Landracing Forum

Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => SCTA Rule Questions => Topic started by: fj1289 on June 26, 2014, 10:04:42 AM

Title: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: fj1289 on June 26, 2014, 10:04:42 AM
Quick question on protecting the nitrous bottle valve -- are there any requirements to be able to access the valve with the protection in place?  Haven't seen this discussed in what I've dug up with the search engine.  Is it OK to have to unbolt the valve protection prior to being able to manually turn off the valve?

Bottle will be mounted in the swingarm ahead of the rear tire and will be mounted valve down (bottle does not have a dip tube). 

Thanks
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: Seldom Seen Slim on June 26, 2014, 11:30:01 AM
Once upon a time I arrived at Tech (Bville) with a nitrous bottle mounted upside down in the swingarm.  As I remember I was told that the valve didn't need to be protected since it'd be dang near impossible for anything to get to there to strike/damage it.  But that was in '03, I think, and you'd best confirm whether today/this year you'll need a protective cover.

But - I was instructed that I could not race 'til I put a second method of keeping the bottle in the swingarm.  It was decided that maybe the bottle would shrink as it cooled from releasing the compressed nitrous, and if it shrank the clamp wouldn't necessarily be able to retain it.  So I went back to the pit and fashioned a bit of chain (not drive chain) from one side to the other of the swingarm and attached it to the neck of the bottle.  That was okay.

Check with the inspectors to see what they want these days.
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: revolutionary on June 26, 2014, 12:43:31 PM
speaking of nitrous on bikes, what methods have you seen for turning off the nitrous and fuel lines without removing hands from the handlebars are required by the rules?
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: RansomT on June 26, 2014, 01:03:50 PM
Quote from: revolutionary on June 26, 2014, 12:43:31 PM
speaking of nitrous on bikes, what methods have you seen for turning off the nitrous and fuel lines without removing hands from the handlebars are required by the rules?

I could be absolutely wrong, but I was under the impression that the rule meant the fuel pump and nitrous solenoid must be deactivated if the rider became seperated from the bike.
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: fj1289 on June 26, 2014, 02:30:10 PM
This is the style mount in planning

(http://fjowners.com/gallery/7/171_26_06_14_3_26_35.jpeg)

For the hands on the handlebar cutoff requirement, if the fuel system has an electric pump, that suffices for a cut off.   Likewise with the nitrous solenoid.  I'll have all those run thru relays actuated by the kill switch and lanyard in series.  That way either one kills it all. 
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: joea on June 26, 2014, 02:36:06 PM
Might want to double check on the fuel shutoff requirement, if fuel pump aft of tank, usually required to have means of shutting off fuel tap at tank without removing  hands from bars...
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: fj1289 on June 26, 2014, 03:12:30 PM
Thanks - I'll double check.  As it was explained to me, the line from the tank to the shutoff is required to be fire sleeved.
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: joea on June 27, 2014, 12:42:39 PM
If petcock at tank , and pump external, it typically required to have  petcock shutoff control without removing hands from bars
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: revolutionary on June 29, 2014, 11:45:42 AM
what about gravity feed fuel?
Title: Re: Nitrous Bottle Valve Protection and Access
Post by: joea on June 29, 2014, 11:08:24 PM
if fuel class, gravity fed, and petcock at tank, it has  been required to have means of shutting off petcock fuel flow without having
hands removed from tank, at least since before 1991

but for official word, call or email motorcycle tech