Story Time: Tech Inspection

[Loren]

Story time, kiddies!

When I started autocrossing in 1995, our local club had a couple of old timers who regularly did tech inspection. Cool guys, but they were downright ruthless about certain things. Many of those things were the obvious things that we at FAST are also very stringent about... such as rejecting corded tires, or cars with loose or missing lugnuts.

One thing stuck with me, though. They were absolute sticklers for proper battery tie-downs. I mean, to the extent of checking batteries on brand new cars and if there was more than 1/4" of movement in any direction, sending the car owner in search of a wrench to tighten it up! Now, I could understand rejecting a hooptie-ass (that's a technical term) bungee cord or coat hanger battery tie-down. But, I always felt that they were a bit draconian about battery tie-downs, and I never really understood why. Until...

This year, I've seen two cars with what visually appeared to be good battery tie-downs allow their batteries to slide around in the glorious heat of competition. In both cases, the battery moved far enough to short the positive battery terminal against the battery bracket. In the first case, it caused the car to stall on course and the issue was spotted without incident. No damage other than some "weld spots" on the bracket. In the second case, the positive battery cable somehow shorted against the bracket such that the path of current from the battery went through a segment of battery cable. The insulation on that battery cable got very hot, smoldered and eventually caught fire! The car with a smoking trunk was immediately red-flagged, and the fire promptly extinguished... but, it's a situation that clearly could have been a LOT worse. Okay, so NOW I finally understand why the old-timers were such a pain in the butt about battery tie-downs! And, this got me to thinking.

Now, I'm not pointing fingers at ANYBODY in particular. But, as a group, I think we've gotten a little complacent about tech inspection. We really don't check a lot of things. I'll list them below. But, those things that we do check, we need to a) understand WHY we're checking them and the consequences of a problem, b) know how to check them properly, and c) DO check them properly and thoroughly, and most importantly, d) DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL SOMEONE ON A TECH INSPECTION.

So, what are we looking at in a tech inspection? And why? (and, yes, I'll be adding this info to the FAST website soon)

