stefan

Yep, it definately will. I'm running Edwards rods in my Nova#s and they seem to be indestructable..

Then again, if you have to change the rod to make the Picco's work, the price difference to a Nova is shrinking....

Paolo M

Jag,

If you go to Ft. Myers this weekend, i will explain it to you

Paolo

Paolo M

Stefan , what problem do you have with the carb?

Paolo

M7H

I agree, but people tend to also look at the Worlds to pick there car/engine combination for the next season.
After looking at the raywood DVD, you can better go for the Picco, because Ielasi was the fastest, but had 2 stop and go penalties and messed up with his last pitstop just 1 minute before the finish.......

If you take into account that a Picco based engine needs a bit more maintenance checks, it lasts as long as a Nova based engine, but less expensive.......

also Salven came 0.7 seconds short for a place in the final........ (0.7 seconds... can you imagine?)
Steven Cuijper, also a serpent driver, flamed out at the start of his semi, (it took very long before the starting signal was given) and managed to finish 3rd in his semi, also almost in the final.....
This only proofes to me that they were faster then drivers who did manage to get into the final.....
But still people are looking which combination won.......

stefan

You know, I tend to look what the fast unsponsored guys at the tracks are using rather than what's done at a world championship.

I agree that the Piccos are fast engines, it's the quality that keeps me from using them (and a lot of other people as well).

But you k now what the say about opinions. They are like a$$holes, everybody has one..

stefan

Paolo, please

I have the same problem with the Picco carbs that everyone else has. They don't hold their settings when they heat up.

Ridder

This is what Paolo wrote some time ago:
GoldFinger, this is very close to factory setting. I like to run the LSN a llittle bit on the rich side but still the engine have a good idle ( i like very low rpm idle, is better for fuel consuption and handling of the car after of throttle) What i do is after pre-heating a little bit the engine, i just pinch the fuel line and the rpm remain the same for 4 to 5 second and then the engine rev up. For me that´s the best option (of course, this is for a large track with long straigth away) If the track is really short, and full of hairpins, LSN need to be more lean, becasue the engine never rev up for a lot of time and so if you keep the same setup described before is always rich out of the corner.
Regarding HSN, i set the engine a little bit rich (if you progressively open the carb, the engine respond quick but at 3/4 rpm becomes rich (not really 4 strocking but rich) THen at the track after several laps (at least 5) if the engine is still rich i lean it.
End of quote.

The Palmaris conrod is about the same price as the Mega conrod.
It doesn't cost much to solve the conrod issue.

About the carb/tuning issue:
Nobody knows what the problem is?
Nobody at Serpent did a root cause analysis?

I don't have much experience with the powerplant, but where ever you go and you tell you have a ZX12, then the response has something to do with conrods and tuning.
Serpent didn't do any research?
Is this problem ignored by Serpent?
I believe that problems are there to be solved.
I can't believe that everybody just accepts the tuning issue.
For me it would be much easier to take a cheap reliable OS 12TZ over the ZX12.
But I see it as a challenge to get this engine running the way it should.
But my means are limited: just a standard Zx12....

If you start about the tuning issue then it gets awfully quiet.
If I was a Serpent family member, I would be worried about the image the ZX12 has.

Imagine what a great engine it would be if it was easy to tune and there was no conrod issue......

Damn...If I were a Serpent guy/gal I wouldn't sleep untill I knew what caused the problem....
Unless you are unaware of the problem.

stefan

The cause of the carb problem is simple: The two materials of the carb are expanding at different rates when they heat up, which leads to fine gaps that throw off the tune of the engine.

It's the same as with the piston material, material research is the key. A multi compaound carb is a fine idea, but if you don't use the correct materials that interact the right way, it won't work.

Look, here is my opinion: A lot of companies have tried to use Picco as their engine producer (Ofna, Orion, Peak, Collari,Werks, etc.) and all of them gave up on that cooperation after a while. Why? In my opinion, it is because Picco does not have a sufficient quality control system in place. Buying a Picco has always been like a "box of chocolate, you never know what'ya get"

IMHO, Mega and LRP are making the same experience at the moment.

As I said, this is just my opinion and I might be completely wrong

quietstorm76

iTrader: (12)

I personally like Picco motors, but I have to be honest and say that I never run them with a Picco carb. I always change to a Nova. My ZX12 had to be rebuilt before a gallon because of air leaks in the carb. Rebuilt it and put on nova carb and it's going on it's 3rd gallon with a Palmaris rod.

I didn't know the LRP engines were Picco based.

jag

Thanks for the offer Paolo but I will not be able to go this weekend... to much going on.

I will be there next time (January). Maybe you could show me then.

Thanks,
jag

Julius

That just depends on when you set the engine. Agreed the settings change as the engine heats up. And it does take a while for the engine and especially the carburettor to get to operating temperature. But thereafter the settings stay the same.

So, the trick is to not rely on bench tuning the engine. Run it on the track for at least 3 minutes before changing settings. When the engine is set correctly and you shut it off and restart, again take the time to warme everything up as it will seem way rich for the first 5 laps. But once it warms up you'll find it returns to the correct setting you had before.

I've run many long finals and long run tests and never had a problem with the tune changeing after a thourough warmup.

That people find the engine is easier to tune with a Nova carb is obvious as it's alu design heats up quicker and thus after two laps is at the correct temp. But beware, if you run at 20 degrees or higher outside temps and the engine stalls when it's hot, you'll have a hell of a time restarting it. Where the nylon picco carb just starts right up.

So in my opinion most of the tuning issues are easily solved by taking a bit more time and not turning needles after 2 laps.

Ridder

Thanks Julius, I'll try it....when spring is back...
A wee bit OT: Do you have a setup sheet for the 710 and the Gouda track?

Julius

Our national race there was in the wet so I don't have a true setup. But this may well work there too.
http://www.mytsn.com/setups/setup.asp?sid=2978

Ridder

Thanks!

jag

Has anybody put ceramic bearings in the ZX 12? If so, is it worth the money? What size are they and what other specifics do I need to know... shielded/not shielded, metal/plastic, etc?

Thanks,
jag