33 replies to this topic

[Noose]

The following announcement was made by the IRRA:

Pro Slot replaced their "foil type" SpeedFX motor seals with a white polymeric "tamperproof" seal several months ago and in the interests of security and fairness the IRRA BoD has voted to discontinue the approval of the less-secure foil seal.

All Pro Slot 4002 and 4002B motors used in IRRA competition must have the new Pro Slot white-colored "tamperproof" motor seal in place for a motor to be used in events using IRRA rules effective on September 1, 2009.

Motors with the older Pro Slot "foil" seals will no longer be allowed to be used in IRRA events beginning on Sept 1, 2009.

Any new motors with the "foil" seals that are still in unopened Pro Slot packaging may be returned directly to Pro Slot for verification and installation of the new white "tamperproof type" seal. To reiterate, Pro Slot motors eligible to be resealed must be new, in original Pro Slot packaging, and must also be accompanied by return postage.

Motors with the "foil" seals that have been used/raced are not eligible to be resealed with the new "tamperproof" seals by Pro Slot. However, motors with "foil" seals that have been used/raced may be sent to any IRRA approved motor refurbisher for refurbishing and resealing with "tamperproof" seals at normal refurbishing charges/costs.

To assist in the change, Ron Hershman has posted:

From June 1, 2009 through August 1, 2009... we, Fast Ones, will rebuild any used foil seal Pro Slot motors for $10.00 each motor/rebuild.

Mail them to:

HEI
PO Box 1124
Anderson, In 46015-1124

Any of you are welcome to post this in your regions threads in the General Retro Racing Forum.

Thanks,

Ron

[John Gorski]

Post pictures of the three legal seals (Pro Slot, Fast Ones, and Proformance) so it clear to all racers.

[Tex]

Excellent suggestion.

[Ron Hershman]

Post pictures of the three legal seals (Pro Slot, Fast Ones, and Proformance) so it clear to all racers.

Illegal to use "silver/chrome foil" seal, effective 9/1/09:



Legal Fast Ones seal:

[Ron Hershman]

New style legal Pro Slot seal:

[Noose]

Thanks, Ron. The Proformance ones are white and blue, too.

Mark: The BoD discussed the dates and felt that three months notice was plenty of time for the change in time for the beginning of many winter racing sessions.

FWIW, I haven't seen too many guys entering lately with just the regular foil seal.

[Noose]

True, Mark. This just gets things all aligned especially for the big races and in Retro East we always think they are big!

[Noose]

Well... FWIW they may not have all gone away. This is best for the integrity of the program.

[John Gorski]

This is the legal Proformance Racing Inc. refurbish seal:

[Noose]

Thanks, John. I didn't have any so that works.

[Matt Bruce]

This is a great step towards the unification of the motors for retro racing. Pro Slot did the right thing by changing the seal and conforming to Fast Ones and PRI rebuilt seals.

Ten bucks is about as cheap as Ron could do it, and it's great he is offering such a deal for the racers.

I only have one question pertaining to the seals being currently used. Over time and multiple spray cleanings of the engines, the seals start to tear and break down, sometimes coming apart after a race and such. What determines a motors continued use with a seal that looks like crap even though a rebuild for a new seal is still many races away? Could I use say a clear coat of of nail polish over the seal to protect it without the seal being questioned?

I just wanna get as much life out of a good motor as I can. I have tried protecting the seals with tape when I spray them but they still tend to crack and then peices just flake off in a race. Not only that but the can screw heads tend to wear through the seal which makes the seal break apart a lot faster. Just seems that the seals are not lasting as long as a well-maintained motor.

[Rick]

The heat and motor spray makes the seals brittle and they do flake off. It's just the nature of the beast. I had to forego a motor in Columbus that suffered from this, but most racers have more than one to choose from.

The IRRA has given a four-month lead time on this situation and PS has been installing the new seals for a couple of months. I can't see it being that big a problem for the next season.

A rebuild for $10 is real good, brushes, springs, zap, cut and balance, and return mail... Seems to be a no-win situation: FK motors that only last one or two races bring complaints about not getting your monetys worth and now Pro Slot that outlive the seal are wrong. What is the answer?

[John Gorski]

Cover the seal with something that's soft, doesn't stick, or absorb before you spray it out.

[Noose]

Matt, good questions.

I have not had a problem with the new Pro Slot seal or the Fast Ones seal. Can't speak for the Proformance one. In teching, I do look at them and you can tell if the seal was altered. The cracking that can take place did occur on some of Dave's earlier ones, especially when the seal was put over the screws. Most now have them under the screws and they don't seem to crack as much. During testing of the seals (for all three) we really drenched the motors with spray and subjected them to heat. They held up pretty well.

[Cheater]

May I suggest that a cracked and flaked seal obviously cannot be removed and reinstalled. This is the critical issue, to prevent someone from getting inside a motor such that it could not be detected at the tech table.

[RomanK]

A question out or curiosity and I aplogize if it's out of place but was motor tampering becoming an issue forcing a more tamper resistant seal?

[Noose]

Roman,

No. Dan upgraded his seal from the foil type which could be removed to the more sturdy secure one which is the same type both Ron and Dave were using on the refurbs.

[Jerry Ward]

I notice that the can screws protrude through the seal on the old seals and the Fast One seals. Would it maybe be a good idea if the manufacturers or the refurbishers used smaller head can screws? Maybe it would help some with cracking and torn seals. Just a thought...

Jerry

[Vannerlee]

Yep, a good thought,

All them little busted pieces are a real problem to get back together. LOL.

[Ron Hershman]

Just seems funny that all of a sudden the old seals are no longer any good, when they have been fine all this time. It's like saying the IRRA doesn't trust its racers and now they have to spend more money to become compliant, especially in these hard economic times.

I'm reminded of a statement Ron made to the USRA about obsoleting peoples equipment. It tends to make them want to race less. I would think with the old seals not being available it's only a matter of time until they are all gone anyway and the issue would have taken care of itself.

Nothing is being obsoleted. Racers have to update, if you will, their motors with the new seal(s). $10-17 gets them rebuilt and the legal seals installed on the older motors.

Beats buying new motors and spending excessive money for no reason.

If we had said no more foil seals allowed... racers had two choices... send their old seal motor out for refurb and to have the correct seal applied or just go and buy new motors at $42 each.

Some racers might just go out and buy new motors with the new seals... that is their choice.

I am sure a few and a very select few will cry foul and quit over this, but we can't make everyone happy. At least we made the announcement and gave everyone three months to comply before the series start up in the fall.

If you're coming to the Sano race in October, your motors will have to have the new seals. Of course the regional series who run IRRA rules with modifications to them may choose to do something different, but it's best to get everyone one on the same page at the same time.

[Bill from NH]

What's behind the controversy with the seals on the Pro Slot motor? We don't use that particular motor in this area of the northeast so I haven't been paying close attention. Was someone suspected of tampering with the existing foil seals?