I think you will find that engine cost level to be very much in line with other classes. My experience was with FV and an engine was very expensive and lasted 10 weekends or so with doing the head at 5. First rebuild was $2400 with shipping and I was assuming an average cost of $2000/rebuild with shipping. I never got a handle on what the gearbox should cost over time, but it was probably going to be pretty reasonable. I think FB can be cheaper than that. The zetec may be the most cost effective package in racing and it will go 7500 miles, obviously the zetec in a street car will go orders of magnitude more than that.
I agree that trying to run up front is always going to cost more and driving the engines hard is going to wear on them more, all I want to see is some certainty added to the engines. The class will not survive with people just wanting to be at the racetrack. If you can't drive hard on these engines, there won't be an FB class in 5 years.As I stated, if your the racer who wants to fall into the category of being first and breaking records you best be prepared for the possible breaks, burns and overall costs for engine replacement. Carnut's comments of driving the regionals vs. hard driving national events is a testimonial to my own comments above.
I think it is in line with how fast the class is, somewhere between FC and FA.It would be nice to know what racers like Glenn Cooper and others spend on an annual basis to run the national races. That includes travel, gas, car repairs and everything related.
What was the average cost for those that attended the June Sprints in overall costs to make that event?
I hear people say that the class was not meant to be a deep pocket class, but the rules do not reflect that. I think that any experienced car builder would tell you to expect costs to increase with speed, especially in a true formula class.At this point, two racers who owned cars and are active here on ApexSpeed have stepped forward to discuss costs and why they have left the class or have considered selling their cars. That is Russ McB and now Sean O. I really give them alot of credit for being honest and sincere with their past experiences. The intent of this class was never intended to be a "deep pockets" class. But in any sport, in order to be the best, you have to pay the price somewhere, somehow.
I think the issue is much more likely to be with problems with the oiling system. The engines work fine in a bike because they are not driven as hard and because the oiling systems were designed and tested by an experienced team of engineers with decades of experience on this system. I think you will find unique oiling systems in each car out there, or at least between each model. For example, Kyle starved his engine for oil because a seal went. If that seal had gone on a bike, the motor would have popped just the same. The question is if that seal went because of high oil temps, low oil pressure, high water temps, or just driving the engine hard.If there was specific problem with these engines causing them to blow out, Suzuki and all their R & D would have the problem solved. I have not seen any reported problems like this with motorcycle drivers, but they also don't constantly push these little engines to the extremes like race car drivers do or will.
I would have to think there are many variables that cause these engines in F1000 cars to blow. not one specific issue.
Lets see, if possible....what can be determined why these racers are blowing up engines. My guess, ....driving them constantly to the maxium limits.
Driving the engines hard is going to make them last not as long, just like every other class in the SCCA, without exception. No one in spec miata is getting 300,000 miles out of their engine and no one in FB should expect crazy mileage out of a race engine either. The other bike motor powered race classes aren't having problems like FB and they are driving their cars hard, so FB needs to figure out how to make their engines last as long as the other guys.
Does anyone know how long a bike engine lasts in a race environment?