IC 3.1.2 Rule Clarification

[FSAE_MTU]

Hello,

We have a question about IC 3.1.2. It states

"The exhaust outlet(s) must not extend more than 45 cm (17.7 inches) behind the centerline of the rear axle, and shall be no more than 60 cm (23.6 inches) above the ground."

Do most teams treat this rule for the entire system (i.e. headers, muffler, etc. do not go above this plane)? Or is it as the rules stated, just the outlets
(i.e. exhaust tip)? I have asked several member on our team and gotten several different interpretation of the rule.

I sent a request to the rule committee for clarification but they say to takes up to two weeks to get the clarification. So I was wondering what you guys think?

Thanks

[Claude Rouelle]

FSAE_MTU

1. You don't think it would be worth to simply introduce yourself? Just a matter of courtesy and politeness

2. Whatever the rules why would you want to put an heavy exhaust and its muffler that high? Isn't a low CG one of your main target in your car concept and design?

[FSAE_MTU]

1. Sorry, I am Alex Sieberg from the Michigan Tech FSAE team.

2. The muffler wouldn't be that high. We are making custom headers for better packing inside the car and at one point the tubes extend higher then the 60 cm above the ground, but then drop back down lower to then the 60 cm height.

[Claude Rouelle]

FSAE-MTU

1. Thank you for introducing yourself

2. Now your question makes sense, although I sense it is not the best possible packaging but I bet it is probably already too late.... It is a good question though and you should wait for the rule committee answer.

I can't speak for or against the rule committee speed to answer but I will only say a) they are volunteers like all of us and do the best they can as soon as they can b) in their defense if your goal is to go to FSAE Michigan in just one month you are WAY too late to ask that question. You should have had your car finished and start testing 3 months ago. You probably did fall in trap hat most students fall in: you started to manufacture the car before ALL the drawings were finished. Am I right or wrong?

[FSAE_MTU]

You are half right! We tried to shorten the headers of our car to try to better match our torque curves. However, once the shortened headers were attached to the car, the sound levels of the exhaust system shot up about 10 dB, we were not expecting this high of an increase. So now we are trying to increase the header lengths without trying to remake the total system that we designed with the shorter primaries.

[Claude Rouelle]

FSAE-MTU,

Excellent. That is what FSAE / FS is about. You learn from you mistakes more than from your success.

But I will keep hammering the same nail again and again; you shoud have had that car finished WAY earlier.

I congratulate you for exposing the challenges you are going through. Readers from this kind of simple but enlightening example can learn a lot from this kind of post.

Anyway good luck See in in Michigan

Soon :)