Snetterton 2nd and 3rd October 2004

Prologue

I had suffered some clutch slip at Silverstone a week prior, so had addressed that, I had a spare (used) clutch at home, so measured things up and swapped over bits, this would do until winter when I would replace the parts for new.

As it was only a week since the last time the boys were on their bikes, we decided to forgo practice this time. We have been to Snetterton many times now and this was a ‘double weekend’ so with all the above in mind, there really didn’t seem much point.

I decided to go up on the Friday anyway and get set-up, I had taken the day off, but Andrew had to be at work. Although I wasn’t riding, with all the things that needed to be done, the day just flashed by.

Saturday 2nd October, Race Day

Morning practice

It had been a while since we were last at Snetterton, but having timed a few people on the practice day, the pace seemed pretty slow (a couple of seconds down on what I was expecting). I felt that after my first race to get beck into things that I might be in with a chance of a good result!!!

Out I went, I noticed very early on that the bike wasn't revving out down the backstraight!!! It was like it was hitting a rev limiter at 14.5k (proper limited is more like 16k) this is a BIG problem down Snetterton backstraight!!! Even with a 45 tooth sprocket (used to run a 46) it was hitting 14.5k by about 2/3 of the way down and not wanting any more!! :'o( Also the bike had a slight ratting/tapping sound from the engine at idle (well 3k high idle I set it at), which I noticed at Silverstone, but independently I wasn't too worried about. But I was now paranoid that there was something PROPER wrong!!! Bearing in mind I had 8 races ahead and I had paid for my entry fees etc do I run the bike or not?

What was even more annoying is that looking at the program, the grids were relatively empty (normally full, but only about 20-25 people on the grid) so my chances of a good finish should have been much greater!!

Anyhow, after realising I had a problem in practice, I thought it might be
the plugs (good place to start) and they are relatively quick to change
(bearing in mind I was race 4 I didn’t have much time!). Noticed when I changed them that one of the plug caps/coil came off easier then the others. Hoped that either the plugs or possibly this cap were the culprit, so awaited race one in anticipation.

Race1 Supersport 600 AM Sat

Start 19^th, Finish 15th

Was the engine fixed? Was it the plugs/lose cap??? TO be honest I wasn’t really concentrating on racing at this point, my focus was wholly on the engine problem. Off I went for the warmup lap … and opened it up down the backstraight, unfortunately it wasn't to be, it was still not wanting to go over 14-14.5k. So I just short shifted at 14k, it appeared to run fine up to this point. But as I said running out of usable revs in top only 2/3 of the way down the backstraight and having to keep it in this unhappy spot for that long wasn't good!!!

With this in mind, there was little point in ‘pushing it’ too hard as I was never going to do that well with that loss of drive, and I was worried about the engine and damaging it more, also was it about to blow up and spit me off??? Not conducive to racing!!! However, it was kind of nice in a strange way, I really didn’t care where I finished/people taking me as I knew I had a problem, and I was not attempting to ride to my limits (again what is the point when the engine meant that I would be nowhere anyway). Sort of much more relaxing than riding by the seat of ya pants!!

I can’t really remember much from this race, again, I was more concerned with the engine. I was moving well and making a few passes into Russell’s chicane mind …

Crossed the line in 15^th, which I would normally be very pleased with, but to be fair wasn’t representative of my efforts, it was just that there weren’t many people out there and the pace was slower than usual! What was even more annoying is that 1 point that I would have got for 15^th, didn’t count for anything as it was a ‘Non-Championship’ round on Saturday!!! Typical!

Fastest lap, 1:17.01. Well off what I knew I was capable of, but bearing in mind my troubles and not ‘trying’ what do you expect!!?!?!?

Race2 Powerbikes AM Sat

Start 9^th, Finish 11^th

There wasn't enough time between my first and second race to change
anything, so just ran with it short shifting again.

Now I normally struggle in Powerbikes on the power front, but with my bike not running properly … I was going to be in trouble …

I actually got a good start, but from that point on I was to fall to the wrath of the 1000s, I was getting really annoyed with my engine now, and worried I was damaging it by running it, again no point riding my t1ts off if the engine isn’t running right.

Amazingly I finished 11^th, as explained above, this was more due to the lack of numbers on the grid than a reflection of my efforts, I would normally work hard for that!!

Fastest lap 1:17.14

Race3 Supersport 600 PM Sat

Start 15^th, Finish 15th

Over lunch I took the carbs off and inspected and cleaned out all the float bowls, there was nothing visibly wrong, they seemed spotless. But lets face it, it was running so it wasn't going to be anything BIG, so I was hoping that it may have cleared.

So fingers crossed again, I went out. Alas, no difference.

Can’t really remember much from this race, still worried about the bike and not really ‘trying’, still amazed with the amount of people I was chewing up through Russell’s.

Race4 Powerbikes PM Sat

Start 9^th, Finish 15^th

No chance to do anything between the SS6 and this race, so just ran with it.

Evidently crossed the line in 15^th.

