The engine hydrolocked on motor oil that was being sucked pass the oil seal on the compressor side of the Turbo.

Car was black flagged and allowed to idle as teh judges asked is oil suppose to be spraying out of the muffler? Answer, Oh ya! Why not? They let us back on the course and when the driver stood on the gas in second all the oil that normally gets consumed at WOT instead got collected in teh intercooler. So when you mash the gas again all the oil goes into the engine and bang...

Atleast we made the most spectacular and biggest smoke cloud.

Jason
Queen's University
Alumni

[Kirk Feldkamp]

Well, when you have 23 psi of oil pressure at idle, you can't really call it "sucking" past the seal.... it's more like getting pushed past with hurricane-like intensity! You guys gotta find a way to run that pump at different speeds! The oil doesn't come out at higher engine speeds, the pressure differential makes sure of that.

-Kirk

[GSpeedR]

University of Michigan - car wouldn't restart

Either starter got too hot, or a F'ed up alternator/battery means we couldn't get our second driver out there.

We also "smoked" the competition at the Road & Track Triathalon on Sunday. Most of that was from oil on the headers, though...