1. Leaks - any fluid other than water condensing from the AC that is actively dripping from the car is an issue. It will end up on our course, and who knows if it's going to leak MORE at 7,000 rpm and 50 mph or not? If the underside of the car is merely "wet" with oil, but not actively dripping, that's not a big deal. You're looking for fluids that are DRIPPING under the car.
2. Loose or missing parts - we don't expect you to touch every bolt on the car, but give it a close look and if anything looks out of place or potentially problematic, lay hands on it and ask questions. We keep a selection of basic hand tools on-hand that can rectify a lot of "loose parts" issues. We don't want loose parts falling off on our course, or critical parts coming loose and rendering a car unsafe on course.
3. Throttle Return Springs - Some newer drive-by wire cars won't have a return spring on the throttle body. For them, you can only check the actual accelerator pedal for proper return action. Any standard throttle body or carburetor should have one or more return springs on it that provide positive throttle closing action. Obviously, the goal here is to reduce the possibility of a stuck throttle.
4. Secure Battery - You need to grab the battery and physically try to move it. If it can move, how far can it move? What can it hit when it moves? There is some judgement here, but if the battery is "loose" in any way, or the tiedowns are not sufficient, this must be addressed. A lot of autocrossers like to use undersized non-standard batteries, so be sure that the battery actually fits the mounts that it is secured with. Shorted out batteries can cause fires and hydrogen gas explosions! Explosions that can spew hydrochloric acid. It's no fun!
5. Wheels - Check the wheels for visible cracks or breaks. Broken wheels are bad news, potentially causing a car to lose control, send parts flying at course workers, or even cause a car to roll over. If the wheels have hub caps that are not held in place with bolts or screws, they must be removed, as they can endanger course workers.
6. Tires - Check the tires for cord. "Tread" is not required. The tires can be as bald as a baby's butt, but if there's a hint of anything that's not rubber showing, those tires are done! Steel, Nylon, Aramid, Kevlar and whatever else they make belts out of do NOT grip and are not safe. These tires are also at risk for blowing out. Check the tires for dry-rot or cracking. If the tires are old and obviously weathered, the sidewalls can literally disintegrate under hard cornering!
7. Lugs - Visually check that all wheel lug bolts/nuts are present. If you know that the driver drove to the event on those wheels and tires, you can let it go at that. IF THE DRIVER CHANGED TIRES AT THE EVENT, physically check each lug by hand for looseness. It is extremely easy for a driver to get in a rush and forget to tighten their lugs. If you can see that the wheels are obviously using spacers, ASK the driver if they are sure they have sufficient wheel lug engagement (minimum of 8 threads of engagement). If they don't know what you're talking about or aren't sure, get a lug wrench and check! Wheels falling off on course can hurt people in a lot of ways, we'd like to avoid that.
8. Wheel Bearings - Grab each wheel and rock it side to side and forward and back. Any looseness or clunkiness? There may be a very slight click on the drive axles of certain cars, but otherwise, there should be no significant movement in the wheel. Any excessive movement could indicate failing wheel bearings or suspension parts.
9. Brakes - Brake fluid level must be above the low mark. If the brake fluid is some shade of brown rather than clear or yellowish, ask the driver when it was last flushed. We won't normally fail tech for this, but brake fluid should be changed every 2-3 years, and failure to do so will reduce its boiling point. This can cause premature brake fade. So, if the driver has owned the car for 6-8 years and NEVER changed the fluid... we might consider not allowing them to run. Push on the brake pedal. Many cars will be a little spongy on the first press, but on the 2nd pump they should firm right up. If there is any remaining sponginess at that point, it's a sign of air in the brake lines. This is a situation that will only get worse, and could result in BRAKE FAILURE on course. We can't have that.
10. Exhaust - We normally don't start the car to check exhaust during tech. But, if you see any reason to indicate that there may be an issue, you should. For example, an obvious open header, or exhaust that otherwise looks insufficient. Start the car and give it a few revs. Use your best judgement, is it too loud? Too loud is subjective, but if the car is so loud that it disrupts communication on course, or will annoy anyone within a mile... it's probably too loud.
11. Seat Belts - Every seat that is to be occupied on course must have a minimum of a lap belt in good condition and properly secured. Grab the seats and give them a rock, as well. Is the seat firmly bolted to the floor?
12. Helmets - If the driver isn't using a club helmet, you need to inspect their helmet. Our insurance only requires a DOT rated helmet. If the helmet has a DOT sticker, undamaged liner and shell, and straps that are not frayed, it's good. Motorcycle helmets are fine. Half-helmets are fine. DOT is the only requirement.
13. No loose items in the car - This includes everything from old McDonald's bags to soda cans, change in the ashtray, and even the driver's floormat! Anything that is not bolted down could become a projectile in a high-G maneuver. And anything that can find its way under the driver's pedals is just plain bad.
14. Car Numbers - Verify that the number is correct with the list provided by T&S. Are they large enough (8-10" preferred), bold enough and legible enough to be seen from 200 feet away? Tape numbers are fine, but ALL numbers need to be in strong contrast with the color of the car. If the numbers are not correct or not legible enough, get the driver to fix them!
15. Overall condition - This covers a lot. Are the windows clean enough to see out of? Is the steering wheel cover so frayed and/or loose that it's not safe? Is the car just janky and giving you a bad vibe? When in doubt, run it up the flagpole. If you're not sure about something, let the event safety officials know of your concerns, and they'll decide what needs to be done.

I think that's about it, did I miss anything?

Now, a lot of this stuff is subjective, and a lot of it is stuff that you would be justified to look harder at on an older car, or a heavily modified car. But, don't let a shiny car fool you into thinking that it's been well-maintained and properly wrenched-upon! Be thorough. You can often find problems (usually correctable) with a lot of cars that you might be inclined to not look very hard at. Good tech inspection = a safer event.

[twistedwankel]

As usual very thorough. Definitely not your first rodeo.

The last time I did co-tech on 50 cars I was dripping with sweat and stiff for 3 days after just from getting in and out to test the pedals, wrestle tires and check for general tightness. So I don't do it anymore if I can avoid it. And that was a drive thru tech where I didn't have to drag stuff with me or walk back and forth as stragglers showed up.

Any chance we can do a yearly tech inspection with the driver standing there to answer questions (like another group) and issue a signed card to put under the wiper so one still gets a sticker to race? It's really hard to know about all the various cars anymore as to where the battery is hidden or if it's DBW (under all that plastic) let alone the Spec R cars that are like Mars Rovers to me?

