WeingartnerRacing wrote: ↑Sat Oct 07, 2017 10:29 pm
The biggest reason most don’t enter an engine challenge is because if they do bad then all the chest pounding and tech articles come off looking fake or wrong. It takes money, time, effort, and balls to do the competition because the competition will take everything. If you can say I was wrong and that didn’t work and be okay with that then give it a go.
Eric,
Got to say you really nailed it here. This is why you don't get to many writers who make a living entering such competitions because as you say
'if they do bad then all the chest pounding and tech articles come off looking fake or wrong'.
However there is another side to the coin. According to some editorial estimates I am read by about a million people a month. Since I rarely quote other peoples findings what ever is printed is most often due to my findings alone.Any mistakes therefor rest squarely on my shoulders. One thousand totally functional pieces of advice will go with minimal response.
Just one bad piece will come back and haunt the writer who is virtually defenseless as it is --
in black and whiteand therefor can never be denied.
True I have many critics here but I often wondered how many forum posters have the courage of their convictions to put cutting edge tech they believe to be accurate to a very substantial audience. The point I am working toward here is the comment
'and tech articles come off looking fake or wrong'.
I spent about $40,000 on a dyno just so I could get an excess of test data to back up what I would subsequently put into print. Does anyone want to guess how many articles have to be done to recoup such an investment (in 1980's money at that). Let me ask a question here, one which I would like to see an answer from my most ardent critics just to see if I can get just one positive response out of all the negativity I see. By investing 40 grand on a dyno who stands to benefit from this and does so without having to lay out one extra $?
Let's talk
'courage of conviction' for a moment. The last time I put my reputation/career on the line in front of an audience of about 75 pro engine builders was at the Goodson sponsored seminar I did at Myron Cottrell's place (TPIS) just outside of Minneapolis about 4 years ago. Right at the outset I announced that Oil Extreme would increase the power output of a supposedly fully broken in engine (2 hours with Ams-Oil break in oil) with a substantial number of test pulls (about 200) on it. Myron assured me before hand that this engine was very repeatable. So what we have here was an engine broken in on a top grade product and subsequently used for a substantial number of tests with a top grade race oil in it.
Right at the beginning of the class I announce that I did not believe this engine has yet to bottom out on friction. What I offered as proof was a #3 bottle of the break in oil I came up with for Oil Extreme. What I said was although it was supposedly broken in the use of the Oil-Extreme break-in oil would catagorically show it was not by making at least 5 hp or so more on a nominally 400 horse motor.
Consider this:- If I was wrong here it would seriously cast doubt on the other stuff that I was about to talk on. Especially all the stuff that is not common knowledge to even ProStock and Cup Car guys. So I think even my biggest critics will concede I at least have the cahonies to put my money where my mouth is. (There was several ST posters at this seminar - please comment on this test deal).
To stick ones neck out this far takes a wealth of clinically done dyno data. I wish the average ST poster did their research as carefully as I do. Here is an example of the validity of some of the research that is posted and taken as the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth on forums like this:-
I am sure many of you remember what a pasting my Holley book got when it first came out.It was supposed to be missing many of the things that would qualify it as a worthwhile publication on the subject such as explanations of emulsion wells, air jets, calibration techniques that would work across the board etc.etc. Well the first person to do a review on the book was some guy who goes under the pen name of 'The Amp Nerd'. He did his review by reading the Amazon 'take a look inside' function.
He never actually read the book.
If he had then he would have found all the stuff he claimed was missing
was indeed in the book. Following this a bunch of forum posters made out like they had read the book and, in their own words, reiterated The Amp Nerds comments.
That little fiascoe cost me about 6-7 grand in royalties - and for the record that book won me a gold medal for the world wide best automotive tech book published in 2013!
Anyway back on to the subject of sticking my neck out at the Goodson/TPIS seminar. After about 3 hours into my class Myron came out with a carfully controlled base runs average with a very low mean deviation and a similar set of runs with my break-in lube. (remember this motor is supposed to be already broken in). Here is the EXACT WORDS Myron used when he addressed the audience (and please take into account that half these guys are as synical as those with a reputation for such on this forum and yes you do know who you are).
Still, I stray so, while pointing to a bottle now only 2/3rds full, he announces (exact words)-
'This shit works!'
I wonder just how many of my tech critics out there would be prepared to do the same - not just once or twice but hundreds of times!
Eric,
Let me focus on this other comment of yours because it is about as accurate a statement as can be had:-
'It takes money, time, effort, and balls to do the competition because the competition will take everything.'
Yes it will take all of the above but please note - I have already put not one but two entries into Greg's competition. I absolutely don't like being second best at whatever I attempt. Take a look at any of my books and I think anyone who is making an honest assessment will agree that they are the best in class for any given subject - not second best. I am pulling out the stops here. It won't be the first time I have had to compete in a big public forum. In my time I have had to take on the likes of F1 engine manufactures, and factory team engineers. Remember I am virtually a one man team here and even if I have on occasion had team mates I still make ALL the tech decisions. If I am wrong I carry the can 100%! As it happens I have ALWAYS come out on top. So ask me if I feel intimidated by any other engine builders that may enter this competition? A little thought before you do ask will probably come up with the right answer.
So here I am with two entries in Gregs REC. But it has just occurred to me that though I would take losing out on first place with much self critisism I wonder how many of my critics could deal with the possibility of being beaten by someone they perceive as a mere tech writer.
So, to my critics who are convinced they know so much more than I do, get your entries in and show that you do have the balls it takes.
DV
PS thanks Eric for inspiring these few comment.
PPS - I still have more to say on this subject but it is going to have to wait!!!!!!