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Where would Gypsy Marshall, the V8s be top V8 mechanic without the Cover story by Ken Newton good oil? at Mazda when he volunteered nothing left to tweak? ‘It’s getting not the other way around. to help out the Allan Moffat team. hard to find any more power il, that slippery stuff He travelled around Australia in in an engine that’s already ‘Later model engines have that stops metal bits this role and enjoyed it so much been through every kind of smaller clearances because Ofrom seizing, has that when a job as a truck driver modification,’ says Gypsy. ‘So oil of the improvements in oil not been particularly front came up with Garry Rogers became the last resort.’ technology,’ Gypsy explains. of stage in the evolution of Motorsport, he grabbed it just to the motor vehicle. So much get in the door. If an oil could be developed that media attention is lavished was thin enough to be more on engine technology, but Sure enough, after a year economically pumped through oils rarely rate a mention. of driving trucks, Gypsy was the engine but still reduce the transferred to the engine room friction on moving parts, the V8s and he hasn’t looked back. By might have found a little more The days when one oil did his own admission, he is a power and performance. everything are long gone, for tinkerer. About three years ago, the team had its first major breakthrough when Valvoline came up with a synthetic oil 5W30. ‘It’s hard to imagine the pressures inside the engine when thick mineral oil is forced through it. We gained eight horsepower or more when we changed to the new and much thinner synthetic oil from the ‘Using a heavier oil in some mineral oil 25/60,’ Gypsy recalls. components means that when starting cold engines, Gypsy and his team are hoping the oils can’t move fast reasons that are only now ‘I’ve always played around with for even further advances in oil filtering through to the mechanics engines,’ he said. He’s been with technology to give them an edge enough to where they are and technicians. And if the failure the Garry Rogers team for the on the race track. needed. rate of components is any guide, past 13 years. there are still a lot of mechanics out there who think that one Until three years ago when they drum of good oil in a workshop is moved the workshop, they used enough for any job. Many seem their own engine Dyno testing to have forgotten that engine oil machine, but now, without a performs four rather important Dyno, the team leases their tasks — lubricate, protect, clean engines from Walkinshaw and cool. Performance, the GM Holden specialists. These people need to spend a few minutes with Geoff (better Gypsy’s job is to assemble the known as Gypsy – perhaps it’s engines for racing, adding the the ear-ring) Marshall, engine accessories and helping to fit builder and mechanical overseer them into the racing cars. for the Garry Rogers Motorsport team. For up to 16 weeks a year, Gypsy is at the track, eking out Gypsy is responsible for the every extra horsepower and engine preparation and ultimate economy through fuel mixtures performance of the Fujitsu V8s, and anything else that can be the team that finished third in the tweaked. The racing industry’s growing ‘Thick oils just can’t make it 2010 teams championship. reliance on thinner oils points up where, for example, cam shafts And therein lies the biggest the need for technicians working are running in the cylinder head. Gypsy’s progression to a job challenge for racing cars. What on street vehicles to understand The car makers have grasped that is the envy of other motor happens when everything that parts are now being the oil improvements to enhance mechanics began with his stint has been tweaked till there’s designed around specific oils – engine performance. The Automotive Technician 4 ‘There are always going to ‘Piston life will be out the door Wheelnote: Garry Rogers began effort for the team not only to be improvements, even when and exhausts will run a lot racing Appendix J Holdens in run the V8 Supercar program you think that nothing more hotter than before. Crankshaft 1963. Garry Rogers Motorsport but also to design and build the could possibly be improved. maintenance will also be high,’ has become one of Australia’s Holden Monaro from the ground I’m guessing that people like Gypsy added. most professional and successful up. Valvoline are heading in the motorsport organisations. same direction. Some oils are as Translating the ethanol fuel After the success of the now light as water now – how far can research in the racing industry The team has had an enormous famous 427 Monaro in its first they go,’ asks Gypsy. to the consumer market, Gypsy impact on Australian motorsport, year, a second Monaro was warns technicians that as and Garry was instrumental in developed for the 2003 season. He expects oil improvements will ethanol fuel becomes more the development of many of This year was highlighted by lead to longer intervals between popular they will have to get Australia’s top drivers, including wins in Nation Cups events and oil changes because the new on top of the fuel system. Filter Steven Richards, Garth another Bathurst 24 Hour one/ synthetics will be capable of blockages occur a lot quicker Tander, Jason Bargwanna, two finish, with Peter Brock, Greg Jamie Whincup and Cameron Murphy, Jason Bright and Todd absorbing impurities inside the than usual and the injectors need McConville, along with their Kelly joining the existing team engine more effectively and for a to be cleaned more frequently. current drivers Lee Holdsworth and driving the race winning car. longer period of time. Better oils Because it’s a dry fuel, pumps and Michael Caruso. may have given V8 racing some wear out quicker and some In 2010 the Garry Rogers team One of the team’s greatest finished third in the teams successes was winning the championship. The team is 2000 Bathurst FAI 1000 with supported by Fujitsu, Valvoline, Garth Tander and Jason Cummins and Holden. Bargwanna behind the wheel of a VT Commodore. Bathurst has All photographs kindly supplied provided notable highlights for by Ross Gibb Photography the team including winning the [email protected] inaugural Bathurst 24 Hour in www.rossgibbphotos.com.au the Holden Monaro, with Garth Tander, Steven Richards, Nathan Pretty and Cameron McConville, during the 2002 season. AZThisHSY wasAutoparts a massive 92x135 eng V2:210 x 297 22.03.2011 12:01 Uhr Seite 1 Ignition Technology Diesel Cold-Start Technology Electronics Sensors power advantages but the same fuel lines, especially those with could not be said about green rubber content, are just not fuels. While going green by using compatible. Technicians will have ethanol fuels was, and still is, a to be careful about anything noble initiative, it caused major made of aluminium because BERU. Innovation headaches for the technicians ethanol fuel tends to corrode it. at Garry Rogers Motorsport and The car racing industry had to built in. what they went through serves spend a huge amount of money as a warning for technicians in to find out these things. Initially m o c the aftermarket repair sector. performance went backwards . u r by as much as 20 and 30 e b . horsepower. w As Gypsy explains ‘We had to do w w extensive cylinder head work to BERU Ignition Coils BERU Ignition Cables BERU Ignition Parts suit ethanol fuel and we now find ‘As a result of our intensive work, we’re using 30% to 40% more we are now back to where we fuel than before to generate the were in pre-ethanol days,’ Gypsy same amount of power.’ said. BERU ‘Certainly the emissions out of There are big plans ahead for Ultra Spark Plugs the exhaust pipe are much better the V8 supercars. Developments than before, but we’re using across the industry are pointing so much more fuel because of to a new breed of vehicle on the burn characteristics of the the track by 2013. They won’t ethanol, among other things. BERU Glow Plugs: go much faster but the cars and High market coverage and their technologies will be closer top-selling product lines. ‘It takes a couple of years to to one standard than ever before figure out how to produce the and this will translate to better same or more power with a new racing. Gypsy is forecasting that fuel and, in ethanol’s case, once V8s as road cars are on the you take away the environmental way out and even the days of For more information call 1300 133 129. rewards, it’s a lot of money for the petrol powered engine are very little gain. I forecast there numbered with diesel becoming A BorgWarner will be huge changes to engine more efficient and inroads being Business maintenance with E85 fuel. made by hybrids and electrics. The Automotive Technician 5.

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