OK, a quick updateand a little refresh:
From the beginning I thought it possible to run a very full season (12 races inc test days) on 2 engines. My plan was to run one for 6 races, pull it out and see what it looked like, install new one and keep going/rotate out, get a handle on lifing the components as it were...
My first engine (A) which was brand new/zero miles w/ wet sump pan and went basically 2 weekends Rd Atl reg'l test and June sprints '08) and blew up.
This was later found to be self induced, due to reving to 13,300, basically using the rev limiter as a shift point, resulting in rod bolt stretch, and Kerblammo...
My second engine (B) was installed (dry sump/single scavenge/rear pickup) and I adopted a 12k shift point and occasionally revving to 12,500 or so. All good, this engine set lap records and won Nationals, and did 6 races. This engine then comes out and goes into the trailer as a backup until I can have it inspected/refreshed.
A freshie (C) goes in for this years June Sprints. My water temps were very high (230), as I need to get the hot weather running under control. This may involve sidepod mods, or possibly (probably) a bigger water cooler. Currently I am running one Van Diemen sized C&R Racing water rad. It is a 2 row, single pass rad. I have tested a Wizard Cooling 2 row dual pass as well, but it does not seem to offer any better cooling and maybe not quite as good. The core on this rad does not look quite as beefy as the C&R unit.
Directly after the Sprints, @ Mosport, THIS one race engine (C) eats a crankshaft, but does not blow up. My guess is that the long duration braking at Rd America, or possibly the long duration right hand carousel resulted in oil starvation and ultimately #2 rod bearing getting a beat down.
Out it comes and in goes the 6 race spare (B). It continues to run well, snaring pole and running under the lap record in the process. 2 weeks later this engine is yet again pressed into service at Watkins Glen, resulting in yert another pole/under lap record.
Half way into the race this almost 8 weekend $2500 engine began to show goofy oil pressure redaings, goofy like 9psi at 12k goofy! I figured it best to back out of it (Ya think?) and try to get a finish. Suddenly we are behind a safety car for several laps and the oil pressure redaings actually improve, going right back to 44 psi. I'm pretty certain the pressure sender was acting up.
This engine was pulled when I got back from WGI and the Sprints motor (C) w/ new crank put back in, this time going back to wet sump pan w/ Loshak front feeding oil pickup.
Meanwhile the 8 race engine (B), or as I'm now calling it "Ol' Faithful" has finally been opened up and it looks great! Fresh bearings/rings/rod bolts, n' a valve job should see it back in the trailer as a true spare/freshie ready to rumble.
We are damn near 1 season on a very affordable powerplant, in fact 8 races IS most folks (just not mine!) season.
Bottom line here so far looks like it's not going to be a problem doing a season on 2 engines at $2500/each, which of course includes the transmission. Add in whatever you feel is appropriate for engine prep and it's looking like we definitely have a handle on GSXR engine life, damn near FA lap times at an INCREDIBLY reduced dollar amount.
Now all we need is the economy to get better and we might just see more racers attracted to this class which was introduced at perhaps the worst time in history to introduce a new class!
GC