This could be limited to people who have raced for at least one previous season so one is dealing with a known entity? Would save wear and tear on the Tech people for sure.

[twistedwankel]

One thing stuck with me, though. They were absolute sticklers for proper battery tie-downs. I mean, to the extent of checking batteries on brand new cars and if there was more than 1/4" of movement in any direction, sending the car owner in search of a wrench to tighten it up! Now, I could understand rejecting a hooptie-ass (that's a technical term) bungee cord or coat hanger battery tie-down. But, I always felt that they were a bit draconian about battery tie-downs, and I never really understood why. Until...
.

Excellent point. When I first got my RX-8 it was bone stock but had been raced enough by a PO to wear a hole in the unprotected carpet under the clutch pedal. So I pretty much knew it wasn't a virgin but it was in great shape otherwise and had a new motor. The Dealer inspected it before I bought it and gave it an all clear.

EXCEPT. To my chagrin when I uncovered the engine compartment plastics and totally enclosed battery trapped in a bucket. The PO or a mechanic had removed the metal battery tie down and neglected to reinstall it. I had to really scramble to get one ordered from the dealer before my first event even tho' it was fully enclosed it was unacceptable. Cars can roll over when they break even at an autocross.

An acquaintance/competitor who turtle rolled his ST VW Sirocco at the Topeka Nationals found to his dismay that an upsidedown old car can keep running and gas can leak out and if a + terminal on a battery touches anything metal like a crushed bonnet it will spark. He correctly deduced (while installing his new undies) that it is a very good idea to additionally cover the + terminal with a rubber cover even tho' not required in any rule books. His battery was secure otherwise. The car was totaled but otherwise he was unhurt as were all the course workers who got him out and flipped the car upright. That's really all that matters. Someone in his run group let him co-drive his final run(s) if memory serves me?

[Native]

In regard to batteries:

In the first case, it caused the car to stall on course and the issue was spotted without incident. No damage other than some "weld spots" on the bracket.

That was me. I had installed a new battery, and tightened it down. I had been running it on the street with no problem, but it clearly wasn't tight enough for the forces involved in autocross. I installed several blocks of wood and beefed up the bracket. Won't move now!

The battery needs to be TIGHT.

[Loren]

Nope, you make three, Steve. I was talking about Matt's car a couple months ago.

Obviously, we need to be checking battery tie downs as if we were grumpy old men who had seen bad things happen when batteries aren't properly tied down!

[jbrannon7]

When I did tech a few weeks ago there were several cars that had the batteries tied down with rope or web marine type battery straps. The batteries were easily wiggled but when I questioned it I was over ruled by senior fast members. So I think at the next event there will be at least 3 cars needing to fix their battery tie downs to pass tech, maybe 2 if one of them was a white Miata.

[Loren]

Gotta keep people safe. That's the whole point of doing a tech inspection.

We've all gotten a little complacent about it.

[cwgn4]

Regarding the inspection of battery security:
Some cars (mine included) have trunk-mounted batteries that are not visible without removing a lot of trim and covers in the trunk (a PITA). How would you propose to perform the inspection?

[Loren]

Could your friendly BMW tech leave a bracket loose on your battery that could allow the battery or the bracket to move and create a dangerous short? Could you install a smaller battery that doesn't fit the bracket properly and create similar problems?

For someone who is a regular that we know, we can get away with not digging into something like that EVERY time, but we do need to check it periodically.

The three incidents of loose batteries shorting out that we have discussed in this thread so far have all been cars with batteries in the trunk that have covers over them that are a hassle to remove.

[cwgn4]

I understand the benefit of battery mount inspection. My question was, 'How would you propose to perform the inspection' on certain cars.

The first two minutes of this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHIfb0CW7cE , document the battery cover removal process on a BMW Z4M. Having done it once myself, I can tell you that it is more difficult than the video portrays. It will be even more of a PITA if it happens to be raining!

I bring this up for the same reason that you started the thread, to avoid issues at the first event having the more thorough tech inspections performed.

[Loren]

I see your point. I'll look into getting some stickers that we can use to put a "date checked" on stuff like that so that we can not pull it apart if we don't have to.

