Missing link

Driveshaft (hall effect) sensor

The final part of the datalogger arrived at the weekend, the driveshaft sensor (hall type) was shipped directly from racepak. It means the logger is now complete, plus it's been set up with the right channels and right configurations for those channels. It's also had a few static tests to check things work ok, which of course they always do in the cellar, or the pits, or pretty much anywhere other than when your on the dragstrip when most things decide enough is enough.

Ye olde cellar

However, Racepak are considered the industry standard when it come to dragracing and they are fitted to pretty much everything, so if they can survive the intensity of a fuel car or bike it should be fine on my little runabout.



The Datalink II software that comes with the racepak seems pretty good. It's very customizable, allows lots of extra run data to be attached to a log file, such as event name , qualifying round, settings, and even weather information, which can be manually entered or uploaded from a compatible weather station. there will be a lot of work inputting the data, i'm hoping one of my crew will take up the honors ...... Stuart.....
The picture shows a log file from a pro stock car and is a good example of what a run file will look like.

Also at the weekend i took a trip over to Leeds where i popped in to see Roger, and while i was there i picked up an exhaust i'd bought off oldskool suzuki forum member- At_blackcat (aka pete). It's an old style prostock Star racing exhaust, and in pretty good condition too. It's not really needed just yet, but the MaxNOS fuel we run is hyper corrosive and the exhaust is rotting from the inside out. Some welding was required recently to patch up a small hole. And you can bet that when a new exhaust is required, that nobody is selling one.

Triple engined plan?

A couple of other small jobs in progress at the moment, the front brake caliper was found to be leaking fluid. It turns out one piston had some slight pitting so the seal had failed. And i need to make a mount for a push button 2 step switch. I have a switch but finding a satisfactory way of mounting it seems to be amazingly tricky!

Log Off

Friday marked the arrival of the long awaited datalogger for the bike.
Yesterday was spent fitting it and  making up a mounting bracket, plus fitting the countershaft collar & magnets. Unfortunately it's arrived incomplete, as the hall/driveshaft speed sensor is missing from the package. I've been in contact with the supplier who are going to get back to me.
The mounting bracket was an excuse to actually use the mill, which has been sat almost totally unused since getting it over 6 months ago. The logger is bigger than i imagined (but feels like a very empty box) but the place i had in mind for it which is under the seat, is still big enough - just!. The logger has to be mounted flat and facing the right direction for the internal g-force sensors  to work properly, so you are limited to mounting locations.
The basic unit and included sensors will record:

• Battery Voltage
• Engine RPM
• Countershaft/driveshaft RPM (which is also relative to rear wheel speed)
• 2 axis G-meter (acceleration)
• a 12v event (i'll connect it to the wide open throttle switch for now

Each channel (Maximum is 21) is capable of recording at 100 samples per second (Hz)

The clutch lever has been removed recently too, in it's place will be a rear brake lever (which is actually a hydraulic clutch lever), picked up off ebay. It'll need a very long brake line to connect it up but it will be worth the conversion as the back brake is awkward to use as it is.

Instant mess

It seems that my plan not to have a plan for 2012 has progressed very smoothly, formulating itself into something closely resembling a plan without actually being one! The big two changes for this year will be the addition of the previously mentioned Racepak, and a switch from a lock up clutch to a slider.
The lockup has been in the bike since the beginning, and we had a few good results from it on the small tyre bike. But since building the new bike weve struggled to get good 60ft times out of it. It's been so soft the bike has hardly moved, to so hard it's stalled off the line. And still runs 1.3-1.4 second 60ft's. I noticed recently the lockup arm pivots are quite badly worn too so rather than replace them or the lockup, it's been decided - with the persuasive help of Stu Crane to change to a slider.

