UK Karting - Notice Board (2-Stroke Karting) : Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS

Notice Board (2-Stroke Karting)

Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS
Posted by 'SimonS' on 03 Dec 2011 @ 12:32

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SimonSJoined: December 2004
Total Posts: 4
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"My two pence worth, one engine and a restrictor system should be enough."

It's a nice idea but historically impractical.

The Formula Blue class was introduced back in 1991 as the 'Classic 89' from the dehomologation of Formula A engines of 1989. With lots of kit around it was both fast and cheap (ish). Over the next 10 years the number of available engines reduced as they wore out and the only new ones made to the old pattern came from DAP.

At some point the MSA objected to Classic 89 as a class and it was renamed Formula Blue because it was running on Blue plates at the time.

The water-cooled Lynx came in and originally the restrictor limited the power so that the air cooled engine remained competitive. At first there was just the one restrictor to equalise the engines. The system worked well and grids of 30 to 60 karts were common.

The single weight for karts deterred heavier drivers. But having the restrictor in place it was realised that Formula Blue could keep the same performance for a variety of weights. It also helped the MSA who were worried about the amount of lead being put on some karts in junior classes.

The system worked so well that more and more heavier drivers joined up in Blue. Since the top restrictor was 'straight through' there was no more power to be obtained in a 'box stock' engine, the choice was either a 'maxi' engine or slowing the whole class down to allow an additional 20 kg at the top. With the experience of having run two engine types in the past, it was decided to create the 'Maxi'.

"
Blue top power curve was more progressive but constantly lacking until the green top dropped off. Drop off on blue top was a 1.5k or so further up the rev up and not as sharp.

Geared and jetted right you could obviously take advantage of either engines characteristics"

The problem is that the physics of acceleration and deceleration mean that different power curves are needed to get two significantly different weights around a track in a similar and acceptably quick time.

A simple carb in a simple engine with a simple restrictor isn't going to give you that variability.

They tried the 125 Leopard, but found that the restricted power curve did not work. The Maxi engine was designed to produce a lot more torque to maintain speeds out of the corner but also to tail off at the top so that they don't have an advantage all around the track.

You are talking about a range of driver weight of 50Kg after all, and one notes that the maximum success ballast in BTCC is only 45Kg and that noticeably affects their 2 litre performance, let alone our 0.1 litre performance.

No, it isn't ideal and it isn't perfect, there may be a tiny mismatch at the crossover point. However, it's a mismatch that is probably less than the mistakes a driver could make, an exhaust a centimetre too long, a tooth wrong on the sprocket or a trip six inches too far on the kerbs.

It isn't something that seems to be consistently noted in the results.

Message Thread:

Formula Blue by '2stroke' (25 Nov 2011 @ 17:00)

Re: Formula Blue Drivers 2012 by 'dynamax' (25 Nov 2011 @ 20:57)

Re: Formula Blue Drivers 2012 by 'mchadf' (25 Nov 2011 @ 22:27)

Re: Formula Blue Drivers 2012 by 'SimonS' (26 Nov 2011 @ 19:44)

Re: Facts correct please Simon...... by 'NealC' (28 Nov 2011 @ 10:27)

Re: Facts correct please Simon...... by 'John' (28 Nov 2011 @ 11:36)

Re: Facts correct please Simon...... by 'SimonS' (28 Nov 2011 @ 16:38)

Re: Show me the logic Simon.. by 'NealC' (28 Nov 2011 @ 17:45)

Option for Blue 2013 by 'dynamax' (28 Nov 2011 @ 17:57)

Re: Facts correct please Simon...... by 'Aquila' (28 Nov 2011 @ 16:40)

Re: Facts correct please Simon...... by 'dynamax' (28 Nov 2011 @ 17:05)

Re: Formula Blue by 'FlyingCarpet' (25 Nov 2011 @ 21:01)

Re: Formula Blue by 'danny29' (25 Nov 2011 @ 22:20)

Re: Formula Blue by '2stroke' (25 Nov 2011 @ 23:42)

Re: Formula Blue by 'FlyingCarpet' (26 Nov 2011 @ 0:20)

Re: Formula Blue by '2stroke' (26 Nov 2011 @ 7:26)

Re: Formula Blue by 'RevvedUp' (26 Nov 2011 @ 11:25)

Re: Formula Blue by 'dynamax' (26 Nov 2011 @ 11:41)

Re: Formula Blue by 'FlyingCarpet' (26 Nov 2011 @ 13:44)

Re: Formula Blue by '2stroke' (26 Nov 2011 @ 20:11)

Re: Formula Blue by 'buzzinrussell' (27 Nov 2011 @ 22:14)

Re: Formula Blue by 'BD' (28 Nov 2011 @ 7:55)

Re: Formula Blue by 'potter14' (28 Nov 2011 @ 13:09)

Re: Formula Blue by 'richardmcculloch69' (28 Nov 2011 @ 14:47)

Re: Formula Blue by 'John' (28 Nov 2011 @ 15:24)

Re: Formula Blue by 'dynamax' (28 Nov 2011 @ 15:46)

Re: Formula Blue / Potter 14 and Buzzin by 'dynamax' (28 Nov 2011 @ 15:51)

Re: Formula Blue / Potter 14 and Buzzin by 'Inter61' (28 Nov 2011 @ 19:03)

Re: Formula Blue / Potter 14 and Buzzin by 'buzzinrussell' (28 Nov 2011 @ 20:43)

Re: Formula Blue by 'SimonS' (28 Nov 2011 @ 18:09)

SimonS by 'potter14' (28 Nov 2011 @ 20:20)

*correction* by 'potter14' (28 Nov 2011 @ 20:25)

Re: Formula Blue by 'SimonS' (28 Nov 2011 @ 18:39)

Re: Formula Blue by 'richardmcculloch69' (28 Nov 2011 @ 19:11)

Re: Formula Blue by 'SimonS' (29 Nov 2011 @ 16:11)

Re: In This Formula Blue by 'dynamax' (29 Nov 2011 @ 18:23)

Re: In This Formula Blue by '2stroke' (29 Nov 2011 @ 18:50)

Formula Blue THE FACTS by 'dynamax' (30 Nov 2011 @ 18:20)

Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS by 'SimonS' (02 Dec 2011 @ 13:45)

Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS by 'mike2903' (02 Dec 2011 @ 15:07)

Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS by 'FlyingCarpet' (02 Dec 2011 @ 22:36)

Re: Formula Blue THE FACTS by 'SimonS' << You are here!

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