I don't think we can just NOT check them. A lot of the cars in question are getting old enough that they're being picked up cheaply by younger (and older) people who mess with things... and sometimes people aren't as careful as they should be. And, of course, there's the "previous owner" factor. "Oh, there's no battery tie-down bracket under that cover that's held on by 6 bolts? I had no idea, I never looked, I just assumed it was there, it's never been a problem before..."

Bottom line is that we do need to check them. Even if they're hard to get to. But, I'll see if I can come up with a good way to not have to check them EVERY time.

I can see that we're going to have to start telling people to stay with their cars until their tech inspection is done, too.

[cwgn4]

Agreed on all counts.

Please try to have the stickers available at the first event employing the more thorough inspection.

[Loren]

Here's a photo of the most recent battery incident:


Aside from the fire extinguisher residue, it LOOKS like a pretty normal and acceptably tied down battery, doesn't it? But, it wasn't. It shifted. It shorted. It caused a fire!

[Loren]

Sorry, I missed this post before, Doug. (saw the second one, missed this one)

Any chance we can do a yearly tech inspection with the driver standing there to answer questions (like another group) and issue a signed card to put under the wiper so one still gets a sticker to race? It's really hard to know about all the various cars anymore as to where the battery is hidden or if it's DBW (under all that plastic) let alone the Spec R cars that are like Mars Rovers to me?

This could be limited to people who have raced for at least one previous season so one is dealing with a known entity? Would save wear and tear on the Tech people for sure.

The autocrosser in me likes the idea of annual tech. It's easy and all that. The "person who could be sued for negligence" in me thinks that a year is a long time. A lot of things can be taken apart and rearranged in a year. Things can loosen or wear by themselves in under a year.

Raise your hand if you've ever had a tech inspector point something out on your car that you weren't aware of. I know I have. Something you forgot to take out of the car. Something that broke since the last time you had the hood open. Whatever. It happens.

I like the idea of a "we checked the thing under this hard to access panel" sticker. But, I don't like the idea of not inspecting a car before each event.

[Tim_M]

Couple of comments:

Wheel bearings...that is a tough one to detect without jacking up (which I've had other clubs do). It takes some strength and feel to confirm this. Having someone else jack your car up is just accident waiting to happen with a variety of chassis-some are quite fragile unless you know what your are doing-I don't recommend it.

Battery: Concur...also realize that engines move lots under torque and high g maneuver. I recall seeing a dent I my header from an A-arm bolt ~1.5 inches away...couldn't figure out how that happened, but when you think ~600-800 pounds of Small Block Chevy restrained at 3 points...batteries need to have clearance.

Floor mats: I dislike removing my driver floor mat that is restrained by a snap and hook via factory Subaru install. I don't trade thru cars like Loren so I got to preserve my carpet for eternity. If a mat is not factory or lacks any physical restraint...I say got to remove it.

Lug nuts: 'physically check by hand'? I can physically try to spin a lug nut with my fingers all day long and it won't be torqued properly and could loosen. Nor do I want to see a tech guy carrying around a lug wrench.

Timing: May suggest including in the schedule when a car is supposed to be completely ready for tech? I enjoyed doing Tech, but disliked the stress of getting all cars done once you round up the owner, telling them to put numbers on, where is your helmet, pop your hood/trunk, remove the floor mat...each takes a smidge of time and on the full attendance events exceeds a comfortable working pace if you want to walk the course once or twice.

Tech Inspector care: folks have got to realize that the cars your are inspecting are the pride and joy of someone, typically. Using the car's body/paint to write notes on your sheet of paper, closing aluminum hoods with a thunk, using a foot to rock the tires, etc. may be looked upon poorly by the owner. I minimize my interaction with the vehicle as much as possible...let the owner handle it other than the required items. This goes back to the Timing point-car should be ready, open, available.

In the end, I'm not a Master Mechanic (nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn) so some consideration has to be taken for the vehicle's condition and the volunteer inspector-majority of the cars did drive to the event. Considering the amount of first timers/newbies...if we simply get people thinking of the serious nature of the event-we should consider that success.

Afterall, I've done many high speed events (even autobahn runs) where no tech was performed...other than maybe a self sign off.

