Bolt on valve covers

[Matt King]

Open wheel drivers should be able to run close at speed without touching ea other most of the time and yes there are times when something happens that's the way it is.

You are correct that in a perfect world, there would never be contact between cars or any other situation in which a valvecover could come loose. But we don't live in that world. So what is your suggestion to decrease the possibility of either thing happening? You seemed to agree that mandating bolt on covers would be a good idea, but then you are saying it shouldn't matter because no one should be in a situation where there is risk of a stock cover being knocked off. I don't understand what point you are trying to make.

[tiagosantos]

This was about valve covers and now we are talking about roll bars and helmets

Surely you've heard about the notion of comparing things..

Anyway, to clarify. What SHOULD and what DOES happen are two completely different things. This thread, and the suggestion of using bolt-on covers, has the purpose of minimizing the consequences of undesirable accidents. Bolting on valve covers won't make anyone want to "play bumper cars", but it just might avoid further accidents when everyone else comes blasting through the oil slick.

[Rolling Stone]

Of the two options,bolt on is less likely to come off,both are a problem but thats a VW engine...anything can happen...its called RACING I like bolt on covers,purely for cosmetic reasons.People who rent out cars and are busy at the track obviously go with wire covers as its cheaper and a hell of a lot easier/quicker to remove/put-on,simple as that....owners choice Everyone going off track because of a valve cover coming off is a drag and annoying...its called RACING tho.

[jpetillo]

I'll sit and read all the non sense and keep my thoughts to myself like most.

Are you saying that it would be a nice change if instead of jumping down your throat that someone just asks you what you meant or to clarify?! You're right that a lot of folks don't post because of this. Keep up your posts. John

[fvracer27]

Let me try to clarify.

I do not think it should be mandated to use bolt on covers. Why? because it can happen with both. I happen to know a racer that had his bolt on cover crack when he was hit and it damaged the head. It also dumped oil on the track and I know the race who went for a ride through the oil slick. If something touches either type of cover there is a chance that something bad will happen.

Do I believe this is a problem? No I do not. I have been racing FV for 2 years now and I have never seen it happen. Does it happen? absolutely. Can anyone tell me how much this happens because I can only speak for my region that I race in and like I said in the past 2 I have not seen it happen. The region I race is has between 15 to 25 cars most races and everyone races hard and close and that's what I love about this class.

[quote]Bolting on valve covers won't make anyone want to "play bumper cars"/quote]
I never said that.

I said
[quote]These are not bumper cars if you wanted to have contact with other cars go get a tin top/quote]
Things always misunderstood.

[quote]but it just might avoid further accidents when everyone else comes blasting through the oil slick./quote]
I do not believe it will, I think it may if you kicked it with your foot but a tire at 80mph I think both will have problems.

[quote]So what is your suggestion to decrease the possibility of either thing happening?/quote]
I don't have one because I'm not aware of this being a problem. It may happen but is it a problem that should mandate another cover that can do the same thing?

[quote] You seemed to agree that mandating bolt on covers would be a good idea/quote]
I don't see what makes you think I agree.

[quote]but then you are saying it shouldn't matter because no one should be in a situation where there is risk of a stock cover being knocked off. I don't understand what point you are trying to make./quote]
Start over and read my posts again.

I'm just trying to clarify please no one shoot me


How about we stop trying to change the rules and instead promote FV and show everyone how this class has lasted so long.

[wroché29]

Statistics (from one stream-me):
I've entered approximately 135 races in my FV. I caused an incident where my valve cover was popped-off once (0.7%). The oil spilled was all off-pavement for that incident.

[Rolling Stone]

I raced in 1992 and now in 2010/11 and have never seen a cover come off and cause a problem in Ontario And boy!!if one of our BIG tires hits you...watch out!! We regularly have a lot of cars on track at every race,seen other problems,but not a valve cover one yet,also have never seen a big oil spill were a lot of us go off.We are racing at Mosport this W/End...NO RAIN in the forecast!!!!sunny Good luck to all you FV drivers at the runoffs,and if a F500 hassles you run him off the track

[Matt King]

As rare as it may be, the first post in this thread references two events that were directly related to a valvecover being knocked off through contact. I literally had a front seat view of the incident at the Runoffs last year, as it was my left front shock tower that knocked the valvecover off a car that straightlined Turn 8 at Road America and drove over the left front of my car after I had turned in for the corner. So for all you guys offering a data point of one that it's a rarity, I offer my offsetting data point of one that it can and does happen.

[tiagosantos]

Hasn't happened to me either in 2 years of racing. BUT while watching a race from the stands a month ago, I saw two cars get tangled right in front of me. Both had bolt on covers and there was no oil spilled on the track. One car kept going, the other had a cracked valve cover and damage to his intake manifold. He cruised back to his paddock spot and, as far as I could tell, replaced the manifold and broken valve cover and was racing again a couple hours later. The valve cover cracked but still held the oil inside. Sure, we could take bets all day about whether a stock cover would have held up, but in my opinion, there was no chance that the stock cover would have survived the contact - they drove for quite a distance rubbing and banging each other while trying to come apart.

[smsazzy]

Hasn't happened to me either in 2 years of racing. BUT while watching a race from the stands a month ago, I saw two cars get tangled right in front of me. Both had bolt on covers and there was no oil spilled on the track. One car kept going, the other had a cracked valve cover and damage to his intake manifold. He cruised back to his paddock spot and, as far as I could tell, replaced the manifold and broken valve cover and was racing again a couple hours later.

Too bad he did not have a $300 spec manifold. Would have been a lot cheaper to replace.

[tiagosantos]

Oh yeah, speaking of..

I don't think high dollar manifolds have reached our neck of the woods, but I'm sure it's a matter of time. Or maybe they're already here and that's why I can't win anything!