As a new member to your forum, and considering joining your ranks as a SRF Driver, I have a few basic questions:

1) What is the typical amount of races between engine/transmission rebuilds?

2) It appears an engine rebuild runs $3500 to $4500, how about the tranny?

3) Is SCCA Enterprises the only authorized rebuilder?

4) What is the cost for new tires? Rains?

Thank You,

Mike

Dont have good data on #1 as I've only been driving for about 1 1/2 years.
2) Tranny rebuild with installation, iirc, is about $1,600
3) SCCA Enterprises is the only rebuilder of engines. Transmissions?? Not sure.
4) Tires - set of 4 is roughly $800

I think david Skinner is the only guy who is allowed to rebuild the trannies. Not sure about cost though.

I've had tranny rebuilds from Elite and RMS (csr's).

Time between rebuilds...my "last" motor was 10 years between rebuilds.
Good news: It got me a podium at the Mid-Ohio Super Tour National on the day it died.
Bad news: Nothing left to rebuild.

H.(should have gone with 9 years)B.

1. Engines can easily go 30-40 races between rebuilds. Transmissions typically go 20-25 races with drivers that are hard on them and up to 30-40 races if you are easier on them (heel-toe etc).

2. Any CSR is allowed to rebuild transmissions, but not all do. I know Elite, RMS, MSR, and Alliance Autosport rebuild transmissions. I am sure there are others.

My engine is one of the last Ford factory-built units from Enterprises. It's gone about 45 races (70 hours) so far and is stronger than ever. Transmission is a re-manufactured piece and also has 70 hours on it, works great.

New dry tires are in the $800 range for a set, which will last from eight to 12 heat cycles on the rears. If you're running mostly regionals, you can get away with just replacing rears without suffering terminal understeer. Very race-able. If you're running consistently at the pointy end in National events and need a few more tenths, then you'd be changing the entire set. Some guys do rotations to extend tire life (same size tire is used on all four corners).

New rains, if I recall, are in the higher $800 range for a full set and are extremely durable even in drying track conditions.

Goodyear increases prices just about every year. The prices I quoted include a representative sales tax.

Motors can last a long time, but sometimes they don't. When they don't, it's usually attributable to a fuel/AFR problem or driver error (4->3 "upshift" for instance). My first motor went 7 years without a hiccup until it just got tired and broke a lifter clip. My last motor ran two full, hard seasons until it blew this year. I'm 95% certain that I lost it due to a fuel delivery problem, so there's no telling how long it would have run without that issue.

Transmission? Well I'll give you a data point to bracket your query. My tranny was last rebuilt in July of 2003. Coming up on 10 years now. I couldn't even tell you you how many hours/races/weekends it has on it. Use that data point as an outlier though. I think mine is definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Denny

Racer X wrote:Motors can last a long time, but sometimes they don't. ...

About as precise a description as I have ever heard...

I think you will get answers all over the place.

I run 7-8 weekends a year (mix of Nationals and Double Regionals/test days), and my last motor rebuild was July 2006. Motor is not in the top range, is definately down some, but is still manageable (is due, but will wait).

My transmission was rebuilt sometime before I bought the car Sept 1999, so add that up for the transmission (13 years ago, sorry Denny)- they can go a long time, and I don't heel/toe.

Tires prices are posted - and depending how competitive you want to be when they get worn down, will determine the number of heat cycles for use. I think 2 weekends is enough at the National level. My first few years, I used 1 set all year

Mike, is that you?