|
|
| Driver Profiles | Photos | Racing Links | |
| Discussion Board | Live Chat | News Archives | Advertising |
| Weather |
 |
|
|
| New Options Coming – Crate Engine Seals ANKENY, IA (Dec 18) - Rest assured, GM Performance Parts is developing a new Crate Engine sealing system. Yes, GM Performance Parts announced that effective March 1, 2008, the “RM” sealing bolts currently being used will no longer be available. What they also announced was that they are indeed working on a new program regarding the sealing of Crate Engines coming from the factory. Indications are that a new program could be announced this February at the RPM Workshops in Florida, if not sooner. Here at Karl Chevrolet, we feel strongly about GM Performance Parts and their future in racing. GM Performance Parts is committed to the Crate Engines currently in production – the 602, 603, and 604 Circle Track engines, as well as the recently announced CT525 all-aluminum race engine. We, too, have heard the rumors out there about sealing bolts getting into the wrong hands and that companies are duplicating these bolts. That simply has not been the case. To date, no one has been able to duplicate these sealing bolts. Is it possible for authentic GM sealing bolts to get into the wrong hands? Yes. But it can only happen as a result of the sanctioning bodies not policing the repair centers that they’ve chosen as authorized and bonded centers. In the end, competitors and repair centers found to be cheating up the Crate Engines must be penalized to the fullest. One such example of an infraction and subsequent suspension was written by Roby Helm of Crate Racin’ USA. By: Roby Helm CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Two-time StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National Champion David Gentry of Lewisburg, TN has been suspended from series competition for one year due to an engine rule infraction found by StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series Technical officials on Saturday during the 3rd Annual Crate Racin’ USA World Championship Race in Tampa, FL. StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series technical officials have found the valves and a cylinder head on Gentry’s engine not machined into legal specifications outlined by GM Performance for a “604” crate engine. Gentry’s engine had “RM” seal bolts at the time of the inspection, which indicated it had been previously worked on inside the sealing bolts of the engine. A GM Performance Crate Engine comes from the factory with special sealing bolts located on different components on the engine. If these seals are broken to repair the engine, they are replaced by sealing bolts marked “RM” that are only available from GM Performance to distributed only to authorized GM Performance Crate Engine rebuilders. The inspection of Gentry’s engine was initiated by StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series officials when Gentry requested to change engines on Saturday after he had won his heat race on Friday night at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL during the post-season 3rd Annual $10,000-to-win Crate Racin’ USA World Championship Race. StormPay.com DLMS officials agreed to the engine change as long as they could inspect the engine that was used on Friday night. StormPay.com DLMS technical officials found a valve in the left cylinder head that was not machined into spec, and ruled the engine illegal. Gentry appealed the decision, and StormPay.com technical officials looked further into the cylinder head and valve train components, where they found the ports on the cylinder head had also not been machined into spec. After consulting with GM Performance on their findings of Gentry’s valves and cylinder head that they were out of spec, series officials met with Gentry on Wednesday, and showed him their findings. |