The picture shows a warpspeed racing slider for a GSXR

A slider is a different animal to a lockup, it has many advantages but the downside is it will slow reaction times. I figured if it can make it a tenth faster on the quarter mile then i'll have to just pull my finger out and try not to loose that on reaction times, so i may as well just go for it and get one. 
When i had the basket made last year it was made to be futureproof so i could use a slider with it, so i only need the slider hat, the clutch cover and a few small parts.
It should be ready in time for Easter, so in the meantime i need to get rid of the clutch lever or swap it for a rear brake lever and wire a momentary switch for the 2step. 


I took a day trip upto Scotland at the weekend to buy a bike. Of course, it had to be a GSX1100 and the only reason for doing so was to add the engine to my collection of spares. The motor had the top end removed due to camshaft damage, but is otherwise ok.

The engine came out yesterday and today i set it on the bench and took the oil filter cover off so i could leave the oil draining out. What i found was almost certainly the cause for the camshaft failure, someone had used half a tube of instant gasket on the filter housing, (and who knows where else!), great globs of the stuff has squeezed out into the engine, it would only have taken one bit to break off and get wedged in an oil passageway to cause the damage. It's the most likely scenario.

In an attempt to assimilate useful engine parts into my collection i discovered i had a lot more bits than i thought i had, many of them of no use either, such as starter motors, stater clutches etc. Plus, i'm not sure i will ever use 6 cylinder heads!
So i've listed a few bits on eBay, plus the rest of the bike which i'll try and pass on as a complete rolling chassis.
It was tempting to keep it as a road bike project for my old 1260 barrels and head, but i thought better of it......

Telemetry boots

After a cellar dwelling drought due to van conversion shenanigans, I've now been to the cellar twice in one week! I decided to tackle one of the little problems thats always bugged me and thats the rubber carb boots, which also double as holders for the nitrous foggers.

The boots were made up with small aluminum rings that went in insde them - sandwiched between the carb and the head, and tapped so they held the foggers. The problem with them is when you tighten the hose clamps the rubber would just squeeze out and you end up with the carb being squeezed away from the head and gaps forming between the carb and the ring and the engine and the ring. These wouldn't have made for smooth flow at all.
I'd thought about making a bracket to hold the carbs to the engine but before getting carried away i thought i'd try changing the rubber radiator hose for some good quality silicone hose, and while i was at it reducing the rings to be as short as possible, and bring the carbs as close as possible to the head.
The result is that the silicone hose is much nicer to work with and doesn't move at all. So that's that little issue sorted.

A few days ago i purchased teh long awaited Datalogger. No messing with second hand ones and waiting for sellers to figure out what they have for it and don't have for it. I bought a brand new Racepak 'Sportsman' which is one of the more affordable models racepak do, but still does everything i could think of ever wanting to log. Out of the box it comes with the ability to log, engine RPM, Output shaft RPM (via hall sensor and drive shaft collar) 2 axis G meter, Voltage and a 12volt event such as nitrous activation, full throttle switch etc, all at 100Hz.
 It uses the same V-net technology as the more expensive models and uses the same sensors and software, but just has less channels.
I just need to wait for it to arrive now ....

Other news, i have renewed my ACU and SPRC membership for 2012 and surprisingly got my license already. Plus i took my leathers for a new Zip fitting as it was doing my head in. It's done and i'll get them at  the weekend.



Race dates for the ACU rounds in 2012 are as follows:
6 - 9 April - Easter Thunderball @ Santa Pod Raceway
5 - 7 May - Springspeed Nationls @ Shakespeare County Raceway
23 -24 June - Summer Nationals @ Santa Pod Raceway
25 - 27 August - Open Sport nationals @ Shakespeare County Raceway
22 - 23 September - National Finals @  Santa Pod Raceway
6 - 7 October - Extreme Bike Weekend @  Santa Pod Raceway

2011 Final standings

I've taken it upon myself to calculate the final standings for Competition bike as they have as yet not been made available. They've now been verified by someone else (of far greater points calculating prowess than my own!) so they should be correct, and i'm happy to post them up here.

