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The ACU Road Race Drag and Sprint Committee have confirmed changes to the Technical Regulations for the Formula II Sidecar class at the 2012 TT Races and for the British Formula II Sidecar Championships. The main changes to the Technical Regulations are:


Engine


a. Everything above the head gasket must remain as for the road going homologated motorcycle. (i.e. NO race kits)
b. Camshafts must be as homologated but timing and tensioning devices are free.
c. Everything below the head gasket is free.
d. fuel injection instruments / fuel injectors must remain as homologated.


Oil and Coolant Containment.


a. In the area directly below the engine, the oil containment tray must be constructed to hold, in case of an engine break down, at least half of the total oil and engine coolant capacity used in the engine (minimum 5 litres).
b. The surrounding edges of the tray must be at least 50mm above the bottom of the tray, measured vertically from the tray Oil containment material must be fixed to this tray and the sides.
c. The frontal edge of the oil tray wall must be extended upwards to arrive just below (within 20mm) of the exhaust ports of the engine.
d. The rear face of the tray should be to the height of the seat unit and the minimum width should be equal to the width of the rear tyre.
e. The gear lever must exit via a rubber boot or two rubber curtains.
f. The chain slot must have a rubber curtain fitted.
g. Ignition pick-up covers must be lock wired or lock plated.
h. Clutch centre covers must be lock wired or lock plated
i. Oil sump plugs and oil filters must be lock wired.


Brakes


a. An emergency system operated by a simple circuit on either the front or rear wheel of the motorcycle is compulsory.


Electronic copies of the full 2012 Formula II Sidecar Regulations will be available from the Road Race Department at ACU House from Monday 5th December. (e-mail rowena.perks@acu.org.uk)
It is stressed that these changes to the Technical Regulations for engines do not apply to Formula II Club Championships, which will continue to operate under the 2011 Formula II Sidecar Regulations but will become known as Formula 600 Sidecars.


Dr Paul King, Chairman ACU Road Race Drag and Sprint Committee Chairman said that “these changes to the Technical Regulations for Formula II Sidecars have been produced following full consultation with the FSRA and I take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution.”

Do these Dicks who make the oil containment rules actually know what they are talking about Before long the engine will be in a pod getting red hot Then it will explode I am all for safety but come on How come solos dont get anywhere near the same aggravation.

Sounds very similar to the F1's to me and they don't all explode Mike. Well, not through being red hot anyway

I can see a problem with the lube getting wiped off the chain. Especially in a long race like the TT.

I'll step in with my wealth of knowledge Andy Get a BMW from 50 years ago. Shaft drive, no problem!

Does that mean if you run a dry sump, the oil catch tray will only need to hold about a pint as there is never anymore than that in the engine.

If it does then the whole chair should be a catch tank, I've been sat behind one of them when the scavenge pump stopped working and it just flew out.
Maybe now they will give us real 'chairs' Trit

It actually makes no difference removing front or rear plate as ive tried it and logged the temps therefore your statement mike may only be formed through speculation unless you have info to the contrary . Im afraid the biggest problem is heavy right hands 2 fat blokes {not you keith of course} and a fat rear tyre . And the heat soak produced by the length of race.Club races dont seem to be as much of a problem but oil temps if not cooled correctly are ridiculous in british races.

Tried running my big bike with under tray on and off.... 15 degrees C difference... And i do have good cooling to both water and oil.....

Mmmm Very interesting !!

steve-e wrote:If it does then the whole chair should be a catch tank, I've been sat behind one of them when the scavenge pump stopped working and it just flew out.
Maybe now they will give us real 'chairs' Trit

Try going round a left hander Steve when the pipe comes of and blows it straight at you, while you try and let the driver know as well, We made sure the pipe was nipped up as tight as my butt was when we went back up

77 wrote:Tried running my big bike with under tray on and off.... 15 degrees C difference... And i do have good cooling to both water and oil.....

was it 15 degress in water or oil
So what engine temp /Oil Temp was it . Ive seen 170c this year with poorly sited oil coolers fitted . Anyway sorry for hijacking the thread ...Im off

Just a small point that I haven’t quite got my head around, we have to keep “everything above the head gasket must remain as for the road going homologated motorcycle”, but we can mess around with the cam timing, how does that work then ?

It was the FSRA AGM today, the prizegiving/dinner dance is this evening so I wouldn't expect an answer from the committee this evening.
I know there was talk about this and making the wording clearer at the AGM today.

I have had a lot of conformation of heat issues . I worked in engine development for 6 years, and we ran 2 engine cells and yes everything was datalogged. As soon as you put engines in vechiles without air circulation the temp soars.On snow mobiles we were the first to put fourstrokes in them (Yes they are oil / watercooled) they had to change the design of the hood to let more air in / out to circulate.
So I stand by what I said