[Loren]

Wheel bearings...that is a tough one to detect without jacking up (which I've had other clubs do). It takes some strength and feel to confirm this. Having someone else jack your car up is just accident waiting to happen with a variety of chassis-some are quite fragile unless you know what your are doing-I don't recommend it.

If it's bad enough to likely fail on course, you'll probably feel it. I've seen inspectors put a foot on the top of a tire and give it a push. Sure, you'd detect more by jacking up the car. We don't have to take it that far.

Floor mats: I dislike removing my driver floor mat that is restrained by a snap and hook via factory Subaru install. I don't trade thru cars like Loren so I got to preserve my carpet for eternity. If a mat is not factory or lacks any physical restraint...I say got to remove it.

Tech inspector's discretion here. If the mat is sufficiently secured as to be considered "part of the carpeting", it can stay. Factory fit or not, if it's "loose" and can move, it's got to come out.

Lug nuts: 'physically check by hand'? I can physically try to spin a lug nut with my fingers all day long and it won't be torqued properly and could loosen. Nor do I want to see a tech guy carrying around a lug wrench.

Yes, an untorqued lugnut can be more than finger tight. This is a compromise. If someone changed tires and forgot to torque their lugs, odds are that one of 16 or 20 of them would be loose enough for you to notice. I don't want to send a guy around with a torque wrench, either.

Timing: May suggest including in the schedule when a car is supposed to be completely ready for tech? I enjoyed doing Tech, but disliked the stress of getting all cars done once you round up the owner, telling them to put numbers on, where is your helmet, pop your hood/trunk, remove the floor mat...each takes a smidge of time and on the full attendance events exceeds a comfortable working pace if you want to walk the course once or twice.

Gonna work on getting registration to redirect people back to their cars and get them to stay there until they get a tech sticker. That should help.

Tech Inspector care: folks have got to realize that the cars your are inspecting are the pride and joy of someone, typically. Using the car's body/paint to write notes on your sheet of paper, closing aluminum hoods with a thunk, using a foot to rock the tires, etc. may be looked upon poorly by the owner. I minimize my interaction with the vehicle as much as possible...let the owner handle it other than the required items. This goes back to the Timing point-car should be ready, open, available.

Agreed. If your car is your pride-and-joy, you should BE THERE. (but we're going to try to get everyone to be there, anyway)

In the end, I'm not a Master Mechanic (nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn) so some consideration has to be taken for the vehicle's condition and the volunteer inspector-majority of the cars did drive to the event. Considering the amount of first timers/newbies...if we simply get people thinking of the serious nature of the event-we should consider that success.

Yup. Raising awareness and getting people to "think safe" is a big part of what we're doing. We don't expect our inspectors to be mechanics or to catch every possible thing that could be wrong with a car. But, I think we can do a better job than we have been and not let things like loose batteries get past us.

Afterall, I've done many high speed events (even autobahn runs) where no tech was performed...other than maybe a self sign off.

Mmmm... not sure where you're going with this. What other people do at their events or how lucky anyone has been does not reduce the liability of FAST (which is not some big corporation, it's me & Steve).

[Jeremy]

Floor mats:

Tech inspector's discretion here.

I usually fail them and say you can go get your passing sticker from the safety steward. But I am a jerk who doesn't care about your precious carpet.
Carpets can be replaced. Lives cannot.

[Loren]

Hmmm... I need to put Jeremy on tech more often.

[Native]

I like the idea of a "we checked the thing under this hard to access panel" sticker. But, I don't like the idea of not inspecting a car before each event.

Second!
Except for the "we checked this" sticker - we might have checked it, but what if it got messed with after we checked it and we don't recheck it? May as well not bother with every-event tech.

Part of the racing experience is car prep. That might include removing a battery cover, or floor mats, or whatever, ahead of time in the comfort of your own home, so at the event it isn't a hassle.

[BrilloHeadBen]

Back in my Jiffy Lube days, we used anti-tamper paint on any drain plug we touched. Perhaps some sort of anti-tamper tape or something could be put on PITA battery access panels, if the tape is intact we can assume that it's still secure and hasn't been touched. If you put a date on the tape, you can have it "expire" and know when the battery tie down should be checked again.