The 2011 racing season was never going to be great in championship points terms, as we completely missed 2 races and only made the first day of qualifying at another. Yet somehow we've come away from it in 4th place overall!
The good news is i don't need a new number decal for next year and i get to give CB4 another shot. Next year is suddenly just weeks away and the usual club membership and ACU license renewals have been dealt with and sent away, it will be Easter before i know it!

Competition Bike 2011 Final standings

Stuart Crane	2510
Harold Wolfenden	2305
Phil Leamon	1600
Phil Crossley	930
Dale Leeks	830
Al Young	730
Dave Peters	620
Nick Milburn	540
Tony Clark	530
Nick Daniels	480
Paul Wing	450
Mike Chislett	380
Dave Bailey	330
Gary Jones	280
Steve French	250
Bob Brooks	220
Kev Charman	215
John Hunt	150
Maarten Zilstra	140
Roland Chaplain	130

Van conversion is starting to get a bit boring now, although it's 75% done, so the end is in sight. Instead i've found myself suddenly thinking about bike stuff, and a whole pile of things/modifications i want to do for next year. So, more on that when I've done some measuring and some thinking, and re-measuring, and harassed a few people with my ideas!

Lastly, a few pics of the van conversion. There's not really a lot to see and it's rather difficult taking pictures inside a van.

It's not like nowts been happenin.

On the contrary, I've been busier than ever but not with the bike. It's tucked away under blankets awaiting the next move ......

I've always used eBay to get hold dragbike parts but at the minute my watch list has no nitrous components on it, no GSX engines or parts, no fuel pumps switches or relays. In fact the only drag racing paraphernalia on my watch list at all, is a Racepak datalogger which has been there for 12 months now (Back then the dollar was weaker too and it's gone from £400 to over £500).
So, a clue as to what I've been upto is the following items on my watch list:
Shurflo water pumps, filler hose, LED downlights, gas fittings, pressure switches, rooflights, and van lining carpet! (oh .... and some milling collets and rotary tables)
Van conversion has been progressing at a fair pace, it's been a lot more work than first anticipated but it's more than halfway there i reckon, and as soon as i remember i'll take some pictures to show whats been happening. It's engineering but in wood!

I figured it's been so long since i last posted that even a post without pictures was better than nothing. As soon as the motorhome conversion is out of the way things will return to normal.
I've started a fund for the logger, and am chasing a few people regarding secondhand ones. Hopefully something will work out.

The landscape has changed

There's not a lot happened to the bike since the last race. I've drained the oil out and covered it up with a sheet but literally that's it. I've been busy transforming the new van into a camper of sorts, lots still to do there.
I'm not sure what to do to the bike, the plan so far is to leave the engine in the frame and just take the head off and inspect the valves, as it's only done 12 or so runs since the last rebuild. And i absolutely must buy and fit a datalogger before the start of the season. It will help with getting the 60ft times down as we are still throwing 2 tenths away on the launch. There was some contemplation regarding getting a different clutch, but it's time to prioritize resources and go for the logger. The Racepak 'Sportsman' is the hot favorite. Just need either the funds, or a cheap secondhand one.

The ACU drag racing rules forum met recently and there have been changes to the rules for Competition bike for the 2012 season. They are to impose a maximum tyre size of 10" wide. This doesn't affect us as we use a 10" tyre anyway. But it will mean some of the comp bike regulars have to race elsewhere. It would seem it's aimed at increasing the number of bikes in the Funny bike class, but i hope it 's not at the expense of Comp bike which has been a great class the last few years.
The entry lists were increasing as the year went on and there were lots of new people, making excellent progress on new bikes and setups, so next year there should still be lots of enthusiastic racers wanting to carry on where they left off.
Thats enuff drag racing politics. ..... note to rule makers, don't make me have reason to dirty my blog with politics ever again. yuk yuk yuk.