Engine cooling **spoilers** | FerrariChat

Engine cooling **spoilers**

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by 1_can_dream, Aug 24, 2008.

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  1. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
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    The SPEED commentators mentioned something about Kimi possibly overheating his engine when he decided to make his pit stop a bit short and I was wondering if that comment has any merit.

    The only way that I could see this being a factor is if he kept the engine at hi-revs after he made the first jolt forward (knocking down the fuel guy) and it was either too much stress on the engine or wasn't getting any air/sucking in the pit lane dust?

    Most likely it's just another Ferrari engine failure like Massa's last race which isn't comforting either.
     
  2. Barrister

    Barrister Formula Junior

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    #2 Barrister, Aug 24, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2008
    I heard them say that Massa's failure in Hungary was blamed on a manufacturing error and Ferrari swore it was a "one in a million" strike of bad luck.

    After today, I'm not so sure. The failures sure looked similar. But Kimi's failure today could help Massa - he used a brand new engine today (the "joker" engine) in Valencia and Ferrari may be able to diagnose any potential problems with Massa's engine ahead of Spa. As you know, Spa is VERY hard on engines.

    Every cloud has a silver lining!
     
  3. Ferrarista3

    Ferrarista3 F1 Rookie

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    #3 Ferrarista3, Aug 25, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2008
    The problem with Massa's engine in Hungary was an Austrian supplied connecting rod that failed.

    I wonder if the same problem reoccurred this time...
     
  4. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    i think Massa will use his joker engine for Spa? after Spa is Monza. both circuits very hard on engines.
     
  5. DGS

    DGS Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #5 DGS, Aug 25, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2008
    Massa's failure was on his second race. He was due a new engine in Valencia, and in any event you can use a new engine after an engine related DNF. Kimi had to use his "joker" engine after France, when his first race engine lost its exhaust pipe. So Kimi's engine was on its second race, and he was due a new mill at Spa, anyway.

    We can speculate that since Kimi's engine was on its second race, Ferrari didn't have time to applied "lessons learned" from Massa's failure.

    But there are *six* Ferrari engines on the grid, and neither STR nor Force India have been having melt-downs.

    And STR is spanking the Renault powered RBR senior team -- so it's not like they're running a detuned version.
    (Vettel was reeling in Kimi at one point, in Valencia.)

    Spa and Monza are both hard on engines, but for different reasons. Spa's elevation changes stresses the mechanical package, as part of the car chassis. Monza has a lot of full throttle time.

    But both tracks require good aero, so the STRs might not be up front for them, and don't write off the McLunks yet.

    I expect that Ferrari will keep their scheduled engine rotations: Kimi gets a new mill for Spa, Phil gets a new one for Monza.
     
  6. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    The problem with Massa was indeed a rod from an Austrian company. However, it's said that not only a single rod had a manufacturing error, but a whole batch of them. Kimi got a new engine BEFORE the Hungary race, so there's a certain chance one of the faulty rods was used there. Ferrari then had two options - a) hope that the rods in Kimis engine are alright and gamble, that's what they obviously did, or b) change the engine and receive a penalty. This wouldn't fit with the cooling theory, but be plausible nevertheless.
     
  7. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

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    One thing for sure Kimi will have a new engine for the next race.....
     
  8. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

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    This is assuming that Kimi's failure was the same as Felipe's which I'm sure we won't find out exactly what caused it anytime soon.
     
  9. ferrarip4

    ferrarip4 Formula 3

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    IMO, I don't think we should compare Ferrari's engine problems with the other team using Ferrari engines as those teams do not have the latest specs and year's...
     
  10. Beta Scorpion

    Beta Scorpion Formula 3

    Jun 22, 2006
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    So, they would have different conrods or ones from a different manufacturer? How do you know this?
     
  11. ferrarip4

    ferrarip4 Formula 3

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    What I know is that customer's engines are different than the factory's engines: max power, RPM etc.. Because in a year the evolution in the engines make them very different. They may use the same conrods (i doubt it) and supplier, but for sure the load on the engines are much more different... Factory engines are at the peak of R and D and can be less reliable (in exchange for more performance).
     
  12. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    IIRC, the Austrian company supplies a couple of teams (even with different engines) with their products. Anyway, all the talk was about *one batch* of faulty rods, so if Ferrari got the box with them, no other team would be affected...


    Are you sure that the other teams are using entirely different engine 'versions'? Aren't they all supposed to have the 2008 engine with the engine freeze that came this year? You're right with the different states of R&D the engines have. Ferrari will surely keep the newest tech for themselves for at least some races.
     
  13. ferrarip4

    ferrarip4 Formula 3

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    For example oilflow system on the Factory cars is different... It is said that this better system gives as much as 25hp more, and I'm not talking about other modifications (within the rules of course)...
     
  14. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    Very interesting! Can you give us any more details? I'm a bit familiar with racing engines, and given the high level ALL the teams operate on, a 25hp gain only by a different oil system sounds amazing!
     

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