Costs in F Blue are reported to be very similar in cost to TKM for maintenance.
The engines seem to have around the same rebuild interval, that is, the manufacturer quotes 20 hours, but if you are running the engine hard in racing then you need to be more frequent.
A racing strategy seems to be:
After each hard race and particularly if you have been across kerbs or airborne; generally inspect the engine. Clean the starter bendix.
If its been wet, then consider care of the ignition side and washing the muck out of the engine and crankcase.
Replace bits on condition. (You may need little end circlips)
After 450/500 laps inspect top end. You will probably need a hone and piston (and the little end bearings).
After 2000 laps, inspect bottom end. You may need bottom end bearings /con rod.
Jamie Crease published his budget for last year to become NKRA Grand Champion, about £4k IIRC.
Tyres are replaced as often as you need /can afford. They will certainly do more than one meeting but may be getting old for the third if you are finishing in the top 5. (That's for NKRA Champs, at a clubbie recently Chris Derrick won on tyres that had far more but agreed that he was half a second off championship pace.) On the other hand, Wigan and Larkhall drivers say they only get one meeting out of a set, so it may be track related.
The engines are quite strong and reliable, they have a slight weakness in the starter (the brushes suddenly break a wire) but it is getting better. The powerboxes (ignition and starter control) seem to be much better now but if they fail it's £200.
All major spares are got through a supplier (essentially Tabor) and are numbered, you merely tell Tabor that you have fitted, for example, Piston A156 to engine 201 if you do your own servicing. This helps trace where non-compliant parts found at scrutineering have come from.
There is no tuning/blueprinting of the engine and ancilaries allowed.
Kart chassis is 'free', any MSA legal chassis I think.
And, of course, there is the restrictor system so that regardless of weight, you have a chance of winning on driver ability.
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Formula Blue Costs? by 'Aquila' (22 Jun 2009 @ 19:22)
