Engine diapers/trays Oil downs and solutions

[richie]

With the issues this weekend with the long amount of time lost due to mainly oil downs we need to be more conscious of our own cars, I have made a few different oil trays now and they don't need to be expensive or complicated, with one on Tar babe and Jo's red car this weekend we knew if we had an issue we wouldn't be the ones spoiling the racing for others.


On Jo's car it hooks around the gearbox mount at the front and bolts to the traction bar drop arms at the back, we have run this for 4 years and thankfully never had to need it, on Tar babe is even simpler and just hooks up with springs which wrap around the gearbox mount and traction bar, but can even wrap round the header and takes less than 2 minutes to fit

Both of these would work on a street car or race car just as well.

Some events/tracks already require them for various classes and with the disaster that was the Oil down from the Renault sunday morning it will become more likely to become compulsory everywhere sooner rather than later.
I wasn't even racing and I was pissed off with all the time lost due to some selfish individual who still drove down the whole track and shut down area even though it broke after about 200ft

cheers Richie

If anyone is interested in making something I will put a couple of pics up of what I have done or there is a company called FTD in the states that makes custom diapers to your engine which aren't expensive, but are really more suited to a race only engine as they retain the ehat more

[leec]

Hi Richie,
I was looking at the catch trays on Jo's car and Tar babe before the Renault went pop. They make a lot of sense. That 2.5 hours of waiting has given me massive sunburn so for that reason I think they should be mandatory

Lee

[Paul Bahnstormerz]

Total agreement, the sunburn is reason enough 

[dannyboy]

yeah ive had one fitted to my car from when i shut the track last year for an hour  i made mine to go each side of the block but would like to take a closer look at yours as it looked a better design than mine so pics would be great

[Basti]

I use the one from FTD and can post picture later.
A really good product....

I just had a crank bearing broken and the oil came out of the clutch area,
which couldnt be taken by the oil tray....;-(

Cheers,
Basti

[Rocket Ron]

With the issues this weekend with the long amount of time lost due to mainly oil downs we need to be more conscious of our own cars, I have made a few different oil trays now and they don't need to be expensive or complicated, with one on Tar babe and Jo's red car this weekend we knew if we had an issue we wouldn't be the ones spoiling the racing for others.


On Jo's car it hooks around the gearbox mount at the front and bolts to the traction bar drop arms at the back, we have run this for 4 years and thankfully never had to need it, on Tar babe is even simpler and just hooks up with springs which wrap around the gearbox mount and traction bar, but can even wrap round the header and takes less than 2 minutes to fit

Both of these would work on a street car or race car just as well.

Some events/tracks already require them for various classes and with the disaster that was the Oil down from the Renault sunday morning it will become more likely to become compulsory everywhere sooner rather than later.
I wasn't even racing and I was pissed off with all the time lost due to some selfish individual who still drove down the whole track and shut down area even though it broke after about 200ft

cheers Richie

If anyone is interested in making something I will put a couple of pics up of what I have done or there is a company called FTD in the states that makes custom diapers to your engine which aren't expensive, but are really more suited to a race only engine as they retain the ehat more

would be interested in seeing some photos please

regards Ron

[richie]

I use the one from FTD and can post picture later.
A really good product....

I just had a crank bearing broken and the oil came out of the clutch area,
which couldnt be taken by the oil tray....;-(

Cheers,
Basti

We were discussing adding a trans tray as well at the weekend, I am going to add one to the new cabrio as it has a habit of burping a tiny amount of oil from the breather on a hot day and twice the track crew has seen a drip after the burnout and stopped me running

cheers Richie

[richie]

I got to check the valves etc on Jo's car today so will take some pics while I am under there and put them up

cheers Richie

[dannyboy]

makes you feel sick when you are the reason a couple of hundred racers cant race for an hour or so....
a good fire in the fireup lane is a good conversation piece though and doesent shut the track ..... its more like waiting on the jet car  

[richie]

It doesn't need to be complicated, this goes from valve cover to valve cover, and from pulley to flywheel, has a 2inch lip all round as is required in some USA race classes, and is lined with fire resistant absorbant material to catch any mishaps!!!!

cheers Richie

[richie]

makes you feel sick when you are the reason a couple of hundred racers cant race for an hour or so....
a good fire in the fireup lane is a good conversation piece though and doesent shut the track ..... its more like waiting on the jet car  

Totally, I don't want to be that person, of course good quality hoses and connections help

[leec]

makes you feel sick when you are the reason a couple of hundred racers cant race for an hour or so....
a good fire in the fireup lane is a good conversation piece though and doesent shut the track ..... its more like waiting on the jet car  

Totally, I don't want to be that person, of course good quality hoses and connections help

And the hoses the right way round

[JS]

I need to make a new one for this season, so every pic of what you guys have made for inspiration is greatly appreciated!

