Parts Availability

[chuck baader]

Ok, rules nerds...what about parts that are NLA and have been supersceeded by a later part. Part in question..valve springs for my 1984 BMW ITA motor. I have found 9 of the correct springs. So far, I have been told the "e" spring is NLA, and BMW has supersceeded the "e" spring with the later "i" spring. The quandry is: the "i" motor used a double valve spring to get appriximately the same seat pressure as the older "e" spring. To use the later spring, I would have to use the double spring set-up...any ideas gentlemen?

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Chuck Baader
#36 ITA E30 BMW
Alabama Region Divisional Registrar

[JeffYoung]

My opinion is you use the new i spring. It is what you would get if you walked into a BMW service department and ordered valve springs for your "e".

[Greg Amy]

Jeff, while your intentions are good, technically I believe you're incorrect.

To whit: the infamous (and ad nauseous) Nissan 510 camshaft debate. Factory cam no longer available, parts department supercedes a replacement that is not to the same specs as the original. There are ongoing arguments on this here, but the general consensus is that this replacement cam is illegal unless it is specifically allowed on the car's ITCS spec line.

Example 2: VW camshafts. Not specifically listed, but are allowed (but on one can seem to find the supporting documentation and it's not listed on the spec line).

One can take this line of logic to its idiot extreme and say that unless listed, even mechanically exact replacement parts are illegal if the factory part number changes (which it does constantly). However, I sincerely doubt you'll get protested on something like that.

Bottom line, the regs that apply to you are ITCS 17.1.4.C:

"Parts or assemblies which the manufacturer lists in factory service manuals or parts guides for a particular model which supersede or replace original parts or assemblies are permitted. Documentation of the superseding parts or assemblies must be supplied to the Club Racing Department and the appropriate part numbers listed on that particular model’s specification line."

Your best bet to CYA is to start negotiations with Topeka to get the superceded parts listed on your spec line.

GA

P.S. Bill et al, can we please avoid YANAVWCD (Yet Another Nissan and Volkswagen Camshaft Debate)?

[gsbaker]

Originally posted by GregAmy:
P.S. Bill et al, can we please avoid YANAVWCD (Yet Another Nissan and Volkswagen Camshaft Debate)?

Agreed. Let's talk about putting the New Beetle in ITC. That should put us all in the holiday spirit.

Gregg

[apr67]

This is totally silly.

It is the OEM part for that car. Geeze even on my 90 miata half of the part numbers have been replaced with new numbers. So for every part I have to go through the SCCA?

[JeffYoung]

Mmm...I guess I WAS trying to play games here.

I said that (my answer) hoping it was correct because it simply makes sense. I suspected it was not entirely correct, as I have not read the rule in a while, and expected someone to call me on it. Greg, thanks for clarifying in a polite, non-IT board rant way.

Again, I see NO sense in this. The rule should be the part you use on an "old" car with NLA parts is what you get when you walk into an authorized service department and order it. It is, effectively, now stock.

It just makes sense...right?...so it has to be the rule...right?....tell me so....please......lol

[Bill Miller]

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">P.S. Bill et al, can we please avoid YANAVWCD (Yet Another Nissan and Volkswagen Camshaft Debate)?</font>

Wasn't even think about posting to this thread. At this point in time w/ the way things are going, my take is, run whatever the hell you want to run on your car. Merry Christmas.

[ddewhurst]

***run whatever the hell you want to run on your car***

Will everone please say Merry Christmas to the new Bill.

Happy Holidays to all
David

[gsbaker]

Merry Christmas, Bill!

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Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[Knestis]

I'd frankly forgotten about the requirement that supercessions be listed in the ITCS. That is a really dumb thing and factory documentation should suffice.

Note that some of this might become moot under the new allowance that identical replacement parts can be used.

K