Fastest lap 1:16.97

Well, it hadn't blown up, so that was a bonus! But it wasn't fixed and I was running out of ideas. I did however have the whole night to investigate. Could it be the ECU/CDI? Could it be the Plugcap (which are combined coil type), Could it be the ignition pickup? Could it be wiring? could it be something in the engine? WHAT THE HELL WAS IT!!?!?!? I was really frustrated as I was wasting good race time and opportunity here!! If I was getting these results as-is, what could I be doing with a working engine and consequently ‘trying’?!?!

That evening, I spoke to Phil Seton, the guy who built the motor for any ideas. He said it could be the ignition pickup, the wires to it sometimes break down about 20mm from the sensor. That would fit the bill, so went in there and inspected. Nothing visibly wrong, but chopped and re-soldered the wires anyway. The most annoying thing here being that I had a spare pickup sitting in a box at home, but that was 200miles, well 400 round trip away!!!

Anyway I crossed my fingers that this may have sorted it and awaited the next day.

Saturday Summery

Needless to say this worry and physical running problems meant I was not 'on it'/'trying' by any stretch of the imagination. My best time at Snetterton is a 1:13.5, and I was struggling with 1:17s/1:18s.

Sunday 3rd October, Race Day (#2)

Race 1 Supersport 600 AM Sun

Start 19^th, Finish 18^th

First race out, fingers crossed that the pickup remake last night would be it (not holding out much hope!!!)

Out I went on the warmup lap, Ar5e! Na that wasn't it then!!

It had been raining over night, so was damp in parts too, even less point trying here. So another disillusioned race.

Fastest lap 1:18.11

After someone said “was it in all gears” it was not revving out? I thought the answer was yes, but it revved up ok in the paddock (in neutral) so I wondered if it was load related and I tired redlining it in first on the cool down lap (changed 14k during the race). It was a little hesitant, but in first and second it would rev out, it was only really bad at speed/in the higher gears. Perhaps it was carburetion and 'ram-air'??

Race 2 Powerbikes AM Sun

Start 15^th, Finish 18^th

I didn’t have much time between races, but thinking it was perhaps ram-air, I put a bit of tape over the front air duct in the hope this would richen things up, perhaps it’d make it too rich? Don’t care, just would like to know!

Nope, that didn’t sort it!! It made little difference, well actually it mad ehte pickup poor after the bike had been on the over-run!!

What can I say? Its all rubbish!! I really didn’t care any more, I was not able to do what I wanted!! That said, it was relaxing and I enjoyed passing people on the brakes and through Russels, but it was pretty pointless as I was getting creamed by about 1/3 of the way down the start finish!! Even if I got a great run through, they would still get me back, just at ½-¾ of the way down!!

Fastest lap 1:16.80

Race 3 Supersport PM Sun

Start 18^th, Finish 18^th (of 19!)

Totally out of options (as I didn't have any spare ECU/colis) Took the carbs off again over lunch and cleaned out the sliders bits, these did seem a little 'gritty', perhaps the sliders were getting stuck and not opening fully??? Got them nice and free sliding and pinkies crossed again!!

Nope!!! It did run a little better, but not fixed!!
Fastest lap 1:15.93

Race 4 Powerbikes PM Sun

Start 18^th, Finish 12^th

One more race left of the w/e, nothing I could do, so just topped the bike up with fuel and went out. To my amazement/shock, the thing would rev out now!!! It was slightly hesitant, and not really producing much more power over about 14.5k, but it was revving out!!! Extremely confused now, was it a bit of dirt in the carbs finally cleared? What had changed??? It was spitting of rain now and after a depressing w/e my mind wasn't really on the job, so no spectacular race times, but the bike seemed momentarily better!!?!?!? And I was enjoying the fact that I could gun it down the backstraight.

Fastest lap 1:15.43

Overall Summery

Basically I had essentially wasted the whole weekend where the bike wasn't
running properly and that had sapped my enthusiasm, totally gutted. Made worse by the fact that the grids were the emptiest they have been all year and the laptimes people were putting in wee nothing special … I could have potentially done soooo much better!!!

I phoned my dad on the way home, to say hi and well as a shoulder to cry on. Then something he said got me thinking. He said "I guess it is fancy race fuel you use isn't it" I said "na, just pump fuel". Then I twigged, the only difference between that last race and the rest of the w/e was that I had topped up with a new/different batch of fuel!!! (it’s a long story as to why a different batch, but a different batch it was!).

Could it simply have been a dodgy batch of fuel all along?!?!? *&%$ ME!!

So the fuel thing correlates at Snetterton, problem is I am now not sure it was revving out at Silverstone (were different fuel again obviously) ... but perhaps that is just paranoia and that the clutch slipping making things a bit weird too ... basically I don't know what was wrong and have no way (realistically) of finding out before Brands ... and it is going to bug me until then too :o(

I have had 3 rounds now where I have had Bike problems and it is soul destroying. That said I can take some solace in that it isn’t just me, poor Andrews Duke went t1ts up again!! But that is another story I will let him tell.

In trepidation … Brands, the last round of the season, here I come …