[spanners]

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[spanners]

Amazing, it suddenly decided to attach, but here is my full under tray/diffusor, you could turn a required add on into a similar construction, less drag, more speed and downforce, also a noise reduction was an extra bonus, static tests at 102 db, drive by is only 98db, well under the required specs for circuit racing, the con is the car is harder to handle/maintenance wise, but it all comes off quickly for service, this is a mk 1 and developing all the time, no use ripping it off on track side kerbs, so even driving style needs consideration, but the car is going ever quicker with it, the front end needs up dating now, plus I don't get oil downs on my back tyres or the track surface. Regards, Spanner.

[Fastbrit]

It doesn't need to be complicated, this goes from valve cover to valve cover, and from pulley to flywheel, has a 2inch lip all round as is required in some USA race classes, and is lined with fire resistant absorbant material to catch any mishaps!!!!

cheers Richie

[richie]

It doesn't need to be complicated, this goes from valve cover to valve cover, and from pulley to flywheel, has a 2inch lip all round as is required in some USA race classes, and is lined with fire resistant absorbant material to catch any mishaps!!!!

cheers Richie

Is that your personal choice when you drive the Hunsaker car?   

cheers Richie

[Fastbrit]

Yeah, I think they're issued to all the team these days.. 

[steve_pugh]

I was having a similar chat at shakey and ended up strapping a microfiber cloth between the solid mount and bellhousing. 

But for me the tray on Jo's car won't work as I have a removable rear end and there is no strength to hang a traction bar.    Perhaps a bracket that bolted to the solid mount and to the exhaust bolts?

Common leaks are pushrod tubes, valve covers and rear oil seals/back of engine.

I for one don't want I be the cause of a track closure but with a beetle it's inevitable that I may end up with a drip or leak from time to time.   

[BeetleBug]

Making a tray that works take some cardboard, tape, a knife and a couple of minutes. Then you copy it by bending some thin plate. All in all about two hours of work. A lot less compared to what it takes to clean up the mess after you on the track. I personally would like to see a rule that says that flat 4 engines are not allowed on the track without one.

-BB

[richie]

Steve

that's why we use springs wrapped around the header on some cars and on cars that you cant use that method like my old cabrio I have tabs up from the tray that go up to the type 3/bus mount/threads on the case

Kalle,

 why discriminate against flat 4 engines? everyone should have one, I never understood the 11.50 cut off at SCC, I would guess its the slower cars that cause more of the stoppages

cheers Richie

[richie]

Steve

Like this, at the front I drilled to holes in the solid mount and had 2 quick release pins in there to fix it on

cheers richie

[BeetleBug]

Kalle,

why discriminate against flat 4 engines? everyone should have one, I never understood the 11.50 cut off at SCC, I would guess its the slower cars that cause more of the stoppages

cheers Richie

Because we leak more than the others. The 11.49 cut off is common for most races in the Nordics but I agree, every car no matter ET should have one.

-BB-

[steve_pugh]

Steve

Like this, at the front I drilled to holes in the solid mount and had 2 quick release pins in there to fix it on

cheers richie

That is what I need.   Lucky for me I have bus/type3 mounting holes. 
Are these something you sell?  Or would it be easy to make.   I can bend it but then sticking the tabs. I can't weld Ali. 
Would you just use double sided tape as it's so thin?

[leec]

Rivet or but and bolt them on?

[richie]

Rivet or but and bolt them on?

Steve as Lee put, that is the simplest way and has stood up well

I have thought about making some, I got a shear/guillotine and a brake/folder now so would be neater and easier, those were just done in a vice

\cheers Richie

[Eddie DVK]

Do they not influence the handling of the car?

[richie]

Do they not influence the handling of the car?

Hi Eddie

 Not that I have noticed but my cars dont go straight anyway   I think oil under the tyres would influence the handling more

cheers Richie

[Basti]

Here is what I use from FTD...

Cheers,
Basti

[richie]

Here's a link to FTD for anyone interested

http://www.fasttimedesign.com/


cheers Richie